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.