Foreword:
So I had this super-crazy-awesome post written for you that took me hours to write and I thought was really great. It was one of those that I really get into and can just write and write and write because it has me SO excited!
There was only one problem. See, when I start writing those kind of posts I mean it when I say I go on and on.
And I was so into it… that I may or may not have saved it along the way…
…and may or may not have accidently tapped the key to go back to the previous page…
…and may or may not have lost it…… 😀
SO YEAH, long story short, Google Docs has spoiled me with its autosave and I need to get into the habit of pacing myself when I write! (Aaaaaand ‘saved’!)
* * *
So here’s the sorta abridged version (because I need to start packing!).
My squad is getting ready to leave Romania for Bulgaria on Sunday morning. And once again I can’t help but look around and see all the great things that have been accomplished in our time here. A number of people (particularly teenagers) were led to a relationship with Christ this past month in Alba Iulia, a number of mission partners were able to be helped, my team was able to amplify the work of the director of the organization that hosted our squad this month. It was a really great month!
At the same time, I can’t help but see the work and the harvest that is waiting to be brought in! There’s much work that is left to be done, and I know that that stack is only going to get bigger and bigger in my heart and mind as I get more and more countries under my belt, too.
But as was pointed out to me over the course of this month and capitalized upon by my squad mate Nathan, when people think of missions, two things come to mind: Africa and Life Sentenc- I MEAN.. Long Term 😛
…But have you ever considered Europe?
It’s easy to brush it to the side. I mean, after all, Christianity has been integral to the culture of the continent for centuries. The church today in America was planted by European settlers. The birthplace of many well-regarded theologians, Christian authors, the home of the Vatican. Europe should be thriving. Physically/economically, it is when compared to most of the world.
But spiritually? Well, that’s an ENTIRELY different story.
Let’s just say that the word “Christianity” in Europe has received a recent addition to the name.
Nominal.
Yes, Nominal Christianity is the current climate in Europe. It is nearly the same thing you see in the US, only much further down the rabbit hole than even we are. A faith that goes no deeper than bearing the name “Christian” on your sleeve. A faith that many people here hold, not because they believe, but because their parents or more likely grandparents went to church so they claim to be Christian through them.
Take Romania, for example. Our host said that estimates put the unsaved in the country at about 96% of the total population.
Let that sink in.
Around 4% of a country of millions have accepted salvation.
For me, leaving a country that, having such a long Christian history you would expect to be well off, isn’t easy. Granted, during that Christian history it’s been under the sway of the Orthodox church for most of that time (something I had gone more at depth with in my original post. To summarize what I have been told by locals in Serbia and Romania, the Orthodox church has a firm grip on the lives of many here and by and large the people know it to be deeply corrupt, but the church is a part of your identity so you can’t very easily say no to it. The church generally doesn’t encourage the people explore the Bible for themselves if they can help it, though it varies from church to church. Finding a Bible in these countries in the native language has been almost impossible.)
Know that I say none of that with the intent to smear the Orthodox church, only to let you who do not live here be aware of what many locals have conveyed to me. I am certain that there are Orthodox Churches here and elsewhere that teach the whole word and lead their congregation to salvation and a relationship with Christ. But by and large the former is the reality; Christian on the VERY superficial level, but they haven’t been shown all the depth and beauty of a relationship with Christ that there is beyond that.
But I don’t mean to discourage you in saying this, nor guilt you for not knowing and doing more. I myself knew very little about the true situation of faith here prior to my time spent here.
But the question remains: How can we change this?
Well, I am glad to tell you that the change HAS ALREADY been started! Obviously through organizations working here like Adventures in Missions, BUT ALSO through people like our ministry host this month: Raul.
Raul is such a great visionary and a man after God’s own heart, if you ask me. From sun-up to sun-down that man is always on the go. He heard and answered God’s call and started a church in the little, impoverished town of Draganasti-Olt in the southern part of Romania. Just an small congregation, no more than 20 members in all when it started. But God blessed him and his church with a vision; the Lord’s vision, to reach out to the lost everywhere he might do so. From these simple beginnings Raul has faithfully been obedient through it all, and God has blessed that.
Today, he is the director of Hope Church/Hope Romania, has just opened a branch ministry in the north of Romania in Alba Iulia (where my squad is at!) and the next phases of growth include branching the ministry here in the north, but even further than that, he wants to reach other European countries as well. He momentarily once sounded off the idea to my team about even reaching France one day- HOW INCREDIBLE that would be (And if you think the crisis of faith is bad here in Romania, my teammate Liz, who lived in France for a number of years, informs me that the situation is even worse there)!
But I will tell you, NONE of this would have been possible if, as Raul would put it, God didn’t give him the three P’s: the People, the Projects, and the Partners. Over the years he’s had both local and internation missionaries come to work alongside him. With them he has been able to coordinate some incredible ministries. I could just gush with all the great things that are happening here, but that would be AT LEAST another thousand words and I won’t make your eyes go much further than that.
But here’s what I DO want to say, and give you something to consider.
As I said, Hope Church can’t do the outreach that it’s doing without its partners and supporters. There is always a need for missionaries (anything from teaching children to teaching English; if God has given you a gift and a call, share it!), office workers (he has none right now and needs teams like us to help keep things running behind the scenes), financial supporters, and people to help create networks and find partners back in the states and elsewhere internationally to keep expanding the reach of this ministry. There are A LOT of ways this ministry can benefit from a simple “yes” in someone’s heart if the Spirit leads them. No one is ever too old or too inexperienced or too… whatever, to help this ministry (or any ministry for that matter). Help can simply be donating an extra pair of reading glasses (no really, they have an eyeglass ministry that is all sorts of clever. They give them reading glasses and have them test them out by reading some Bible verses and get to then open the conversation of faith with them. How FREAKING cool is that?!)
Bottom line, there are SO, SO many ways you can be helping that don’t require you to relocate halfway around the world (though if you feel led to that, let me know and I’ll put you in touch with Raul personally!), and the need is SO VERY great.
So here’s what I’d like to ask of you: Will you share this information with others?
I know I keep asking y’all to subscribe and share my posts, but this is one of those I’d like to especially see shared, because I have seen the heart that Raul has and how God has blessed his ministry and wants to keep doing so. I know there are people out there RIGHT NOW that are looking to come alongside a ministry like this; to become a missionary or share their skills and resources; people just looking to share a small gift, even, with this ministry. God is calling them but they don’t know which field yet He’s calling them to harvest. Maybe something in this speaks to you, be it bigger or smaller, it all goes towards building the kingdom!
So I’ll say it again: The Lord of the harvest is calling. Maybe He’s calling someone to the missions field or maybe He’s just calling another to donate that extra Bible in their house. Regardless of whatever and whoever, I would ask that you prayerfully consider it and share this information, because someone out there right now might be looking for the information YOU can share with them. This is not a guilt trip, but I would encourage us all in considering how our inactions just as much as our actions affect one another. Ephesians 5:16 (I’m thinking its my favorite verse the more I reflect on it) calls us to make the most of every opportunity. Building the kingdom can be as simple as sharing this blog!
Whatever the call may be, the question still remains: Will you answer Him?
Well I’m praying for the Lord of the harvest to provide and I know He is a God that answers prayers! If you’re reading this and feeling led even just a little, I invite you to check out more about Hope Romania on their website http://www.hoperomania.org. Specifically scroll towards the bottom and look under their section called ‘Projects’ (And check out that eyeglass ministry! I’m telling you- it’s awesome!). There are also different jobs they’re looking to fill in their ministry listed on the site as well. Give the site a good look and don’t hesitate to message me with any questions you might have at [email protected] or via Facebook!
As always much thanks and God bless!
