Today started off like every other day here in Romania.
Prayer time at the table in the morning, then we go off for ministry to the
surrounding villages for the day. Today a group of us were going to a village
that we had not visited yet. Our plan was to meet new people, show them the love of Jesus and handing out
tracts. That was until the day took a sudden turn in a different direction.
Our group split into two groups to
walk the streets of the town. My group very quickly met two men. I don’t
speak Romanian, but I could quickly tell that the man was mad, very mad. After a long couple of minutes the
man begins to make a phone call. The pastor that we were walking with tells me,
“He is calling the priest”. I figured that was no big deal. Maybe I mistook
the man’s anger and we could tell the priest what we were doing as Christian
missionaries. That was not what happened.
Soon we are walking down
the road again, and a car pulls up. An ominous looking man, dressed in all black gets
out of the car, slamming the door. He confronts our pastor friend with a raised voice. He tells us that we are not allowed in this town. That we must leave, we are not welcome there. After minutes of threatening us with police, we decide it is time to go. We walk back to the car. As we
arrive at the car the priest shows up again. Saying that if we do not leave
this immediately that we will be in big trouble. He begins to threaten us with the
police again and gets increasingly aggressive. He took the tracts that we had previously handed to
two older ladies and shoved them back into the pastor’s coat. He did not want this message being spread in his town.
I begin
thinking a whole lot, and honestly can’t believe that this is really happening.
I am getting kicked out of a town for sharing the gospel? By a PRIEST!?
We then get into the car, and decide to evade the priest for
a bit until the other group meets us, to not cause a greater scene. The priest follows us out of the town in his car. We make a u-turn and get back
with the other group. We get into another pastor’s car, and leave the village.
Keep in
mind that there is freedom of religion here in Romania. Nothing that we did was
illegal. We were simply walking through a town, sharing the love of Jesus.
Sometimes
you get kicked out of a town; sometimes you are welcomed with open arms. Either
way, I count them both as blessings. We are the light of the world, and nothing
a priest can do can stop that light from shining. This was a huge learning lesson for me, and I surely will be chewing on this experience for some time ahead. I am so thankful that I live in a truly free nation. Not many people around the world receive the same privilege that we do.
Pray for an open door that the pastors can plant a house
church in this specific village. This is what they feel God calling them to do.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others, that
they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
