Today we had a few hours of time to explore Romania, and we visited the Roman ruins near Creaca. The countryside was incredibly beautiful dressed in its fall splendor. It was fascinating to see the well-preserved portion of the Roman road, along with remnants of buildings and gates. The coliseum where many early Christians were martyred was a somber reminder of the price they paid that we might know the gospel. Their steps on the Roman road paved the way for us today.

We ended the day back with our Stupini family. Cheryl, Kelley, Penny and I led a ladies’ Bible study. Kelley shared her powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness with every step she has taken in life. Cheryl and Penny used activities to remind us all how important prayer is as we journey with Christ, and I followed-up with teaching from Matthew 6 where Jesus taught the disciples what we know as the Lord’s Prayer. We were so encouraged by these faithful saints who walk long distances to church and sit on tiny, hard benches with rapt attention and frequent Amins. Despite the many hardships and struggles they endure daily, their delight in God is evident in everything about them. They praise Him for strengthening and sustaining them. They sang what we know as The Battle Hymn of the Republic tonight. We all instantly recognized it when they sang with all their hearts, “Glory, glory, hallelujah.” I lgoogled the lyrics tonight as I only knew the first verse, and these words leapt off the page at me:

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on

Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Our God is marching on

What a fervent reminder, that we, God’s saints, are battling for His kingdom on earth with every step we take!

Jean-Michel, Jason and Ben, along with three men from the community, joined us for an evening church service after Bible study. Jason shared his testimony and gave all glory to God for His faithfulness as he walked many hard steps before coming to know Christ. Ben followed up with a sermon from John 3 and 4 about truly knowing God.

As we left the church in the dark, I watched Flori and her husband, both in their 80s, walking up the steep hill back to their home. I called out to them, “Noapte buna, Flori,” and she and her husband both turned to wave, and she blew me a kiss. My heart was overcome, first by tender sadness our paths might not cross again here on earth, but then immediately with the sweetest joy knowing we would one day walk the streets of gold together in Heaven.

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
Psalm 37:23-24

P.S. Just when we thought the night was over and our work done for the day, we met Sampath, a young Sri Lankan man whose hotel room is near ours. We had an opportunity to pray for him and plant the tiniest of gospel seeds. Would you join us in praying boldly for more gospel conversation with “Sam” and that he might come to know Jesus? We are boldly praying God would overwhelm Sam with His love and grace and truth… that God would reveal His character and promises to Sam, that Sam would know without any doubt that Buddha is a false god and offers him nothing, that Sam would choose Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and would lead his whole family and many other Buddhists to know Christ. In the might name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.