Summary of the Caransebes and Mission
 
Monday, 7 April 2008
Western Romania  - 7 April 2008
 
 Well, we are back safe and sound. Thank you for your continuing support. Here are a few extracts from John Grant’s (Luis Palau Association Mission Director) report.  Travelling Despite many adversities like the Mission Co-ordinator and the Director coming down sick just before the Mission, a power failure on the night before the Mission as the evangelist sought to prepare for travelling and finalise his messages, the team arrived at Heathrow Airport, and boarded the first flight on the planned two leg journey from London to Timisoara, via Vienna. However the crew duly announced that because the plane had been involved in a collision with a flock of birds, there would be a slight delay - this eventually turned out to be sufficient long enough to miss the connecting flight in Vienna. The Lord graciously arranged for two alternative flights via Germany, and so the team arrived at their destination five hours late and the first event had to be re-arranged and done by the local team in Caransebes. American stand-in preacher Roy Olsen seemed to have done a great job. General ♣ A good mission with great results - although 10% less people attended than was targeted ( last outreach in June 07 saw 15% more attend ) , 74 % of the guests were unbelievers, so that 345 people out of 831 made commitments to receive Christ as Saviour. This percentage would have been higher apart from the two events in Bosca and setting these aside to give a more true assessment of the mission, the percentage would be 45% ( Statistical Report available ) ♣ What was particularly exciting was the Next Steps responses in Caransebes where the local team had planned for the Ava Restaurant to be used, expecting around 125 to attend, but the responses were 276. The Ava has sold their billiards hall which was used for this purpose last year, but they have partially completed a new facility at the rear which will comfortably hold 300 people. Alan very generously contributed nearly double the Next Steps event allowance that was in the budget, to facilitate this large event. ♣ The music ( CD background ) was top class, having been well thought through and presented by Daniel Coroban with his laptop he did a fantastic job of the sound management and was a great asset to the mission. Caransebes Events ♣ The Friday programme started quietly with a fair number of unemployed and poor people attending a breakfast at the Ava Restaurant, and whilst undersubscribed marginally, a tremendous spiritual response took place . This was followed at the Ava by a lunch for Seniors, bolstered somewhat by a large number of guests of Moise Tudor, a great Action Group member and stalwart of the Pentecostal Church. Total attendance at the Ava ( means “ Father” ) was just about up to expectancy, and the response was an amazing 53% - thanks in more ways than one to the Father ( the restaurant did a splendid job and we will use their new facility for the Next Step which will hold 300 - 400 people ) ♣ Friday closed with a tremendous event for the “ VIP’s “ of the city, and this high quality event saw 113 people cram into the Imperial Hotel restaurant, many of which were leaders in the city who had never respond to pastoral and other invitations to come to church to hear the gospel - in this nice environment they received an outstanding gospel message about Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews and in very plausible terms the understanding of what it really means to be born again - it was estimated that there were 80 unbelievers present and thirty four of them made a commitment to Christ on the guest information response cards which have gone to the local churches…………..praise the Lord for events like this - we trust that the Lord will provide for and guide the Next Step event and the discipleship follow up…..finance in this city is a big problem. ♣ Always a joy, and this Children’s event not disappointing either, as Alan followed the very capable ministry of two Children’s Ministry missionaries, from Peru, serving God in nearby town Otelu Rosu. A really attentive audience listened to the real gospel and a major proportion of the children prayed a prayer of repentance with Alan - of the 230 children ( and not a few adults), at least 150 indicated that they had prayed the prayer - we took a conservative 100 as possible genuine decisions.  ♣ We had a “ cracking” Youth Pizza organised excellently by Johnny Jura and Adi Lala from the two churches……..140 people arrived and were a model crowd as they sat in the sunshine bathed garden of the Ava Restaurant listening to an excellent and thought provoking message from Alan about what a man’s soul is and what its destiny could or could not be. A high number of young people responded positively - congratulations to the team for this second good event ( June 07 was also phenomenal ).  Conclusion To conclude, we give thanks, praise and glory to our great God for what he did and will continue to do after this remarkable Leap Year Mission to Caransebes, Otelu Rosu and Bocsa……….. we believe the local churches will be built up and Christians will be called into full time service to help drive this awakening forward. We look forward to seeing even greater things with revisit plans for the future and prayer for this region in the West of Romania look forward as well to seeing the development of several much larger evangelistic tours of the adjacent regions to the North and East of the Caransebes District - see triangulated sectors on the map. To statistically recap : • 889 people attended the events. • 661 non believers were guests at the events • 245 of these indicated on the response forms that they had given their lives to Christ • 204 wanted more information • 324 said they would like to attend a Next Step event • In addition 230 children came to the Children’s event of which a conservative 100 prayed to ask Christ into their lives • Approximately another 400 attended the four services held at the pre Mission visit and the Mission trip. This is just extracts from John’s report; however it does give you a sense of what God is doing. We give all the glory to God. It’s an honour for me to be part of this type of ministry - thank you for supporting me financially and in prayer. Please email me if you would like further discussion. God bless you Alan Click the ‘previous’ link to read more