A God-Sized Vision For Romania

The partnership between Faith Baptist Church and Emmanuel Ministries of Romania began in November of 2004. Miss Emma Lee Lucas, a member of Faith Baptist church traveled to Romania for her first ever mission trip. God allowed her to meet a Romanian pastor, Rev. Cornel Fedor, who had a burning passion to reach his country for Christ. In November of 2005, a group of five men from Faith Church arrived in Romania with open hearts for God to do something unusual. That unusual event occurred as the group met with Rev. Fedor and was captured by his passion and vision for the lost of Romania. Romania is a nation which is religious but lost. The Orthodox Church is the primary religious center for most of the population but has shrouded the true gospel message; salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. There are very few evangelical churches for the people to attend and the ones who do are scorned by their neighbors. Faith Baptist Church began to pray as to the part God wanted us to play in this great adventure. Rev. Fedor and his family came to the United States to receive medical treatment for his daughter and were in our church on several occasions. God’s goal grew more apparent as the entire congregation became convinced that there was something we needed to do. Financial support for Emmanuel Ministries for Romania was placed in the church budget and many contributed personally. In June of 2007, a team of twelve traveled to Romania to help in the children’s camp established by Rev. Fedor. This camp is for the children from the poor villages where most have no running water, no electricity, and no food for more that one daily meal. We came away with an overwhelming sense of urgency and understanding that God wanted Faith Baptist Church to purchase land and help build a church for these spiritually hungry people. Our congregation began in earnest to raise $20,000 for this project in January of 2008. In June of that year, a team returned to Romania and purchased almost three acres of land to build a church in the gypsy village of Hasdate. The gypsies are often overlooked by the government and are shunned by the rest of the people of Romania. Several weeks after returning, Rev. Cornel contacted us with news that there was a house for sale near the purchased property. Instead of it taking three to four years for a church to be established in Hasdate, people could be assembled as a church in a matter of weeks. The owner of the purchased property was the owner of the house and would exchange the $20,000 for a down payment on the house. Faith Baptist Church decided to trust God and made the commitment to buy the house. Now there is an active congregation consisting of over fifty adults and more that 40 children meeting in Faith Baptist Church of Hasdate, Romania. Gypsies in the Hasdate village are being saved, lives are being changed, and the church is growing tremendously. Our church has made a financial commitment of $29,000 which is due on September 30, 2009. This will pay off the remaining balance on the building. You have the opportunity to be a part of this great work of God through your donations tonight. All money given will go directly to pay the balance owed to Faith Baptist Church, Hasdate, Romania. If you give a check, please write it for Faith Baptist Church and mark it Romanian Church Fund. May God bless you as you give! Thank you for prayers and support in this exciting opportunity for God.  
Pastor David Carter – Faith Baptist Church, Swansea, South Carolina
Pastor Cornel Fedor – Faith Baptist Church, Hasdate, Romania