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The Light of the Gospel Shining in a Forgotten Place (4/15/2008)

Short Term Missionaries Kevin and Michelle Weppler departed for Oltenia, Romania on April 15. Just before they left, they and the Kitchener-based portion of the EMCC National Team enjoyed a good time of fellowship and prayer. Passionate about ministry to the Roma people they were anxious to be on their way, back to God’s assignment for them in a foreign land that has become familiar and loved. While here they have visited many of our EMCC churches where they have enthusiastically and occasionally tearfully described the situation in the depressed, maligned and oft forgotten area of Draganesti-Olt.

The Wepplers work alongside a team with a medical person and nine Romanian missionaries from other parts of the country. Kevin and Michelle act as liaisons spotlighting the Romanian needs to believers in other countries through a monthly newsletter. They were thrilled to tell of several in their children’s ministry who recently gave their hearts to the Lord. Women’s ministry and extensive hospitality are used by God to impact lives of many who are starved for relationship and are considering the claims of Christ.. Your help is invited. Their door is open to teams of people to come help with evangelism, children’s ministry, construction and medical needs. Property has been purchased for a church building. They covet your prayers for all aspects of ministry in what is undeniably a spiritually dark region of the world. They need financial supporters to be able to stay and continue their ministry in Romania.

Although serving under the EMCC banner, we know the work God is bigger than denominations and we were grateful when we heard the results of their visit to the church of another denomination that invited Kevin and Michelle to come and share about the work they are doing. Here is the story as told by Kevin and Michelle.

“Brother Petrica Vaduva grew up in Craciunei, Oltenia, Romania…only minutes from Draganesti-Olt. We came to know him in June 2007 when he visited our little Baptist church on Sunday morning in Draganesti-Olt... this was the first time Petrica had returned to visit family in 7 years. Our Pastor, Raul Costea, asked Kevin and I to share that Sunday about how we became involved in Romania and then in Oltenia and when we finished; Petrica came to us crying and said he was so touched by our story. He had fled Romania in 1988 prior to the Revolution of 1989 and had made a life for himself in Kitchener, Ontario with his family. He promised to stay in touch. Petrica called a few times from Canada and when we were due to return in January 2008 for our Home Ministry Assignment; Petrica asked us to come and visit him. He talked to his church board of the First Romanian Baptist Church in Kitchener and requested that we come and share our story with his congregation and they agreed. Sunday March 30th Kevin and I shared our testimony in this Romanian church. We shared from our hearts about what has impacted us in Romania. After we spoke; the Pastor gave a word… he spoke about the west of Romania receiving the word of God about 150 years ago and how Oltenia had been forgotten. Now, 150 years later, God is using a new generation of Missionaries to come to Oltenia to bring revival, Amen! After the service; the Pastor asked us to greet people at the door and we were again overwhelmed by the number of people who came to us crying and speaking words of encouragement to us and calling us brother and sister. I stand in awe of what our Lord Jesus can do. At least 3 young couples came to us and said that they felt God was speaking to them and calling them back to Romania to draw people in Romania to Jesus. I had opportunities to pray with them and encourage them to seek God’s will. If this wasn’t enough…we received word 2 days later that this church had taken an offering for our ministry in Draganesti-Olt and raised $6,000.00. God is so good!”

For those wishing to have a part in the Weppler’s support please send your contribution payable to EMCC WP to 130 Fergus Ave, Kitchener, ON N2A 2H2 or contact Sharon Bentley 519 894-9800, ext 223, sbentley@emcc.ca or at Kitchener address above to set up preauthorized withdrawals from your bank or credit card (MC or Visa).

To receive the Wepplers’ newsletter telling of God’s work in Draganest-Olt e-mail: kmweppler@yahoo.ca.

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