“God is not illegal here,” our Romanian contact, Cristi, shouted, “He loves you!”
The Greek Orthodox priest was enraged and threatened to call the police if we did not leave immediately.
Predominantly of Greek Orthodox religion, Romanians are enslaved by their priest who ensures that Jesus is referred to only as a prophet and that there is absolutely no reading of the Bible. On Tuesday, November 29, 2011, some teammates and myself were scheduled to go into the nearby village to hand out Christian tracts to passersby. We split into two groups and were on our way. For my group, the very first man whom we gave a tract to—a devout Greek Orthodox—called the local priest on us.
Inside a Greek Orthodox church in Slatina, Romania.
“But we aren’t doing anything wrong,” Cristi protested. Sadly, that did not stop this priest from tracking us down.
A tall, harsh-spoken man steps out of his car dressed in a black trench coat and dress shoes (as if that makes him look less intimidating). Before his feet hit the ground, his fingers are pointed and his voice is raised in his raspy tone.
By our efforts to convert “his people” to Christianity, we would essentially be taking away his money. These people are to pay for their religion: pay to have a wedding, pay to have their babies dedicated, pay to be saved from their sins, and pay to die. Their whole lives are spent in service and obligation to the priest of their village.
In reply to the money-hungry priest, Cristi yelled, “You have made God illegal!”
We began praying fervently for God’s protection during the heated, Romanian argument. As the priest is still flailing his arms, Cristi turns to us and says, “We should walk back to our car now.”
As we walked, we began asking so many questions about what was said and why they are so adamant about us leaving. We were bringing light into that village and Satan clearly did not want that to happen.
However, our other group was still handing out their tracts, so once we arrived at the car we waited for them. Waited and prayed.
The priest, ensuring our departure, followed us to our car. Upon seeing that we were still in the village, he took that opportunity to collect all the tracts that we had handed out and threw them at us, but not before he shouted (in English), “You are trouble!”
Not willing to risk a night in a Romanian jail, we got in the car; a little disappointed and defeated. Before we left the city, we met up with the other group. As we began comparing stories, we learned that they handed out multiple tracts and actually had great conversation with the recipients. One man told the pastor that he would follow-up with a phone call.
Cristi told us that we were simply the bait for the Orthodox priest. As defeated as we were, we learned that we were instruments in God’s plan to allow those people to hear about Jesus through the other group.
Again, as if I had ever doubted, God’s plan is greater than anything that we could ever arrange ourselves. This dark and dreary village still needs to hear the Word of Jesus, and we are the light to bring it to them.
A cute, old man walking away with one of our tracts.
