Alright guys and gal
s, it's time for an update. A whole lot has happened since my last entry and I want to extend my sincere apologies for not keeping you all filled in. I've wanted to wait until I have plans nailed down, but right now I want to just let you know whats going on right now.Things are going great in Resita. The missions ministry there is flourishing with Lucci being hired full-time as a missionary by Hope Baptist. As he, Maria, and others go house to house, people are encouraged by Lucci's dedication and prayers for them. There is much excitement in Terova as the church's building is being built. I have enjoyed every ounce of work done and there will always be a place in my heart for those who are back in Resita.
Now, I need to tell you all what is going on in Timisoara where I now reside. Two years ago during a mission trip to Romania, I ran into a great guy named Petrica Portaru, a staff member for Campus Crusade for Christ here in Romania. Long story short, I find myself now living with him and working among college students and volunteers seeking to reach out and evangelize the campus here in Timisoara. This seems a little overwhelming now to tell you all the details, but I want to emphasize first of all the need for a Christian presence here in Timisoara. I was abruptly reminded while walking around the campus here that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. With 45,000+ college students in Timosoara, there is only one Christian organization, Campus Crusade which comprises of 6 Romanians (including Petrica) who seek to evangelize and disciple the students here. They hand out a magazine and hold weekly meetings which are both in Romanian. Now, this is how I fit into all of this: There are over 1000 international students (mainly in the medical university) from countries such as India, Nigeria, and Palestine who have very little interaction with Christians at all. All of the international students speak English but not necessarily Romanian. Consequently, they stick out just about as bad as I do. So, I feel that through my contacts with Campus Crusade, I can build relationships with these international students and at very least engage them in conversations about religion and so forth. Please, I beg for your prayers as I go to the dormitories, hallways, and parks looking for new friends and people with whom to share Christ and get them involved in a church that is English-speaker friendly.
I want to tell you about one of my first encounters with these international students. Petrica and I walked down a cigarette smoke filled dorm hallway to find a dorm room with Indian students. When Petrica and I walked in we were greeted by 4 smiling faces and "give up my seat for you" kind of hospitality. Honestly, we haven't gotten into any real serious spiritual talks yet. We focused more on our love for mountains and differences in cultures, languages, and so forth. When Petrica and I walked out I asked him, "Are any of them Christians?" He replied saying that there is a Christian, a Buddhist, another guy is Muslim, and the last one is Hindu. Welcome to the field Will.
