Hey gang,
What a day we had yesterday coming to Romania. Wow!! We finally arrived in Timisoara after traveling over 24 hours, only to stand by the baggage claim until no one was there any longer. Yikes! We were missing 8 bags. No clothes, no toiletries and no Roland mixer! Panic time!! Nope, it wa prayer time! I texted my wife, Barb and asked her to email the Deborah’s Daughters, the wome’s Bible study from our church, and ask them all to pray. We prayed here and at 10:00 p.m. we received a phone call from the airlines that 7 of the 8 bags were located and would arrive at the airport at 10:30 p.m. the last one would arrive later that night and we could pick it up today. Hallelujah! Prayers were answered!
We had a practice session last night with the Impact Quartet from Arad, Romania and then went to our host families apartments for our night of sleep.
This morning we had a great breakfast and prayer time with the GGQ team and folks from Bethel Baptist Church. We have a professional video person traveling with us and we took some time to interview all of us in regards to our trip, our expectations and how we each feel God wants us to be used.
We are now going to lunch and a tour of Timisoara as we relax and get ready for our first concert evening at the Bethel Baptist Church of Timisoara. Pray for God to be working in the lives of the Romanian people!
To be continued.
Rich
Here’s a blog from Pastor Al Wilsey, GGQ’s speaker on their concert tour:
Off and Running in Romania
Here we are in the beautiful country of Romania once again! This is my 3rd trip and Roberta’s 2nd trip to this very interesting place on the other side of the world. When I was asked in 2007 to join the Glory Gates Quartet from Orange County, California to preach during their Romanian concert tour, I had no clue as to what I was getting myself into and I really wasn’t sure why God wanted me to go along, but I knew that He did. The more I researched the history of Romania, the more convinced I was that it was the sovereignty of God that was drawing me to participate. I had no clue that the state church of Romania was the Greek Orthodox Church. Having been saved out of the spiritual bondage of Greek Orthodoxy as a child and then watching my parents come out of it later in life, I knew the message the Romanians needed to hear was their need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ rather than the attempt to find favor with God through an institution. So, here I am with another opportunity to proclaim that truth once again and God is blessing as the Romanians Christians bring their friends and family to the concerts and the gospel is preached.
Our trip began in Timisoara, the place the revolution began in 1989, which eventually resulted in Romania’s freedom from communism. Timisoara is a great city with much diversity within its borders mixed with tradition hundreds of years old. The town square with its shops, restaurants, Central Park, the opera house and huge cathedral, all add to its character and charm. A mix of old and new is found throughout the city.
This tour, the Glory Gates Quartet has partnered with a Romanian Southern Gospel Quartet from Arad called “The Impact Quartet.” Their sound is amazing and their youthful energy mixed with the sounds of Southern Gospel sung in Romanian, is a joy to our hearts. What a blessing that God has brought these two teams together to share the good news of the gospel through song! I might also add that hey live up to their name because they really are having an impact on all of our lives.
The first crusade was held at Bethel Baptist Church in Timisoara. There were approximately 600 people and most of them had never heard either of the quartets before. Many of them were there because a friend invited them. It’s amazing how the young people of Romania respond to Southern Gospel music. They love the joy of the music and tell me that they can truly relate to the comfort the lyrics bring. 10 people received Christ as Savior and 3 asked for prayer to get their lives back on track as they attempt to discover the true power that believers have over sin.
Tim and Alice Shoemaker, old friends from our Awana days in Orange County, were paired up with Roberta and I at the home of Dorel and Rodica Racoviccan for the first two nights. Their hospitality was primo and their stories of the grace of God in their lives, was even more amazing. They are gifted, hard working servants of God who blessed our lives richly. I can’t forget to mention that they also had a poodle named “Poufy” who looks just like our cock-a-poo Capo’s little brother. That made our stay with them even more like home. Thank you Dorel and Rodica for allowing us into your home and loving strangers with the love of Christ!
Pastor Al