Romania….
- is located in Eastern Europe. It is surrounded by many countries, including Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia. The Black Sea is also on the Eastern Border. Romania is too far from Greece, Turkey or Croatia.
- I will be in Draganesti-Olt. The Olt stands for Olt County, as there are multiple Draganesti’s in Romania. And Olt County is in Oltenia, the region of the country. I am about 1 hour away from the Bulgaria border, as well as 2.5 hours from Bucharest. The real Dracula’s Castle is about 1.5 hours away, where as the one we are all familar with (Bran Castle) is near Brasov, which is 4.5 hours away. As well, you start hitting mountains as you drive north. This is about 1.5 hours north.
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While I was on The World Race, I fell in love with Draganesti-Olt, Romania. I will be moving to Romania this summer for at least 2 years to work with Adventures in Missions (AIM) by helping to start a Discipleship Training Center (DTC). DTC’s work with all the various forms of trips that AIM sponsors, including The World Race, Passport, Parent Vision Trip and soon, Center for Global Action. I have been asked to be the base leader. How suiting! Work with Adventures in Missions and Hope Church/RESO, the team in Romania, why not?
Draganesti-Olt, Romania, a town with 12,000 people is found in Olt County or otherwise known as Oltenia. Oltenia is found in Southern Romania and is near Bulgaria. This is the poorest county in Romania, as very many people do not have jobs. It’s also a region where there are more Roma people, commonly known as gypsies. As of 2012, Hope Church was able to reach to over 60,000 people. Now, 2 years later, due to God’s grace, we are able to reach over 200,000 people. The sad part of this number, however is that less than 1% are Bible-believing Christians. In fact, the head pastor of Hope Church, Raul Costea, heard it put this way one time. “Oltenia is the graveyard of missionaries.” The ministry is growing though, so surely God’s provision is over Hope Church and Adventures in Missions!
It’s been a journey getting to this place, but as I look back, I can see God’s handiwork written all over my testimony with Romania. From a teenager who had heard of orphans in Timisoara, Romania to hearing a call to long-term overseas missions, to going on The World Race to now settling into a large village to work with AIM, what better for me! I will be working with an extraordinary team of missionaries from all over including, Romania, Germany, England and Canada. They are just who I want to serve with, as they seek Jesus everyday and He shines through. The team in Romania focuses on evangelism, discipleship and kids’ clubs.
I couldn’t be anymore excited! Please pray for this journey and this next step of faith. I know that God has called me to this, so He is faithful to the calling He gives. If interested in supporting me for this adventure, please click on the link on the left side of this page titled “Support Me for Long-Term.” To get a hold of me, there is a link about that, as well.
Thank you and I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. -Ephesians 3:16-19
Blessings,
Rachel
OH…P.S. I’ve included some blogs from the Race to share the journey of leading up to where I am now. Be encouraged, God’s done a big work!
