April 12: Dear VIP: Greetings from Romania! I arrived safely on Wednesday evening, tired but well. From door to door it was nearly a 30 hour trip, but the good news is that it is warm and sunny today. I am writing this on Thursday afternoon but it is the middle of the night for you dear folks. I will meet with the Peretu Pastors tonight to make final plans and arrangements for the meetings in Maldaeni. I will be speaking in Bragadiru at 5:00 and in Maldaeni at 8:00. They are about 70 km apart, so it will be a push. This Sabbath morning I will speak in Peretu and will give them all greetings from you.
There really isn't much news to report at this early writing, but I just wanted you to know that I am safe and well and WARM! I have been provided a beautiful apartment from a church member who works in Canada most of the time. What a blessing!
I will write to you again as often as I get a chance. Hopefully I can send a note each day and keep you up to date on the happenings here.
While I am here I got further news about Mark Blue, our conference secretary. His cancer of the prostate, which he had surgery for, has spread throughout his body and the prognosis is not at all good. Please join me in prayers for this dear man.
I also learned just today that Lida Salvini is not expected to live long. By the time you read this, this will be old news I am sure. I hate for these things to happen while I am gone. I feel the need to be there, but I know that God is preparing for the work to be done here.
April 13:
It is Friday morning here and I will spend the day preparing for the start of the meetings in Maldaeni tonight. Tomorrow will be a very busy day with church in Peretu, where they will have communion and I will speak. Then we will have dinner in the home of one of the elders and then I must go to Bragadiru to speak at 5:00 and then on to Maldaeni for the 8:00 meeting. Today is more overcast and we may get some rain, but it is still much better than the last two visits. I am anxious to get the meetings all started and get into the regular routine. Time goes faster that way.
I felt somewhat at home driving from Bucharest as the fields were full of mustard blossoms. They use the seeds here to make industrial oil.
The hospitality is wonderful, as always. I am being too well fed and without cucumbers! God is good!
My love goes to all of you. I may not have a chance to write anything tomorrow, but will catch you up as soon as I can.
April 16:
The weather is holding good and so are the interests here. We have 26 non members attending in Bragadiru and about the same number in Maldaeini. I wish you could have seen the brass band playing out in front of the church and creating quite an invitation from the village. It worked and many came just because they heard the music. These people are amazingly dedicated to their church work. At this time of year they are working the potato fields all day and we begin the meeting at 8:30 at night now. I guess that means you need to pray at 10:30 in the morning if you want to connect with our worship times.
Sabbath I preached four times. We began just before 9:00 a.m. and I returned home at 10:45 that night. It makes a long day, but it is so worthwhile when you see the smiles and feel the hugs and kisses of the people.
During the week we will only have the one meeting in Maldaeini, which will continue to meet at 8:30 p.m. I am being treated so well, as usual, and have only been served a plate of cucumbers once. (I didn't eat any!)
Ingrid and I are able to talk twice each day thanks to international calling cards. That makes my stay here so much easier.
I will keep you up to date on the happenings here. Weather is warm. Apartment is nice. And God is good, all the time. Keep praying and please keep praying for Mark Blue, our conference secretary.
April 18:
It is Wednesday afternoon. The meetings during the week are seeing fewer in attendance, but there are still good interests. We had to move the starting time back to 8:30 in order to accomodate their working needs. They are in the potato fields from dawn until dusk and then come directly to the meetings. I get back to the apartment around 10:45. Tomorrow night we will not have a meeting and I am looking forward to the break in the action. I will go with several pastors and their families to the Danube River. I have wanted to see that each time, but in the winter it is pretty bleak. Now it should be beautiful.
Some of the people attending regularly in Maldaeini are children and grandchildren from some of the early Adventists in the region. The family had broken off from the SDA church, but now there is a renewing interest. Pray that we can water the seeds.
I am so very sad to learn of Lida Salvini's passing. I have had so much opportunity to interact with the family due to difficult circumstances and I feel so close to them. It is hard to lose these precious ones. I will look forward to being with the whole family on May 5 when we have her memorial service.
I was also stunned to hear of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech. The people here are talking about it a great deal. Sometimes I feel safer here than at home. It is a crazy world and we have a great work to do while it is still day. I am so thankful that we can do it together.
I am well and being well fed. Most of the homes here already know about the cucumber issue! The hospitality and love that they show is more than touching. Sometimes it is almost embarassing, but I have come to love these dear people a lot, but not as much as we love you.
Hold the fort for another week and a half and I'll be home safe and sound. I am praying for Pr. Sherilyn and her group as well.
By the way, I had told you that the monthly salary for the pastors was $800. I was mistaken. It is only $300, plus a small travel budget. I don't know how they do it. I presented the Peretu pastors with the money you gave for their work and they were so deeply touched. They send their deep love and gratitude for your generous gifts.
