I have now returned from Romania, but without having written these updates with the frequency I had hoped. Of my fifteen-day venture, apart from two days spent in travel either to or from Romania, thirteen of those days found me teaching and/or preaching. For me these were days that drew upon my energies and gifts, and thus they were days well spent: I do believe I was able to help and encourage pastors and church leaders. As an expression of this help and encouragement, I was reminded of Fredrick Buechner’s observation:
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
If Buechner’s observation is accurate, then in truth such was my recent Romanian experience; I knew great joy as I sought to encourage pastors and church leaders, even as they plumbed more deeply Scriptural depths, an encouragement to which they readily responded. Whether or nor such encouragement corresponded with their greatest needs, I do not know; nonetheless, I do know that I experienced a great synergy and fit within the three settings of Giurgiu, Sinaia, and Cluj Napoca. Admittedly, “hunger” might overstate their responses, and yet something of that nature occurred as they were given the opportunity to read a passage from Mark or 2Timothy, think about it, answer questions relevant to the passage, and then discuss with one another their observations, insights, and questions. As I’ve shared previously, mine was the delight of sharing in this process with them.
Two days prior to my leaving Cluj and Romania, I met with two pastors, in order to discuss how we might collaborate in writing and publishing materials helpful to Romanian pastors and churches. From our discussion, we made two initial commitments: the one pastor would work with and translate into Romanian The Sent One, my resource to John’s Gospel; whereas the other pastor would do likewise with The Opening, my resource to Mark’s Gospel, chapters 1-8. For my part, I would seek to publish The Opening early this spring, followed by my work on the second half of Mark’s Gospel. I would also seek funding, in order to provide Romanian pastors these translations at a nominal cost to them.
At this writing I do believe that I will return to Romania, perhaps either late May or early summer of 2019, believing that the way is open for me to care using the gifts given to me.
Hopefully,
Stan