God Moving in Romania

My first night in Cluj was difficult. I had been battling with a bout of insomnia. I'm sure it was brought on by the long flights. In all of my years traveling for work I have never developed the ability to sleep on a plane for more than ten minutes at a time. It is absolutely awful.

After hours of tossing and turning, barking dogs and a racing mind of what was in store for us I was able to settle down and catch a few hours of sleep (What made it even worse was the sound of my three roomies snoring away). We awoke the next morning and had a short walk to a church not far from where we were staying...God was present and moving.

I haven't been able to get more detailed information but from stories I had been told the Baptist church was a strong underground movement during Romania's communist reign. The Baptist church is strong today and steeped in tradition. We also experienced the Pentecostal church....quite the opposite. Nonetheless, every person we came in contact with, whether Baptist or Pentecostal, had a fervor for the Lord. My heart was filled with joy at the site of all of the young people on fire for God. We spent time with college and high school students that obviously have a calling on their lives. I remember thinking that I haven't experienced "church" like this in a long time. What is so different in Romania? Is it because they now enjoy the freedom to worship as they please? God, how I pray that fire comes back to the United States!

Here are some interesting facts about religion in Romania:

• The majority of citizens are members of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which is part of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The orthodox temples and buildings are prevalent everywhere you look.

In a 2002 census the following were statistics of church membership in Romania:

• 86.7%- Eastern Orthodox
• 5.2%- Protestant (Baptist, Pentecostal, 7th Day Adventist)
  
• 4.7%- Roman Catholics
• .88%- Greek Catholics

That brings us to where we are today....church planting. Our desire is to work with our contacts within Romania and plant churches. We are not absolutely certain what this looks like or how God will provide the resources. All we know is that we are stepping out in faith and He will provide. Please keep this mission in your prayers and pray for God's guidance and favor. This is all for Him and His kingdom. Blessings! Jason

Romania in Transition

If you are anything like me music sparks memories. Certain events can be tied to a specific song, band or CD. For some reason, Falling Up's album Captiva brings floods of memories to me about our entire trip....for everything from our flights to specific encounters while we were there. The funny thing about this is that I really only listened to my iPod on the flight to and from Romania. Strange.

I remember the night we arrived in Cluj-Napoca. I had no idea what to expect. I remember thinking that I felt like I was at the old terminal of Ontario airport because we exited the plane down a staircase to the tarmac. I expected it to be colder than it was and I expected more hustle and bustle. At that time I didn't realize the airport was so far from town. The cab ride to the apartment we were staying at was intense! The cab driver must have been practicing for a road race or was late for dinner. I remember closing my eyes at one point because I thought we were about to side-swipe another car. Little did I know, that kind of driving was typical in Cluj.

Since the revolution Romania has been a flourishing country. Romania, the largest country in the Balkans, has had high growth rates and rapid development. It is among the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Romania's main industries are steel and clothing/ shoe manufacturing. The part that impressed me the most about Romania was the education system. The diversity of the educational landscape is amazing. Students come from all over the world to study there.

Here are some interesting facts about education in Romania:

• There are 111 universities and schools of higher education in Romania- notable are 37 in Bucharest and 9 in Cluj.
• The oldest university was established in 1813.
• As of 2005 there were 738,806 students and 30,857 teaching staff....that is only about 24 students per teacher!
• Most popular fields studied are computer science, economics, business, law and telecommunications.
• Just over 3% of the population of Romania are students.

As you can see, education is a priority in Romania. I was so impressed with the students I met in Cluj. They are very smart and dedicated to their studies. I had a realization while I was in Romania. Most Romanians don't strive after the "American dream" like most others. Their emphasis is on family and education.

Next week I will discuss religion in Romania. Let me tell you, God is alive and at work in Romania. Praise God!

My thanks go out to my friends in Romania that helped me with information for this week. Thanks Florin and Ovi...you guys are great!

Multumesc pentru citit (Thank you for reading).

Introduction to Romania

This is the first blog of what I plan to be a weekly update about Romania, its people, culture and prayer needs. Check in often for updates and to read about upcoming travel plans.


Romania is a beautiful country situated in Eastern Europe. It borders Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia and Ukraine. It is a sprawling country of cities, farms and countryside. I remember back to my recent trip last November and some of the experiences I had. I was awed by the beauty surrounding the city of Cluj-Napoca. There are a number of villages to the east of Cluj that I visited. Me and some friends went on a little hike in the hills. You don't realize how out of shape you are until you try walking up hill for over half a mile. The reward was worth it. We had a stunning view of Cluj and the valley around it. On the way down we passed by a herd of sheep that were grazing. You don't see that in California!

One worthy note...we have tentatively scheduled a trip to Cluj for this coming October/November. We are planning a conference called Storm the Nations and intend on taking a rock band with us for worship and interaction with the youth in Romania. Stand by for more details.

I will never forget Cluj or the people I met while I was there. The people are genuine. They seem to know more about America, our economy and our government than many of the people I run into on a daily basis. In upcoming blogs I will share bits and pieces about my trip last year.

Here are some interesting facts about Romania:

• Its largest area is called Transylvania (yes,, the same Transylvania of Dracula fame).
  
• Total population is 21.5 million people, just a few million more people than the state of New York.
• Capital city is Bucharest
• Was a communist country until 1989
• The currency is called lei (pronounced lay). One lei is equivalent to 32 cents USD
• Current climate is in the mid to upper 60s farenheit
• The time difference from the Pacific Coast is 10 hours

Current prayer requests:

• That the government would make good decisions during this time of economic crisis in Romania
• Pray for the field workers in the region of Transylvania. Now is the time where the fields are full of workers. Pray for their safety and strength.