Back in 1990, just after the Romanian revolution, there was much excitement at the new opportunities for the spread the Gospel. Many Romanians were being converted to Christ and new churches were opening in different places.
However, this was not true in every situation in Romania at that time. The village of Susag, sixty km from Oradea, in the county of Arad, is one such example. Here, the ministry suffered after freedom came, the attendance dropped dramatically and eventually the church closed its’ doors and the electricity was disconnected. Due to the vision of a member of Emanuel Baptist Church in Oradea, the church has reopened after fifteen years of neglect.
Daniel Vlad.
Daniel Vlad had been converted and baptised as a teenager, but had become involved again with the world. He came back to the Lord in the year 2000, just six months before he was diagnosed with cancer in his neck glands. Following his initial treatment, Daniel was given just six months to live, yet forty five days later he was told a miracle had happened and he was completely clear of the cancer.
Daniel studied at the School of the Prophets in Oradea for two years but never felt he was gifted as a Bible preacher and often tried to find excuses for not getting involved in God’s work. As a professional artist he has sought to support his family by his painting skills. God, however, had other plans for Daniel. Susag is the village where Daniel’s wife, Dorina, grew up and it was her grandfather who had founded a Baptist Church there seventy years ago, even though he could neither read nor write. He died three years ago at the age of ninety seven.
Just one year ago God touched Daniel’s heart and called him to get involved in ministry in the village. At the beginning of December 2006 he organized a Christmas service and invited people from the village for carols and to listen to the Word of God. The youth group from Emanuel Baptist Church came to sing and Cosmin Marc, the missions pastor, preached the Word of God. After the service they distributed some gifts to the village children. All of the seventeen children expressed their desire to come to the church again the following Sunday.
Daniel visits a family in the village of Susag.
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A regular children’s ministry began immediately and now Daniel has started worship services in the church building each Sunday. The new owner of the land on which the church property is situated and the owner of the bar across the street, has reconnected the electricity, but threatens to begin to charge rent for the use of the building.
Over the past months Daniel has had to face many difficulties: the orthodox priest in the village has spoken with parents and many children no longer come to the church; some of the older believers do not have a good testimony in the village; and they have had financial problems as Daniel is the only source of income to support the work. The village is extremely poor and the majority of people are old or unemployed. All these difficulties caused Daniel to ask God if it was his plan for them to continue with the ministry. As a family, they fasted and prayed and they understood that God’s will was for the ministry to continue, but they face difficulty because they are involved in a spiritual battle.
The church has just seven members, but many of them are very old and rarely attend church. Ten children from orthodox families are present almost every Sunday and some of the parents will come for special occasions. Daniel and his family drive the sixty km every week to the church and on the way collect some of the old people who attend. The church has many needs; a new heating stove is required for the winter, the seating needs to be repaired or replaced, they have to resolve the problem with the legal rights of the property and the church building itself needs urgent restoration.
In spite of all these difficulties Daniel Vlad is confident that God will solve them all for His glory and for the salvation of many people in Susag.
Praise God for the vision He has given to Daniel and for the burden he has for the poor and needy families in the village. Pray that he will be mightily used in reaping a harvest in Susag.
SGA has been seeking to sell some of Daniel’s paintings (oil on canvas) to help him raise some needed support. Below are the last two of those paintings which are available at a cost of £75 each. If you wish to buy one please contact the SGA office.
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