SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS: Bryan & Pam Risner • Romania

The whirlwind of craziness has continued into February. Our month was hectic with Bryan’s 41^st birthday, teen meetings twice a month and our first Sunday service in our new church building. Bryan spent the evening of his birthday with our youth group and ate delicious cake.

The church plant received exciting news about the building — it was finished almost two weeks ahead of schedule, and we had our first meeting in the church Sunday, Feb. 26 with nearly 70 in attendance, almost double the number of people from the last couple of weeks! Our team worked very hard to clean and set up for our first meeting in the new building, which included space for Candra to separate our kids’ program into three groups based on age. It is the only church in the Grigorescu neighborhood, and we are excited to have a place of corporate worship.

In the last teen meeting of February, our Oradea teens invited our Satu Mare friends for a joint meeting. The ones from Satu Mare are mainly the friends we have made at church camp. We had over 20 guests, and we had to rent a small bus to drive them. They told us that even more teens would be coming with them for the next meeting.

Santandrei (Roma/Gypsy) Ministry Update — With spring coming into view, the Roma ministry is picking up again. Lavi has continued with the children’s ministry. The children meet on Sunday at 5 p.m. They are learning new songs almost weekly. They have enjoyed Lavi telling the Bible stories with her felt board, and they love the “quiet game” at the conclusion of the service. Marius has continued to visit the adults in the village. He prays with them in their homes, shares the gospel and simply talks to them. With warmer weather here, the kids play outside more, and that will increase the weekly attendance.

• Brasov (Return Church) Ministry Update — Cristian Martinez continues to lead the ministry in Brasov. They are continuing the partnership with the university and public school in the Roma community, as well as meeting weekly for corporate worship and discipleship. They have planted many gospel seeds and ask for prayer that those seeds will take root.

• Oradea (New Church Plant) Ministry Update — The new church plant has been going well. We are continuing to raise support as we furnish the building. Several families have committed and several more praying hard about the right decisions for their families. We ask that you continue to pray for our ministry and the families joining it.

• Praise Reports — Join us in praising God for the Oradea Church Plant, Agape, as it has outgrown homes and moved into the new building with classrooms for our kids’ ministry; our financial supporters who helped us purchase 200 chairs; the Santandrei Property which now has a fence around it; our prayer and financial partners; and the opportunity to serve in Romania.

• Prayer Needs — We ask that you join us in prayer for Agape, the Oradea Church Plant (tithing members, weekly worship meetings, weekly discipleship meetings), the Santandrei Roma Ministry (1:1 Bible studies, vandalism issues and peace among children for weekly Bible study), Brasov Ministry (additional families to join Sunday meetings), the kids’ scholarships for college and for our language skills to increase.