Little by little we have started to feel like Brasov is home. Even our kitchen seems to be friendlier. I used to see it as strange and dirty. It was just not like our kitchen from Timisoara. It may sound funny but I realized that we as people need more than daily bread to live. We need emotional support, relationships, friends, security, etc. But praise the Lord we can adjust ourselves as God put that ability in our genetic code. More than that, He knows what we are made of and helps us to get familiar with the new places until we forget the other ones.

A BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF THE CITY The people, apartment buildings, churches, church symbols, mountains, and cars all reflect the cultural character of the city. Christianity is more a religion that is a little more sober and weaker. The influence of the Orthodox church and traditions is very strong. It came mainly through the people of Moldova who immigrated here to find jobs 30-40 years ago. The evangelical world has ibeen nfluenced. There are three or four big churches. Most of the smaller ones consist of a few people. Brasov has around 300,000 inhabitants.

The student world has its own features too. There are few evangelical students.  Most of them are Orthodox. Because there are many technical colleges there are many boys on the campuses. There are two major student campuses, Memorandului and Colina. They both have less academic environment than Timisoara. You have the feeling of a 'communist working city'. The school that our children attend falls into the same pattern. There is a specific culture of this city.  Of course they have their own idioms. But it is to these "lost sheep" that God sent us. We want to do our job with faithfulness. And if we can, we want to impact them and share the message of the gospel.

I had an interesting experience. When I had my first haircut in Brasov, I spent some time talking to the hairdresser.  We managed to connect and I could tell her why we had moved to Brasov. The lady was a seeker of God, she showed me an article in the newspaper about the Catholic and Orthodox religion and asked me several things. Her husband was there too but he was more aloof. I think she is close to the Kingdom of God. That was a sign for me that God wants to save people here too. We just have to be His mouth, His hands and feet among them. Thank you Lord for making us part of your ministry in this generation!

We've been in the ministry here for a month already and I have been able to meet a few guys from Brasov. We get together with them to pray and visit other students who we talk to. I visited two guys from the Republic of Moldova yesterday who were P. E. students. One of them, whose name was Iuri, seemed to be very open. Although he didn't invite us in, we talked in the hallway and
managed to connect. We exchanged phone numbers and decided to get together again. They feel a little strange here too. They need friends and help (some years ago, while I was in Brasov, God raised a disciple from Moldova and he is still walking with the Lord).  Please pray for Iuri and Viorel.T

HE MINISTRY IN BRASOV

We no longer have a full-time ministry mission team here but there is a group of passionate students that want to take the gospel to their colleagues. I am still in charge of the campus from Timisoara until a team is sent there.  I did spend a week there with my missionary friend Alex P. I was able to see my dear students and friends. Seeing them again was very exciting for me. Ani and the children couldn't come. We did outreach there and spent time together.

When we got to Timisoara we stopped to eat something before going to the campus. We met Gyula there. At first, we thought he was a foreign student.  But I soon realized he was from Romania even though he was not perfectly fluent in Romanian. He had a Hungarian origin. Gyula is 29 and lived on the streets. It was the charity of the people that provided his daily food. He also helped with cleaning the tables at fast food restaurants. Gyula grew up in an orphanage. He stole a cell phone and he was imprisoned for 5 years. That is where he became a Christian. His whole life changed. He still lives on the street but he no longer does drugs. He attends an evangelical church and he is going to be baptized soon. I was really happy to be able to meet and talk with him. I called a friend from the church Gyula attended and asked him to help him by introducing him to more people.

THE CHURCH IN BRASOV

With God's help, we get together every Sunday evening at 5 p.m. and spend two hours together. We sing, pray and listen to God's Word. It's usually five couples and a few other students. We spend a good time together. We want prayer and the Word to be abundantly present for everyone so that they can experience God's peace.