Some 50 local leaders and pastors representing Romanian congregations and companies from 17 countries on four continents met Aug. 14 to 17 for a missionary conference on the campus of Romanian Union College.
Some 50 local leaders and pastors representing Romanian congregations and companies from 17 countries on four continents met Aug. 14 to 17 for a missionary conference on the campus of Romanian Union College. It is believed that about 8,000 Romanian-speaking Adventists work and worship outside their country of origin. More than half of these relocated to Spain during the past five or six years.
“One in three Adventists in Spain are from Romania,” said Pastor Alberto Guaita, president of the Adventist Church in Spain. “This sudden influx of Romanian Adventists is a main source of the unprecedented growth of our church, but it also creates huge problems, such as providing a place of worship. Romanian Adventists are missionary-minded and active [in sharing] their faith.”
Dr. Jan Paulsen, president of the world church, in a written message to the conference, said: “Those who live and work outside their homeland have the distinct privilege of being able to reach out to fellow nationals who are also in the adopted country. When an individual is far from home and absent from family members for long periods of time, the heart is frequently more tender and ready for words of comfort and encouragement which come from God’s Word.”
He added, “Those abroad have the opportunity of making friends with the people of the country where they are working. In establishing these new relationships there will be opportunities to build bridges to the hearts of other people and herein live and share the hope which is in Jesus.”
Dr. Bruce Moyer, from the Institute of World Mission at Andrews University, placed the phenomenon of modern migration in the context of Bible history. Both in the Old and the New Testament, migrations were initiated or used by God to spread the hope of salvation to the whole world. Moyer has also helped the participants better understand and cope with the challenges of living and worshipping in an alien culture. Building a new sense of spiritual identity and cultural diversity is a major task for churches in countries with a significant influx of immigrants.
A number of recommendations were adopted. As a result the Romanian Union monthly church paper is planning to dedicate several pages on a regular basis to those who live outside its territory. Potential emigrants should be thoroughly informed and prepared for the social, relational and spiritual challenges they have to cope with, say church leaders, and those who decide to return to their country of origin should also be prepared for that transition. Other initiatives aim at a closer cooperation in the area of children, youth and family ministries, and special attention will be given to Romanian-speaking territories around Romania, in Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine and Moldova.
Pastor Gabriel Maurer, executive secretary for the Euro-Africa administrative region of the Adventist Church, declared: “[This meeting] set a new standard in our work with the immigrant Adventists in Western countries. It emphasized the need for cooperation between the Romanian ethnic groups in the Diaspora and their country of origin. It pointed out new areas of support given to the immigrants to focus on their mission outreach in their guest countries to both Romanian fellows and the indigenous population as well.”
