Nate and Noah to Romania

To pull a pop culture reference from Marvel, “We’re in the endgame now.”

It’s absolutely insane to think that we are in the final weeks of our first year in Romania. So much has taken place in the past twelve months, and it certainly isn’t scheduled to slow down in this final month! As we approach our departure date on September 2nd, we are returning from two separate camp experiences and are in the final days of preparing for Oxygen Youth’s summer camp, which begins Monday. For five days, we will be seeking the Lord with the students we have had the pleasure of journeying with over the past year. It is absolutely incredible to look back at all the Lord has done up to this point, and we are so eager for what He is preparing to do in these coming days!

The past month has been a whirlwind which took Noah and I in separate directions as we split our attention between two fronts. Noah had the pleasure of embarking with our Salem Church family into the mountains of Arieseni for the church’s summer retreat. This was an excellent time of refreshing and fellowship, and Noah reported that he had eaten “more food than I have in my entire life”. Additionally, ground was broken on the church’s recently acquired plot of land which will one day serve as a site for many camps, which is a monumental blessing and source of excitement for the church! Needless to say, it was successful and well-needed getaway for everyone as the church collectively prepares for the coming autumn months and all that they bring with school, the harvest, and a heavier work season.

During the time of the church retreat, I had the joy of embarking to Prague, Czech Republic with Katy and two of our other students, Cristiana and Emil, for Jesus Revolution’s annual Summer Outreach. We met up with our friends from Sebis and spent ten days being trained and equipped for evangelistic outreach and then hitting the streets of Prague to share our testimonies and the Gospel with one of the most atheistic cities in Europe. It was an absolutely incredible experience, as we joined 300 other young people to share the gospel with thousands of people, see hundreds of documented salvations, and dozens of instant healings through the power of the Holy Spirit. For as impactful as the time was in the city, we found ourselves deeply challenged, encouraged, and changed by the Lord on a personal level. It was amazing to see both Cristiana and Emil make the decision to be water baptized during this trip, and to see how the Holy Spirit specifically met Emil. He was baptized in the Holy Spirit in one of the first evening services of the camp, and despite never having done an outreach in this capacity, he jumped in boldly, sharing his testimony on multiple occasions while also leading people to the Lord and praying for healing left and right! It was a truly unforgettable experience! We were all so thankful for the impact and impartation from Jesus Revolution, for all the new friends we met, and for the amazing memories made, but most of all, it was an absolute honor to join with the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ to see the Lord move and work in such mighty and significant ways. He is so incredibly good, and His heart for people is astounding!

The past week and a half have seen Noah and I winding down from our separate experiences, preparing for Oxygen Youth Camp, and making arrangements for our departure from Romania and subsequent arrival back home in the States. Truthfully, the weight of balancing all of these aspects has at moments felt overwhelming, as the memories and thoughts of the past year collide with the tasks and hopes in our present efforts around camp and the eagerness to see friends and family back home. Each day comes with a different feeling, but provides a new opportunity to trust in what the Lord is doing. He has been so faithful, and we see His hand at work all around us. For that, we could not be more grateful.

On Monday we will depart for Oxygen Camp in Laz with the 22 other students and young adults who have signed up to take part. As we’ve prayed with our team in the past months, we have settled on the theme of “Divine Direction”, as we believe the Lord is drawing all of us into a new level of depth and vision for what He is preparing to do in each of us as individuals, but also as a community. This next season will be a truly unique one, but I have no doubt that the Lord is preparing to build up this youth family in a greater capacity than we could have ever anticipated. In this week, we are asking Him to prepare us for that next level, and we are coming with expectation that He will be guiding us into a deeper foundation of relationship and that the Holy Spirit will equip us for the work of the saints. We know that He is raising a generation of bold and faithful sons and daughters here, and we are asking that He would put His stamp on them in an unmistakable and life-changing way this week. We can’t wait to see what He has in store, and we can’t wait to share the stories of what He does!

Join with us in prayer for:

An impactful camp: We believe that God is preparing to use this camp as a “pillar moment” in the lives of our students. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would be showing up in love and in power and that He would be altering lives and destinies in the coming week! Join with us in prayer as we believe for freedom, healing, calling and identity, empowerment, and vision for our students as they surrender to the Holy Spirit and His divine direction for their lives! We are so excited to see the Holy Spirit at work!

Final goodbyes and passing the baton: In these final weeks, we are preparing to say goodbye for a time to many students and friends that have grown so dear to our hearts. It’s going to be hard to imagine being apart for several months, but we believe that God has amazing plans in that time! We are excited for how the Lord is already working in and through the youth team, and we know that they will continue to deeply impact student’s lives! Pray for Noah and I as we begin to say our goodbyes, and pray for our team as they prepare to take on the responsibility of leading Oxygen Youth in this next season!

Arrangements in the United States: Seeing as we are so close to returning to the US, Noah and I have begun to make preparations for our time there. This has included finding places to stay as well as preparing to present our proposal for returning to Romania to the eldership of Mannahouse Church the day after we arrive. There is a lot for us to organize, and we would love if you would pray that the transition back into the States would go smoothly. Pray also that our return proposals would be accepted and that we can hit the ground running with fundraising efforts and prepare for continued service in Oradea!

It has been an absolutely incredible journey over this past year, and we absolutely could not have done it without all those who have prayed for us, supported us financially, and been a continual presence and strength to us throughout this process, both in Romania and in the United States! We are in awe of how the Lord has built His Church across the world, and it is such a profound honor to partner with His Body! Thank you for playing such a key role in our lives! What a blessing it is to do this life together! We are so excited for what is to come, and we are eager to continue sharing the journey with you all each step of the way. The best is still ahead!