Nate and Noah to Romania

Every year comes with its own distinct rhythm and flow. Weeks of activity and movement followed by stretches of routine and familiarity and back again has become one of the familiar cycles over the past couple years. The first real chunk of “action” came a little earlier than usual this year, with February and the early days of March representing a very dynamic and involved period of time beyond the standard weekly routines.

Within the first weeks of February, we had some firsts for our Oxygen Youth crew. On the first weekend of the month, we held our first Oxygen Youth Training Seminar. Over Friday night and Saturday, our students and our youth team came together to participate in workshops that covered the core principles and practical outworking of discipleship, personal leadership, problem resolution, and more. It was a wonderful weekend, and it was incredibly encouraging to see students actively involved and engaged in learning how to be a greater influence among their peers and how to take an even more active role in serving and church life. I continually find myself blown away by our students, and I am so proud of the steps they are taking to both follow Christ and engage in the work of His kingdom!

If the classic mantra is “work hard, play hard”, then it was only appropriate that in the following days, we enjoyed our first annual Oxygen Youth Winter Retreat! Every year, SALEM has both a summer and a winter retreat, which provides an opportunity to escape to the mountains for a time of much needed relaxation and fellowship. We thought it was about time that we as a youth ministry followed suit, and it couldn’t have been more fun! Just under twenty students and leaders hopped in a bus and took the three hour journey to Beliș, where we enjoyed a three night stay at a cabin in the mountains. The students loved the snow, and we spent many wonderful hours sledding, hiking, playing games, and doing evening Bible studies together. It was a fun change of pace not to have any particular schedule or program in place, but to just get to enjoy the time hanging out and enjoying various activities on a whim. Even when the youth retreat was finished, Noah and I were not, as we then made another trip immediately afterwards to join the rest of the church on their retreat in Arieșeni to close out the week. It certainly was one adventurous week!

In the final week of February, we had the distinct honor of being joined by Pastor Paul John from Switzerland. Iulia, who is a member of our youth team, had previously interned at Pastor John’s church, and it was quite fun for us to have the opportunity to meet him after hearing so much about him. PJ, as we came to call him, spent a considerable amount of time with our students and with our team, speaking at our Thursday youth night and then meeting with us as a youth team the following night before holding a seminar for the church on Saturday and speaking Sunday morning. His time with us left quite an impression, as he spoke passionately on Thursday about finding our purpose in God’s will and plan and shared deeply impactful prophetic words over several of our students. His time with us as a team was also very meaningful, as he shared and taught us out the depth of his experience how to work as a team and lead according to the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We were so thankful for his time with us, and we were incredibly blessed by his openness, enthusiasm, and heart to encourage and build up the next generation!

Eventually, February did in fact come to an end, but there was still one more significant undertaking on the calendar. In the first weekend of March, I was fortunate enough to join our friends at Barnabas Ministries along with a couple other local missionaries on a weekend trip to Ukraine to join up with some new contacts for local outreaches in and around Mukachevo. Over the course of the weekend, we did ministry and aid outreaches in two separate Romani villages (one being Romanian speaking village!), a service and supply drop for wounded soldiers and refugees from the eastern region of Ukraine, and a visitation to the orphanage we have regularly partnered with. It was an incredible weekend in which we were tremendously blessed to share the gospel and deliver aid to over 700 people, many of whom were women and children. It was incredible to visit some new places, but it was especially significant to get to see some familiar smiling faces from the orphans we’ve had the pleasure of serving and spending time with at past camps and visitations. I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to partner with such strong and earnest believers in Ukraine as they serve the people of their own nation, themselves feeling the pressure of being so long at war. It is a difficult and trying time for the Ukrainian people, but it certainly makes the light of the gospel and the wonder of genuine faith shine all the brighter.

As for now, things have begun to settle again into a little bit more of a “standard routine”. I find that it still can be quite the adjustment going from such active periods into slower rhythms, but I am continually reminded of the significance that the Lord places in every day and every interaction, and I am so grateful to enjoy life here, no matter the pace or the circumstance. We are currently settling into the blossoming of the spring season, and it is a joy to see our students eager to get out and enjoy the longer evenings and warmer days. The frenzy of the summer will be upon us in a few short months, and so while things are relatively slow, I pray that the Lord gives me the peace and the patience to enjoy it while it lasts and not go looking (too much) for something to jump into.

As we approach a new month and a new season, here are some things you can partner with me in prayer for:

Continuing connections and work in Ukraine: As we talk to our partners in Ukraine, it is apparent that this is perhaps the greatest time of need that the country has experienced. The war has been long and has taken a great toll – lives, resources, and the spirits of the people have taken a great blow. On the Romania side, we are seeing a greater opening for ministry opportunities and trips, including a trip that is coming together for the month of May and the orphan’s camp in the summer. Pray that we would continue to have open doors to serve and encourage our neighbors and fellow believers in Ukraine in these coming months.

The coming of spring: As we hit the onset of spring, the needs of the church and even the rhythm of youth activities is beginning to shift from the winter. We are planning our summer camp, preparing to establish a student leadership team, and expanding our community involvement as a youth ministry. Pray that the Lord would bless us and guide us in the upcoming season, that the upcoming projects would come together and be fruitful, and that our students would flourish as they take on the task of discipling their peers and friends.

Personal exploits and projects: As I sit down after several weeks of activity, I now have several personal tasks that need to be addressed and carried out. My Romanian courses continue, I have plane tickets to the US to purchase for two family weddings, and I should soon be having my car delivered from Germany in the coming week! Please pray for me as I look to sort out a great deal of paperwork, make several personal preparations for the coming months, and just generally work to keep everything on track and in good order!

It’s been an active start to 2026! Thank you for your continued prayers that have opened doors, brought provision, and have paved the way for what God has purposed in these weeks and months. Great days are ahead!

More to come soon,

– Nate