ROMANIAN REFLECTIONS

It was a little after 3.30 A.M. Friday morning when we crossed the Hungarian border into Romania. As the bus waited in the dark while the border police came on board to check passports and visas, my mind was swept back in time. Back to an important event that took place nearly a year ago. An event that was catalyst to our being on a bus in the middle of the night surrounded by foreigners in a country so far, far away from home.

With a smile I remembered the amazing miracle of the Re-birth team crossing this same border ­- except by rail - around the 10th or 11th of August 2011; the miracle of the entire team getting into Romania, as three of the five were South Africans without visas to enter this country. But prayer can move mountains … prayer can move God’s people into the places He wants them to be. And it is through five young men kneeling on a Hungarian platform in the middle of the night pleading for God to make a way into Romania that I find myself in this country today.

As I write this blog, it has only been two days since arriving in Romania and we have already met some amazing people – some face to face, others only by name and the kind deeds of hospitality they have offered. This is the Church – God’s people being there for each other, fellowshipping with each other, serving each other. And the Romanian Christians are big on all three. What amazing people!

Firstly there’s the Bocanala family … Aurel and Annica who have opened their home to five of the team, and their lunch and dinner table to my husband, Noel, and I. Their son, Bogdan, whom I hope to have the pleasure of getting to know more, who collected us from the bus station and assisted us without hesitation with the necessary invitation letters and documentation for visa purposes. And finally, their nephew, Liviu, to whom my first words were, “Who are you?” which he found most amusing. It took me a good part of the day to find an accurate answer to that question. And that answer came not only with a name but with a character: poet, songwriter, a man with a great voice and guitar skills, who not only entertained us with his music but has driven the team around and looked after us.

Thank you all for giving of yourselves for this team.

Then there’s the owner of Marty’s restaurant who has freely extended the hospitality of this amazingly relaxing establishment. Thank you – we will return home with fond memories.

The Suciu family … how touched we are by your kindness in offering two strangers the exclusive use of your town home and meals at your Bistro. We look forward to meeting you sometime this week.

You are all truly amazing people with big hearts – may your kindness not go unrewarded. It is our prayer that one day we would be able to reciprocate with South African hospitality.

And lastly, Brother Costello of Prison Fellowship Ministries … thank you for sharing your life with us yesterday afternoon. You kept each one of us spellbound with your testimony, you broke our hearts with your story.

With such a beginning to our Romanian outreach, I look forward to what this week holds in store. I know it won’t always be easy, that a lot of hard work lies ahead, but it will all be worth it in the end. All for your glory, Jesus. All for your glory!

From Romania with love

Marion

2 Corinthians 9v12-13: This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of this service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.