Romania

Romania Trip Report

Feb 12 – Feb 26, 2008

Dear friends, brothers, and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Constantin Lupancu, Pavel Sav, (Stefan) Fanel Cornel Tohatan, Grigore Aluculesei, Randy Steven Chandler from Dallas TX, and William Robert Ripple from Chicago had the privilege to minister to inmates and churches from Romania. Together with Triumph ofHope Mission led by Daniel and Emilia Husar from Romania, we ministered at about 14 prisons and jails. This mission was different from others because we concentrated more on reaching those behind bars with the Gospel of freedom from Jesus Christ.
From among those 25 prisons with maximum security in Romania we were able to visit the southeastern part of the country with God’s help. Our team arrived in Bucharest on February 12 at noon. Our contacts, Daniel & Emilia Husar and Costel Gramada (a pastor from Urziceni Church), met us at the airport in Bucharest and drove us on the same day to the first prison in Tirgusor which is close to the capital of Romania and arrived around 3 pm. This prison is a women prison and about eighty women attended the meeting. The message presented by Steven Chandler, William Ripple,Constantin Lupancu, and Daniel Husar lifted up and encouraged those women and manyof them rededicated their life to Christ. Some of them committed for the first time to change their lifestyle and to receive Christ. At the end of the service we gave them bibles and some clothes that we brought for them. In the evening, we spent the night in the Bible Institute of Bucharest.

On February 13th our team visited Jilava Jail in the morning where we ministered to about 50 inmates that were very open to the Gospel. We gave them bibles at the end of the service. In the afternoon, we’ve been granted access to another prison in Bucharest named Rahova. In this prison some inmates appeared arrogant towards our ministry but during the worship part of the service, the songs sung by Daniel & Emilia Husar, broke theirarrogance and when the message of Jesus Christ was presented, their hearts were open to receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. One of them even confessed that many visitors come and go but none of them in the last 5 years had such an impact on his life. With tears in his eyes, he received Jesus Christ and allowed Robert Ripple (a former inmate) to pray for him. After the service, we drove to the eastern part of Romania close to the Black Sea. We spent the night at a hotel called Life International Seafarers Center from Agigea, which is founded by a Christian family.

On February 14th our team departed early in the morning towards another prison in Poarta Alba. On our way, we stopped shortly by the house of Pastor Ghita Ritisan which is the overseer for Dobrogea region. We arrived at the prison in Poarta Alba at about 10 am and the directors and guards were very welcoming. We ministered to the inmates and also to the guards. This prison is a very old prison and looked somewhat like barns with wired fences. The administration of the prison asked us if we can remodel and old building that was previously a movie theatre during the communist regime and to transform that into a place of worship. Our mission was not to transform buildings but lives, being the most important. The gospel and the worship songs had a big impact on about 100 inmates that attended. Many of them committed their life to Jesus.
In the afternoon, the same day, we traveled to Tulcea, a city in a delta close to where the Dunav River empties into the Black Sea. We arrived there at about 2 pm and were granted access in the prison which is located in the city of Tulcea. In order for our team to minister more efficiently, we divided into two teams. I and William Ripple ministered to about 80 youth inmates. They were very interested in hearing the Gospel and testimonies of lives transformed by the Power of the Holy Spirit and they asked us to pray for them at the end of the service so that they receive Jesus Christ. A Muslim told me he belonged in a family of Muslim roots and asked if he could receive Jesus because he understood that only Jesus can make any real difference in his life and the lives of human beings. We gave them bibles and encouraged them to read the bibles and pray everyday. The other group ministered in other wings of the prison, and returned with a joy that the transforming power of Jesus confirmed the message they presented. Brother Daniel Husar (former inmate), noticed an inmate without any shoes, instead he was wearing slippers on a cold day. Daniel took his new shoes and gave them to the inmate and took the inmates slippers and walked outside of the prison. Outside the prison, William Ripple (also a former inmate) saw Daniel without shoes but in slippers and asked him what happened. Daniel gave him the testimony of the shoe and slipper trade. William took $100 and handed them to Daniel to go and buy himself a new pair of shoes. What a great illustration of Jesus leaving the glory of God and walked in our ‘slippers’ to put us in a better spiritual condition and save us from death and hell. He identified with us and our needs; He took our nature and became flesh. No one understands us better than Jesus and no one understands the life of an inmate than a former inmate. When we were done ministering in that prison, we were awaited outside by a local pastor from Tulcea who directed us to the church for an evening service. Many people from surrounding villages attended the church service that night to hear the message and to be blessed by God’s Power of Healing. There was a testimony from a woman that had a curved back for many years but was brought to the church by friends in a meeting where brother Randy Chandler was used by God and she was completely healed and restored. Another woman who could not hear with her left ear and was touched by God and her hearing was restored. Her relatives that knew her condition tested her restored hearing and gave Glory to God who still performs miracles when He wills. At night we slept in a Christian family’s home in Tulcea.

On February 15th we left Tulcea early in the morning and headed northeast towards Braila. We had to cross the Dunav River on a ship with our cars to the other side of the river in order to reach Braila. In the morning we ministered in the prison of Braila where we have an attendance of about 75 inmates. At the end of the service, we gave them bibles and prayed for them so they will be strong in faith. In the afternoon, we traveled to the city Galati where we ministered in the prison of Galati. We brought a message of encouragement. We worshipped God, gave them bibles and prayed for the inmates. At night we traveled to a church in Tudor Vladimerescu where the Romanian community from Chicago helped them build that church. This was a village affected by the flood of 2005 in Romania. The village was locked into an Orthodox tradition. But when the flood came, many brothers from the US helped them with stoves, mattresses, and other necessary goods. These people opened their hearts for the Gospel of Jesus and abandoned their traditions. On this night, over 20 people attended the church as visitors and God touched their hearts and bodies and many gave a testimony of healing from diseases and pains. All the Glory be to Jesus who bears our pain and disease and heals us. At this church we met brother Vasile Tofan and Alin Cucu for the first time, which are very dedicated jail ministers. Pastor Mihai Domitrascu, and Stefanica Maxim, were our hosts in this area and arranged for us to spend the night in Galati at Emmanuel Church’s sleeping room.

On the morning of February 16th we traveled to a city named Focsani where there was a lot of opposition for Christ in that area. Despite the opposition, we were very welcomed in the Focsani prison by the director and administration of the prison. Not only the inmates but also the guards and director attended the meeting. We ministered with songs and the message of Hope for the Hopeless Inmates. We pointed the guards towards Christ, whom has the power of transforming the lives of those inmates into a good citizen for the country and for Heaven. The orthodox priest also attended the meeting and was very welcoming. At the end of the service, we gave bibles and prayed for those that were open to receive Christ as the only rope of Hope. From there in the afternoon, we traveled to another city named Vaslui. On our way to Vaslui, we stopped at Birlad, to meet Ionut Dediu – an orphan boy that is being helped a lot by Carolyn Blake, a lady from Minnesota who showed so much love for him and his family. We took Ionut in our minivan and traveled to Vaslui together. We had a nice discussion on our way and Ionut learned about our mission. In Vaslui we were granted access to the prison in the afternoon (considering the fact it was a Saturday). The director came from home to meet us at the prison and gave us access to visit two dormitories, where we shared with the crowded inmates, the love of Jesus Christ and the difference that Christ made in the life of those that accept Him. The testimony and the Word of God was powerful and anointed and even the director said that she sensed something about that day she had never sensed before. She was so grateful that we came and ministered to these inmates. We excused ourselves that she had to go out of her way to attend, but she stated that she was so blessed herself, because God has touched her. An orthodox priest was arrested and was living in one of the dormitories, and we presented the Gospel to him and the relationship that needs to be established with Christ in order to be saved – not tradition of religion. At night we had a service in a church here in Vaslui, where pastors from the area were attending among other visitors from various places. The Power of God moved them that evening and many were blessed by the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit. After the service, we left toward Bacau, a city which is the heart of the region of Moldovia. We lodged at a hotel for the night.

On the morning of February 17th we split into two teams. One team went to the local church in the city and brought a message of encouragement and prayed for the sick people. The Power of the Lord Jesus confirmed the word and many were blessed in the body and in the soul. At the Church of Bacau, we met Nelu Albu, a former inmate and a testimony of a life transformed by the Power of Jesus Christ. The second team, together with Daniel Husar, went and ministered in the prison of Bacau and distributed bibles to the inmates. In the afternoon, one team went to Piatra Neamt and the second went to Suceava where my parents live. At night my team ministered in the church from Radauti, where I lived in 1985 – 1987 (which was when I got married and had my first 2 children). The church was overcrowded with about 800 people. The message was so powerful and God moved in His mercy and touched a few souls to be healed in the body and others in their lives with a commitment to surrender their will and hearts to Jesus. On that night we spent the night at my brother-in-law’s house – Adi Verhun.

On February 18th at about 4 a.m. Daniel Husar, our host for this trip, called us in a desperate voice telling us his wife is very ill and that she couldn’t move. We woke up and went into their bedrooms and together with Daniel we prayed and asked for God’s mercy. I was very disturbed by this fact that a night ahead many people were healed and Emilia who was with us worshipping God with songs, was now facing a very paralyzed condition. I told Daniel and brother Randy that we shouldn’t give up until God will restore her health because our testimony will be doubtable. God had His plan to work out in ways beyond our understanding. We prayed there for an hour and a half and her condition remained the same. But when the people that lived in the house heard our desperate prayer, they woke up and came and joined us in prayer. When they came and joined us, the Spirit of the Lord moved and sister Emilia Husar was able to move and she had words of prophecy from the Lord for the family of that house. There was a message that the Lord wants to transmit for this family and so He kept her immobilized until they came to pray because there was something so special for them and God is so good. He loves every human being and restores what we could not see but is seen only by God, who searches our hearts and knows our struggles.
And so we started this day very early with a bit of sleep and left to minister in another prison in Iasi. We arrived in Iasi at about 12 pm and the director invited us to his office. There he questioned us for about 45 minutes. One of his concerns was what we used to transform the lives of people. We gave him a lot of testimonies and presented the Word of God who has the power to change lives. Then, he gathered together all the chiefs of the rooms in the prison, and presented us with a dilemma. There wasn’t enough room for us to minister there, but if we minister to the chiefs of the rooms, they would in turn, minister to the inmates. We accepted this method and we went to that room where all the chiefs of the prison rooms were gathered, with guards. We presented the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them who were attentive, open and responsive. All of the 45 or so chiefs received the power of the Gospel that could change their lives and others. We gave to them bibles, courses for the mission in prison and also goods such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, notebooks, writing utensils, which were purchased with about $400, donated by brother Iancu & Antoneta Palic from Chicago. We also prayed for them that they will stay strong in the Lord Jesus. From Iasi our team divided once again. Brother Daniel & Sister Emilia Husar together with William Ripple, Fanel Cornel Tohatan went to Brasov where Daniel’s home is. From there they traveled to Bucharest and back home. Me and Steve Chandler together with brother Nicolai Bujoreanu from Bosanci, Suceava traveled to the city Husi. We arrived at about 8 pm at Butu Ioan’s house which is also a place for prayer in this city of about 30,000 people. They requested us to help them to purchase a land the location of a new church which is needed in this city. We prayed for them and for their ministry in this city. At about 10pm, we left and traveled to the village of Ivanesti, Buscata where brother Bujoreanu built a church for that village. We arrived around midnight to Miron Vasile’s house and were able to see the church building throughout on that night. Miron Vasile was very sick and we prayed for him and his family. After the prayer, we left and traveled back to Suceava. On our way we had a flat tire. Brother Bujoreanu was able to repair the flat and not long after another tire blew out and we were left with no spare tire around 2 a.m. Finally, we decided to hitch another ride and someone did stop and brought me and brother Chandler to Bosanci, Suceava to brother Bujoreanu’s house. Bujoreanu’s daughters were awake that night and brought another spare tire to the incident’s location about 50 km away. They arrived home around 4am on February 19.

On the morning of February 19th, brother Chandler and I traveled to the prison of Botosani where we had a meeting upon arrival at noon. The prison administration welcomed us to come and minister but when we got inside, the orthodox priest was an obstacle that tried to limit our ministry only to certain people. But despise his resistance to our mission in bringing the Gospel to as many as we could, there were about 75 people that didn’t pay attention to the priest and came to hear us. I was very surprised to meet people that I’ve known for 20 years and they were in prison now. They recognized me and I recognized them. Among this group that came to hear us, one inmate was very angry and doubtful about Jesus and left. Starting from there, brother Randy brought a message that it’s good to be doubtful in a good way to check and verify what is the truth. But it’s not good to be doubtful, ignorant and angry. God moved His Spirit and many of them rededicated and dedicated their lives for Jesus Christ and asked us to pray for them. We gave them bibles and prayed for them. From the prison, we went to the church which is not far away and met the pastor and exhorted and told him of the impact of prison ministry that he should get involved in as well as have other members of the church do the same. At night we arrived at Bosanci Church where we had a great meeting with the members of that church. We saw their project and vision of a Christian school where brother Bujoreanu is involved in directly. On this night, I was able for the first time to sleep in my home in Suceava.

On the morning of February 20th we drove to the village named Satu Mare where I was born. I visited my neighbors and friends that were sick. One of them, Suhariuc George, who has a nervous breakdown, was very depressed and we prayed for him and for his father Ioan who is in his early 80’s. His neck wouldn’t allow him to keep his head up and we prayed for him. He felt the Power of God move through him like electricity and he accepted Christ for the first time as Lord and Savior. He was able to look straight since that moment. On that evening we had service at Saint Eli’s Church (close to Suceava). Pastor Constantin Serban is pastor in this church and also the overseer for the northern part of the Moldovia region.

On February 21st we traveled to Mitoc village which is located on the northern part of Moldovia and shares borders with Ukraine. In this village, brother Adrian from Chicago helped them with $34,000 to build a church. We saw the church construction underway. We met with the local pastor Viorel Ignat and prayed for him and his 10 children (10th not yet born). God gave brother Chandler prophetic words for everyone of his children. This was a wonderful experience because God loves the humble heart. This family is doing a very great job for this village. On our way back to Suceava, we stopped at Botosani and visited Hand of Help Orphanage. We met with the administrators of the orphanage and had fellowship with them. We returned to Suceava and spent the night there.

On February 22nd we went to Radauti and visited 9 orphans whose parents passed away in a tragic accident in June of 2006. We brought them some goods and prayed for them. Brother Grigore Aluculesei who stayed for a few days in Suceava, came with us to visit this family and had prophetic words of encouragement from God for the 9 children. He exhorted them to serve the God of their parents who is the Father and Mother for all orphans. Brother Mitric from Radauti oversees these orphans and takes good care of them.

On February 23rd early in the morning, we left from Suceava to Piatra Neamt and arrived around 10a.m. at Piatra Neamt Church pastured by Liviu Axintie. At this church, over 1,000 people attended that the church was overcrowded and people had to stay in the hallways and outside. Listening the words of God, they were encouraged and at the end of the service took the insurance of Salvation through Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, and hundreds came with special needs to be prayed for. We heard testimonies of God healing His people from different diseases and sufferings. Only to God be the Glory for what He has done on this long day of church service. We departed that afternoon around 3:30p.m. and headed far north towards the village of Falcau which is in Carpathian mountains. We arrived there at around 7p.m. which was about the time when the church service started. This was a special service on a Saturday night and people came to receive blessing from the living God. Because of their expectations and faith, God opened the heavens and poured down spiritual blessings. Many were touched, healed, and refreshed. We left the church around 10p.m. and were invited to visit those that were sick and immobilized in their beds. We visited and prayed for two women with a nervous breakdown in the village Straja. We visited other families and prayed for their sick ones. We departed around 1a.m. from Falcau and returned to Suceava around 2a.m.

On February 24th being very tired and exhausted, we couldn’t go to minister in the village Satu Mare where we planned to go. But God had His plan and purpose, so on this morning, we woke up around 9a.m. and we went to Emmanuel Church in Suceava (home church of my parents). Even though we hadn’t planned Lazurca Filon and Ciornei Eugen welcomed us and allowed us to minister to their church. God blessed this church with His presence. A 21 year old girl testified that even though she was not a member, she was led by God’s spirit to come to this church. Since she had seizures from an accident that had happened 12 years ago. Since then, the seizures would cause her to fall down in various uncommon places and hurt herself. She showed us her scars and bruises from her falls. She was desperately seeking God to heal her. On that morning I saw her weeping under the anointing of God and she testified that she was touched in a very mighty way by the Holy Spirit. Another woman came with her blind son and testified that even though she had never been to this church someone at the railroad station gave her the address to the church. We were amazed at what God was doing. In the afternoon we went to Satu Mare Church where we ministered and the Gift of the Holy Spirit operated mightily in this Church; touching people, healing, and giving words of knowledge to brother Randy. After the service, we stopped to visit a part of my relatives from Satu Mare and Radauti. Late at night, we were invited at Stefan and Dorica Torac’s family to have fellowship. God gave words of knowledge of encouragement to the children of this family. We had a wonderful time and gave Glory to God.

On February 25th I went to a prayer meeting with my cousin Petru Moloceniuc in Vicov and we had a whole free day to prepare for the next day’s departure from Romania.

On February 26th brother Stefan Torac came early in the morning and drove us from Suceava to the Bucharest Airport. At Bucharest brother Pavel Sav who was ministering in the west part of the country came and met us to return back to Chicago. In the meantime brother Pavel Sav from our team, after he separated from us, ministered in the prison of Popa Sapca Timisoara and the prison in the city of Arad with brother Silviu Grigoras. Also, brother Pavel Sav participated in a pastoral conference in Timisoara and visited churches in Arad, Timisoara, and Ghiroda. In the afternoon of February 26th, my parents Vasile & Ana Lupancu, and I together with Randy Chandler, Grigore Aluculesei, Pavel Sav and Ticu Moise, a brother that I met for the second time, departed from Bucharest to Chicago and we safely returned home in America after such a great and long mission trip.
May all the Glory and Honor and Power be to God who protected, sustained, and blessed us and our families during this mission trip and all time. Thank you for your time and interest in reading this report. May God Bless you.

Note: On February 26th – our last day in Romania – my wife was also able to close a deal on a home that has been on the market for about 1 yr. and 8 months. Thanks God and Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
Rev. Constantin Lupancu