May 2016

RomaniaUpdate
Maurice&JoAnnSikes
PEF
IoanAlexandru,nr.25
Codlea,Brașov,Romania505100
May2016
PaulMacIntyrePhotography
CâmpinaYouthConference
Iwrotetoyou
inourlast
lettertopray
fortheyouth
conferencein
Câmpina.It
wentvery
well.About
50youth
showedup
(youthheremeansbetweentheagesof13and
29).Theycamefromseveralchurches,
includingaGypsychurch.Igavetwomessages:
howtheGospelisnotjustfornon-Christians,
butforusasChristianstoo.Ialsospokeabout
howtohaveadevotionaltimewithGodevery
day.Theirresponsewasverypositive.A
numberofthemmadeavowtoreadtheBible
andprayeverydayforatleast5minutes.As
always,theworshipatthechurchwas
awesome!
Icouldnot
geta
panorama
pictureofthe
youth,but
thiswasa
portionof
them.
EasterinRomania
Centuries
ago,the
churchin
theEast
decidedto
stickwith
theJulian
calendar
andits
reckoningof
whenEasteroccurs.Becauseofthisthe
EasternChurchcelebratesEasteratadifferent
timefromtheWesternChurch.Thisyearit
occurredinMay.JoAnnmetawomaninher
smallgroupwhohasasonwhowouldtest
positiveontheAutismSpectrumDisorder.
Romaniadoesnothavealotofresourcesfor
childrenlikethis.Sinceweraisedtwosuch
sons,JoAnnhasbeenabletogiveheralotof
help.WedecidedtoinvitethemforEaster.Jo
Anncookedfoodsthatwouldnotcauseallergic
reactionsinherson.Itwasagreatinspiration
andencouragementtotheseparents.Wealso
introducedthemtoanEasterEggHunt.The
kidslovedit!
ThreeGenerations
Onedayafterchurchagroupofthemembers
said,“Let’sgoforahike!”Iwaseagertogo(Jo
Anncouldnotduetoherknee).Wehikedthe
mountainbehindourhouse.Thoughitdoes
notlookthatbigfromthevalley,itis.Infact,it
wasthesteepesthikeIhaveeverexperienced.
Bythetimewegottothetop,Iwasdrenched
fromexertion.Aswestoodonthe
mountaintopandtookinbreathtakingviewsof
theworldaroundus,Inoticed:therewere
threegenerationsofChristiansinthegroup.
Thefirstgenerationhadbeeninfluentialin
leadingthe2ndgenerationtoChrist.Thenthe
2ndgenerationwasinfluentialinleadingthe3rd
generationtoChrist.Ilovethispicturethat
capturesthattruth.
MakeDisciples
WhichleadstoanimportanttruthGod
remindedmeofrecently.Thegrowthand
healthofthisstrugglingchurchinBrasovhas
takenupalotofmythoughttimeandenergy.
OnedayasIwaswashingthedishes(yes,guys,
Iwashthedishes),Iwasmeditatingon
Matthew28:18-20:“Asyouaregoing,make
disciples…”(that’showitiswritteninthe
Greek).TheHolySpiritremindedmeofwhat
JesussaidinMatthew16:18:“UponthisrockI
willbuildMychurch,andthegatesofhellshall
notprevailagainstit.”Godremindedmewhat
Hehascommandedmetodo:myjobistomake
disciples.Hisjobistobuildthechurch.Ihad
toconfess,“GodIhavebeentryingtobuild
YourchurchwhenIshouldfocusonmaking
disciples.”WhenIsharedthiswithJoAnnshe
responded,“Finally!Nowyouwon’tworryso
muchaboutthechurchandstartgettingagood
night’ssleep.”J
WhattoPrayFor
1. Brașovchurch–ChristwouldbuildHis
churchthroughthem.
2. Ourrelationshipswithpeoplewhoarenot
followersofChrist.
3. Oursmallgroup–ourfirstmeetingis
tonight.Cipriandtheotherswhoare
startingthisgrouphavelaidagood
foundationforthesuccessofthegroup.
Everyonewillbeinvitingsomeonewhois
notafollowerofChrist.
4. JoAnn–sheisintheU.S.rightnow,helping
ourchildrenandgrandchildren.Sheis
verymuchneededbythem.Alsosheis
gettingfurthertestsforherauto-immune
issueandnormalR&R(replaceand
repair!).
DidYouKnow:
Didyouknowthatdifferentlanguageshave
differentexpressionstomeanthesamething?
Forexample:didyouknowthat“Sanatoșitun”
–literally,ahealthycannon;means„haleand
hearty,”or„strongasabull?”
Didyouknowthat„Carnedetun”–literally
meanscannonmeat,i.e.howtheywould
executesomeoffenders,i.e.deadmeat,i.e.
cannonfodder?Thattheexpression„Kickthe
bucket”isexpressedas„adacolțul”(heturned
thecorner)?
Willworkforpasta!
Didyouknowthatlearninganewlanguagecan
resultinsomefunnymisunderstandings,and
sometimesratherembarrassingmistakes?Jo
Annwastextingawomanaboutcleaningour
house.JoAnnreadherresponse:„Potsăcurată
acasatapentruPaște,”as„Icancleanyour
houseforpasta.”Whatshereallysaidwas„I
cancleanyourhouseforEaster.”JoAnn
thoughtitstrangethatsomeonewouldwant
paymentinpasta!
Lastweekoursmallgrouphadadiscussion
aboutJohnChrysostom(theycallhimJohnthe
golden-mouthbecausehewassuchagreat
preacher),theArchbishopofConstantinople
andanimportantearlychurchfather.The
Romanianscallhim,„IoanGuradeaur”(yowangooradea-oor).ThatiswhatImeantto
say.InsteadIsaid„IoanGaurădeaur”(yo-wan
gowruhdea-oor,youhavetorollther’s).They
startedlaughinghysterically,withtears
runningdowntheircheeks.Gurameans
mouth.Gaurămeanshole.Whenusedwitha
personitdefinitelydoesnotmeantheirmouth.
Apparentlyheismoreholythanwethought!
Thislanguagereallyhumblesme!
Maurice & Jo Ann Sikes
[email protected]
U.S. Phone: 321-257-9812
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Gotowww.pefministry.org/“Donate
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