Romania Mission Update

Sat., July 26, 2008, 2:25 pm

 

Well, once again we were beset by traveling annoyances...with seven bags delayed and one team member being routed via Denver, Washington, and Frankfurt to get to Budapest...but as happens so often, that’s just part of the "joy" of modern air travel. The important thing is that all 36 team members made it safely and even after arriving at Casa Emanuel at 3:00 a.m., still made it to breakfast on time this morning. Presbyterians always seem to be on time for meals...

This was a wonderful first day. We have already come together as one team, with many of us making new friends with other Christians from around the country. We went across the spectacular Carpathian Mountains this afternoon to visit the "Bear Caves," where quite by accident in 1975, miners discovered deep caves filled with stalagmites & stalactites...along with the perfectly fossilized remains of prehistoric bears that had been trapped in the caves when the entrance collapsed thousands of years ago.

Tonight, we rehearsed the songs we will be performing at the two churches our team will attend tomorrow.

I must tell you, the preparations for this week’s revival meetings are incredible. There has never been a four-day concert in Brad before. From Monday through Thursday, we will be convening nightly evangelism concerts in the park in town. There are huge banners across the main street announcing this, and large posters have been pasted in city hall, the banks, every bus shelter for miles around and in numerous shop windows. 5,000 invitation flyers were hand delivered door-to-door.

We have praise bands and choirs – including our own Faith Christian Center chime choir – every night. On Thursday night, a church in Arad, 3½ hours away, is sending a 30-member band & choir for the concert! This is an event that can change lives.

PLEASE covenant to pray for the weather, the messages, and for the Holy Spirit to descend on Brad this week. If you want to focus your prayers, please know that these events will occur between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., local time (noon to 2:00 p.m. your time), Monday through Thursday.

On the way over the mountains today, we stopped at a meadow for a worship service. Pastors Jim Kraft and Chris Chandler, along with our other two pastor team members led us in prayer, scripture readings, and song, followed by Communion. It was intensely moving as we gathered in the cool mountain air beneath a blue sky, and we assumed we were in this place of solitude all alone.

As we turned to leave, we looked way up on a hill and there somebody had built a huge cross. What a place for such a structure to be erected! As if by divine inspiration, one person began singing "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," and soon another and another, and then the entire team looked toward the cross and sang this wonderful old hymn. I realized that we have never been alone, on that mountain top or from the moment we began this ministry.

May the words of that hymn inspire each one of us, here and in New Jersey, to pray for His work to be done and His kingdom to be built here this week.

"...Oh the wonderful cross,

Oh the wonderful cross,

All who gather here by grace draw near

And bless your name."

David C. Forward