Romania
Some open doors in Bucharest have led Costel Ghioanca to share with many other people from the capital, and even some from other countries. The church had a retreat that was a real blessing for their unity, and vision.
The team in Draganesti had several events that took the Gospel to hundreds of people (street evangelism, open air evangelism, Christian documentaries, a children event with over 200 children, etc). Danut Opris has been the manager of these events in the city of Draganesti-Olt. At short distance away in Stoienesti, George Serban had two US teams to help him with evangelism and the construction of the church facility.
In Fieni, Florin and Marian have been busy sharing on the streets. This is one of the most effective ways of getting the Gospel to the people. Four days per week, Florin and Marian went out (two days in Fieni, two days in Pietrosita). Every week, a good number of people are called to repentance and faith. Florin continues to preach at a factory, and get more young people together for soccer games, where he preaches to them. The next step is to rent a place in Pietrosita to start prayer meetings and Bible studies.
Interesting things happen in Marian Jipa’s mission field, Pitulicea. Marian reports good progress in the work of evangelism. He had two students from the Baptist seminary from Bucharest who did personal evangelism for a month. There is construction work going on in the towns of Pitulicea and Florica. A new ministry has been started in Margineanu and Glodeanu Sarat. A family from Amaru gave a room for the meetings. This is wonderful! All started with Marian Jipa following the calling to plant churches.
The same course of events has happened in Pucioasa. Nicu Vulpe had an intense month with the dedication of the new chapel (around 170 people present). A lady that lives next to the building seems to have been saved. They had a baptism with four new converts. The ordination service for Alex, filled the chapel again. God is moving mightly in Pucioasa.
The work in Brasov keeps growing. During the whole month of June the hall was packed with people. For several months we had a family attending our church. They got converted, and we were preparing for their baptism. Then they stopped attending. When we called, we found that they went to another church, which the husband liked more for various reasons. We discovered that they were baptized there (husband, wife and daughter). Some plant, other water, and other reap. Praise God! Still, we will baptize three young men on August 5th. The students are on vacation, but the meeting hall keeps being full. We pray for a building that seems to be suitable for our ministry, and the ministry of HeartCry.
Ukraine
Brother Ilie Hluscac had a baptism at his mission from Kamenka, along with other two events that introduced the Gospel to many unsaved people. Rusnac Vitalii spent more time with his wife, who lost a baby in the late stages of pregnancy. He also prepared two young people for baptism. The mission field of Sandu proves to be tough in Pasat, and Grusevca, but he continues to take different approaces. One of them would be to evangelize people through a medical ministry. John Giread had a very good report. The village of Tereblecia was shaken by the death of a man who was disciplined for drinking, and mocking God and his wife who continued to be faithful. At the funeral many villagers were confronted again with their terrible sins that were similar with those of the dead man. Three women were converted and will be baptized. The prayer, and fasting for revival proves to be effective.
Moldova
Anatol reported about the intense time of youth camps. Now is the time they invest in young people and teenagers. These camps have changed many lives. The entire team from Cahul (Anatol, Gelu, and Nicu) has been focused on this. There are four camps: the first one had 150 young people, the second had 100, and the two other camps for teenagers totalled 150 teenagers. After the camps, the young people that have been touched by God’s Spirit will be discipled in the church.
The team from Anenii Noi (Igor, Pavel, Natasha) had a fruitful time with an US team that helped poor families and distributed hundreds of reading glasses in the village of Harbovat (targeted for a new church plant). The construction work of the chapel in Anenii Noi stopped from lack of finances. Pavel initiated a teenager group that his wife will lead. They also led a five day camp where many children were exposed to the Gospel. The best event was the English class graduation. For many students and their parents it was the first time to be in an Evangelical church. They also heard the Gospel for the first time. Marian, Igor’s wife led a conference for women, teaching them how to grow in the context of their own churches.
Campus Ministry
Alex went with several Christian students from Brasov to Targoviste, where they witnessed to 27 unconverted students. The second day the doorkeeper stopped them from doing evangelism in the dorms. Then, another outreach took place on the campus in Sibiu. One student, Ovidiu was saved. A good outreach took place in Ploiesti, where Alex witnessed to international students, and then held a meeting with over 100 students.
Bebe Tomeci was in Timisoara for a while, as his daughter was graduating, and taking exames for high school.
The academic year comes to end in Bucharest. The last few weeks gave Dana L. many opportunities to witness in the dorms, and to set up a table with Christian literature outside. She is very much involved also in helping Costel with the church plant of Adonai Church in Bucharest.
At the end of this University year, Ruxi is also thankful for the two converts she brought to Christ, for the discipleship groups she leads, and for the work of her church, where she is also involved.
Gypsy Ministry
Moses reports about seven new people that attended church in June in Bucharest. The VBS school brought many Gypsy children. Some came with their parents, so while children had their lessons, Moses shared the Gospel to the parents. A new church plant started in Olteni, where Moses baptized a convert.
Vale Marian prepares three converts for baptism. He was under attack from some bad people in the village. His dog was poisoned, his fence was destroyed, and he heard also of other threats. His son desperately needs surgery.
Toma Marian met some new people to whom he witnessed. Some had connections with believers in the past and were opened to listen. He was also instrumentally used by God to save a family from divorce.
Nae Marian reports that twice a month, the whole church would go on the streets to witness and give tracts. A family from Frumusani (a church plant) was converted.
Sorin Iordan had two baptisms, one in Rosiori, and one in Olteni. About 23 persons were baptized in both places. Also a family was converted in the town of Trojanu.
Tony Anghel had a major evangelistic outreach, but not many came, as Gypsies are now in the woods picking mushrooms. This is one major source of support for them. However, over 40 people came to listen to the Gospel.
Paul is the founder of HeartCry Missionary Society and currently serves as its missions director. He also ministered as a missionary in Peru for ten years. He has preached hundreds of sermons and has authored a dozen published works. Paul lives in Radford, Virginia, with his wife Charo and their four children: Ian, Evan, Rowan, and Bronwyn.
More By Paul David Washer