Falfani

It is late Tuesday night here and if I do not hurry with this update it will be early Wednesday morning before I get it posted. Too late, it is already past midnight. Our internet connection was not working earlier in the evening. However, for now it is back and again I am in contact with the outside world. I do want to thank everyone for their words of encouragement. I have expressed to Ben and Liviu the words you have sent. They, too, are grateful for the support.

Today we began our studies again in the home of Florena Predescu. Our student today was Ilie, an older man who has an interest in Bible study and has been almost daily to her house for lessons. Today I pressed him a little concerning how he was thinking, what he was thinking and perhaps it will bear fruit in the future. That is one thing that I am trying to emphasize this week and that is the need for each individual to know what he / she believes and to take a stand for truth. Perhaps there are enough believers here in Pitesti to begin a small work. But, only more work and a little more time will tell if such is available. May God give the increase.

Tomorrow afternoon (after our studies) I plan to go to Falfani for one night. Ben will travel with me. It is a visit that I need to make, although it is not one that I am really looking forward to making. It seems to me that almost everyone that is dear to me from that village is no longer there. Mrs. Tanase is in Spain and will not return until early July. She went there to help take care of her grandchild, a daughter of Steluta. Geta is also in Spain (in Madrid). Elena is in the US. Of all the sisters, only Florina remains in Falfani. She will be our host for this visit and I spoke with her today on the phone. She is very glad to have us come and will treat us like family. Of that I am certain.

The other Tanase, and I am speaking of Vasile, is still in a way there in the village. He passed away about a year ago and is buried in an obscure corner of the orthodox cemetery. The last time I was in Romania I was present when he and Ana celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Already at that time he was very sick. But, he is resting now. Because he became a Christian, he went to a better place where those who have faith in Christ receive a heavenly reward.

My purpose for visiting Falfani is two-fold. I want to pay my respects to my brother, Vasile. That is something that has been in my heart to do since he passed away. But, more important I want to try to talk to his daughter, Florina, about the gospel. In every visit that I have made to Falfani I have tried in every way I know to touch her heart with the message of salvation. I will try again tomorrow... and Thursday morning. Perhaps God will open her heart as He has done with her parents and two of her sisters before her. I pray to God that they will all see the need to repent toward God and be saved through faith in Jesus.

For this purpose I continue to try with all in the Tanase family, even with the grandchildren. This past Sunday I spend a most pleasant day with some of the brethren from Bucuresti and with Anda, Geta's daughter. She is granddaughter to Ana Tanase. Anda is all grown up now and lives in Bucuresti. I have already spoken to her and mentioned that I want to talk to her about the gospel. This I will try to do this coming Sunday when I see her again in Bucuresti.

Time is really flying by us now as we press forward in our work. I called George Badara and I do not think he will join us here in Pitest. I am really sorry that this opportunity was missed by him. But, sometimes the best plans do not work out like you wanted. Maybe in the future there will be other opportunities for us to work together.

One more thing I hope to do while in Pitesti is to meet with Veronica. She was disciplined by the church in Bucuresti during the time that I was in Romania. She left her faith and has been living outside the grace of God for about ten years now. Every time I am here I try to make arrangements to see her and encourage her to think about repenting. I have used every argument in my possession. On one occasion I picked up a nail and asked for her hand. I pressed it into her palm, not so much as to draw blood, but enough to hurt a little - and I reminded her of the nails that pressed into the hands of Jesus to bring us our salvation. At such a great cost we received the forgiveness of our sins, the price being the precious blood of Our Lord.

I believe I did this a second time some years later (I had forgotten that I had made this point before). It was Vero who reminded me that she already had one nail and this was a second. Now that I am older I do tend to forget things. But, she had not forgotten. And I will not forget her, nor the others who have left the faith here in Romania. As much as is in me I will continue to work for their return, to encourage them to repent. Who knows if perhaps the Lord will work in the hearts of those who oppose themselves, those who have lost their way.

Let me close now as it is almost 1 AM. I am not so tired now, but I surely need to sleep. This is the latest I have stayed up since I have been here and even now I am afraid that the boys will be up before me tomorrow (not). If that should ever happen it will surely spoil my image in their eyes. I would not want that to happen.

noapte buna,
alan