- That more children will attend and have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
- That God will put down any obstacle that prevents the Clubs taking place.
- For safety as we travel to the Clubs.
- For churches to continue to meet with the children after this week.
- The Salvation of many boys and girls.
- Roxana who was a great help in one of the clubs. She comes from a difficult background. There are also no other known Christians in her area.
- A man called Ionut who recently lost his wife and children in an accident. Pray that he will find peace and direction in the Saviour.
- A place to meet for the children in a gypsy area that are no longer welcome in the initial area.
- For the permission to meet in an area and for Razvan and his friend who were very attentive throughout the whole program.
- An area where there has been a Good News Club for 11 years – pray for new children to come.
- That the team will work well together and not be discouraged in Clubs were there are not many children.
- For Valentina who when asked how we will recognise the Lord Jesus in heaven, said, “He is the one that will not leave any of the children out.”
- For areas where there are minority populations that do not get on well with Romanians. Pray for peace and the opportunity for each group to hear the Gospel.
- In an area where there is great opposition from the Orthodox priest. Pray that God will have the victory.
- For a very poor area of the county where the children do not speak Romanian well
- For the churches and others involved in the project who have known extreme opposition and problems leading up to the project. Pray that God will intervene.
- For 3 girls who were very attentive during the lesson.
- For workers to continue in areas after we leave this week.
- For unity in the team and courage to take the Gospel.
At the end of day 2 of Good News across Romania in Constanta, we are so thankful to God for answers to prayer from yesterday. We praise God for volunteers and full time CEF workers from 12 different counties who are working together for the sake of boys and girls across the country. Thank you for your prayers. We are conscious that this is God’s work and without Him and the prayers of His people, this ministry would not be possible.
Testimony from one of the Clubs: “On the way to the 5 Day Club, it looked like rain. Knowing that it is God’s work and of course that He controls the weather, we asked that He would stop the rain so that the Club would be able to take place. We were able to hold the whole program and we praise God for answered prayer. Later we heard that many of the other Clubs had the same experience – the rain held off so that the Club could take place.”
Praise God together with us for answered prayers:
1. New children attended compared to day 1.
2. God has kept us safe as we travel many hundreds of kilometres every day.
3. Children have trusted the Saviour! Praise God – we know of 10 children who were counselled for Salvation.
4. The Club in the Gypsy area was able to take place in another area – which actually worked better. The children were so well behaved compared to the day before!
5. Teams are working well together and encouraged in what God is doing in them and through them.
Pray together with us:
1. We know of 9 children who prayed to trust the Saviour: Mihaita, Cristina, Elena, Lacramioara, Florin, Cosmin, George, Alexandru and Marin. Rejoice with us and pray for their spiritual growth.
2. In one of the Clubs, older children are disturbing, playing loud music etc. Please pray that God will provide a solution for the Club to continue.
3. Children have been listening very carefully. In one of the Clubs during the lesson of how Adam and Eve were put out of the Garden of Eden, the children gasped when they heard what had happened. Please pray that as they listen carefully to the teaching, that God will work in their hearts and save many boys and girls.
4. Please continue to pray for the weather. Good weather means children are already outside playing and many more opportunities to reach children with the Gospel.
5. Altogether about 1,500 children have heard the Gospel in the past 2 days. However there are so many more thousands of children who need to hear the Gospel. We intend to distribute tracts over the next few days. Please pray for this.
6. One of the helpers in the teams asked for prayer.
7. The heat can be difficult for some of those who are teaching. Please pray that God will keep us all healthy and well.
8. Pray for one of the children – Elvis who had an accident and wasn’t able to come to Club as a result.
9. Please pray for 2 families who are starting in the ministry and could continue in one of the areas.
10. Praise God and continue to pray for the team to be adaptable to every situation – children with special needs, hearing difficulties, those who speak only English etc.
11. Many of the areas do not have a local church for the children to attend Sunday School. Pray that God will provide a solution for children who want to continue to learn about the Saviour.
12. Please pray for Andrei and Ady.
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.” Psalm 126:3 Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for the children of Constanta.
Iulian & Anca Mangalagiu
Good News across Romania – Wednesday 27 July 2011
Greetings again from Constanta! At the end of day 3, we were aware more than ever that we are in a spiritual battle. Was it because today we taught about the cross of Christ? We have been reminded that without prayer for the children and the Clubs that are taking part the ministry is in vain. Please continue to pray together with us throughout the remainder of the project. God is working and the evil one is certainly not idle.
- Praise God that He has answered prayer. The Club that had the loud music on Tuesday, was able to continue on Wednesday without disturbance.
- Good weather has prevailed and Clubs have been able to take place.
- Tracts have been given out and hundreds more children and adults have been able to read the Gospel as a result.
- Teams are working well together and God has continued to keep us safe as we travel.
Please continue to pray with us:
- One of the Clubs was stopped because an Orthodox Priest would not allow the children to come. It is in an area with no Evangelical church and the children had been particularly attentive to the Word of God. Please pray for a solution. Certainly the time will be used to take the Gospel to other children and we continue to pray that God will use what was taught in the first few days to bring Salvation to many lives.
- A boy called Marin brought his friends to Club. Pray that he will bring more friends to hear about the Saviour.
- Tracts are being distributed and children encouraged to enrol on the Bible Correspondence Course. Pray that contact will be maintained with many of the children.
- More children trusted the Saviour. Pray for their spiritual growth and Christian friends.
- Teams are getting tired. Pray that God will protect us – physically and spiritually.
- Pray for Octavian who comes drunk to the Club.
- We are getting to know the children more and more and finding out about many problems in their lives. Pray that they will find peace in the Lord.
- Continue to pray for more children to come to the Clubs and for more children to hear the Gospel through tract distribution.
- Pray for Robert’s mum.
- Pray for Alex & Dragos and for Madalina.
- Pray for Roxana.
- Many lives have been reached over the past 3 days. Pray that lives would be changed.
“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified.”2 Thessalonians 3:1
We appreciate your prayers more than you know.
Every blessing,
Iulian and Anca Mangalagiu
Good News across Romania – Thursday 28 July 2011
Hello again from Constanta! At the end of day 4, we had much to praise God for. We are so thankful to Him for children who have listened carefully to the lesson and for stillness in the meetings during the teaching of how they can put their trust in the Saviour. Approximately 1,700 children have heard the Gospel as well as many teens, parents and grandparents. Hundred of tracts have been distributed all over the Constanta area and His Word has gone forth. We cling to His promise that His Word will not return void and will accomplish His perfect will in the lives of many in our country.
God is answering prayer every day. Rejoice together with us:
- The boy with the loud music at one of the Clubs actually helped to set up the tent for meeting with the children. Although he didn’t stay, his attitude has changed dramatically over the week.
- Children have trusted the Saviour. There is a real clearness in their understanding of who the Lord Jesus is and what He has done for them.
- The Gypsy Club was moved again. But this time to the steps of the police station! We serve an amazing God. Nothing stops His plans! The children and their parents listened carefully to the way of Salvation.
- Many more hundreds of tracts have been distributed and many conversations held with parents and children alike.
- Elvis is OK again, but his bicycle was wrecked. He was able to attend the Club and church too this week.
- Many new children attended the Clubs. Well over 1,700 children have heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.
Intercede for us on behalf of the children of Constanta:
- Florin said that he wanted to trust the Lord and was going home to pray by himself.
- Pray for Alex and Dragos.
- New children came to the Clubs all week. Pray that God will continue to send more children for the last day.
- As the week comes to an end, the children are asking for us to continue coming to them. We would love to start Good News Clubs in each of the areas that children have been contacted. Pray that this would be possible.
- Children who were able to say that they know that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for sins and that they need to have their sins forgiven, but yet they haven’t taken the step of faith.
- Pray for the last day of the 5 Day Club. Pray that God will work in a special way and save many lives!
- After (and during) times of victory, it is possible to become discouraged or not be prepared for other problems that many arise. Please continue to pray for God’s protection and for His peace in our lives.
Our strength comes from the Lord and we rejoice in the prayers of His people.
For His sake and for the children of Romania,
Iulian and Anca Mangalagiu
Good News across Romania – Friday 29 July 2011
We have come to the end of a week of Clubs, and we are filled with praise for all that God has done. Over and over this week we have rejoiced at answered prayer and reminded ourselves often that if God’s people had not been praying, we would not have seen such blessing among the children of Constanta. Thank you for being one of the team and praying faithfully as God’s Word has gone out on over 200 separate occasions in 43 different locations.
Praise God for the way that He has answered prayer. He is the One who has worked and He deserves all the glory for the past week. The answers to prayer seem endless; here are a few of them:
- The weather was great all week and despite threatening to rain a few times, we only needed to cancel one Club on one day due to the weather.
- In at least 20 of the locations the children will be followed up by the church or through Good News Club and we continue to pray that this number will grow.
- Many children trusted the Saviour. Two of the children of CEF workers had the joy of leading one child called Denis to the Lord.
- Children and adults received Bibles on the last day. They held their precious gift tightly and clearly appreciated it very much.
- One little girl who cannot read very well managed to get to page 5 of the “Meet the King” booklet. She was able to answer questions about it, showing that she clearly understood and remembered what she read. Pray that God will continue to use this booklet in her life.
- God kept us united as a team and we had a sense of His peace throughout the week.
- One child went home from Club on Thursday saying that he would pray for forgiveness at home. He came on Friday to say that he had done that!
- Children have an earnest desire to continue to meet on a regular basis and learn more about God.
- Hundreds of children asked to enrol on the Bible Correspondence Course.
- God protected us as we travelled and there were no accidents during the week.
- God protected our health despite the very busy program. Although we were tired, there was a real sense of the presence of God and knowing His help throughout.
- Many of the children learned the 5 verses off by heart and were excited to receive a key ring with all the verses on it.
- In one of the Clubs that was more difficult, the parents came at the end to say that no one had ever managed to continue for 5 days in a row with the children as they are so rowdy. The parents were very impressed that we had stayed. We credit it to the prayers of God’s people. Only in His strength is such a thing possible, despite such opposition.
- We had wonderful times of prayer and fellowship every evening. We serve a wonderful God!
Please continue to pray with us:
- That God will continue to save lives as the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of boys and girls as a result of the Word of God sown in thousands of lives this week.
- That churches will see the need of reaching out to boys and girls who do not know the Saviour and that ministry to children will continue in every location.
- For the CEF workers in Constanta as they seek to build on what was done this week for the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Thank you once again for your prayers. You are a great blessing and only eternity will tell all that has been accomplished, but until then may you rejoice in the answers to prayer that God has allowed us to know about!
In Him,
Iulian and Anca Mangalagiu
Good News across Romania – Saturday 30 July 2011
It was a great joy to meet together with 100 of the 144 volunteers at ARKA church for the closing meeting of the project. We rejoiced together that over the week the Gospel went out in 43 locations, as CEF workers, volunteers from around the country and 19 local churches worked together to reach the unreached of Constanta county. We know of 2,028 children who heard the Gospel as well as many teenagers and adults who stood around and listened as well. Praise God together with us!
Psalm 118:23 says, “It is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” We echo these words and know that it is all of God and He deserves all the glory for what has been done.
What a joy to hear church leaders from Constanta say thank you to CEF for opening their eyes to the needs of the lost children around them.
Another leader said, “If CEF hadn’t come to motivate us to evangelise children, we wouldn’t have thought of it on our own.”
Someone else said, “CEF has left a bug in Constanta: the bug of evangelising children. We have to do it now!”
One of the volunteers stood up to say that God had placed on their heart the desire to evangelise children and they had begun to pray that God would show them how. Just then CEF showed up with the materials, the training and the Good News across Romania project! They saw it as an answer to prayer and will continue to evangelise the children in their city even after the project has finished.
One after another, church leaders and volunteers stood up to say that this week had opened their eyes to the need of reaching children outside of the church. They praised God for the training and the materials that they received via CEF and testified in public that they want to continue the good work that has been started.
We have much to praise God for and truly it has been a blessed week. However in a very real sense, the work is just beginning. Churches need to be helped with training and literature. Children need to be contacted, committed volunteers found to work with the children on a regular basis and the list goes on. Will you please pray for Theo (the CEF worker in Constanta) together with his wife Flory as they seek to keep in contact with all those involved in the project and may God continue to save many souls in Constanta.
The words of Ruth 2 come to mind as we look back on the past weeks and months. Whether you gave financially or dedicated your time to the project in prayer or practically:
“The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Ruth 2:12
With love in Him,
Iulian and Anca Mangalagiu
