Salvation comes along a Romanian dirt road
Dr. Gerald Davidson
October 21, 2003
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Eternal life, joy prevails where death, depression had reigned
Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the earth. – Acts 1:8
CHISINEU CRIS, Romania — What a blessing it was to be a part of the Romanian partnership trip!
First Baptist Church of Arnold had already been partnering with the Emanuel Baptist Church of Chisineu Cris for two summers, first with a youth group and then with three young ladies spending a month there last summer. So my wife and I were assigned to that church.
We were able to preach eight times—once at the Aradea Seminary, then Friday night, Saturday night, and 5 services on Sunday in the mother church and surrounding villages. It was busy but rewarding. (It was definitely mission oriented and not sightseeing or shopping trip!)
In one of the villages we visited we were told that we were probably the only Americans they had ever seen. The interpreter said it was a very special day for them. In one village service there were only six people present, but when they sang, it sounded like many people.
We learned how important prayer is to the Romanians. They stood up to pray, they stood up to read the Bible, and they stood up much of the time while singing. Even the very elderly stood up — and when they weren’t standing they sat on hard benches — benches without backs in many churches.
We were extremely blessed by the pastor and wife of the church where we stayed. (Yes, we did stay at the church three nights.) They didn’t have much of this world’s wealth, but they were serving the Lord with all their hearts. All the pastor wanted to talk about was planting churches and winning the lost.
Our greatest experience was on a Saturday morning, September 29, 2003. We went to a village with no evangelical church. We drove on a road as far as we could. Then we got out and walked on a dirt road.
As we were walking, an elderly lady and man invited us into their home. She had many health problems including depression due to the loss of two grown children in death. The man was 85 and had a huge cancer with many lesions on this nose. At the hospital they told him there was nothing that could be done to help him. (Their medical system is far behind). So he was in deep depression also. While we were there, a neighbor dropped by to visit. After lengthy discussions I took them through the plan of salvation while the pastor interpreted and my wife prayed. All three prayed to receive Christ. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
We were praying for a place to start a church and they agreed to let their home be a meeting place for a new church start. So, a church was planted and we will be helping support this ministry in the years to come. The Lord truly works in marvelous ways His wonders to perform.
That Saturday morning at that small village home where three new names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will forever be planted in my memory. What a blessing!
Will you go and be a blessing and let God bless you?
