SWAT REPORT  # 30  07-26-05 (see photos below)

 AFTERMATH OF LAST WEEKS RIOT

 We returned to Racos again this week, not knowing quite what we might run into after the near riot last week.  But peace had returned to this community and we preached the gospel without disturbance.  Notice photo (Romania 132)  Take note in this photo of myself in center…my young interpreter, Tavy to my immediate left and (Mr. C) on the right edge of the photo in a white shirt…standing in regimental defense of my person.   This photo was actually taken the week before just before the serious trouble broke out over the contrary Orthodox priests.  Mr. C is still dry after two weeks…I visited him this week and he and his wife were vibrant to see me and talk about victory in the person of Jesus Christ.  He and his wife actually suffered some roughing up during the riot and his wife was thrown to the ground and repeatedly bitten.  This was largely due to a misunderstanding resulting from physical actions towards me…these people are very hostile towards each other because of the ethnic feuds between the Hungarian and Romanian Gypsies.  When Mr. C came into the crowd just before the trouble…he hugged me and some of the other gypsies who have been saved under our ministry and come to our church in Brasov thought he was against me.  There was some pushing, harsh words and we soon left…and that was when Mr. and Mr. C were injured.   Riots are dangerous for both the guilty and innocent. 

 Acts 16:31 IN ACTION THIS WEEK

 (Acts 16:31 KJV)  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

 Pastor Logan preached on a precipice in the Romanian gypsy section and a young mother expressed serious interest in being saved and requested some private instruction.  After a short time she was wondrously saved and came to church on Sunday…in Brasov…two hours by train…with her infant child.  As Acts 16:31 proves out…this young mother is the sister of Anghel and Mihai…the brothers who were saved along with their wives and their father through our ministry there in Racos…now the whole family is saved and in church.  When I photographed Pastor Logan preaching on that cliff (note photo # 4796) I thought, “this is true New Testament Christianity.”   Observe to the far left in the photo the houses and continued community down the cliff of about 40 feet.  There are nearly fifty listening on top and more listening at the base of the hill.  Each week we admonish the folk who gather to pray that we may find a suitable building in central Racos in order that all may gather and start a church.  Many have promised to be faithful in attendance whenever the Lord provides this.  This will make things a bit easier for us in that we can hold a combined service there for all to attend and not have to have two services in the open air in two opposite ends of the village.  The cold winds of winter will knock out our ministry here unless we have a building. 

 Also, we have more folk in the church who would like to come and minister but we can only take so many in our two small cars…WE DESPERATELY NEED A VAN.  The van fund is up to about $8,000 but we need double that to purchase what we need. Many thanks to those who have given generously and sacrificially. 

 Another Acts 16:31 fruit took place this week when a young man in his early 20’s visited our church as a result of a follow-up visit from the cards of the folk saved during the BIG meeting this month.  His father, actually was the one who came to the theatre for the BIG meeting and when Pastor Logan visited him he met his son…this young man….he invited him to church…he came…heard a clear gospel message and raised his hand at invitation and was gloriously saved after personally being dealt with.  Praise the Lord for fruit…after many years on the streets of US and western Europe…with very little fruit…one develops a hunger for fruit…and fruit tastes very sweet.

 HOW TO MAKE A HOVEL A HOME…PUT FLOWERS IN THE WINDOW

 Notice photo # 4750…It must be true that when you have nothing…I mean Nothing…I’m talking about NOTHING…NOT EVEN IN THE ATTIC…somehow, when you put flowers in the window…it makes a hovel…..a home…

 Happy to be serving my KING on the eastern front.
           Gerald Sutek
          And the SWAT TEAM for Christ