Minor Prophets for Romanians!

Today was my second of four days of teaching, for 5 hours a day, the Minor Prophets to the students here. There are only 11 students (including both first and second years) which seems real small for some of us but if I remember correctly, Dallas Theological Seminary started with 11 students 85 years ago! God is often in the small, seemingly insignificant things of life. The amazing fact is that these students and the staff here in Word of Life are praying and planning to start Word of Life in Greece (where you cannot evangelize anyone under the age of 18) and Turkey (where the Muslims are not welcoming!) and a few other countries that are in this part of the world. Isn't that amazing? I think I would just be satisfied with building up my "own" ministry in my "own" country but apparently they believe God wants them to reach out to the world! They have camps planned for both countries this summer. Bold, humble and trusting.

After teaching 3 classes we had chapel and Iuliana translated for me as the students shared. They first sang enthusiastically (Laurian, a second year male student led) and then they shared what had happened in their ministry week last week and last weekend. In various avenues, these students shared the gospel using drama, puppets, street witnessing, ministry in churches, to well over 1,000 people I am sure. Wonderful reports of decisions and plans to meet and talk and disciple in the days ahead. Aura, a gypsy girl here, shared how she was able to speak in the gypsy dialect with two girls who responded to the offer of salvation and then how others came too. In class we were studying Jonah and it was so applicable to the situation.

Romania is both modern and not-so-modern. The picture I took out the van window shows modern cars passing the horse and cart. The picture of the people standing outside the fence of the church where I preached Sunday morning shows you the smiling faces of Romanians with a typical house out here in the rural areas.

The weather here has been perfect in that for me there has been no rain, the sun is shining, in the 70's, and the air is fresh out here in the country. I have two more days to teach and I need to cover a number of prophets! Pray for me. The Lord seems to have given me real rapport with the people here and I hope I can come back again to teach (and bring some of you with me!).