RomaniaUpdate

Maurice&JoAnnSikesPEF

IoanAlexandru,nr.25Codlea,Brașov,Romania505100

May2016

PaulMacIntyrePhotography

CâmpinaYouthConferenceIwrotetoyouinourlastlettertoprayfortheyouthconferenceinCâmpina.Itwentverywell.About50youthshowedup

(youthheremeansbetweentheagesof13and29).Theycamefromseveralchurches,includingaGypsychurch.Igavetwomessages:howtheGospelisnotjustfornon-Christians,butforusasChristianstoo.IalsospokeabouthowtohaveadevotionaltimewithGodeveryday.Theirresponsewasverypositive.AnumberofthemmadeavowtoreadtheBibleandprayeverydayforatleast5minutes.Asalways,theworshipatthechurchwasawesome!Icouldnotgetapanoramapictureoftheyouth,butthiswasaportionofthem.EasterinRomania

Centuriesago,thechurchintheEastdecidedtostickwiththeJuliancalendaranditsreckoningof

whenEasteroccurs.BecauseofthistheEasternChurchcelebratesEasteratadifferenttimefromtheWesternChurch.ThisyearitoccurredinMay.JoAnnmetawomaninhersmallgroupwhohasasonwhowouldtestpositiveontheAutismSpectrumDisorder.

Romaniadoesnothavealotofresourcesforchildrenlikethis.Sinceweraisedtwosuchsons,JoAnnhasbeenabletogiveheralotofhelp.WedecidedtoinvitethemforEaster.JoAnncookedfoodsthatwouldnotcauseallergicreactionsinherson.Itwasagreatinspirationandencouragementtotheseparents.WealsointroducedthemtoanEasterEggHunt.Thekidslovedit!ThreeGenerations

Onedayafterchurchagroupofthememberssaid,“Let’sgoforahike!”Iwaseagertogo(JoAnncouldnotduetoherknee).Wehikedthemountainbehindourhouse.Thoughitdoesnotlookthatbigfromthevalley,itis.Infact,itwasthesteepesthikeIhaveeverexperienced.Bythetimewegottothetop,Iwasdrenchedfromexertion.Aswestoodonthemountaintopandtookinbreathtakingviewsoftheworldaroundus,Inoticed:therewerethreegenerationsofChristiansinthegroup.Thefirstgenerationhadbeeninfluentialinleadingthe2ndgenerationtoChrist.Thenthe2ndgenerationwasinfluentialinleadingthe3rdgenerationtoChrist.Ilovethispicturethatcapturesthattruth.MakeDisciplesWhichleadstoanimportanttruthGodremindedmeofrecently.ThegrowthandhealthofthisstrugglingchurchinBrasovhastakenupalotofmythoughttimeandenergy.OnedayasIwaswashingthedishes(yes,guys,Iwashthedishes),Iwasmeditatingon

Matthew28:18-20:“Asyouaregoing,makedisciples…”(that’showitiswrittenintheGreek).TheHolySpiritremindedmeofwhatJesussaidinMatthew16:18:“UponthisrockIwillbuildMychurch,andthegatesofhellshallnotprevailagainstit.”GodremindedmewhatHehascommandedmetodo:myjobistomakedisciples.Hisjobistobuildthechurch.Ihadtoconfess,“GodIhavebeentryingtobuildYourchurchwhenIshouldfocusonmakingdisciples.”WhenIsharedthiswithJoAnnsheresponded,“Finally!Nowyouwon’tworrysomuchaboutthechurchandstartgettingagoodnight’ssleep.”JWhattoPrayFor1. Brașovchurch–ChristwouldbuildHis

churchthroughthem.2. Ourrelationshipswithpeoplewhoarenot

followersofChrist.3. Oursmallgroup–ourfirstmeetingis

tonight.Cipriandtheotherswhoarestartingthisgrouphavelaidagoodfoundationforthesuccessofthegroup.EveryonewillbeinvitingsomeonewhoisnotafollowerofChrist.

4. JoAnn–sheisintheU.S.rightnow,helpingourchildrenandgrandchildren.Sheisverymuchneededbythem.Alsosheisgettingfurthertestsforherauto-immuneissueandnormalR&R(replaceandrepair!).

DidYouKnow:Didyouknowthatdifferentlanguageshavedifferentexpressionstomeanthesamething?Forexample:didyouknowthat“Sanatoșitun”–literally,ahealthycannon;means„haleandhearty,”or„strongasabull?”Didyouknowthat„Carnedetun”–literallymeanscannonmeat,i.e.howtheywouldexecutesomeoffenders,i.e.deadmeat,i.e.cannonfodder?Thattheexpression„Kickthebucket”isexpressedas„adacolțul”(heturnedthecorner)?Willworkforpasta!Didyouknowthatlearninganewlanguagecanresultinsomefunnymisunderstandings,andsometimesratherembarrassingmistakes?Jo

Annwastextingawomanaboutcleaningourhouse.JoAnnreadherresponse:„PotsăcuratăacasatapentruPaște,”as„Icancleanyourhouseforpasta.”Whatshereallysaidwas„IcancleanyourhouseforEaster.”JoAnnthoughtitstrangethatsomeonewouldwantpaymentinpasta!LastweekoursmallgrouphadadiscussionaboutJohnChrysostom(theycallhimJohnthegolden-mouthbecausehewassuchagreatpreacher),theArchbishopofConstantinopleandanimportantearlychurchfather.TheRomanianscallhim,„IoanGuradeaur”(yo-wangooradea-oor).ThatiswhatImeanttosay.InsteadIsaid„IoanGaurădeaur”(yo-wangowruhdea-oor,youhavetorollther’s).Theystartedlaughinghysterically,withtearsrunningdowntheircheeks.Gurameansmouth.Gaurămeanshole.Whenusedwithapersonitdefinitelydoesnotmeantheirmouth.Apparentlyheismoreholythanwethought!Thislanguagereallyhumblesme!

Maurice & Jo Ann Sikes MauriceSikes@gmail.com U.S. Phone: 321-257-9812 WanttoInvestinourmissionhere?OnlineGiving:Gotowww.pefministry.org/“DonateNow”/“MauriceSikesMinistry”Theold-fashionedway:PEF1005thStreet,Suite330BristolTN37620Memoline:Sikes