December – What a beautiful time of year in Draganesti-Olt! The streets are filled with Christmas lights, wood stoves are heating the homes, the mornings are brisk and the air is chilly. Some days you’ll see snow and it will cover the fields, the buildings, and the tops of cars. It’s a lovely site!
But the beauty doesn’t mask the great need of the people. There are many who don’t know Jesus.
We spent one week in Draganesti, working with Pastor Raul and Hope Church. Raul has a brilliant and strategic mind for reaching the people of Romania with the Gospel. He would say it’s how Jesus modeled it for us in scripture. “We see how Jesus did it, and now we copy and paste.” He explained to us first-hand about the history of Romania, how when foreigners first invaded the southern parts of Romania, they robbed and took advantage of the people. The affects are still seen today as people in the southern region are skeptical and often close-off towards foreign concepts – one such concept being the Gospel.
Fortunately, Hope Church is working hard to make a difference in the lives of people and families, and make sure everyone is introduced to Jesus. It requires a lot of work and we met many missionaries, church workers, volunteers, and translators who work hard every day doing their part to meet the needs of these communities, preach the Gospel, and tangibly show God’s love to people. We were able to jump in and help with house visits, children’s ministry, prison ministry, sharing testimonies, and some of the men were even able to preach in different churches!
Since it was Christmas time, we helped pass out Christmas gifts to the children and families in nearby villages. We gave out teddy bears, toy cars, warm hats, and shoe boxes filled with all sorts of gifts! The gifts had been donated by previous teams. Similarly, we brought items that would be donated by teams in the future. It was incredible to see how each team, although they won’t all meet each other, are in many ways connected.
We may have only spent one week in Romania, but what we saw and experienced had a profound impact on us. It was especially memorable to be there during the Christmas season. It helps put perspective back into what this time of year is all about. It’s about Jesus, and it’s about love.
“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” ~ Dale Evans
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If you’re feeling like you need to go on a mission trip, consider joining Adventures in Missions in Romania! The next scheduled trip is in June. Sign up today!
