Hey guys!
I hope this blog finds you well! I have been living in Craiova, Romania for about 3 weeks now, and man, life here has been so crazy. Since coming to Romania I have been working with my amazing ministry hosts named Raul and Anna, helping to build up their church. Along with Raul and Anna, I work with about 5 other missionaries from both Romania and the United States, and I could not be more impressed by the endurance and dedication these people have to building God’s Kingdom in Romania. Everyday our ministry looks slightly different, some days I will travel to Roma (gypsy) villages to teach the children and evangelize to the adults, and other days I will travel to Bulgaria going from town to town sharing the Gospel, but my primary ministry is going out into the streets of Craiova and evangelizing to everyone we see, with the hope of showing people God’s love.
I struggle to explain the spiritual heaviness that is upon Romania. The enemy has such a stronghold on this country and its people that Romania is known as the “graveyard for missionaries”. The effects of communism and the Orthodox Church have left many Romanians hopeless and with nothing good in their lives. Because of this, Romania has been the most difficult place I have ever evangelized in and it is easy to allow the spiritual darkness to overtake my team and I.
However, God created Romania and God owns Romania!! Even though the enemy has been working here for so long, God’s perfect love and power are so much greater than anything the enemy could be doing. God has not and never will forget about the people of Romania, and He is waiting for them with open arms. Good News: Jesus has already won the war!! The Holy Spirit is alive and working in Romania! He is softening hearts, He is showing so many Romanians God’s forgiveness through Jesus!!
Here is where I need your help . . . people coming to know Christ has nothing to do with what my team or I could do. Jesus is the only one who saves. But we have the power of prayer on our side! Please pray for the Romanians that I speak with, that their hearts would be softened to hear the Gospel and that they would know how valued they are. Pray for all of my ministry hosts, that they would keep fighting the good fight with endurance, having their strength come from the Lord. And please pray for my team and I, that we would continue finding our strength in God and that we would be good stewards of His mercy. Thank you so much!
I miss each one of you so much, but I am confident that the Lord has placed me exactly where He wants me. I am constantly praying for you, that God would work in your heart and use you in mighty ways for His Kingdom!
– Emalani <3
