My Romanian Family

The "Tinca's" have become my adopted Romanian family. I first met them during the summer of 2002, when I stayed at their apartment for a summer while assisting with orphan outreach with the Buckner Organization in Targu Mures, Romania (northern Transylvania). Since then, I have always made time to visit my Romanian family. From left to right: Cipri (who is like a brother to me), Eunice, Valer, and Margareta. They are some of the most hospitable people you could ever meet and Mother Tinca is one of the best cooks in all of Romania (I'm serious!). I never cease to leave their apartment without stuffing my face first. But as you all know, I love food! The Tinca's are also a great example to me of faithfulness and Christlikeness. They have accepted me into their family with open arms and they pray for me regularly. I praise God for them!

So Mike, what will you be doing in Romania?

The future of the Church in Romania lies with the youth. They are a generation that has shown interest in evangelism, missions, and ultimately transforming their country for Christ. Still, they are a population that has felt isolated and marginalized from the local Church, for good reason. There is a major need for the Church in Romania to begin reaching out and making the youth an integral and contributing component of the Body of Christ. If the Romanian Church is to awaken to its responsibility to play a part in the Great Commission, it is imperative that it addresses the great divide that exists between the Church and Romanian youth.

My job with OC International in Romania is centered on discipling, equipping, and mobilizing Romania’s youth to effective Christian witness and ministry through the local church (across denominations). My heart is to see Romania’s youth embraced and valued by the local church so that they become an integral and contributing component of the Body of Christ in Romania. My ministry will consist of several components:

• Meeting regularly with various church leaders discussing the importance of youth ministry, strategies, events, etc. It's important to have leaders being a part of the youth movement in Romania. In order for youth ministry to be effective, church leaders ought to be behind it.
• Networking and partnering with church youth leaders around Bucharest, Romania to share prayers, encouragement, resources and ultimately work together to reach the youth of Romania for Christ
• Discipling Romania’s youth by building real and authentic relationships through various small groups, activities, etc.
• Equipping Romania’s youth for ministry through work in evangelistic Bible camps, conferences, retreats, Bible training, small groups, church activities, & orphanages
• Mobilizing Romania’s youth for missions both in and outside of Romania

Romania: a storybook land

A lot of people ask me what Romania is like, and I guess one of the best ways to describe this beautiful country is to say that Romania is a country of dichotomies. The green, lush countryside of Romania is exceptionally beautiful and largely untouched. It is here that one of the main modes of transportation is horse and wagon and people still tend to their fields with a horse and plow. Life is much slower than the hustle and bustle of Romania's urban centers, but the rural villages are also a place of peace and tranquility. People sit outside their homes on a hot summer day and say hello to those on the street. This lifestyle, however, is in juxtaposition to the fast-paced "on-the-go" speed of Romania's urban centers. Bucharest, Romania's capital, is a metropolitan area slightly bigger than the Twin Cities. The city was once known as "The Paris of the East" for its wide boulevards, lively culture, and renowned restaurants. After decades of communism, that distinction has faded away. Today, much of Bucharest reflects the architecture and design of the communist system outlined by Romania's former totalitarian dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu. Concrete block apartments, the staple of the communist regime, still dominate the urban skylines of Romania. I will be living in one of these block apartments. Bucharest has a very nice, extensive transportation system, complete with a large Subway, above-ground tram, taxis on every street corner, buses, and inter-city vans. The city is also home to some beautiful parks, lakes, and intriguing tourist spots. The second largest building in the world, the People's Palace, is located in Bucharest's central square. Ceausescu built it largely for himself, and it is one of the most opulent buildings I have ever seen. I believe that almost all of the materials came from within the country. Many Romanians will tell you that Ceausescu robbed the country in order to build his palace. Currently, the building is used by thee Romanian government and is open to the public for tours (although they don't show you even half of the building). Still, it's certainly worth visiting. Bucharest is indeed a very busy city, in transition. New shopping centers, glass high-rises, and western restaurants seem to be springing up all over the place. But it's also a fun city, that has its own charms. I like Bucharest a lot, but it's not my favorite city of Romania. I like getting out in the Carpathian mountains and visiting some of the ancient medieval Romanian cities, where yes, the legend of Dracula originated. It's in some of these cities that I think a lot of Romanian culture and tradition is evident. So, there is much more I could say about Romania: e tara frumoasa (a beautiful country). In the months and years ahead, I look forward to telling and showing you a lot more about my beloved country.