Beloved Pastors

 

 We love Simi and Gabi.  Like other pastors around the world they love their congregation, their city and their Jesus.  It is our pleasure to be able to help them and encourage them as they add pastoral ministry to their other ministries in the church.

In addition to our leading their Inste class, serving as we can in the church, and encouraging them informally, we meet periodically to do more direct coaching.  Sunday we met over lunch at a local restaurant for some time together with them and their boys, but as usual, we came away blessed and encouraged, too!

Please pray for Simi and Gabi and their two sons, Elias and Lucas, that the Lord will continually fill them with the Holy Spirit, direct their steps, meet their needs and fulfill their desire for people to come to know Jesus.

Geaca

 Sunday Mike was invited to preach at a church in the village of Geaca, about half an hour drive from our home in Gherla, Romania.  The assistant pastor of this church, Gabriel (Gabi) Mureșan, is one of our Inste students and we were happy to accept the invitation.

Mike preaching and Alex interpreting

Gabi's son Alex is a university student who speaks excellent English.  He interpreted for Mike very well even though it was his first time interpreting a sermon.  The service was wonderful with several people participating by singing solos, playing instruments, giving short messages and reading an original poem.  The presence of the Lord ministered powerfully to all of us.

Worshiping the Lord in prayer

This small church draws believers from as far as 18 kilometers away since it is the only Pentecostal church in the area.  Everyone was warm, kind and welcoming.

Muresan family. 

After the service, we were invited to have lunch with the Muresan family.  The home-cooked meal included chicken from their acreage, soup with Romanian dumplings and, one of our favorites, stuffed cabbage.  This was not the first time they fed us.  Since we were unfamiliar with the church and how to get there, they invited us and the Hosu family to their home for a cook-out on Tuesday.  While we were there, they showed us how to find the church.  

May God bless Pastor Gabi, his family and Speranța Church.

Spiritual and Physical Food

This week we enjoyed good food but we are hungry for more.

We have been feasting on good spiritual food in church services recently and Sunday was no exception.  Mike preached on praying like the Syrophoenician woman.  Even though we were well fed, we are hungry again for more from God.

Thanks, Gabi, for faithfully using your interpretation skills.

Last Wednesday we enjoyed some physical food at McDonald's.  It has been months since we ate at McDonald's, Nancy's favorite American fast food restaurant, and when we heard they were open again in Cluj, we made the trip there.  Only take-out service was available, but we enjoyed burgers, fries and iced soft drinks.  Of course, we are hungry again, but we are trying to eat healthier today.

Eating our McDonald's meal outside

 

Update:  The daily new infection rates and death rates are still quite high in Romania, but we heard some good news this week.  It was reported that the average number of persons infected by each COVID-19 patient has dropped to below 1.  Hopefully, this means that infection rates will be dropping sometime soon.  We are praying that this is so and we are also doing our best to avoid infection, eat healthy and exercise.  May the Lord bless each of you, too, with good health.

Coronavirus Update

Our first cherry tomatoes from the garden

Summer is going well for us here in Romania.  There was abundant rain in spring, June and July and everything is green and growing. 

It seems that the Coronavirus is growing, too.  A few weeks ago, confirmed cases surged over 1,000 a day in the country, which has a population of 20 million.  Thankfully, though, deaths from the virus have remained relatively low.

Most of the cases are in counties south of us, but Gherla has experienced an uptick in cases also.  The worship leader and another church member of a church in town were diagnosed with the disease last week and so services at Hope Church have been suspended for the time being. 

The Open Bible Church is continuing having services and we are careful to ask people to remain socially distant, to wear masks, to have their temperature taken at the door and to sanitize their hands.  We praise the Lord that so far, none of our church members has had the virus and we pray for those in town who are sick.  We also praise God for his powerful presence among us as we gather together to worship.

Please pray with us that the Covid-19 cases will remain low enough so that no new restrictions will be imposed and that the sick will be healed in the powerful Name of Jesus.