Work in Zone 9

June 2006, Galati, Romania, Zone 9 as Bro. Troy Geddes has this particular area labeled. Randy and I had been asked by the lady in white (Maria) to come visit some dear friends of hers. They were as no surprise Orthodox. Maria and another of her friends had been praying for this couple for quiet some time. Maria is a Member of Holy Trinity Baptist Church in Galati. Several women from that Church are praying for a church plant in Zone 9. Jeremy, an Independent Baptist Missionary working in Galati went along with us to be our translator. Liliana and John were very gracious and received us with such kindness and warmth. John had lost his vision to glaucoma, Liliana very gently guided him to the seat where he was to set. After the proper introductions were made and some small talk, Randy asked the questions 1) Do you have any spiritual beliefs? They answered, Orthodox. 2) To you who is Jesus? They answered, the Son of God. 3) Do you believe there is a Heaven and a Hell? They answered, yes. 4) If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would spend eternity, in Heaven or Hell? They answered with a shrug of the shoulders, I don't know it depends, only God knows, if I've done enough works, if I've prayed enough, so on and so on. 5) If what you believe is wrong, can I show you what the Bible teaches? They answered yes! Just the answer Randy wanted to hear, and the answer I was silently praying for as I sat next to Randy. Liliana could not read the words from her friend Maria's Romania Bible because the words were too small, so Maria would read the verses that Randy asked her to read. Randy's comments and discussions with Liliana and John were translated by Jeremy. They were so eager to learn more about Jesus and his love for them. All the years they had spent in the Orthodox Church there was so much about the free gift of salvation that came from Jesus, they had never heard! I continued to pray as Randy continued to share more scriptures with this precious couple. The Holy Spirit filled the small room that we were crowded into. As I relive the memories of that evening, it brings me such joy. Through the moving of the Holy Spirit John's blinded eyes, spiritually as well as Liliana's were opened and they both prayed to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and they found the peace and assurance of knowing that they would spend eternity in Heaven.

We as part of the Cane Creek Stoddard Baptist Association while attempting to assist our IMB Missionary Troy Geddes in church planting in Zone 9 need to keep in mind, that there are people who have been praying for this effort for years and asking God to prepare the way and to send workers to this area. We need so desperately to show up, to be an answer to those prayers and to make to those appointments that God has already set up for us.