September 2018

Throughout this month it has been uniquely gratifying to work more with brawn than brain!

After years of searching for a reasonable, appropriate and fully legal property, the Bucharest International Church was able to purchase a facility just 2 blocks from our present rental.

The multipurpose center will provide administrative space and congenial areas for all kinds of gatherings and community activities throughout the week – both indoors and out.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – Revisited

The Good:

The entrance with open courtyard and U-shaped building, is immediately welcoming.

We can imagine sitting in the outdoor gazebo having coffee with a friend, praying together, having a room for children to play while their parents are attending a workshop, celebrating water baptism if we can save the pool, and creating a hospitable atmosphere for the community.

But, what makes being here so special right now, is working together, side-by-side, with our young adults, just being present, bringing a word of encouragement, carrying out construction debris, lending a hand where needed, purchasing some needed supplies.

Within seconds of purchasing and connecting a new garden hose to replace the one that constantly detached and kinked – erupting from the faucet and bathing those within reach – Costel was immediately able to add water to his cement mixture with efficiency rather than annoyance.

The Bad:

We will not be sorry to leave behind our present facility with its obnoxious, musty odor seeping up from the basement and permeating the over-crowded office spaces and meeting room. Over the last 10 years, though, much ministry has taken place within its walls as many lives have been impacted in significant ways. As the ministry leadership team walked from the old center to view the new, one young lady, in tears, said, “I have so many good memories of this building; working in the kitchen, young adult gatherings, prayer, discipleship meetings – I met my husband here.” Hopefully the new center will provide even greater memories of God working in her life and through the lives of many others in the future!

The Ugly:

With all the restructuring and renovations, the new center is not looking beautiful, yet. As often happens, there is more work needed than originally anticipated. Digging deep trenches to insulate the foundation kept our guys developing their muscles for a week! Sanding the intricately carved wood of the gazebo is requiring hours of patience by many. But, the great sense of camaraderie, of working together towards a common goal, is a bonding experience and one that we trust will continue as the facility becomes a place of shared community.

It is all coming together, thanks to the many who have prayed, have worked to finance, to purchase, to architect and now to refurbish so the center is up, functioning and fulfilling its purpose – to receive people.