Reghin: Engagement, Children's Home, and Worship

Saturday, Lajos and I left Sacele for Reghin.   The Romanian country side is beautiful.   What is really good to see is how much the “trash” has disappeared along the roads and rivers from previous years.  We arrived in Reghin just long enough for a quick bite to each, change clothes and head for Isti and Annamaria’s engagement party.   The engagement “party” was at the Gornesti church.  I gave a brief message to the couple.  Attila Toth led the “worship” part.   Isti and Annamaria shared their testimony about how they came together.   Isti had wanted to ask Annamaria to consider him for husband for a long time.  But wasn’t sure that she would accept.   Annamaria had a long check list for what a husband should be.   The best statement of the evening was when Annamaria put the ring that she was giving Isti on his finger.  She said, “I had a long list for a husband.  But in you, God has given me someone who is so much more than my list.”  

We enjoyed a delicious celebration meal: grilled pork, chicken, snitzel (all prepared by Sir Baptist Kalyanos, father of the groom).   We had a great time—the Kalyanos and Reti families coming together celebrating Isti and Annamaria’s engagement.   But, they will return soon for the wedding on July 11.   Isti has been a great friend of Teleios and partnerships.  He visited the USA at the invitation of Leesburg Community Church, Leesburg, VA, and Teleios Ministry in 2013.   Annamaria currently teaches at the Glodeni Kindergarten and the Apalina afterschool.   Her family has been a part of the Gornesti church since it began.   Two great families and two outstanding young people coming together under God’s leading.   The Engagement was a great time of celebrating all God’s blessings. 

Saturday evening while it was still light, we visited the property for the new group home for orphan children that will be opened in Peris.   Attila and Adel have been dreaming of such a home for years.  Now, their God-given dream born out of ministry in the Reghin and Gornesti area is becoming a reality.   The purchase of the property still has to be finalized.   While, the paper work is being completed, the plans for demolition of some of the buildings on the property, renovation of the other buildings, and drawing for new construction are being developed.   The property has a useable building with four bedrooms, a cattle stall, pig stalls, and huge area for a garden.   Part of the original house will need to be demolished and replaced with a new section with kitchen, dining, bathrooms, and extra apartment for volunteers. 

On Sunday, I was able to celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the morning with the Apalina Gypsy church.  In the afternoon, we worshipped with the Reghin church.  Paul and Katie Crook shared their testimony in returning to Romania after a brief time in the USA.   In the evening, we worshipped together with the Apalina church again.   Joining with the churches is always a special time.  

Today we head to Gheorghani for the Taste of Mission conference that last until Sunday, June 28.   I will keep you updated. 

Sacele Mission: Friends and Lamb, Teams and Buckets

The newest member of the Sacele Mission team, Lajos Fekete (Elisabeth Kis’s brother and Adel Toth’s twin brother) picked me up from the Bucharest Otopeni airport and we headed for Sacele.   The trip was much faster than in the past due to better roads. 

On Thursday, Otto, Elisabeth, Lajos, and I visited the newly acquired property that will be home to the Sacele Mission.    The mountains surround the area and are a beautiful site from the property.   I am thinking how beautiful this will be when the mountains are covered in snow.  There is a lot of work to be done.   The previous owner will continue to live on the property as a part of the agreement. 

Renovations have already started with the fence.   A small garden has been planted.   Right now, they are trying to assess and organized where everything will go on the property.  

A Mission Center will be developed that will house the Hope Group (people with disabilities), children’s ministry, couples ministry, a multi-purpose worship and activities area.  Currently, a local architect is working on the drawings.   Eventually, the front of the property will be renovated to include space for businesses in order to generate income for the wide variety of ministries. 

Then, I had lunch with the Borzasi Family (Gyula and Marta, David, Kinga, and Mate) and Margaret Robinson, Mission to Europe.   As always, we had Marta’s unbelievably delicious roasted lamb.   Since first coming to be with the Borzasi family in 2000, we had feat time together.  

On Friday morning at 6:00 am we began a team building seminar (Friday morning and Friday evening.)  Ten young me from the Brasov, Sacele, and Pucresti churches participated.    After the morning session they went to work and then returned for an evening session.   We had a great time together as we focused on the basics of building a great Mission team.  The group had two “practical” team building experiences with paper airplanes and water buckets.