March 2025
Cornerstone Mission Students in Romania
During February, Romania’s coldest and snowiest month this year, we facilitated a mission visit for three young women studying at the Cornerstone Mission Training School in The Netherlands, where Mark and Kim now work.
Stefan receives the students at
the train station in Craiova
Iris, from Mexico, shared how she was uncertain about her future. She was challenged when she saw that her expectation wasn’t the reality. Can I do this for life, she wondered? In three different settings, the Lord confirmed the same thought to her from Isaiah 6: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Iris understood that she is where the Lord wants her to be and doing what He wants her to do.
Marlies, team leader from the Netherlands declared: “I want to do something with the injustice issues. I want to fight against injustice.”
Soo Min, from Korea, wanted to go to a ‘forgotten people’ group. She had not thought that Romania would provide that opportunity. “God led me,” she said. “Everywhere we went, over and over again, we met the ‘forgotten’.” The refugees, the Roma (gypies), the trafficked, the immigrants, the poor. “Thank you for coming to us,” they all said. “God really does see us and hear us and bring us encouragement.”
Near the agricultural land, Stefan Matei delivers essentials. More than the provisions, the forgotten seniors cherish the time spent with them
Special Moments!
Iana Matei, director of Reaching Out Romania, opened the Transition Home to receive forty-one-year-old Irina*, a woman who had been trafficked in Greece for many years. The Cornerstone students lived with Irina for three days to provide timely and encouraging company for her.
The day we called in to video-connect with the students, Irina was there. When Mardie and I began to speak with her in Romanian the Holy Spirit touched her heart and she began to cry. You could sense the Lord was touching her heart, softening her, and even bringing healing. A few days later when the young women were saying good-bye, they presented her a simple gift. Again, she cried. Never had anyone shown her such a kindness. The Lord was there, working in Irina’s life. Special moments indeed!
*name changed for privacy
The students at the transition home with Irina
Interaction with the Bucharest International Church
Marlies, Soo Min, and Iris take on a much-needed project at the BIC Sunday church building
Soo Min connects with the Nepalese church
Vera introduces the students to Ukrainian ministry
Prayer needs:
- Pray for a resolve of the war in the Ukraine. The Ukrainians do not want to concede land after so many lives have been lost to fight for their country; nor do they want to see a continuation of the war and even more lives lost.
- Pray for Romania as they, once again, face a very unsettled political atmosphere with presidential elections to be held in May.
- Pray for Reaching Out Romania director Iana Matei’s physical, emotional and spiritual refreshing during this time of sabbatical. Pray that Irina, staying in the transition shelter, will come to know God’s peace in her life as she recovers and makes plans for her future.