Romania Missions
Summit Woods Baptist Church has just waved goodbye to a great team headed for Baile Olanesti, Romania September 2-12, 2008. The local Lee’s Summit congregation is partnered with a Romanian congregation in Baile Olanesti, Romania—a town of 5,000 residents located north of Craiova. The congregation prayed for team members and their opportunity for ministry.
Ryan Bowman, pastor of Summit Woods and leader of the mission trip states why the church has entered the partnership, “Since the fall of communism in December of 1989, religious freedom has existed in this country once known for its strict limitations placed upon churches and religious expression. Yet with only 17 years of religious freedom, many of the churches are small and need assistance in developing ministries to their communities.”
Last year the twenty-two member team conducted a Vacation Bible School for children as well as two conferences geared for adults. The men led a “Men’s Life Conference” which included sessions on a man and his family, his hobbies, his work, and his faith. The women led a “Women’s Health Conference” which placed emphasis on a woman’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health. The mission team also participated in two construction projects.
Pastor Bowman explains the needs present in Romania today, “While the evangelical churches have grown in the recent years, there are still an estimated 12,000 towns and villages throughout Romania with no evangelical church present whatsoever. It is our goal to help begin new congregations.”
As part of the team’s first visit to Romania, they presented the mayor of Baile Olanesti, Viorel Cioteanu, a letter from Lee’s Summit Mayor Karen Messerli and a city flag. Mr. Cioteanu was pleased to see the partnership between the two churches and eager to tell the team from Lee’s Summit about the city’s growth and vision for future development. The team from Lee’s Summit is excited to have the opportunity to assist in the spiritual and religious life of the city.