Simpetru

During much of the 1990s we led a small church with a  congregation of between 20 and 50.  One of my abiding memories are the two occasions when churches from some distance away sent teams to visit and work with us, each for a week.  The energy and enthusiasm they brought with them lifted us,  brought new opportunities for contact with other local people, and gave us a sense of shared load.

Simpetru village

As followers of Jesus Christ, much is made of the Greek word 'koinonia' found in the New Testament, and carrying the ideas of 'partnership, fellowship, belonging'.  I'm not sure that many of us (certainly not me) bring with  the energy levels of the teams that visited us 20 years ago, but it is a privilege to be able to partner with and serve these small churches and bring some experience and teaching, working alongside the pastors.

Simpetru, looking west

Our host, Mircea, started working with the people of Simpetru a number of years ago.  Yesterday Joan (our team leader) and Denise visited here and met some of the ladies to encourage, teach, and pray with them, and to work with some of the children.  (Sweets and snacks are well appreciated as there isn't a lot of money here).

Today Denise returned with Gilbert & I, Denise to take another children's meeting, Gilbert and I to speak to the adult congregation in the evening.

The building that now houses the Church

Mircea asked me to lead some teaching, so starting with the first 3 named individuals in the NT, I focused on lessons from the life of Abraham, particularly the message that getting right with God is unearned, but a credit from God for those who confidently trust him.

Last Sunday this room held over 100!

Because on Wednesday I'd mentioned the three kings of Israel, I then taught the 3 Chairs Principle.  There have been a number of 'explorers' visiting over the past few days – 9 tonight – so given the interest, Mircea is considering increasing the number of meetings we have here over the next couple of weeks.  As we were advised before we arrived, everything, especially the schedule, is flexible.  Watch this space.

Serious space management

Would you replumb your entire church heating system just to create more space for a special event? And then return it to the original a few days later?

Like many churches, the Baptist Church at Sinpatru Simpetru is heated by a single wood burning stove in the main auditorium, which comfortably will hold 35.  Last Sunday they had there first baptism service in a very long time, and invited many of the village.  Expecting a larger than usual number, the space occupied by the heater was precious, so they moved it by hand to the room next door (the warmth permeated the wall), re-routing the flue.  So I discovered that the space in which I sat on Wednesday afternoon was today re-occupied by the stove, the temporary hole created for the flue on the other side of the wall had been filled in, and the heater was back to its rightful place.

Here's a picture of Florin, who did the work, with his close friend, back in its place of honour.  Tonight, the door had to be opened at regular intervals as the dangers of hyperthermia reducing the size of the congregation became all too real.

Last Sunday over 100 people crowded into this small church to witness the baptism.

Third culture

Yesterday four of our team accompanied Mircea about an hour west to support the local pastor at a small church in a gypsy community.  Peter & Jess (the younger members of our team) led a children’s activity session.  While this was happening, it was noticeable that a number of teenage girls were hovering on the edge but not joining in.  So Mircea (our host & mission organiser) asked me if I could speak to them.  It’s been a long while since I’ve spoken to a group of 12 teenage girls through an interpreter in a culture neither of us share…  Some of the time I spent asking them to teach me Romanian pronunciation.  It confirmed in my own mind that not a lot has changed in my linguistic ability since I dropped French a the age of 15.

After this a number of adult members of the congregation arrived and two of us were invited to speak to them.  In this part of the world it's quite normal for there to be two or three speakers in a church service so they do last longer than back home.  I spoke from Paul's letter to Philemon on a culture of forgiveness in an unforgiving world.

By the time we arrived back in Zalau (about 19:30) the lack of sleep at the beginning of the week, plus the multicultural shift – UK-Romania-Gypsy (they refer to themselves as Gypsy rather than Roma) plus adapting to speaking through an interpreter left me feeling a bit flat.  But I understand that that is normal for the first day or two, and I'm anticipating that it will become easier.

A little knowledge...

A good part of these two weeks in Romania is learning time for me.  Seeing what is going on, getting used to speaking through an interpreter, learning some of the culture.  The locals will proudly tell you that Transilvania, here in the north, is different from Bucharest, in the south.  (Is there any country without a north-south difference?)  Mind you, at the beginning of the week even one of my friends in Bucharest emailed me to say "Transilvania is one of the most beautiful areas in Romania with kind people and great food :) even better than Bucharest.  People are very welcoming and really enjoy having guests."

So in an effort to accelerate the learning, I picked up a guide book last weekend.  A little history, a little culture, a little language.  Who was it that said "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing?"  Here's hoping that I'm equipping myself to become too dangerous.

We stopped in Simpetru on our way to Zalau.  Pausing in the home of one of the church members, I became increasingly aware that initial success from my weight gain programme was to be observed in my eyelids.  The cool weather outside is more than compensated for in rural homes and churches by the presence of wood burning stove which generate a lot of warmth (most churches have the large stove in the main meeting room).  A cup of tea was quite reviving.

We then all spoke briefly at a meeting of the church congregation and about eleven other members of the community.  Those who know me best know that I don't do 'briefly', but Mircea, our organiser and the pastor of the church in Simpetru, had asked if I would speak for longer.  So I took a lesson from the teaching and life of King Solomon, about the need to deal with the weeds that crop up in our own lives and spoil our relationship with God. Solomon as King progressively didn't follow the rules for Kings of Israel (see Deuteronomy Chapter 17) and allowed the weeds to take over his own life.

From Proverbs Chapter 24 in the Bible (NIV)
30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,
    by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.

And of course, after that we returned to the same home for our second cooked meal - chicken, rice, cold meats, cheese, salads, cake & fruit.  And then we drove on to Zalau, our home for the the two weeks, and the welcoming apartment of Mircea and Maria.

A Weight Gain Programme?

I've already got the impression that weight loss will not be an issue during this trip.  Half way to Zalau from Cluj-Napoca Airport yesterday we stopped at a restaurant for lunch at what turns out to be 3 cooked meals  day (plus snacks).  I had chicken Schnitzel and rice with mushrooms.  (Amazing how much hungrier sleep deprivation seems to make me.)

So, why Romania?

Yesterday I left home at 04:00 for the drive to Luton Airport and to meet up with a team of 5 others for a flight to Cluj Napoca in north west Romania, better know as Transilvania (that's the the local spelling).  We're working with the local Maranatha Mission, an informal network of pastors who have established church communities in the rural villages around Zalau.

So, why Romania?

16 months ago I was made redundant.  Apart from the initial shock and the nervousness associated with 'what's next', my wife and regarded this the first step in an answer to prayers we had been praying for the past couple of years.  Apart from the change in responsibilities that happened after the boys left home, there was a real desire to have more opportunity to use my training and experience and God-given gifts in teaching the Bible - a life transforming book.

So rather than looking for employment, I set up my own business and looked for clients.  Designed for greater flexibility, the first half of 2013 was a shaky start, but since the end of the summer work has been about as much as I can handle.

So, why Romania?
I recognise that I haven't answered the question yet.  In three further steps I felt a clear leading here in ways I didn't engineer.

1. On April 2nd I had a phone call from a colleague asking if I cold fly to Bucharest 5 days later to train some church leaders to deliver the Walk Through the Bible's New Testament seminar. I went, had a great time, and have been invited back.
2. A few weeks later in an after church conversation, I met Mike who had been part of this the team I'm now travelling with. He mentioned introducing me to some Romanian pastors who were visiting soon.  I expressed some interest, but didn't think much more of it at the time.
3. In June I had an email from Mike inviting me to that meeting later that week.  There I met Mircea and Dan, who quizzed me on what I did and had done - and told me more about Maranatha Mission.  Much to my surprise, they invited me to visit them as a key need they have is helping to provide Bible training for the (mainly) lay pastors.

So, eight months later, here I am in Zalau. Romania.