I Never Had To Move

On Wed. afternoon April and I went back to the apartment complex we had worked in on Tuesday. We had returned to visit a man who had accepted Christ to complete discipleship lessons. The new believer was not home so we set out to visit other homes and we can upon a man sitting on a bench alone. The nationals ask him if I could share and he said yes so I began to share my story of how my life had changed after having a relationship with Jesus. I completed the cube and ask him if he would like a relationship with Jesus and he said yes. We prayed together and began to do discipleship but a man came up and sat down beside us so I passed off the lesson to a national and I began sharing with the new man who had walked up. We had a very emotional talk and he shared his wife had just passed away and he was concerned where she might be. I shared with him about how we could be sure where he would spend eternity and he began to weep. We continued to share with one another and he very passionately ask Jesus to save him and forgive him for his sins. We started lesson one of discipleship and another man came and sat down and we began to share with him and he also accepted Christ. I started to get up and a forth man came up sat down and ask me to share with him so we began to talk and he ask Jesus into his heart. This week has been very challenging and emotional as we have seen many hurts and confused people but on this day GODS blessing were pouring out and we were allowed to see him move mightily in the hearts of these 4 men. It is hard for me believe that in a Country where many hearts are so hard and cold that God allowed me to see 4 souls won to him and I never moved form one spot. God has broken me this week and really shown me that the time is know to share his word. People are hurting and in need of hope in life that can only come from Jesus. Thank All you for your prayers and support

Story By Paul Colburn

Oppresion by a Priest

The last two days one of our teams in the town of Florica had an unexpected visit by the Orthodox priest. They approached our team video taping their actions. We believe that they wanted to tape us saying things to the people that could be used against us, they could not. Each time the team would move to a new home, the priest was right behind them. They NEVER spoke to any of our team members. Our team members spoke many times to them, greeting them, telling them that Jesus was Lord, saying God Bless You and other kind things.
The priest even took away Bibles and reading glasses from people our team had spoken to. The priest found our team speaking to one man and the priest drove up to his house and ordered him to get in the backseat of his car. After a few minutes the man got out of the car and came back to our evanglism team and said, OK let's continue. No questions were asked, they just finished presenting the gospel. The man then invited the team into his home where he prayed to accept Jesus as His Lord and Savior. Praise God for giving strength to our team and to those who are hearing the truth.
story by Neal Blackwelder

Power of Prayer

On Tuesday I had the privilege to work Horatio, a Romanian who actually lives in New York City but was visiting in Ploiesti. We had less rejections and more decisions. Frankly, I know the closed doors will eventually lead to an open door. We talked with Gromal who was very attentive and liked the things we were saying. After about 20 minutes of sharing with him, he prayed the sinners prayer with us. He said that he felt a power come into his body from his feet to his head. He said he had never felt this power before. He, his wife and daugther came to our cell group meeting tonight and he promised the pastor he would be in church on Sunday.
Mihai, am man of 72 years told us he was Orthodox, as a matter of fact his father's brother was an Orthodox priest. I shared along with my translator, Daniel who is a seminary student in Bucharest but Horatio had a great discussion with him. At the end of our discussion I asked if we could pray with him. Daniel prayed I sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit move. He was also at our discipleship study tonight.
The last visit today was in a secured apartment building we were able to get into. We went to the fourth floor and there encountered a man who was hostile toward God. Horatio talked with him for a long while and then told him we must move on. We then went to the 10th floor where we meet Gheongr a 70 year old man. He was very open to us and invited us into his apartment. He showed us his icons of Jesus. I told him that we can know firmly that we can go to heaven. We held hands and Daniel prayed for him. Again the Holy Spirit came down, Gheongr began to weep and cry as the Holy Spirit broke his heart. We will visit him again. Please pray for Gheongr.
God has truly shown His power in our behalf.

story by Ron Simpson

Hard Earned Fruit

Today my team member Bashan, our translators Lidia and Lidia (no typo, we had two Lidia’s) and I went out. Pastor Moses (again no typo) also went out with us and the response was awesome. He’s so passionate about the word and the people respond well to one of their own. Pastor Moses saw this woman sitting on a bench outside her house knitting and starting talking to her. Bashan gave her testimony and Lidia shared the cube with her. At first she was convinced good works were the way to heaven but when she finally understood that we are not saved by works but we are saved for good works. You could see a light go off in her head and her face just lit up.

While Bashan was finishing up, Pastor Moses went ahead because he saw a woman. He called Lidia and I to come to him. I gave my testimony and Lidia shared the story of Christ. We talked about Christ and I asked if she wanted to pray to receive Him and she told me “yes”, but before we could pray with her, her husband came out and ushered her in the house. He did not want her to receive Christ. I’ve never met a more oppressed country. They’re so afraid to receive Christ. The Orthodox Church has such a hold on them, and they’re really afraid. The stories we hear are really comical, but sad. The Orthodox Priest has told them that if they start reading the Bible they have to complete it. If they stop, they have to start over again. So, of course, they don’t start, because they can’t complete it.

We stopped to talk to a gentleman outside his home. He was a Christian and knew his Bible well, but he told us his wife was not. She is very ill and he invited us into his home to talk to her about her salvation. But his daughter was there taking care of her and did not want us to talk to her. He told him to tell us to leave. It was so sad to me. He loved her so much and worries about her salvation. I thank God that my husband is saved and we will be spending eternity together.

Our mission here has been very hard and sometimes heartbreaking, but I remember the words of Matthew 28:29. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

story by Cindy Odgers

Never Too Old To Be Saved

Never say you are too old to receive the gift of God. Paul and I were able to meet a couple that lived further out of the city of Moren (about 2 1/2 miles). Her husband was a shepherd of some sort and was just walking up as we were talking to her. The number one thing we have learned here in Romania is to listen to the people. They love to talk. Mrs. Mona loved to talk! But thru translation all we understood was nothing more than her troubles and how much her husband was displeased with her, etc. She probably went on for about 5 minutes before we were able to just ask her if it was okay to share our story. She and her husband, amongst the choas with the cows, chickens, turkeys, and goats took a moment to hear my story. Her husband was some what distracted and would not make eye contact with me. I lost his attention and he walked away in the midst of me talking. I kept sharing with his wife and when I came to the punch line I asked her if she died today would she know without a doubt she would spend eternity in Heaven and the typical response we hear in Romania is "All people want to go to Heaven". She continued to share how she was not good enough and that everyone was unhappy with her so there was no way she would be good enough for Heaven. I continued to talk thru her concerns and shared with her how we are all sinners and that I was even a sinner but I still know that I have secured my eternity in Heaven by asking Jesus to come into my heart. We continued to talk and at 80 years old with shakiness in her voice she wanted to pray with me to become a child of God. Yes! An 80 year old woman a child of God! Amen! She walked 2 1/2 miles to the church to participate in the discipleship training. Although her husband walked away, Paul had the opportunity to catch his attention. Paul shared his story and led her husband to Christ as well. We always say that if you can reach the man of the household you can reach the entire household. God was good to let that happen today!

Story by April Oakes

My First TIme Sharing the Gospel

This is my very first e3 trip, and also my very first trip out of the US without my Mom by my side. I have never really used the Evangecube or shared the gospel with someone one-on-one. So this week has definitely been a new experience for me. After watching everyone else share the testimony and the cube, I finally felt like I was ready. We saw these women standing outside of their house on the street, so we went to talk to them. My translator, Cosmin, introduced me and told the women that I had a story to tell them. They seemed very anxious to hear what I had to say. So, I took a deep breath and started sharing with these women my story of how Jesus Christ changed my life forever. I then started sharing with them Jesus story of love and sacrifice. We asked them if we could come back later and do a Bible study with them. They agreed and we left. After we ate lunch, we went back to their house. We did the first page of the discipleship lessons with them and went through the track with them. To our great surprise they did not believe that good works get you to heaven but that faith will bring you to Jesus. Mrs. Charlotte asked them if they would like pray and accept Jesus' free gift of salvation. To my surprise these women gladly said yes and we all prayed together. Praise God! It is so amazing that my first experience sharing the gospel with someone was successful and two names were added into the Book of Life! Not to mention the future generations from these women that will follow their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in the footsteps of Jesus Christ! Well, I will stop babbling on, but I will definitely say that this day will be a day that remember for the rest of my life. Praise be to God our Father! -Samantha Hyde, first time e3-er :)

story by Smantha Hyde

Monday - First Day of Evangelism

Today is Monday. We got off to a slow start in comparision to other E3 trips. We arrived late in the day on Saturday night and it rained very heavily on Sunday. Today we had a gorgeous day, cool and sunny. All of the teams were able to go out into the harvest fields. The people here are not as easy to lead as those we have worked with in South America however, the Lord prevailed and many people came to salvation.
11 Seminary students have come from Bucharest to work with us as translators. These young men are such a blessing. The seminary buildings in Bucharest were purchased by the Southern Baptist Convention many years ago. It is truly a blessing to work with them.
Please pray for us as we discuss ways to effectively reach these beautiful people.

story by Sam Neugent