Dear family and friends:
Is hard to believe that more than a year went by since I wrote our last newsletter. In the last couple of years we continued to be involved in refugee resettlement in Greater Vancouver Area (Vancouver, BC) and in international missions. Below there are several updates with the latest events in our family as well as some current and future plans.
A great summer…
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| In Denver with Nick and Domnica Manzat, Nicoleta's parents |
This year was our family’s first summer as Canadian citizens and we decided to celebrate it in the purest Canadian tradition: a car trip to Alberta and another one to South! For the first time in several years we managed to spend time visiting and re-connecting with friends in Calgary but also to visit some of the Pacific coast attractions for the first time ever. We managed to spend some time and rush-visiting Great Canyon before hitting the North-East again to spend some time with family and friends in Denver and Seattle. Joshua, Timeea and George-Philip handled well both trips pressure.
Overall we covered about 3000 km in our Alberta trip and 7500 km in our South trip. We fully enjoyed visiting with the small Romanian church plant in Calgary and the Southern sun and heat. We were fully blessed that our car behaved unexpectedly well after couple of small trip annoyances.
November 6-17 – Albania and Romania: Next missionary endeavour
In the last months God has opened again ways to impact the Eastern Europe with the Gospel. I am again blessed by getting involved in reaching toward Albania, Serbia and Romania. Several windows of opportunities in these countries are opening up. I now plan to be in Albania and Romania from November 6th to November 17th, 2011. God willing, I will join Eastern European Connection (Las Vegas, USA) team doing student evangelism in Albania (University of Tirana) and more student evangelism from Bucharest and Arad. I look so much forward to this trip as I will be heading back to Albania, our “first missionary love” first time in 10 years and to Romania, our “home”.
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| View from Tirana |
Albania is predominantly a Muslim Country (70%), although it’s a nominal form of Islam. Also about 20% of the Country is from Orthodox Backgrounds, and 10% roughly Catholic. It’s estimated that only somewhere between .2% and .5% are Evangelical Christians. I have an incredible opportunity to serve the people of Albania, and to share the good news about Jesus the Messiah. The people of Albania however are very hospitable, and in most cases open to hear the gospel.
God is doing a great work in Albania! In 1991, after the fall of Communism, there were only 5 known believers. My family and I had the honor to serve the Lord and the Albanians from 1997 to 2001. Now, by God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit through His church, there are well over 20,000 believers. God is even using the Albanian church now as a “sending nation,” as many Albanians have been able to go to primarily Muslim countries as short and long-term missionaries. If we can reach Albania with the gospel, we may be able to reach the entire Muslim world!
Would you be interested in supporting this evangelistic effort? Please consider supporting financially this trip by making tax-deductible donations to Eastern European Connection, 8101 W. Flamingo Rd. #2012, Las Vegas, NV 89147, USA. Please do not forget to mention “For George’s mission trip to Eastern Europe”.
Praying for the city: Romanian outreach in Calgary
I start visiting Calgary since 2006 and praying ever since that the Lord will open possibilities for the rela-tively large group of Romanians living and working there to have a ministry in their language. Several years in a row there have been opportunities for Romanians to start their own ethnic ministry but due to various reasons things have stalled.
This summer, visiting again Calgary we focused more on the church planting reality. I was able to connect and spend more time with key leaders and discuss about different opportunities. There is much more to be done for a functional ministry and it is a blessing to help in laying the foundations they Lord setting for Calgary.
At this moment, as we are looking forward to the growth of this ministry we are trying to understand our future role and participation. We are praying remain open to see where God is leading us in future for the expansion of His Kingdom among Romanians.
Praying for the city: Romanian outreach in Abbotsford
We continue to be involved in helping the general ministry of Bethel Church in Abbotsford. We are thankful seeing that the Lord is reaching toward Romanians living in the Fraser Valley. Recently Dina, Pastor Cornel Ardeleanu’s daughter has been diagnosed with cancer. After a surgery she would have to undergo some heavy chemotherapy. We continue to pray for her health, for healing and for a great outcome for the Gospel even in this difficult situation.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21
