During the past 16 years of travelling mainly to Romania, please take a look at the many places the LORD has led us... making new contacts each time. ARAD. Many families, churches, orphanages, childrens houses. The Jewish Old Peoples' Home. Street kids living in sewers right outside Arad train station. One Sunday morning, the Lord spoke to me to go and buy 7 loaves of bread, meat and tomatoes, make sandwiches and take them to the station. Ciprian and i walked to the station praying and seeking direction, when we arrived, there was hardly a soul to be seen - including staff - the place seemed to be deserted. Ciprian says to me; "Are you quite sure brother John the Lord said to come here" In view of what we could see - nobody about - i felt tempted to say...well i think so. But no, i was so sure that i heard the Lord specifically saying to go there. After wandering about inside, around the platforms, then outside, we went back to find two young men looking in rubbish bins. Ciprian says hello, have you lost something? No they say, we look for food. I had learned to say something in Romanian, it was:- "Vreau a da aceaste in numele lui Isis" This meant "I want to give you this in the name of Jesus" and gave the lads a handful of sandwiches each. They looked at each other, then looked at Ciprian and i with a smile, and walked away turning their heads a few times till they were out of sight. So we decided to follow them, the two young men had met up with five others just outside the station at the end of the platform.........they were sharing the food with them. After ten minutes or so, there were a few whistles and waving in the direction of a bridge crossing the railway lines. Soon there were about a dozen youngsters, every one homeless. We still had plenty of food for everyone until after another hour went by and the numbers increased to 38 young people by which time we'd run out of food. Ciprian and i had to return for more bread and something to fill up for another running buffet. Diana and Gabrielle - Ciprians wife - did the catering and we all went back to the station to feed the whosoever, but this time also with clothes, shoes and blankets. How amazing that God would see the needs and invite us to help fill those needs for these children. Daniel was one of the homeless, but not a child. He was in his mid 30's and covered with bite marks from the rats he shared his accommodation with in that sewer....... He also had burn marks over his face and hands from the hot water pipes running through the sewer.... Daniel looked like a leper. We gave him a hug and told him that Jesus loves him "Isus te iubesc" He acknowledges with Da! which simply means yes. We all returned to Ciprians house by 10.00 in the evening, and were met by a group of Christians outside the house who asked Ciprian why he hadn't been to church that day. Oh If only they knew, we had all been in church all day with the down-and-outs of Arad, Romania. The helpless, the homeless, the unloved, the desperate, the rejects of society, the hungry...etc;
Feeding the poor...Ministering to the needy.....Comforting the oppressed....Glory to God. "Let me be His hand extended reaching out to the oppressed, let me touch Him, let me touch Jesus, so that others may know and be blessed" The chosen fast is given to us in:- Isaiah 58: 6 - 7. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? .... Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Now just around the corner from where Ciprian lives is the Jewish Old Peoples' Home. We called to see if they want anything, explaining that we had quite a lot of adult "TENA" pads, and asked if they needed any. The Matron said how could you have known we used our very last one today? Yes she said, we are in desperate need of pads. However, The amazing thing is friends, those pads had been stored in Ciprians home since we arrived three weeks ago. Why didn't the Lord cause us to go there as soon as we arrived? He knew the perfect time for us to visit would show His foreknowledge of this need, and witness to the Matron, and us, of His provision. El Shaddai working for the Jews. Ah LORD! You are so Wonderful. Yes. You. Are. ........YESHUA. On another occassion, Diana was given a specific amount of money for the Jews in Arad. Well, we prayed and wait upon the Lord for direction and timing, what to buy with the cash, where and when. And so at the set time, we did some shopping, got the best bargains, purchasing fruit, chocolate, vegitables, flour, sugar etc; What a blessing. It was the first time that year they had tasted fresh fruit. God always knows what is best and blessed. We were able to take dual language Hebrew/Romanian Bibles for the residents here donated by a brother in East Grinstead, and many "VIA" magazines which were given by David House Fellowship in Cardiff. This is the "VINEYARD" magazine printed in Romanian, plus other Romanian literature was left for them.
Ciprians brother, Danny, his wife Dorina had so many needs, the dear Lord provided for them and the blessings which we received are passed on to all members of this family. Just down the road towards Arad hospital in Marasesti Street is yet another John..... 85 years of age and has been in pain for the past 5 years. We had a time of prayer to encourage John to have faith in what the Lord wanted to do for him. We had brought some medical supplies, and looking through what we had, found a few tubes of Oruvail. Maybe this would help to ease the pain that John was going through. We prayed and asked that God would make this possible. Later that day Ciprian and i went back to see this 85 year old gentleman and asked him if he would care to try the Orulail. The following day, returned to visit John and the moment he opened the door to us he broke down in tears. Concerned, i asked Ciprian if the Oruvail had done more harm than good, and so Ciprian asked John why was he crying. John says it's the first time in 5 years he has had no pain in his leg, but more than anything else, he could not understand why anyone would care enough to take the time and trouble to drive thousands of miles across Europe and come to visit him with lso much ove and help. Of course there is only one answer to that, and it is the love of Jesus. We were able to leave some walking aids with John and the following year, Rookwood Hospital in Cardiff donated a wheelchair for him. Now, at last, he can get out.
John Ardeu has always been there to help us, we and many others have taken truck loads of aid to him for distribution, and we are always made welcome to visit and have fellowship there. John came with us on our first trip in 1991 and was our translator. He is musical Director for several churches and Christian schools in and around Arad. Konica in Cardiff donated a photocopier and we took that out for him. Carriers of Gods' blessings.. Amen.
Ghita and Ramona Pana have been struggling to work with children and so Diana and i prayed that the Lord would bring in good quality educational toys and materials. And the Lord did so, and we took them giving glory to God. Ghita is also involved with the rebuilding of RAST in the southern part of Romania. Thousands of homes were destroyed in floods when the river Danube burst it's banks.
Other places visited with aid in Romania plus; include the following:- PECICA. TIMISOARA. TESSA NOUA. IASI. DEVA. POIENI. LUGOJ. RESITA. ORADEA. SINTANA. ZALAU. GILAU. BUCHARESTI. PITESTI. JILAVA. PLOIESTI. BRASOV. PAULIS. SIGHISOARA. SOARD. VINATORI. SINAIA. SIBIU. SALISTE. GALES. TILISCA. PUCIOASA. MEDIAS. COPSA MICA. AXENTE SEVER. DUMBRAVENI. SORAS PE TIRNARVA. MACEDONIA. SERBIA. CROATIA. BOSNIA. VARAZDIN. NOVI SAD. ZAGREB. PUSCINA. PIVNICE. BASKY PETROVEC. CAKOVEC. SIRAC. PAKRAC. |
