Mike Buford's Romanian Diary

missions > Romania

3-2-01
I left Orlando on a British Airways 747 at 6:45 PM into London. A short layover and I continued on into Bucharest. I touched down in Bucharest at 3:45 PM Saturday (3-2-01). The long flight over the Atlantic was uneventful but it seemed to take forever. The flight to Bucharest was "white". Snow covered much of Europe.

The flight from London to Bucharest provided two interesting sidelights. Some young (early 20's) Romanian "Ice Princess" was aboard. White mink hat, white leather and mink miniskirt (it was 37 degrees when we left London), and white boots with 8" heals. She had gold everywhere and was the talk (nice way to say "laughing stock") of the airplane. It is being kind to say that she "thought more of herself than she ought to think." It was only later that I learned that many of the young women of Romania dress "to the nines." I have never seen so many beautiful young women in one place in my life. I can only guess that the desire is to "catch someone" that will take them out of the country. Oti Bunaciu says that his concern as a pastor is that they are all still wearing the skirts they wore when they were nine years old.

Two things happened on arrival. First, we were instructed that we would all have to purchase a visa to enter the country. None of us were told that until the plane was descending over Bucharest. Secondly, and more disturbing was the fact that nobody was there to meet me when I cleared customs. As I made my way into the lobby I had two bags containing my clothes and a "huge" suitcase full of suits from King Street for the Gypsy brothers. Obviously, I had both arms full. There is a free standing fence about four foot high in front of you as you come through the luggage carousel into the lobby. Greeters for overseas guests are supposed to stay behind that fence. I was desperately searching for a sign with my name on it or Oti Bunaciu's face. In the mean time, several young women from the local strip bar trade were literally placing colorful brochures in my pockets. Fortunately, I had on my overcoat.

Some of the most anxious moments I have ever experienced were spent standing in that airport. Here I was in the lobby of a formerly communist country, still lead by an elected Communist, half way around the world from home. I had no Romanian money. I had no way to make a phone call. I knew that the cab drivers would not go near Sector Five - where I needed to go. I was being besieged by hookers, all the while being watched closely by a suspicious security officer with an AK 47 slung across his shoulder.

I have never been so glad to see anyone as when I saw Oti Bunaciu walk in the terminal about thirty minutes late. He had written that things in Romania ran on the "ish" clock (The class starts at 9 "ish"). I was beginning to learn that lesson.

The trip from the airport to the church was an eye opener. Bucharest is a city of 2.5 million people. There is desperate class diversity. Along the road through Bucharest I saw squalor like many of us have never witnessed. A few blocks away, on the same street, what could only be described as mansions of the rich and the upper class. There were whole neighborhoods of homes that dwarf anything around them interspersed through areas of degrading poverty.

There are hundreds of 10 to 15 story apartment buildings that line the road from the airport through Bucharest. Almost all them are in total disrepair. Very few even resemble having once had paint. They now stand in a colorless faded concrete. Each apartment with a balcony overlaid with laundry hung out to dry or boarded up to prevent intruders from entering. Some balconies are closed in with glass to form a makeshift green house.

Then there are the dogs. Living unencumbered on the streets of Bucharest are approximately 150,000 to 200,000 dogs. Everyplace you look there are canines, living at the mercy of the streets. They are literally everywhere. One of the challenges of sleep is the constant cacophony of thousands of howling dogs. They begin barking as soon as it is dark and continue until past first light.

That first night, on the way to dinner, we stopped by the Romanian Baptist Seminary where Oti Bunaciu is the Vice President. His father is a former president of the seminary. It was started by the Southern Baptist Convention and more recently taken over by the Romanian Baptist Union. While it was in the hands of the Southern Baptist Convention during Chausescu's regime they were going to tear down the buildings to make room for more palace structures. When they got to the seminary it was discovered that it was owned by an American entity. The government was receiving aid from the Americans, so rather than alienate the American Government they stopped the street widening process at the Seminary.

There is an Orthodox church immediately behind the seminary. As I understand the story, that congregation said, "Well, if your not going to tear down the Baptist structure, you should not tear down our church." The Romanian government lifted that Orthodox church off it's foundation. They put it on rollers and moved it away from the street. And then, as a response to the church's audacity, built high rise apartments all around it so as to totally cut it off from access and sight.

The Romanian Baptist Seminary instructs, houses and feeds 80 full time students and another 50 that are part time and work as pastors, missionaries, doctors, etc. Later in the week I was to speak in the chapel of the seminary and meet with one of their classes with T Thomas. T would deal with the ministry to the Romany People and I would deal with the role of the pastor in America.

Soon we arrived at Providence Baptist Church, our home for the week. After placing my bags at the dormitory for visiting professors at the Gypsy Smith School, Oti gave me a brief tour of the facilities. The Project Ruth and the Gypsy Smith School are both located in a new facility attached to the Providence Baptist Church. Project Ruth is housed in the basement, and on the first and second floors. The Gypsy Smith School classrooms are on the second floor and dormitory space is on the third floor.

The Ruth School, otherwise known as Project Ruth, started in the Providence Baptist Church. It was housed in the original structure but has now moved to another building recently constructed on the property. The school teaches children through sixth grade. They feed the children one meal a day. It is not uncommon that the meal at Project Ruth is the only meal the children receive on that day. A nurse assists with hygiene and wellness. They are desperately trying to incorporate a clinic.
The Ruth school is a miracle. In a very real sense it has been a supernatural occurrence. The vision that started as a small local initiative grew and has become a school approved by the government and with good facilities. Around 150 children's lives have already been touched and transformed in a meaningful way through Project Ruth. Here is a first class school, with loving and caring teachers, in the midst of the most deprived area of Bucharest.

The Providence Baptist Church facility has a unique story. Their original worship center was a small building. During Communist days they were not allowed to build a new facility but they were allowed to remodel. With permits in hand to remodel the facility, they built the new worship center, one wall at a time, over and around the old facility. They then tore down the old building and carried it out the front doors of the new building.

My first meal in Romanian was at a Middle Eastern restaurant. Oti Bunaciu, Andy Broadbank (Executive Director of Project Ruth), Craig Sherouse (Pastor at Lakeside Baptist in Lakeland) and I shared the table. What a delightful meal. It was begun with a very large puffed pita bread brought to the center of the table. Several salad and spreads were put before us. The idea was to take some of each and place it on a torn off portion of the pita. It was very tasty. The main course for me tasted like curry chicken. This was Saturday. I had not slept since Thursday evening. I should have been exhausted, but I was lifted physically and spiritually by the warmth and insight of these two Christian "brothers" in Christ. I already felt at home with them.

On the way back to the dormitory there was an accident right in front of us. A car ran a red light and smashed into the side of a car in the intersection. I was amazed at how the people on the streets began to deal with the accident victims. In the US we would probably have all waited for EMS to arrive and take charge. As one man staggered from his vehicle with a large open wound on top of his head, the people in the street began tearing at the other car to remove the victim still in the wreck. It seemed as if ten to twelve people were pulling desperately to tear the door off the small car to extricate the injured party. They seemed to have no regard that they might further injure the person inside.

3-4-01 - Sunday
Prayer Meeting- 9:00 AM - Tears flowed freely from both sides of the isle. Men on my right… women on my left …all on their knees and praying fervently. I eased in from the back and took my place beside on of the men of the church. I eased my knees on the kneeler and listened for God in the utterance of the Romanian tongue. "Amen" (ahmeen) could be heard from all across the room as someone identified with the prayer of another. It was one of the most powerful prayer times I have ever experienced. I did not understand a word, but I understood fully.

Youth Sunday School reminded me of our Youth Group. Music and laughter are prevalent. One of the things that struck me is that the church has determined that it's brightest and best teachers will work with the young people. And the youth are the backbone of caring for the Gypsy children. I do not think that the Ruth School would be such a success if it were not for the youth of the Ferentari Church. They seem to be everywhere. They are working with the children constantly. They seem to feed on ministry and each other. Sounds Christian to me.

Worship: Men on my left, women on my right, women with covered heads (not a woman until they are married)… Supper of our Lord… Bread broken by myself and the pastor from large round loaves… Broken so that each one in the congregation has a piece. The auditorium is full from the choir to the balcony. As we took the cup I got a venerating surprise as the contents of the small cup hit the back of my throat. They used real wine for communion.

Lunch at "Le Mama's" - Romanian Peasant food - Grits with cheese and eggs. I had heard so much about this wonderful peasant food. So far, it was the same food I had enjoyed at home last week. That was to change. Later I would eat Pork Schnitzel, beet root salad, slaw, and sauerkraut with peasant potatoes (boiled potatoes with a healthy mixture of onion). It was all very simple food.

The evening service was at Providence Baptist Church with the "World Famous Mandolin Orchestra" was a treat. Thirty plus mandolins, five guitars, and one bass.....What a magnificent concert. I have never heard such a big sound from stringed instruments in my life. If one cannot preach after the Mandolin Orchestra one cannot preach at all....After the service I was in the foyer greeting people. The orchestra normally practices after the evening service at Providence and they launched into the "Hallelujah Chorus." It was magnificent. I was spell bound. I had to come inside and I hung on every note. What an extraordinary experience.

Dinner after church was at Pizza Hut. When I ordered the salad bar I detected a knowing smile on Oti's face. I was soon to find out why. It was a fascinating salad bar. The bar included Romanian potato salad, beet roots, sour kraut, peas, onions, slaw, cucumber, pickles, olives and croutons. I broke down and had some pizza. Leaving Pizza Hut we were besieged by Gypsy children begging. They almost pushed their way into Oti's small Peugeot in search of aid. Oti revealed that the children often were required to meet a quota form their own parents before they can stop begging for the day. It was after 11:00 PM when we left Pizza Hut and there were still children begging in the streets.

3-5-01: The first day at the Gypsy Smith School of Evangelism and Project Ruth.
T Thomas arrived this morning. T is a former Southern Baptist Missionary. He was also the first foreign missionary appointed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. T now serves as the Associate Coordinator for Missions for CBF Florida. He had been in England the last few days with regard to matters pertaining to Project Ruth. What a welcome sight. Not only is he greatly appreciated by Craig and myself but he is such a powerful witness to the people here in Romania. He had been here in 1991-1992 and had been a member of the Providence Baptist Church, the site of the Gypsy Smith School and the Ruth Project. No one will ever know the influence he had on this community of faith as they began to take the steps that would lead them to build the facilities and go through all that would be necessary to get these ministries off the ground. His arrival was announced at our door by Louisa Gerizim (Principle of the Ruth School), "You have a guest." Hugs welcomed a friend. Also meaningful for Craig and myself is that T represents another translator. Although his language skills are rusty we still feel better with him around.

The 1st session with the Gypsy brothers began with a wonderful, fervent prayer. They lifted their voices boldly in song in the Romanian language. They began with an old Gypsy tune that I did not recognize. I could not help but identify their spirit. The lecture room almost seemed too small to contain their voices as they lifted their hymns to the Lord.

T followed the welcome with a devotional from Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation." As T spoke I thought about the fact that this man is directly responsible for the first publication of the Bible into the Gypsy language. Having gone to the Bible Society in England and discovering that a copy of the Bible had been translated into the Gypsy language but never published, he came up with the funds to get the first copies published. What a miracle. God used T Thomas to take a manuscript off a dusty shelf, where it had been sitting for years, and get the scripture into publication. For the very first time the text of the Bible could be read in the Gypsy language. These men knew his contribution to their faith and they listened intently as T now explained how the Gospel "was dynamite in their hands."

T introduced Craig Sherouse who gave a brief biographical sketch of his ministry background. Because we were behind schedule, a break preceded my first session.

I was anxious to begin. I gave some biographical information on myself and then did the background material for 1 Thessalonians. After the background material we had a prayer and began the session.

My translator is a young student named Anda Constantin. She is an exceptional translator. Anda is only nineteen years old, and premiered as a translator for the Gypsy Smith School at age seventeen. She could almost anticipate my words. She is a language and theology student at the university. What an asset to this program and to this church. Anda had also translated for me in the Youth Sunday school class yesterday.

As I began to teach the 1st chapter I could not help but be impressed with the text before us and how it applied to these Gypsy brothers in Christ. I had heard the story of these men who had been so persecuted. I had learned of how God had led T Thomas and this church to begin ministry to these people. I had learned how that the word of their response had been spread across the world. I had heard of their commitment even in Florida. As Sharon and I had reviewed the Romany People Group film last week I had been anxious to get to Romania. Now I stood before them with the text of God's word on my lips. Very humbled by that experience, I felt something of what the Apostle must have felt as he wrote to that special gathering of new disciples: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-8:

"4. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5. because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia-your faith in God has become known everywhere." And I added, "even to Florida."

As I read those words, one phrase at a time, I began to see their story in the text. How could I have put so much time into the study of this book and not seen it before. As I read the text I began to feel the moisture build in my eyes. My tears were joined by tears from some of them. In that moment this passage was their passage. It could have been written of them. How appropriate! What a way to begin!

It has been decided that I will take the morning classes and that Craig will teach in the afternoon. While one is teaching the other is free to participate in the ministry of the Ruth School.

This afternoon I spent much of my time with T Thomas and with Andy trying to get a grasp on the history and scope of the Ruth Project. One must understand that the facility where we are teaching and where the Ruth School is located is in the worst section of Bucharest. The taxi drivers will not even come into this neighborhood. (One reason why I was concerned about getting here from the airport alone). Most of this neighborhood is Gypsy. I am amazed that a church in the worst part of Bucharest could find a way to get this project up and running. I am overwhelmed that they could build a building on their property to house the undertaking, and then to outgrow the facility in just a few short years.

Fortunately, God has given them a vision. A short distance from this site is the lot set aside for the next stage of Project Ruth. They have planned for a new structure that would house a medical clinic and an addition to the school. This is all a result of a partnership between a number of agencies and missionary groups.

3-06-01
The second day as a professor at the "Gypsy Smith School" was as exciting as the first. Today I did a through review of the work yesterday to try and catch some of them up to speed. I had given them the assignment to read the text of 1 Thessalonians as a group with one reader last night. As predicted they all followed along with the text in hand, thus negating the value of hearing the text read. I have decided to have one of them read it aloud on Friday as the last thing that we do in class. I am hoping that Boris, a very special student from Moldova (half Russian/half Gypsy), will be able to read the text aloud.

Today there was much lively discussion. I continue to be blessed by the spirit of these "Gypsy Brothers". There are 27 of them in the class. 15 of them will graduate at a commencement service held on Friday afternoon. That should be a great occasion. If I am not mistaken, one of them is also to be ordained to the ministry.

I was told today that the Youth of the Providence church here in Farentina has asked if I could speak to them in their youth meeting tonight. I am honored that the youth here would ask me to speak to them. I'm particularly honored in that I am the oldest member of the team. I spoke to the Youth Group. It was just like being at home. Same choruses - only in Romanian. They had asked me to speak about King Street, and particularly about Community Ministry and our motto. It was great! I feel younger already! They were so excited about what is happening in their church. They also wanted to know if they could steal our motto. ("In essential unity, in non essentials liberty, in all things love.") I told them that we stole it from the Moravian church so it must be alright for them to steal it from us.

Tonight was also Galena (I'm not sure of the spelling) - the Gypsy Church at the Garbage Dump. They build their dwellings out of the trash and have a village that has grown up in the refuse heap. Thousands of people live there among the garbage. A church has sprung up in their "neighborhood." One of the men in my class comes from that church and lives there in the dumping ground. Most of the "Gypsy Brothers" from the class went out there on the outskirts of Bucharest to minister in that service. It was the only service where there was not a professional translator so all the "Brothers" were trying to help as Craig shared the message.

3-07-01
Today my back hurts. With three bad disc's in the lower back I am surprised that the plane trip over here did not put me flat of my back. It is not unbearable. One of the "Gypsy Brothers" takes pride in his ability to massage the back. After about one minute of this big Russian Gypsy pushing on my back, I decided that it was not as bad as I once thought.

The class in Thessalonians went well and the Gypsy Brothers were attentive and inquisitive. It was a session that seemed to be over too quickly.

Tonight the Gypsy church at Ferentari meets. Following a word of greeting from T Thomas who talked about the need in the "City of the Dead" in Egypt for a Gypsy missionary, I had the privilege of preaching. Ferentari is the neighborhood where Providence Baptist Church is located. This night they are meeting in the Providence Baptist Church facility. Their usual home is a small building across the street which had once been the sector headquarters for the Communist Party.

I spoke from Acts 8: 26-40 regarding Phillip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. In preaching to the Gypsy people one must tell and act out the story together. My presentation included the ideas that:
Philip went where others would not go.
Philip went to a people others thought were unclean.
Philip encountered an inclusive and loving God

After the service the staff went to the dessert buffet at the Marriott across from the palace. The Marriott had bought an unfinished government building and transmogrified it into unbelievable opulence. As we sat there on the second floor, having ascended the colossal marble staircase, we ate dessert and watched the movers and shakers of present day Romania come and go. There were at least five restaurants on this level of the hotel. Each piece of furniture was ornate. The carpets were lavish. All around us were beautiful people. But I could not get my mind off those folks living in squalor just a short distance away. My imprudent dessert plate was not as enjoyable as I had hoped.

3-08-01
WOW! The Gypsy Church at Mazille??!!!
People standing every where! We drove about 90 minutes to a refinery town that was a constant target during WWII. In that town there are 25,000 people, of which, 15,000 to 18,000 are Gypsy. We drove into a little hamlet with roads so terrible that we had to stop several times to maneuver the car as it "bottomed out." It was already dark when we saw a group of people opening a plank fence and waving our car into a little space beside a tattered home. When we got out of the car we were immediately surrounded by Romany people ushering us toward the house. Worship had already started. When we walked through the front door people were packed into the tiny foyer. The foyer seemed no bigger than 6' X 6' but there were approximately fifteen people crammed into that tiny space. I looked to my left and saw probably 50 people, all women, crammed into what most likely served as a small living room. They were all facing us. To our right was another room full of people. There were 37 people in that 10 by 10 room. "It was so crowded," T observed, "we had to take turns breathing". There was a window in the room where we were seated. It was opened and the small courtyard filled with people standing outside the window. At one point the people were 15 deep trying to get a look at what was happening inside and to hear the singing and the music.

Also packed into that mix were four accordions, a guitar and a large three string bass.

Singing.....preaching....they did not want to leave. In fact, they had been there in worship an hour and a half before we got there. Our time with them was at least an hour. When T Thomas told them that we would have to leave to get back for the School of Evangelism tomorrow morning there was a sigh that was audible throughout the house. They had hung on every word and they did not want to leave. WOW!

T Thomas, sitting in a restaurant in downtown Bucharest near midnight after this experience..."Now, let me see. I gave this up for what?" Then he was reminded what Charles Wade told him when he finally decided, for health reasons, to leave the field as a missionary, "Someone already died for the Gypsy's."

3-09-01
Last class with Gypsy Smith School...I began by asking them to allow me to take a few pictures with them. Anda took the photographs while I enjoyed the fellowship of my Gypsy brothers in Christ. As I stood there arm in arm with these men I felt a kinship with them. In all probability, they had no idea how difficult their ministry would be through the years. They would have barriers that most people never dream of having.

We did a quick review and then dealt with chapter five of 1 Thessalonians. At the conclusion of the class, as I had planned, Boris (a Moldovian student being considered for the position of Coordinator of the Gypsy Smith School) read the text as instructed by Paul in the letter.

Clothes dispersal...After lunch we met in the classroom and laid out the clothes that we had brought to give the brothers. CBF Florida had sent a box of sweat shirts and T-shirts with a spurious emblem on them. Hanes had printed a number of things indicating that Florida State had won three national championships in a row. Obviously, that was a bit premature. They could not get rid of them in the states so they donated them to these Gypsy men who were glad to have anything. Nobody in Romanian cares whether FSU won three championships in a row or not. The suits that King Street had sent were quickly spoken for by the "brothers." In fact, one of them came running up to me with an urgent request for the suitcase. Barbara Hernandez of Palm Bay, Florida will have a suitcase doing mission work in Moldova for a long time to come.

Graduation...After the clothes dispersal we adjourned to the auditorium of the Farentari church where a number of guests were assembled to make graduation a special event. Fifteen of the brothers graduated. They were so proud to get their diploma. T Thomas gave the charge to these graduates as Oti translated. I did an Ordination prayer and Craig Sherouse sang. Anda translated so that Craig and I could understand all that was being said by the Romanian professors from the seminary who also participated.

Cernica Monastery....After the Graduation, Craig, T, Oti, Boris and myself were driven to the Cernica Monastery. Oti bought us a pamphlet that tells about the monastery. It was a wonderful glimpse back in time. At the entrance to the monastery there is an old spring. It almost looks like a gazebo with steps leading down into the water and leading out again on the other side. Craig and I felt that it was obviously a pool for immersion from 400 years ago. Wheather or not it actually was or wasn't is not the point. It made a great picture.

Dinner at Bisiciallca with T, Oti, Craig and Andy...As the moon rose over Oti's shoulder outside the French doors to the room where we ate, he related the story of Dracula's Castle and what started the legend. A Romanian prince named Vlad Tepes was quite a brutal defender of his homeland. He impaled captured invaders on wooden stakes in the fields below his castle (10,000 of them) as a warning. The legend was off and running.

3-10-01
Trip to the Mountains with Oti's family (Kimmy,David) and Brother Machano ( Our driver)....We drove to Brasov, a beautiful mountain town. I am told that is quite typical of European towns in other areas of Europe as well. A wonderful old Lutheran church called "The Black Church" is located in Brasov. There had been an attempt to burn it. The outside is left with an ashen color, thus "The Black Church." Leaving Brasov we made our way up the mountain to Priana where there was a charming sky resort. We had lunch in a marvelous old building with animal skins and Romanian artifacts hung around the walls. I had a Romanian Stew, Roast Pork, Peasant potatoes, mountain mushroom salad and a delightful raisin and vanilla cake for desert. Even T commented at how good the food was at the resort. There was still some snow on the ground but the weather was excellent. The entire village was filled with ski parties.

On the way back we stopped at "Dracula's Castle." The actual home of Vlad Tepes, a Romanian prince who warded off the conquering hordes by impaling thousands of their number on wooden stakes in the fields below the castle. What a legend.

While there we shopped at the craft bazaar below the castle and I purchased a couple of lace table covers for Sharon. Oti gave T Thomas and me an ornate Romanian cup and a bottle of Vampire wine from the Dracula's Castle. Obviously, these European Baptists are different. T and I teased him as to whether this was a gift from the Romanian Baptist Union.

It was a very long day as we wound our way through some of the most beautiful mountain scenery I have ever imagined.
We passed what is likely the most destitute area in all of Europe. It was a Gypsy village lost in the haze of smoke from the wood burning stoves. Houses with no ceiling...only roofs...no doors...walls that one could stick a hand through....And these people scratch out a living there in squalor unimagined even by the poorest European standards. I cannot even begin to conceive of what that is like in the dead of winter.

Home at 9:00 PM. We left at 8:OO AM…I am tired. I preach tomorrow morning at Ferentari and tomorrow night in the sponsor church (Ploiesti) to the Gypsy church in Mazille.

3-11-01
I spoke this AM at the church at Farentari for Dr. Bunaciu. His father introduced me and led the service. A young man who works for Project Ruth translated for me. It was a very moving for me in that I have grown to love this very special Romanian congregation. They are so unique. Of course, much of that is due to the direction that Oti, with T Thomas bearing, has led them.

For lunch it was back to "La Mama's" as we did last Sunday. T and Oti had gone to an ordination for a Gypsy pastor during the morning service. There were over 1000 people there for that amazing event. T and Oti met us at the restaurant along with Andy and his girl friend. We had more of the traditional Romanian food. Oti insisted that I try some Romanian sausage and mustard as well as cabbage rolls. It was delicious. Our driver drove T and me back to Farentari where T will preach tonight (accompanied by the "World Famous Mandolin Orchestra"). I am going to preach in the church that sponsors the Gypsy church in Mazille. Oti will translate for me. In many ways it is a very sad night. This is our last night in Romania.

After a brief rest it was off to Ploiesti. Ploiesti is a town of 300,000 about an hour out of Bucharest. It is a refinery town that was heavily bombed during WWII. Oti, our driver and I went down in the van and arrived around 5:30 PM just as the service was starting. Somewhere along the line I missed the information that the service was to dedicate an infant born into the family of the pastor. This was his second child, both girls. The infant is Miriam and the 2 year old is Naomi. It was an interesting and joyful service. The pastor and his family were introduced and entered from the back. They were seated prominently on the platform while various songs, some special music, and poems were rendered. Flowers were presented to the proud family. The service began at 5:30 PM and Oti and I took the pulpit at 7:00 PM.

I was able to see what T meant when he said that in all the years he has been in Europe and needing a translator that Oti is the best. We were able to get into a rhythm. I was able to be free in preaching and he was almost anticipating my next phrases. It flowed very well. In addition, I worked the child dedication into the sermon. The people were responsive and I really felt a freedom at preaching. I even found myself using a Romanian phrase or two that just slipped out during the service.

After the service I was approached by a beautiful Romanian woman who said that she wanted to speak with me about a movie project. She said that she had been in films there and was about to do another one. What is this about? I gave her a card and told her to feel free to write me with more information. She was strikingly beautiful and certainly could have been a "star." We shall see if she responds. I get the feeling that she wanted money.

A dinner followed in the pastor's home. A long table was spread with all kinds of cheese, meats, fruits and breads. The table sat 24 people and this was the first course. I was seated between Oti and Bro. Cazacu, the pastor. It was only ten minutes into the meal when the pastor began pitching his vision and the need for their church and asking if I could help them with some sort of sponsorship or partnership. I told him that I already had a list of needs but that I would put them on the bottom of the list. I also suggested that he find out the name of the refinery in their town that had been bombed during WWII and what air wings did the bombing for the US and Britain. Write to those pilots who are now retired...many of them with money and tell them that you are rebuilding the infrastructure spiritually. I am sure that many of those old pilots would help.

Oti and I got back to Farentari around 11:00 PM. T and I must leave the church by 5:00 AM to catch our flight out of Romania. It is to be a short night. I awoke at 4:20 AM and started the process of packing up.

Driving through the streets of Bucharest before dawn, I felt a strange sadness. How could I have become so attached to these people and this work in so short a time. It certainly is not the glamour. Sometimes there is no hot water. Three days without hot water on this trip. Sometimes there is no water. The pictures will not do justice to the smell of some of the circumstances. But God is here. God is moving here in powerful ways that are, as Craig Sherouse said after Mazille, "like the book of Acts." It is infectious.

This will not be my last trip to Romania. I feel the unmistakable signals of romance. The Romany People have stolen my heart. When conversation includes them my palms begin to perspire. The heart beats a little faster. I guess Sharon will have to live with the fact that I now have another on my heart. Fortunately, I know my wife. She will want to be included in the intrigue.