ECM International

Make a difference in Romania

The ECM team is currently comprised of workers from Netherlands and Germany as well as from Romania. The work is focused in three cities, Timisoara, Sibiu and Ramnicu Valcea, and involves church planting, children’s ministries, work among the handicapped, and a Christian bookstore. ECM missionaries are also involved with short term teams and English as a Second Language (ESL).

Introducing Romania

Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest	Stone Passageway, Sibiu

An ancient land with a complex history, Romania has only existed as a State within it current borders for less than a hundred years, and yet within that time has seen many changes politically. In the communist years it lived under a repressive regime, yet is now a member of NATO and since January 2007, a full member of the European Union. Time will tell if the continuing exodus of population looking for jobs in Western Europe will now cease.

 

It is a country composed of three distinct geographic areas: the forest-rich Transylvanian Alps (part of the Carpathian mountain chain), temperate uplands with orchards and vineyards, and a large agricultural plain ending in the wetlands of the Danube Delta. Romania contains more than 30 UNESCO-proclaimed World Heritage Sites.

 

The variations in internal population density for its 22 million people reflect to a degree, the historical regions with the areas north and west of the  curve of the Transylvania Alps (Transylvania, Maramures, Crisana and the Banat) less populated than the areas south and east (Wallachia, Moldova, Bucovina and Dobrogea).

Geography: (Operation World 2001) Area: 237,500 sq km Population: 22.3 million Capital: Bucharest Population: 2.3 million

Language: Romanian Website: Romania- Tourism

Spiritual Climate

In the communist years, Christians in the West prayed fervently for the church, which was under constant persecution from the authorities.  During this time the church grew and prospered spiritually, even though many of its members were impoverished materially.

In December 1989 it was a pastor in Timisoara who sparked off a national revolt against the dictator Ceaucescu by refusing to submit to arrest.  Laszlo Tokes locked himself in his church, while his members stood guard outside, resistance which inspired the nation and toppled the dictator.

Romania today is still a country with a large Orthodox church presence, with evangelical Christianity still viewed as a sect, especially in the villages. It has around 8,000 villages with no evangelical witness, especially in the southeast, in historical Wallachia and Moldova. However, especially in the northwest, many congregations are very motivated to be actively involved in evangelism, church planting, and even missions.

With its full membership in the European Union as of January 2007, there are now vast and rapid changes being brought to every sector of society.  Coupled with spiritual need, Romania will now have to deal with the ‘god’ of affluence.

Religion: (Operation World 2001)            Orthodox         75% Non-Religious 11% Catholic             7% Protestant          7%	Bible Schools East European Bible College (Oradea)
	National Organization: Evangelical Alliance dciucur@fx.ro One Challenge International http://www.oci.ro

ECM in Romania

ECM’s connection with the Romanians began in the days when Richard Wurmbrand was released from prison in which the then General Secretary Stuart Harris was closely involved. Currently, while centered out of three locations, ECM has a country-wide vision and is implementing a twelve year church planting project that capitalizes on the spiritual wealth of Romania, as well as the spiritual and material strength of national and international partnerships.

Sibiu

ECM has, until recently, had a missionary couple from Holland involved with the Baptist church in Sibiu.  They also ran a Christian bookshop and a Daycare Centre for handicapped children “Casa Luminii” (House of Light).  In addition, they have been involved in a training programme for all the caregivers for handicapped people in the county of Sibiu. 

Work with handicapped children	Christian Bookstore	Church baptism service- 16 baptized (June 2007)

 

The Houwelings have been in Sibiu since December 1995. Left mid 2008   Dirk-Bart & Marja Houweling Jordi             (04-08-95) Estera           (24-06-97) Levi Mathei (04-02-05) Website: http://www.houwies.evonet.ro/

Timisoara

God is at work in Timisoara!  Using a Romanian couple who were missionaries to the Romanian community in Australia, several churches have been planted where there was previously no evangelical witness. Now, even daughter churches of the original church plants are being established in Timisoara, with training of local leaders an important component of the work, to insure later self-sufficiency.

 

Another missionary effort in Timisoara that God has richly blessed is the work with the Esther foundation rescuing babies from abortion – close to 800 to date.  Current work involves constructing apartment housing for mothers who have nowhere else to go and choose to carry their babies to term.

Ramnicu Valcea
ECM presence in Ramnicu Valcea involves working with children from churches in three villages. Currently the work is at an early stage. There is one missionary ministering to these three churches.

 

Ministry Opportunities

Long term

Career missionaries.  Men and women who:

• are committed to following the Lord's leading in their lives and are prepared to be flexible to the Lord's will
• can commit themselves to church planting in international and interdenominational teams.
• are willing to submit to the team leadership, team-culture and national Romanian church leadership
• know the language and culture, but if not, are willing to learn Romanian over their first two years.
• are willing to relocate every four or five years as a church plant matures
• have skills as evangelists, disciplers, Bible teachers, youth workers, pastors or other church leadership.

Short Term

We need:

• Churches around the world which are willing to partner with and “adopt” a Romanian church plant for five years.
• Churches which will back their adopted church plant with prayer, send summer teams to create interest, make contacts, assist in local evangelization, send building teams as needed, and to provide finances in decreasing amounts over the five year period.

 

Contact

Please send us an email with your name, country of origin, and interest to one of the emails on the right. Be sure to include Romania on the subject line.

Prayer

 

·     Praise for the ongoing work at several centers in Romania.

·     For your church or other churches to partner with a Romanian church plant for 5 years: to adopt a village in Romania, help us to plant a church in it and to send teams to evangelize, build and help develop the church.

·     For the church in Romania to be transparent in all things, including accounting procedures.

·     For transparent leadership at all levels.

·     For additional co-workers. Many pastors are trying to do it all and are spread too thinly.

·     For God’s protection of pastors and missionaries from recent death threats.

·     For more handicapped Day Care centres

·     For the future education of the Houweling’s children.

·     For human and financial resources for our ministry.

·     For God to help us finish two shelters for needy people in Timisoara, We are lacking funds in order to finish that.

·     Wisdom to preach and minister effectively in the towns and villages of Romania.

                                   

For many additional prayer points, click on these links:

Operation World – Romania 24-7 Prayer

 

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