March 26-April 5, 2008

Ten years ago I first came to Romania on a three-year commitment, two trips a year. That first trip was rather overwhelming: I stumbled through the first 3-4 days in a jet-lagged fog, somewhat overwhelmed by a huge language and culture gap, and feeling as though I had stepped back in time almost to the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to be there, and was encouraged by meeting fellow Christians in this strange new land.

Now, on my 14 th trip, many things have changed. For one thing, Romania has stepped into the modern, Westernized world (it joined the European Union in 2007), and so there is much more that is familiar. For example, my last meal on Friday evening was at a Kentucky Fried Chicken store, I was able to use the wireless connections for my laptop computer all week at Emmanuel, and many students in my classes were using laptops themselves. This was in contrast to 1998, when there were no Western stores of any kind, when I had only intermittent computer access (on Oradea’s glacially slow server), and most of my students only seemed to have 3-4 shirts and 2-3 pairs of slacks to their name, let alone any type of electronics.

For another thing, I know the customs much better now, including some of the language, and so things do not seem so foreign any more. I have become accustomed to the little slice of the country where I have been going, and the routines of teaching and other activities are now very familiar. I love going back to see familiar faces and catch up on news with old friends, and to meet new ones. I have even learned to handle jet lag much better.

I again taught two classes, Old Testament Theology I and II. These are capstone courses in OT theology for students in the pastoral track, and I am always impressed with their knowledge and interest in the topics. The fourth-year students have a senior thesis to write, ca. 60 pages, so I had meetings with several of them to give feedback and offer suggestions.

On Sunday, I preached in a very small village church, whose regular attenders number about 15 people, mostly older folks. One of the second-year students was pastoring there on weekends, and Dan Botica (my translator) and he felt that the church (and the village) needed some encouragement, so they brought a team of 10 or 11 students along to sing some special music. They went through the village the week before, knocking on doors, inviting people to come to the special service with the American professor and the worship team. So, on Sunday, we held the service. The attendance: 15 of us visitors from Oradea, and 12 local-congregation members. This was a bit disappointing, of course. But, they seemed appreciative of our coming, and had a little spread of pastries for us afterwards. Village life in Romania is like village life in most Two-Thirds World places: simple peasants doing simple farming, very isolated, detached from the life of the city. Whatever vitality I’ve seen in ten years of travel to Romania has been mostly in the city, though I don’t doubt that vibrant churches can be found in some villages, too.

I also enjoyed good times of fellowship with my OT colleague and translator, Dan Botica, and his wife Carmen. We went out to dinner one evening and had a delightful time of fellowship, even though we were choked with cigarette smoke and had to endure loud, pulsating music at the restaurant someone had recommended to them. (They vow never to return to that place!) I also spoke on Wednesday evening to the college-age group that Dan and Carmen host in their home, and had a good time with those students from the University of Oradea. I was also able to meet with Silviu Tatu, my translator for the first four years of my teaching in Oradea. He now teaches at a school in Bucharest and works in a local church, and I had not seen him since 2001, so it was good to get caught up with him. I was able to take several new books on Old Testament topics to both Dan and Silviu, compliments of their publishers. Dan and Silviu were both moved by these gifts, and very grateful.

In June 2007, Dan Botica officially graduated with his Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. It was a joyous occasion, and I flew down to help him and Carmen celebrate. It was a further reminder of their sacrifice in going back to Romania after having lived in the U.S. for 11 years. Many people in their position would have felt “called” to remain in the U.S., but, to their credit, they have returned to their home country and faithfully minister there amid many materials hardships. I met many people from his church in northern Kentucky and from his college and seminary days at Asbury who sang Dan’s praises, which was gratifying to hear. They just confirmed what I’ve come to know in the last five years: Here is a godly man and his wife who has many outstanding qualities and skills. I pray he does not get over-extended among many demands in Romania.

I also enjoyed a good meeting last week with Dr. Paul Negrut, the school’s president, and he updated me on things at the school from his perspective. The school is doing well, though keeping it afloat financially is a heavy burden for Paul and his team in the United States and the U.K., since student tuition and board come nowhere near to covering the costs of the school.

Related to this latter point, the school is increasingly hosting church and other groups from the U.S. and the U.K. This puts a burden on the school’s staff, trying to find housing and ministry opportunities for (sometimes) dozens of people. But, these groups often turn into giving supporters, so they are welcomed in spite of many difficulties.

Many of the visitors are Southern Baptists from the U.S., on “mission trips.” One healthy sign in Romania is the increasing number of mission trips that Romanians take to other parts of Romania, to neighboring countries like Bulgaria, Turkey, Moldova, Albania, and more. They have a two-week break later in the spring when several mission teams will go out, and they send out some in the summer, as well. These are good opportunities, although, sadly, such trips do not often produce full-time missionaries. I remain ambivalent about such trips, especially now that there are far more dollars going to short-term missions than to career missionaries.

It remains to thank various people for their support in undertaking the trip. At Bethel Seminary, I thank Dr. Leland Eliason for releasing me to go to Romania again this year. I also thank my colleagues and students here who have asked about and prayed about my trips. I thank Michelle Hienz, my teaching assistant, for serving as my “course-anchor” while I was gone. And, I thank Bethel Seminary’s Faculty Cross-Cultural Travel Grant Committee for granting funds that have helped make this trip possible.

At Emmanuel University, thanks go to Dr. Paul Negrut for his continued open invitation to come to Oradea. Thanks also go to Dan and Carmen Botica for their hospitality and many helps rendered during my week in Oradea, as well as Sebastian Vaduva for making various arrangements for me. Thanks also go to the Emmanuel Fund for providing additional funds for the trip. And, thanks go to my students at Emmanuel for a most enjoyable week together looking into God’s Word.

Finally, I again thank my wife Jan, who each trip sends me off and is left with responsibilities of home, children, dog, church, and much more, and yet who is very affirming of this ministry.

For those interested, I have photos from the trip at the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/HowardFamilyAlbums/RomaniaApril2008

And, a more comprehensive gallery of photos, taken last year, is at the following link (which I had promised to post, but never delivered on that promise):

http://picasaweb.google.com/HowardFamilyAlbums/OradeaRomaniaMarch2007Trip