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ROMANIAN
REPORT 2002 As the plane left the runway and we were saying good-bye to Romania, we could feel our bodies leaving, however, our hearts were being left behind. Each place that we had ministered had claimed a piece of our hearts and our lives had been permanently changed. We had been privileged to touch the lives and minister personally to nearly 4000 children, young people and adults. This was the largest team we have ever taken to Romania and we wondered how all the necessary provisions would be taken care of as well as the bonding that must happen for a team to be effective. “Team 29”, as we were called, was a team that was flexible and anointed and did whatever was needed to show the love of Jesus. Our accommodations were a truck stop and we took over all the rooms they had available. The scene out our window was one of a, three mile Island look, with nuclear towers smoking on one side and a large cemetery in front with train tracks and trains coming through quite often. BUT no one complained! We had our own room to meet in for breakfast each day and our team would meet the Lord in that place and receive the spiritual strength we would need for the day ahead. Just as we were leaving our home for the airport, our dear friend and former presbyter and board member of Bible Missions, Rev. Bill Smith called. He had a ‘word’ from the Lord for our team. It was strong and powerful and we received it with anticipation of where the Lord would lead us while we were in Romania. The word was that that Lord was sending us to the FORGOTTEN AND THE PASSED BY! Little did we know that our very first encounter would be just that! DOMINESTI: Our first outreach was a hospital and place for abandoned children. Our wonderful team opened their arms to the little ones so starved for love. One little girl started clapping with the music as the team began to sing, “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”! Her big eyes were looking around in wonder and we soon learned that this little darling had stomach cancer that was in remission if she could be kept to a special diet. The head of the establishment told us they receive from the government less than a dollar a day to feed each child there. Another team member held a little boy that had been a failed abortion and this had left him mentally challenged. Intense prayer was offered for this child. We learned of another baby that had been the result of another failed abortion and because of this has only one eye in the middle of its forehead! Oh, the curse of sin! We were able to share with the staff and pray for them and we saw many tears as we shared there is hope in Jesus. Some of the team stayed with the babies but many of us made the climb up the stairs. When we burst through the doors of an elderly women’s ward, I knew we had arrived at the FORGOTTEN AND PASSED BY. We were singing with the clowns, “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy”, and smiles came on many faces. It was here that hugs and kisses were given in abundance. Imagine these forgotten people whose whole world is just the cot they are laying on! One of the ladies told us, “No one ever comes to see us, thank you for bringing us joy today”. Our team spread out in every room of the hospital bringing happiness in places void of hope. In the men’s ward, I have a picture in my mind that I will always have, of our pastor from Philadelphia who is 6 feet 4 who had a clown suit made that transformed him into JUMBO the clown, having the men repeat the salvation prayer. Have you ever seen a clown do that before? We were about to see how the Lord rewards those who go to the passed by! The director of the hospital asked us if we would be willing to go to a place for the handicap and sing one song. She also told us she wanted to give us a cold drink at a restaurant close by this place. When we arrived, the Mayor of the area of 10,000 people greeted us and showed us through the culture house. Our eyes opened wide as we were shown an auditorium with 800 theatre style seats. When we told him we had planned to come to an open-air area in his city for Monday night meeting, he gave us the culture house. Coming out the door, we met a newspaperman that took pictures of our clowns and said he would advertise in the newspaper when we would be there. The miracle was not quite over for as we went to the place for a drink together, we met another man who had a car with a loud speaker and he told us he would alert the people of our coming. The night of the meeting came and every seat in the house was filled and people were standing in every available space. Many were turned away because there was no room for them. They all heard the message that Jesus is alive and can live in your heart. When the altar call was given almost everyone stood to receive the Lord. We gave books to all called “The Precious Gift” and everyone received salvation bracelets. Therefore, the story will be told again and again of John 3:16. They loved the clowns and wanted autographs!!!!! What a night of victory, all because we went to the FORGOTTEN AND THE PASSED BY. A deaf school with 230 students was visited and another presentation of the gospel was given as the word of God was placed in each of their hands. Was this another place that is forgotten and passed by? We were received with warm hospitality. A very sad sight greeted us in a place far out of the city. It is a place where the innocent victims of AIDS are living. Could this be another place of the FORGOTTEN AND THE PASSED BY? We went to the village of two of our children from CASA SHALOM. The old grandfather had prepared his yard for our meeting. We began to sing with the accordion and the village people started to gather. The gospel was heard again and the word of God did not return void, as many prayed the sinner’s prayer. We knew without a doubt that this place was very forgotten and very much passed by. The day arrived for our medical team to get ready for action. Way out to the village of Finta Mare. We even crossed a bridge that had to be personally inspected by our bus driver to be sure we could make it to the other side. No bus like ours had ever traveled these dirt roads with the large holes and narrow passages as mostly horse driven vehicles are the ones to use these roads. No medical help is available at all and we wanted them to know how much we cared. (The goodness of God brings them to repentance) First we had our spiritual outreach. There were many that had climbed trees to get a better look. We made sure they heard the story of Zacchaecus up in the tree. Then in the village schoolhouse we set up a medical station. We had one team member stationed at the door and let them in one by one, another team member had them sit in a chair to wait, and then we had four medical stations where blood pressure was taken and the needs were heard. As soon as they were treated medically and given whatever medicine was needed, we had another area where several team members prayed for the people. What a day it was and we had without a doubt come to another place FORGOTTEN AND PASSED BY. We prepared a special time for the women and had a Woman’s Tea. The place was filled and many received the Lord. Again we heard, “why did you invite us”? We answered because we want you to know we are your friends and we love you. To which we heard, “I have never been invited anywhere in all my life.” FORGOTTEN AND PASSED BY! A big day for us was when we arrived back to Casa Shalom and the big container that had been shipped from the United States by this team on April 2, 2002 was sitting in the yard! What a cheer of victory went up on the bus! It had been weeks of denials by the government officials, as they required more and more paper work. Finally, our director of Casa Shalom, Becky Dan Walsh, told them if you do not release it you will have 29 Americans in your office tomorrow. That was the ticket we needed to grant the release. Little did we imagine when we packed the container in the United States that our team would be there to unpack it in Romania. You should have seen the faces of all the children living at Casa Shalom when they saw love in action. The wonderful brand new beds and mattresses arrived safely and when our team put one together and when we saw the quality all we could do was rejoice. It was a celebration night! We were so happy that the container had come for we had a delivery to make of high chairs, baby walkers, clothes and diapers, to a place for abandoned babies. Our team came and as we went in the door, I made a comment that I hoped our clowns would not scare the babies. Instantly, I heard one of the workers say, “Oh, No, We have been waiting for you! They come as babies and grow up in this place to the age of three years old. We put smiles on faces as Beanie babies were given to the small children. Our team gave and gave here of themselves as they held and loved those that had been thrown away like garbage. We were especially excited to be here for one little boy now living at Casa Shalom had come from this hospital. When he was taken from the hospital he never smiled or talked but we met him as a happy little boy who is talking and laughing and can’t get enough hugs all because he has been transformed by love! We visited three different churches. One was a gypsy church and we participated in a water baptismal service. We had our service and then marched down the street, just like a parade with a small band playing, to the river. What a special treat for our team to be part of this event. Sunday Morning we enjoyed worship lead by a former gang member now giving his all to Jesus. This was a new congregation of River of Life Church that is being planted in the city of Bucharest under the direction of our missionaries, Don and Phyllis Payne and daughter, Shasa. Sunday Night we were at Grace Church with the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God of Romania and the windows of heaven opened and four of our girls from Casa Shalom were filled with the Holy Ghost. Many things were accomplished on this mission that only eternity will reveal. Before leaving Romania our team was able to give an offering of $10,000 to Casa Shalom to help continue the ministry there to the abandoned children. We were able to give and pledge $9000 to a new River of Life Church through the ministry of Ovidiu and Alexandra Mare in the city of Campina. We have been asked to send another container to Casa Shalom so the ministry continues of Team 29. Tears were flowing as good-byes were being said to all the children living at Casa Shalom. One little girl asked me to come around the corner, and then she took out of her pocket a little angel pin made of straw that she wanted me to have. It was so hard to take from her the most treasured possession she owned, but I knew I had to, because if I refused she would not understand and it would be another rejection in her little life. We had come to be a blessing, but in the end we were the ones that were blessed. |