May you all be blessed!
In keeping with this exhortation—and indeed with the command to give thanks to God for everything—this report is intended first of all as an expression of thanksgiving to our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, for the way in which the ministry of Partners in Evangelism International and the work in general have progressed during this recent period.
Whether the circumstances are easy and good or difficult and challenging, we believe that everything we experience is working together for the good of those who love God, those who are called according to His purpose.
The Holy Trinity Baptist Christian Church – Victoria
One good reason for which I can thank God is that the church I serve, as well as my mission field, continues to enjoy peace.
The Lord has graciously allowed us to remain without conflicts among us. Whenever we gather for the Lord’s Supper and the breaking of bread, the church also comes together afterward for a fellowship meal. Fellowship continues, relationships are strengthened, and brotherly love is clearly seen among us.
This can also be seen in the generosity shown by the families of our church. I could say that every family practices this kind of generosity. We rejoice and thank the Lord for their hearts and for their desire to serve their brothers and sisters, as well as anyone else who comes and fellowships with us.
There is a Romanian expression that says, “In the autumn, the chicks are counted,” meaning that a person evaluates the work that has been done throughout the year or during a particular period.
We, too, are seeking to evaluate what has happened so far. We repent of the things we should have done but did not do, we rejoice over the things that have been accomplished, and we ask the Lord to help us become more effective in our service day by day.
Please pray together with us for this, and thank you for doing so.
Partners in Evangelism International Missionaries and National Workers
After a summer filled with many challenges, I find my brothers still deeply involved in the work, although perhaps more exhausted because of everything they have faced recently.
As I have mentioned before, during the summer many of our brothers and sisters are away on vacation or visiting relatives, and therefore a greater portion of the ministry responsibilities falls upon the workers who remain.
We are thankful to the Lord that, wherever He has placed us, He has enabled us to face these responsibilities and continue the work. We are also grateful to all those who have prayed for us.
When we look back at what we have done, we can say that God has helped us.
During this recent period, we have been involved in many events, especially camps and VBS programs, in almost all the places where our missionary brothers serve.
Through these activities, children and young people were exposed especially to the message of the Gospel—about the Lord Jesus and the need to receive Him as Savior and Lord and to have Him at the center of their lives.
Other activities also helped children and young people build relationships, enjoy fellowship, and have a time of rest, joy, and encouragement.
Reaching Romania
Our desire is for the Romanian people to hear the Gospel in its entirety and to be won for Christ. Although this responsibility does not belong to us alone, we recognize our responsibility to be part of this work together with other brothers and sisters whom the Lord has called.
Necrilesti
This blessed place, where children, young people, and adults can withdraw for a time of reflection, peace, quietness, rest, spiritual renewal, and repentance, was once again the host of a Partners in Evangelism International camp this year.
It also hosted groups from other churches in Alba and Sibiu who saw the opportunity to participate and make use of this place.
We are grateful that PIEI was able to organize another camp this year, and that Brother Daniel Petruț, together with the ministry team, was able to manage the event well.
As national director and as their brother in the faith, I asked them to place the emphasis on the Lord Jesus, His sacrifice at Calvary, and the need for people to receive the Good News that salvation is found through faith in Him.
I can say that the entire team was involved in accomplishing this purpose, while also blessing the children in many other ways.
Christian Center
The Christian Center hosted the teams that visited Romania both in June and July, and we are grateful for this opportunity.
It also hosted two meetings organized by Brother Traian Nemeș and Emanuel Jos.
Step by step, we are moving toward the full development of this ministry, with the desire that the Christian Center may be used to its fullest potential for the glory of God and for the salvation and well-being of those around us.
Please pray that the Lord will grant us the grace to see this become a reality.
Podari Christian Center
The Christian Center in Podari remains a challenge for the mission in Romania and continues to test our faith, as we are still looking for a family willing to move there, take responsibility for the administration of the center, and also be an example of Christian service to the people in the local community and surrounding area.
We are encouraged that a sister who is a medical doctor has expressed her willingness to travel from Slatina to Podari to provide free medical consultations to those in need, doing this three or four times a month.
Please pray that the Lord will make it possible for this project to move forward and that, through this ministry, people will come to know Christ.
Christian Care
Throughout this entire period, we have certainly not forgotten those who are in need or suffering. The poor, widows, orphans, and sick continue to be part of the ministry agenda of Partners in Evangelism International.
Through visits and by providing spiritual, emotional, and material support, many people have benefited from the ministry of my fellow workers and the churches they serve.
Short-Term Mission Teams
We have been blessed by the Lord again this year through short-term mission teams.
One team came together with Brother Walter in June, and another came with Brother Cornel Ștef, the president of Partners in Evangelism International.
The first team came primarily to help construct the pavilion at the Negrilești camp, a project that was successfully completed. They also helped support two children’s ministry programs and VBS activities in Bazna and Valchid.
The second team had a twofold purpose: to assist the ministry in Romania and also to support the work in Ukraine.
In Romania, some team members visited and encouraged missionaries, their families, and churches involved in ministry in the Apuseni Mountains. Another part of the team was involved in the eyeglasses ministry and in sharing the Gospel with those who came for consultations.
We thank the Lord for their involvement, their service, their dedication, and their sacrifice—even for their willingness to expose themselves to the risks involved in serving in Ukraine.
Please pray that the Lord will bless them. We are also praying for them.
Thanksgiving
We thank everyone who has prayed, participated in short-term mission teams, or provided financial support for the ministry of Partners in Evangelism International in Romania.
Thank you for your dedication and your spirit of sacrifice. Thank you for choosing to be involved in one way or another, and thank you for continuing to do so over the years.
We also want to thank those who, for various reasons, have stepped away or have not been able to continue, whether because circumstances changed or because the Lord led them in another direction. Thank you for everything you have done for us.
Although many of you do not know us personally, and we do not know all of you personally, I can testify that we have experienced what it means to have the fellowship of the members of the Body of Christ. We rejoice that the Church of Christ is present throughout the earth.
But even more than that, I thank the Lord because He has given us a principle in Scripture whose validity we can still see today:
“The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
In this way, there was equality among them.
We continue to learn from Scripture and also from the experiences that you have shared with those among whom you have served.
Please receive my sincere thanks, as well as the thanks of the entire ministry team.
Prayer Requests
Please pray:
* For the church in Victoria, that it may be involved not only locally but also “to the ends of the earth.”
* For the missionaries, that they may remain strong, steadfast, and continue to abound in the work of the Lord.
* For every place where we serve, that it may truly become a holy place dedicated to the Lord.
* For the mission teams, that they would be protected in their travels and blessed in a real and meaningful way, coming to know God through their experiences with Him and not merely through knowledge about Him.
* For the poor, that they may have increasing reasons to give thanks and praise to God.
* For the strangers and visitors with whom we have interacted, that they may find comfort in knowing that they have brothers and sisters in Romania who care for and support them.
* For those who do not yet know God and do not have a personal relationship with Him through the Lord Jesus—that through the Gospel they hear, they may come to believe, receive the Lord Jesus into their lives, and be saved.
* For all of us, that we may remain strong and never turn back.
With sincere appreciation and gratitude.
Timotei Stinea – PIEI Romania National Director
