Nate and Noah to Romania

I recently scanned through the archive of posts from this past year, and I’ve had a lot of time to simply reflect on this past year. There is no doubt that this has been a year that has absolutely thrown some curveballs, and it has also produced some beautiful, wonderful moments as well. Truth be told, November represented, for the first time this year, a chance to hit a simple rhythm, reflect, and rest. A slower, more consistent pace also allowed me to personally apply myself to some important undertakings, and thus, November has served as something of a wind-down from what has been an absolute whirlwind of a year. Yet, whatever the pace, whatever the circumstance, there is such comfort and satisfaction in seeing how faithful, consistent, and kind the Lord is. He has been a sanctuary in the midst of the whirlwind, and He continues to be a rock and steady place in the moments of quiet.

While this month has differed from the rest of the year in that there have been no large events to organize or big trips to make, there still remains the consistent rhythm of work projects and youth events at the church. I’ve used the word “rhythm” rather consistently, and I am thankful for these responsibilities, as they provide just that: a consistent life pattern that continues to be ever so fulfilling as God works and abounds in the midst of them. When it comes to hands-on tasks, Noah and I find our schedules consistently revolving around the cutting and burning of lumber as we are now truly coming into the winter months. On the youth side, we continue in our weekly youth nights and bi-weekly Refresh Nights, which have grown increasingly more festive and seasonal as we focus these community get-togethers around enjoying the holiday season. We’ve had a lot to celebrate, as the end of November provided an opportunity for us to ring in Romania’s Union Day, and a couple days later, we gathered together to enjoy a worship event in Oradea Arena that is hosted annually by a nearby church. Noah and I also had the opportunity to join with our friends at Barnabas Youth for their annual Thanksgiving event, which was a joy for us personally as Thanksgiving is not traditionally celebrated in Romania. In addition to our student-focused events, we also had a chance to go with our youth to serve at a nearby elderly home for a day, which was an incredible time! We enjoyed a morning of visitations and conversations with the residents before gathering in the recreation center to make crepes, play games, and share a brief word of encouragement and a moment of prayer over the residents. It was a very meaningful time for our students, and given the feedback and invitations to return that we received from the residents, it was a meaningful time for them as well! Watching our students give their Saturday to serve and practice their giftings was and continues to be such a wonderful joy to me, and I am so thankful to do life with them, as well as with those God brings into our path throughout the process!

Beyond the flow of these standard duties and activities, I have found myself with greater flexibility in my schedule, which has opened the door for me to find a greater degree of rest and refreshing while also allowing me to invest time in some personal pursuits that haven’t been possible up to this point. On the side of rest, I have taken great pleasure in having more time to simply enjoy little things, such as walking in the city, watching the Denver Broncos play excellent football, and fiddling around with a spare guitar that I found in one of the church’s storage rooms. On top of that, I’ve had several opportunities to spend some real quality time with Denis and Ashley, and it is from their apartment that I now write this newsletter as I spend a couple of days in Timisoara with them. I have been so thankful for their faithful and consistent friendship, and the time with them has added a great deal of encouragement and excitement to these weeks! Hobbies are not the only thing that have filled my free time as I’ve also had the opportunity to challenge myself in a couple of areas: the first being in taking an aggressive approach to learning Romanian. Noah and I had previously taken part in free Romanian courses that were being offered in the city, but this is the first time that I’ve had a personal Romanian tutor. Our friend and fellow missionary, Jaco, accompanies me to lessons twice a week, and we’ve also taken to practicing together in between lessons. It has been fun to take on the challenge of this language to a greater degree, and I have been encouraged by the growth I’ve seen in my reading, listening, and speaking. Additionally, I am also working hard to raise funds for a car for both ministry and personal use. This was something that I operated without for as long as I could, but now that the need has presented itself rather clearly and my schedule has loosened, I felt led to pursue this goal. Over the course of this month, I’m looking to raise $12,000 to meet the cost of a reliable used car and the necessary documentation, and I have thus spent a good deal of time getting the word out and connecting with people. I’ve enjoyed the work of reaching out to so many people who have been following this journey in Romania, and it is so encouraging to see how many have offered their support and belief in the next phase of life here!

All in all, I am so thankful for this part of the year: a part in which I am able to sit (somewhat) still and take in and reflect upon everything that this year has been. I began this year in the United States, ping-ponged back and forth between the States and Romania due to difficulties with the visa, and finally returned to Oradea as summer came with a rush of camps, teams, and events that only truly died down toward the end of October. In every moment, the Lord has taught me to trust Him and learn from Him in a greater way, and He has been faithful to produce fruit and continue on the good work which He began. Truly, I could not be more thankful for this life with Him and with everyone He has graciously brought into it.

As the Christmas season and the New Year approach, here are some things I would love for you to join with me in prayer for:

Vision, direction, and wisdom for 2026: For myself and for the ministry, 2026 represents a new set of exciting opportunities and great possibility. I have spent a lot of time in the past month praying into what the Lord would have for this year, and while nothing is ever perfectly clear, what is sure is that He has every intention of establishing and moving things forward in a big way. Pray that myself, the students of Oxygen Youth, and SALEM Christian Center as a whole would be led by the Holy Spirit to an even greater extent this coming year, and that He would be marking out and establishing the path as He sees fit!

Enjoyment of the holiday season: We have so many fun things planned with the church and with our youth for Christmas and the New Year, and I am so excited for each and every one! Pray that each event would be a success and that there would be joy in spending these special moments together as a youth and church family as we celebrate Jesus’ birth. Pray also for Noah and I as we prepare to spend another Christmas away from our families, that we would be able to relish the day as we spend it together and with the Lord.

Fundraising for a vehicle: As previously mentioned, I have been raising funds to purchase a vehicle this December. I am looking to raise $12,000 to cover the cost of a reliable used car and the documentation that is required. Pray that the necessary funds would come in and that the Lord would lead people to partner in this undertaking in order to help make the ministry and everyday life more effective here! If you would like to read the official partnership letter that I released earlier this month that describes this goal in more detail, you can click here. If you are interested in giving towards this goal, you can do so through the Mannahouse Giving Page by clicking here.

It has been a wild but incredible year, and as it comes to a close, I look back with nothing but gratitude, and I look ahead with nothing but excitement! What a wonderful joy it is to do life with the Lord, and truly, He is always in the work of bringing His perfect will to completion! May we all continue with the knowledge that He has done great things, and His best work is still yet to come! Thank you for your part in it; for your prayers, support, and faith in this past year! Great things are on the way!

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. I’ll see you in 2026!

– Nathan