Centered On Christ

Sarah Heffington

One thing I have come to enjoy is listening to praise songs in Romanian. I can understand more of the language now, even though I am not even close to fluent. A Romanian group that covers many American praise songs just released Set My Heart by Vertical Worship. 

These lyrics are what I am striving towards living in, centered on Christ, especially as we prepare for our trip:

You make a way when none is found

You tell the roaring ocean to bow

I believe You're moving even now

Right here, right now

I have set my heart

Set my, set my heart on You

You have every part of me

I set my heart on You

It is never our team that accomplishes any ministry, it is God's faithfulness that works through and in spite of us. Please pray that our whole team is grounded in truth, humility, and open to the ways God will move this year!

Good Place Spiritually

As far as planning for this trip, I have been working a lot and have also begun some more lengthy Bible studies so that I will be in a good place spiritually. Often with very important things, like this trip, it is hard for me to think about it until it is on the very near horizon. Most often this is a blessing because I tend to worry. In all honesty the extra work has helped me in keeping me calm and relaxed. 

The fact that this year's group is larger than last years is exciting and I am looking forward to seeing what God will do in and through the team on this year's trip!

The 2019 Team is Set!

We are very excited to announce that the 2019 team is set and getting ready to go! We will be traveling about three weeks earlier this year than normal. We will leave at the end of April in stead of May. We have four new team members this year and three returning, in addition to the two team leaders. Please check out the pictures and bios on the TEAM page. We will be posting more updates as the time drawn near and then updates from Romania as the opportunities allow. Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Waiting to Board!

We are excited to be on our way. We are missing one of our team members who had a medical issue that prohibited him from coming, however, we are all anticipating God to work in and through us as we connect with our friends in Romania!

Please keep us and the Romanian people in your prayers.

God Provides The Adventure!

Stephanie

I'm about to go on an adventure. It's not a spontaneous quest to satisfy the wanderlust of my curious and daring notions. 

In fact, it's not spontaneous at all. It's an adventure with a purpose. I began planning to go to Romania again long before typing out this blog post. God has been, and willing continue to, provide and to prepare my heart. rather than springing from the desire to travel, the motivation behind this new journey is to share the most beautiful news I have ever heard with those that I will meet. It is to encourage those who have already heard and believed in the only One able to take them from death to life. It is to dare them to live wide open in obedience to their Savior and King while rebelling against apathy and conformity. It's to embolden them to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" and "run with perseverance the race marked out" for them (Hebrews 12:1). 

As someone who needs to preach the good news of the Gospel to myself on a regular basis, because I am so quick to forget what Christ has done on my behalf, and as someone who knows all too well the struggle of "throwing off everything that hinders," I am humbled that God has called me and all those who claim the name of Christ to share His message with those who will hear it. It is a message that applies regardless of age, nationality, or gender (Galatians 3:28). In Christ, there is hope that crosses borders, and I am willing to cross borders to share it (Mark 16:15).

Some might ask, "Can't you do that without leaving your own country?" The simple answer is, yes. Yes, we could stay in our hometowns and share the truth of Christ as we have opportunity. I'm burdened for my own country. I love Americans. I pray that each person I interact with in my "neck of the woods" would be drawn to Christ by my life. But I also know that God's plan and His Body is world-wide, and we currently have the freedom and opportunity to share the truth with people in Romania and encourage them by our presence. To those who ask, "Why are you going to Romania again?" I simply say in response, (and I believe my team would echo this), "Why not?"

Unlike most trips American take to other countries, my team and I will not be building houses, working in orphanages, or digging wells. Our "work" cannot be measured. We will be traveling throughout the country, sharing our testimonies, singing, and worshipping God with natives. We'll share the gospel in a high school and at a children's camp, get to know the young people there, and spend time encouraging those we've built relationships with in previous years. I pray God uses us, but I know He will use the Romanians to encourage and challenge us as well.

Three years ago as I traveled Romania, the stories I heard of persecution and God's goodness strengthened my faith. The older Christians there who had lived through communism did not have the dispositions of those who had been beaten down and discouraged. Granted, it had been quite a while since communism had been overthrown  in Romania (1989), but many of them had joy they couldn't contain. It was a deep joy that has known God's presence in desperate times. Being in another country also showed me in a greater way how HUGE God is.

You see, I'm not one to seek adventure. I have learned that as I seek God, He provides the adventure. His adventures are ones I certainly don't want to miss. Please pray for our team as we go and while we are there. We would greatly appreciate your prayers. Please don't spend this vapor-life (James 4:14) without knowing the One who created you and loves you enough to provide the Way of escape from sin and death (John 14:6). 

Introducing the 2017 Team!

2017 Romania Team

THIS IS A FIRST!

We have an all girls team.  We are very excited about the team that God has put together.  We have four members who are returning and two first-timers!

The itinerary is still being fine tuned, however the plan is for us to continue to speak and sing in a number of village churches, a high school, and spending time talking with everyone we can.

Check back often to read what the team members are thinking about as they prepare to depart in May!

The Importance of Building Relationships

San Martin

This is just a quick post.  We visited the Baptist church in San Martin, a village about 45 minutes from Arad.  (This picture is from a previous year - it is now painted a bright color).  Maybe we can get an updated picture next year.

We had a great time seeing many familiar faces and visiting after the service.  It was truly a blessing to see these brothers and sisters in Christ again.

The video is of Matthew Walkers testimony.  I hope you are encouraged and challenged.

I will put more up as I have time to process them.  We have had so much excitement and blessing.  We can’t wait to share it with you.

It’s All About Relationships!

Matthew and Amy Walker

Hey guys!  This is Matthew here.  I can’t believe the time is almost here for my fourth trip across the ocean to the gorgeous country of Romania.  As Amy and I were thinking and praying about whether or not God would have us return this year, one thing I started to realize was that I will have traveled outside of my country four times, yet all to the same place.  A lot of people may wonder why.  Why go back to the same place so many times when you could go to any other place in the world??

For me it’s all about relationships.   Relationships that have been started and continue to this day.  I’ve watched so many brothers and sisters in Christ from the church in Arad and from the villages in Romania grow. I've watched them physically grow, but also in their own walk with Christ.  I’ve also seen some have their understanding of  their need for Christ slowly rise to the surface.   We’ve become close to so many of these Romanian Christians.

Relationships are so crucial to us as human beings, but also to us as a church body.  Because we are one body in Christ, it only makes sense to be connected with one another.  It’s hard, if not impossible, to do that with just one quick visit.  With just one visit you might make an impression or make some memories, but usually they are quickly swept back underneath by life and all your circumstances.  Being part of this team for a fourth time, will only bring us closer to those friends we have made and rekindle the friendships we have.  It is so much easier to help build and encourage those whose we already have a close connection.

And to our Romanian friends we say: We will see you all very soon!!!!

The Romanian Church Is Not Alone

Oliver Alexander

I am so glad to be going back to Romania this year.  I can’t wait to see how the Lord moves.  This is my second time as part of the Trinity Romania Mission Team and I am excited to see all the people again.  

I believe firmly that the Romanian church needs to know they are not alone, that they belong to a bigger body that cares for them and hasn’t forgotten them.  They’ll never know that if random churches visit them and never come back to build that relationship.  That is why I think it’s extremely important that we take these trips to visit and encourage our brothers and sister in Christ.

Please keep us in your prayers as we gather the team - we desire to be united and of one mind as we go to serve the people of Romania.  Especially pray that God will prepare our hearts and the hearts of the people we come in contact with.  We also would ask that you pray for patience with each other as we travel.  Long flights and sleep deprivation can test endurance.

I can’t wait to see what God will do both through and in our team.  Thank you for your prayers and support in this ministry.

Romanian Brothers And Sisters

Rachel Heffington

I hate to forget things.  There is something so horrible to me about the idea that if I am not careful to remember, I could let some precious memory slip away forever.  Of course, I can't keep hold of everything -- wouldn't my brain reach capacity far too soon? -- but when I knew I was headed to Romania in 2013, I promised myself I would keep a travel journal so that I would never forget.  Into the journal went all the ups and downs, exhaustions and joys, and beautiful testimonies from the trip.  I was able to remember, even after coming home, exactly how it felt to realize for the first time that those people an ocean apart were an irreplaceable part of my Christian family, or what we thought of a certain food, or where we discovered  unexpected beauty.

I forced time, scribbling stories along the bumpy Romanian roads or sketching a street-corner from the topmost floor of Betel church while reckless rain beat on the heads of the people below.  I carved out the time to write the words because they were important to me. I needed to remember.  When I returned in 2014, I gladly did the same.  And I did not forget.  I could not.

There is a funny story that grew out out of those same words . . . hundreds of stories born form the fellowship of American Christians who trekked across the world and were richly received by their Romanian brothers and sisters.  And I mean richly.  My journal is stuffed with remembering their generosity and self-sacrifice.  And it is this, perhaps more than any other, that keeps me eager to return to Romania as many times as God wills: that though our cultures and language and customs are literally worlds apart, we grow evermore in the same Grace, under the same Love, and are called by the same name: Christ-followers.  So though I go, somehow I stay.  I stay under the same Mercy in which we are called.  Here's to a year of more memories.

We Have to Be Ready!

Matthew Walker

Hello everyone!  This will be my third trip to Romania with the Trinity Romanian Missions Team.  Every year has been different and I don't expect any less from this year.  It'll be a wonderful time of fellowship with the believers in Romania, but it will also  serve as a time for the entire team to get to know each other in a way we never would have been able to outside of this trip.

Over the past two years, there is one thing that has stuck out in my mind: the youth (teenagers and young adults).  The next generation.  There are many who do not have a walk with the Lord, but many who do.  Many of those who do walk with Christ are cast out from thier families or just looked down upon for their Christian beliefs.  

One of our primary goals this year is to encourage the youth.  Those whose relationship with our heavenly Father is young and new.  Our team will strive to encourage them to do what is right in the Lord's eyes and stand for their beliefs and also simply to let them know that they are not alone.  

As Americans, we take for granted the luxury of freedom of speech and religion.  You see, within about the last twenty five years or so Romania has come out of a time of communist rule in the country.  So, freedom of religion is not as much of a foundational idea for them.  

We want to impress on young adults everywhere, but especially in Romania, that they (we) are the next generation of Christians and that it is up to us to pass along God's love, mercy and faithfulness.  And that if we don't do it there won't be anyone to fall back on to do the talking for us!  We have to be ready!  Even if times get very tough we need to have steadfast trust in our God. 

My prayer is that the Lord will bless our efforts to encouraging the church and the youth in Romania.  And at the same time that He will also encourage us in our steadfast trust in Him.  I also pray that we can bring that back to our brothers and sisters in this country when we return.

Expectations

Amy Edmonston

Change is something that takes place in every one's life no matter who you are, where you live, or what you do.  The changes in your life, and how you respond to them, come to be what define you.  I don't usually form expectations of how things will be, simply because life so rarely lives up to them.  Or rather, life so rarely follows our expectations; but it very often exceeds them if you will just open your eyes.

Last year was my second time going to Romania; and despite what I just told you, I had unknowingly formed an expectation for the trip.  And of all the expectations to form, it was a very stupid one.  I expected that things would be, relatively speaking, the same.  I say it was very stupid because people are changing all the time in little ways.  But on top of that, I had quite a few very obvious life changes in the year between trips.  Then the team was different and a number of our friends in Romania  had gone through serious changes as well.  As I said, however, this was a subconscious expectation I had formed.

About midway through the trip I was feeling stressed, confused, and just plain down.  Not the way you're "supposed" to feel on a mission's trip.  It wasn't until after I'd gotten home and had time to think things over that I realized what had happened.

Expectations can steal so much from you.  Now I'm not saying don't make plans or anything, but God began to show me that I need to leave everything in my life open to Him.  Because you never know when He is going to want to teach you something, use you to minister, break you in some way, or just give you a moment of wonder and peace.  I guarantee that you will miss these if you are focused on, and caught up in, making the experience what you want it to be.

I'm really looking forward to this trip in the hope that I can catch God weaving the moments and experiences together in ways I would never have expected.

Memorizing The Lord's Prayer in Romanian

Sarah Heffington

I am one of the team members who will be returning to Arad.  

This will be my third trip with the Trinity Romanian Missions Team.  Each trip has been such an amazing experience.  I have had opportunities to learn about a new culture, visit village churches (bisericas), and go road tripping across the Carpathian mountains.  The adventures have been many.  It is a huge blessing that the Lord is doing this in my life and I know He has me on this team for a reason.

I am especially excited about the prospect of connecting with the Romanian youth and sharing about how God is working in our lives.  Though we live in very different cultures and situations, we are each in the body of Christ and have that common ground on which our lives are based!  This is a great opportunity and I hope to grow a lot through it!

I am working on memorizing The Lord's Prayer in Romanian before we leave in May!  Please continue to pray for our preparations and our financial needs.  Thank you for your prayers, support, and love!

   

The Beauty of Music

Matthew Walker

Music is something the Lord really used through the team last year in Romania.  The beauty of music is that it doesn't matter what language the song is in!  You can simply recognize the tune and sing along.  Whether we were singing along to a hymn in English while the rest of the church sang in their native language, or whether the team was introducing some different praise songs, music was an important part of our ministry.  

Unlike last year, we will have different instrumentation for our times of singing as we travel this year; from a guitar and mandolin to a simple box drum.  And as I work up our different set lists I am excited to see how the Lord will use our music again in 2014. 

(Read more about our team members.)

Wholeheartedly Excited About This Trip!

Amy Edmonston

As the prospect of adventure approaches there is a natural mixture of excitement and fear.  Obviously, I am very excited to be going back to a country that I have such wonderful memories of.  A year ago I was blessed and challenged in ways I never imagined by my time in Romania.  

In anticipating this return trip, however, there is a certain amount of fear.  How can this years trip possibly live up t last year's experience?  but that is where the problem lies; it won't. The two weeks that we will be in Romania will be entirely different from anything I can remember or can anticipate.  

God has obviously brought this team together and led us to make this commitment.  when I look at that, I can put aside any naggings I may have and say I am wholeheartedly excited about this trip.  I know it will result in furthering my trust and sense of wonder in the God I strive to serve.

Soul-Friends

Rachel Heffington

I am a people-person, and one of the greatest things I took away from the Romanian missions trip last year was the beauty of the global body of Christ.  The fact that my soul could connect with another soul over a mutual love for Jesus, even across language barriers, was fascinating.  I am looking forward to returning to Romania this year and seeing all the soul-friends I left behind, and meeting new brothers and sisters in Christ.  The times of fellowship were satisfying and rejuvenating in ways hard to explain to people who have never been blessed with the multicultural experience of churches meeting from opposite sides of the world.  I cannot wait for round two!

(read more from Rachel and the rest of the team by going to our "About Our 2014 Team" page.  You can also check the "team" label below and it will list all the personal blog posts from our team members.)

Heading Back to Romania!

Alaina Wright

As I have been preparing to head back to Romania I am determined to learn to speak and understand more Romanian than I did last year! The good thing is that many of the youth there understand basic English and can help interpret sermons or conversations for us.  I hope to learn enough Romanian that I can understand the topics of the conversations that are going on around me.  Unfortunately, the phrase I recently learned was: "Pepenele este verde" which means "The watermelon is green" and that doesn't really help me out much unless we are at a church picnic where someone is wondering the color of a watermelon!  

We would love for you to be introduced to our entire team.  Just click on the word "team" to jump there!

Excited about our Romania trip in May!

Sarah Heffington

Hello everyone!

I'm beginning to be very excited about our trip in May!  

These past few weeks I have been working a lot on expanding my Romanian vocabulary, and trying to wrap my head around all the conjugations and things.  Our team is going to be learning Fii A Mea Lumina (Be Thou My Vision).  

Rachel and I have been remembering various delights from last year's trip.  I really look forward to revisiting these people and p;laces in May.  Thanks again for all the prayer support!

Preparing for Romania 2014

We are very excited to be returning to Romania again this year.  Last year we had a wonderful time participating in evangelistic meetings and encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We have been invited back and are encouraged to have a team of seven, at this time, planning to return.  

This is a picture of Timisuara in Romania from 2013
At this time we are firming up the team members and planning fundraising events.  We are also communicating with the Pastor John and Pastor Cristian regarding our exact schedule and look forward to sharing those details with you as they are solidified.