Our family, with our newest addition, Ionathan

Raul and Ana Costea-

My name is Raul Costea, I am married to Ana and we have a child, Samuel. Veronica was an orphan, but now she is part of our family. After I was born again, I understood that the greatest thing you could do for Him on this earth is to bring others to Christ. I have spiritualy grown in cell groups and began getting involved in the Lord's work. He put me step-by-step through several stages of growth concerning character and the Lord's work as well.

Certain verses in the Bible began to powerfully talk to me and I understood the Lord wanted me to dedicate myself entirely to His work. One of these verses is the one in Isaiah 53 where the Scripture says "He will see the fruit of His work and enliven". I understood I only had one motivation in this missionary work: Jesus to be enlivened by many gained souls. From then on my hearts desire is that at the end of every day Jesus would be pleased with me and I would hear the words: "well done good servant".

I attended a Bible college and also followed His guidence to an area where there were only 0.2% evangelical(from all the denomination's) christians. Here I started working in the villages around Slatina. Also, after a year the Lord impelled us to start a work with orphans. Since then we have found a christian family to take over the work with orphans.

After a period of several years the Lord impelled us to move south to the city Draganesti, Olt. I am sent to Draganesti by the Baptist Church in Alba Iulia.

Here in Corabia, another city, and the surrounding villages we wish to plant churches. We know the work is the Lords, who works through the church so we thought we could make available a missionary house where missionaries from our or other countries can come and work in the area.

Everything the Lord did through us and everything He will do is to His praise.

Raul

Florina Cazan-

Florina Cazan is one of the people who work with us in the orphans ministry. Here is her story: I grew up in a non-Christian family, without a Christian upbringing. When I was 15 years old, I started to become part of the world (non Christian environment).

One day, I attended a crusade service, and that's when I understood who Jesus Christ is, that his blood can wipe my sins away and can make me a new, clean person, and that I can have everlasting life. I accepted this good news with great enthusiasm and great joy; I was already feeling tired of what the world could offer me. So, at 16, I accepted Christ to be my savior and my lord.

Two years later, the Lord started to put the desire in my heart to work with kids lacking a parental affection and attention (mostly orphans). I was only 18 years old at that time and I thought He would start using me right away. It wasn't quite so, I had to wait four more years and be trained and be ready for such work. Actually, after those four years, I stopped believing God's promise to me would come to reality. Still, when my faith was weakest, that's when God brought to pass what He spoke to me with a few years earlier. Without hesitation I gave up my job, my house, my family and left by faith, knowing I wouldn't have any (personal) income, to serve God. But praised be his name, He is never late on his promises and during these the past 4 years since I serve him, I have seen his faithfulness and his caring hand at work all around me and directly in my life. I lived with the girls at the orphanage for three years and I learned many things, especially the fact that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. For some reasons which I will not specify here, I doany longer with them anylonger, but my heart is still attached to this ministry.

After these 3 years, I lived one year with an American missionary. While living with her, I learned a few skills like sowing and tailoring, and especially how to make blankets.

A month ago, Raul Costea said to me there are many financially poor families in Draganesti, who want to give their children to an orphanage, but there is not such thing there. I felt like I need to move there, that the dream I had long time ago starts to strike roots so to speak, that I need to go and live with girls from those families. I know for sure that learning how to make blankets wasn't just coincidence and I want to teach the girls this trade, too.

My vision is not just to live with these girls. I also want to start a place where we can take care of older people, together with the girls approximately

For aproximately six years, I have also worked as a Sunday School teacher. I would like kindergarten kids in a kindergarden, if God will open the doors for such an opportunity.

Florina married and she and her husband both are working with the kids in the Comani area. Also they are involved in evangelism. He is from the UK and came here as a missionary.

Danut Opris-

My name is Daniel (nickname: Danut) Opris. I am 36 years old, and I am originally from Alba Iulia town. For the last 5 years, God has put on my heart to work alongside with missionaries in planting an evangelical church in a town where there is a great need for His Gospel. I have wanted to do this ever since I visited the "Chicago" neighborhood of Alba Iulia town along with Raul Costea and other young people. A few years ago, I began working with a mission team from my church planting a church in a nearby village, but I felt my calling was to work in a city setting, since I was so used to the city and those living in it. That is why, when brother Costea asked me if I wanted to move in Oltenia and help out planting a church in Draganesti town, I welcomed the invitation and I set it before the Lord.

I was very enthusiastic to work with Raul Costea again, enlarging God's Kingdom! I also liked the fact that I would move in one of the few towns with NO evangelical church.

Many have asked me why did I have to leave Alba Iulia and go all the way in Draganesti...? They said I can also witness for Christ here, without having to move away so far. My opinion, and I believe it is also the Lord's opinion that people should go from places where there are a lot of Christians to places where there are fewer or none at all, and therefore exists a great need! Right after I received a confirmation from the Lord, I contacted Raul Costea and communicated to him my decision. After I short while, I moved to Draganesti Olt.

Now, with your permission, I would like to share with you my testimony.

My mom was a member of the baptist church and I used to go church regularly as a child. At the age of 18 years I received Christ in my life and I was baptized. When I was 19, I went to serve in the army (required in Romania.) After I came back, for 8 years, I experienced a period of time when I departed away from the Lord. But God was more than merciful and patient with me! He convicted me of what I was and where I was standing in our relationship, and He helped me to rededicate my life over to Him once more, with a broken and pain-filled spirit. Seeing my unrighteousness, I gave myself to Him again! He restored my spirit, and lifted me up! Since then, I have been attracted by the fellowship of the believers in church and in small cell groups. I entered Raul's cell group and I started to grow spiritually so much that I didn't want to depart ever again from God.

Alexe and Veronica Costea-

As a family they are part of our team and are especially involved as evangelists in the area and also in Comani. They are a new family but have the fire for the Lord to get involved in this area and see many churches planted.

Cristi and Roxana Simion-

Cristi and Roxana finished Bible College this year, and God called them to work with us for the same vision. They are part of our "Spreading the Gospel" team and they work especially with the music and song ministry. They are also involved in Stoienesti, a small town with about 2,500 people, as missionaries.

Andrea Tetzel

My name is Andrea Tetzel. I’m 22 years old and I’m a midwife. I grew up in a Christian family in Germany.

The Lord is great! Only He shows the right path! I could experience Proverbs 3:6 in a literal way. And so I’m looking forward to God’s guidance – especially on site. It is my goal to work with pregnant women, to counsel and to elucidate them. As abortions are legal in Romania, the abortion rate is very high. There is a big need. Many women abort several children – often because of desperation (poverty). What mental wounds that leaves! It is my wish to socialise with the women through my work to bring them the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Alina

Alina is a missionary doctor. She will work in Berindei, a town with about 1500 people and currently without a doctor. She will serve there as a doctor but her desire is to also plant a church there, as there is no church there presently. We will help her and she will work under our umbrella.

The first day she was working in the hospital in our home town of Draganesti, she helped save an 8-month old child who's heart had stopped. She brought him back to life and everyone said "Look, God helps her because she is a Christian.". Praise the Lord! What a testimony!

Alina hopes to serve the Lord by starting and leading cell groups.

George and Dana

This is George & Dana and their little girl Sara. They came to work with us after they finished Bible Collage.They are part of our team and they will be involve in Stoenesti- Farcasele- Gostavat and they will plant a church there. Please pray for them. They will be full time missionaries for that area.

Marius and Adina Porumb

Hi, my name is Adina Delia Dreptate. I became a Christian when I was 17 years old. In high school I knew that somehow God would use me in His ministry and I was curious how He would arrange the circumstances to do this. I knew the next step would be to go and study in a Christian university. This is what I have done. I went to the Emanuel University in Oradea, where I studied Social Work as well. By this time I met Raul Costea in a mission trip, here in Olt. The time passed, I finished the school and then I went to England where I spent two years. I became a member of my lovely church that I love very much: Dominion Chapel, Brent Cross. After I attended that church, me and my pastor Olu Lawal, visited Romania - Draganesti Olt and surrounding villages. We wanted to see in wich way God would use us, how could we be involved.

I felt God wanted me do be involved, but at the same time, I was a little scared - to leave my friends, my familiar church, my safe job to came in this poor town, with poor people. But I heard the voice of God very clear, calling me , because He needs me here. After I followed His call, I was sure it`s my place here and there is nowhere else I could be more happy! My church was very open to sustain and encourage me! Now I keep a special relation with them, as they remain my church, who sent me here.

Soon after I arrived I took the responsability for the Hope For The Comunity Association. We develop social projects in the area and I see God's blessings to our every step we take. I love to work with people and I want to make a difference in the people's lives.

My prayer is for God to speak to me, to lead every step and every decision I take. He is so faithful and He shows so much love to me! I need His presence everywhere I am going, with any person I am talking with.

Adina is vice- president of the association for social projects and as such is very active within the community here. She is involved in social projects targeting orphans, widows, and the poor. The goal of these projects is to build into the hearts an openness for the gospel, In the future Adina hopes to possibly host a house for children whose parents are abroad working.

Cristi & Adina Filip

Missionaries  in Rusanesti.

Dorothy

Dorothy works with us in the Children's Ministry. In 2001, in response to prayer, God revealed to Dorothy that His dream for her life was that hundreds and thousands of boys and girls would hear the Good News of Christ. Pray that He will reveal where the harvest is ready and bring forth workers in whom He has put a special heart for children.  Let's pray with great expectation that He is going to do great and mighty things in and through the lives of children in Oltenia for His honor and glory.

Miai ILeana

Miai ILeana and his wife are youth ministers. She is working with the association "Hope for Community" She is mainly involved with different projects helping the poor. He is also involved with a coordinator project of small business. In this way they hope to be self supporting.