Mission: Romania

July 5

July 5, 2008

Buna ziua!
Hi everyone!

Remember to look at the photobucket site for all the latest pics - http://www.photobucket.com/mvbc

Since arriving in Romania we do not have ready access to the internet so we will be sending updates back as often as we are able.
Today I have scored some short time using the internet connection at Ema’s church.
I will try to give you my own personal impressions and try to describe what Timisoara is like as well as what has been happening here in the last couple of days!

We arrived in Timisoara, a city on the west side of Romania, on Thursday afternoon. We were greeted by many friends and relatives of the Iancu’s. We were taking to the place we are staying and then headed out into town for some dinner. We met an English couple - Richard and Claire Payne - who live here in Timisoara and are currently buliding a campsite nearby which they hope will one day host many christian youth camps. We visited a rather large multi story shopping complex where we just had some Romanian take-away for dinner. Richard and Claire speak Romanian rather well and have been helping drive us around everywhere and have been taking very good care of us.

We are staying in a village located about 20 mins out from the centre of town. It is on the outskirts, just outside the main hustle and bustle. The roads of the village are dirt and gravel tracks that we cannot drive more than 20kph on. The place we are staying in is a mission centre that does a multitude of things. The place is run by Florin’s cousin and takes care of a small number of orphans. The place also takes in missionaries and allows them to stay in the building. When this is happening all the orphans bunk out together in one of the larger rooms to allow people like us to stay in the other rooms. We will be staying here for a few more days yet except for Sunday night, when an American team had already booked in long before we did. So we will be moving out for a night and return on Monday.

The other things that are run out of this mission place is a bottled water company. They supply water coolers and the water to refil them. This water is pretty nice. They also sometimes dig some wells. All the money made from these business ventures goes back into running the mission.

They also have quite a few dogs on the property. Last night 5 more puppies were born, bringing their total up to 11 puppies plus all the other dogs they already had.

All the people I have met so far are so friendly and welcoming to us. The people at the mission where we are staying cannot seem to do enough for us. They have made us feel so special. Ema’s family (Ema is Florin’s brother and pastor of the church we are working at this week) have also been welcoming also.

Ema’s church meets in a building that currently serves several purposes. The building was bought recently and is currently being fixed up and renovated to meet various needs. A printing business is currently being run out of the building as well. Ema’s family lives in the top floor. The main meeting room for the church is on one of the middle floors along with some offices for Ema’s work and the printing. The bottom floor has a garage and is mostly serving as a lot of storage. The building is far from being finished and ready to use. Yesterday Kevin was working on some doors, Iain and Richard were working on a bathroom, Ron and David were painting walls, and the rest of us transported several trailer loads of debris and rubbish from around the building to the local tip. We seem to have not made much of a dent in it though. There is a lot to be done and we will not even get close to finishing however they are most appreciative of the work we are able to help them with.

One thing that is strange is us being the ones that look and talk funny. Peter and I were out with Fil and his cousins yesterday on the way back from one of the loads to the tip. All Peter and I could do was sit there and look at each other and smile as we had no idea what was being said in the conversations around us!

Today Kevin will be continuing with the doors. Fil, Yaz, Peter, and Nathan have gone down to the football stadium (or soccer stadium depending on which country you are from) where the Franklin Graham festival is being held. This morning they will be helping out with a program being run for the local kids in Timisoara. Tonight the main festival continues. We are praying that many more souls will be saved tonight and tomorrow night as well. Many went down the front to the altar call last night to receive Jesus.

Here in Timisoara, there are so many people and so many cars trying to fit into the limited space of the city. Derelict looking houses stand next to well kept buildings and everything in between.

The road rules here are not followed as strictly as they are in Australia. There are speed limits - which are taken as suggested driving speeds and often cars drive well over these limits. There are lane markings - which again are taken as suggestions. Cars try to avoid the hazards presented by the poorly maintained roads. The roads are sealed like you would expect to see in the city in Australia, however they are not well maintaned. The roads are falling apart and potholes are everywhere, which adds to the driver craziness. Everyone seems to be in a rush to get to where they are going. Cars duck and weave around wherever they can to try and get through. Changing lanes and navigating intersections are a bit of pot luck and go as soon as you can. Don’t bother waiting for a gap in the traffic. Just look for a little bit of space between two cars and go for it!

It is rather hard to explain how the city looks. To try and compare to Perth, our buildings are clean and all set out in a grid like pattern. Timisoara’s layout is not so straight forward. Some roads go in circles. Others in straight lines. Buildings are anywhere and everywhere. compared to buildings back home they look dirty and unkept on the outside.

Things you can pray for!

Our continued safety

Our continued good health

That we recover from jet lag as soon as possible. The jet lag effect has started to kick in on some of us.

For the festival, for the organisers, and for the people coming to the festival, and that many more souls will be saved.

For the Iancu’s and Richard and Claire that they do not get burnt out as they act as our translators and interface between our Australian culture and Romanian culture.

Praise God that so many things have just fallen into place, or have just worked. Our only real major hiccup so far has been Florin’s and Nathan’s luggage arriving in Timisoara from Munich a day late!

All of us are growing closer to each other and closer to God as we learn to rely on Him for so much.
We are all learning many different lessons in life and in our walk with God.

We miss you all and send you our love.
La revedere.
Ben (on behalf of the Romanian Mission Team)

Posted by Ben in Festival, Prayer, Team, photos