It had been a long Sabbath, with meetings in a packed church, then visiting a home, not to mention time spent in the crazed traffic of Bucharest, Romania. After sundown, Robert, our translator, Joe, our cameraman, and I decided to go for a walk in the early evening just to get a little exercise and relax.

Crime is on the constant rise in many Eastern European countries due to lack of employment, skyrocketing inflation, and the lure of big financial gains in organized crime. In Romania, for instance, inflation is rampant. Just two years ago the LEI to Dollar exchange was 8,000 = $1. In November of 1999 it was 17,500 = $1. In the week we were there it rose from 16,000 to 17,500! Can you imagine coping with doubling inflation in two years? Gas is $1.00 per liter, about $3.85 a gallon! Yet the average wage is only $95 to $150 per month.
In Bucharest highly organized gangs have a special method of robbery, especially of foreigners. We encountered their technique firsthand. About 6:30 Sabbath evening we were walking a few blocks from Robert’s home on a main street full of small shops and street vendors. A young man approached Robert, knowing he was Romanian, and asked, “What time is it? I am lost and can’t find my hotel. Can you help me?”

I knew something was wrong, since we had been warned how these gangs operate. He was checking to see if Joe and I might be foreigners. We walked faster. Satisfied that we might be profitable victims, he signaled his companions.

Two big guys came up to Joe and I while the other pulled Robert aside, telling him that if he said anything he would be hurt very badly. The two guys pulled out badges, pretending to be secret police. They wanted us to show an I.D. card, passport, or even pull out our wallets. Then more men would move in—six or more, so we couldn’t get away—and they would take everything— passport, wallet, papers. If you fight back, they use a knife or gun, or shoot pepper spray in your face. They are so bold as to do this in the middle of the day!

We had been warned about these activities, so as soon as the men pulled out their fake badges, Joe turned around and began walking away fast. I raised my hand and made a gesture like, “No way!” and turned to leave. One guy grabbed me and said, “Are you a tourist?” in Romanian. I looked him in the eye, and in a Romanian accent said, “NO!” Then I walked away—FAST. They let Robert go and one said, “They are okay,” thinking we were Romanian! In the next street we ran as fast as we could, zigzagging through blocks of flats, with one man following us, until we reached Robert’s house. We quickly opened the gate and ran inside, hearts pounding in our throats! Close call! What an end to a wonderful week in Romania!

Old Friends and Memories

Memories flooded my mind as we visited the Ministry of Justice building in Bucharest. It was this same building where we had met General Ion Chis, General Director of all the prisons in Romania, back in 1994—a meeting that brought about a series of events—no, miracles—that would never be forgotten.

In 1994 Laymen Ministries printed 1,000,000 Bible studies in the country of Moldova for lay work and outreach in Romania’s prisons. Lucian Cristescu, Romanian Union Church Ministries Director, and Laymen Ministries drafted a document, forming a prison ministry entitled Humanitarian Prison Services, later known as HPS. Laymen Ministries funded the legal costs of setting up the organization, and UPMI (United Prison Ministries, International) and Laymen Ministries began to train workers for outreach. Soon over 700 volunteers were working in prisons throughout Romania.

I believe the Holy Spirit later moved General Chis to request that 100,000 copies of The Desire of Ages be printed for all prisoners, Ministry of Justice staff, members of parliament, and then President Iliescu.

Richard Bland of UPMI and Laymen Ministries accepted the challenge of raising funds for this faith project. And the Lord impressed us to print more books: Ministry of Healing, The Great Controversy, Christ’s Object Lessons, and Bible Readings for the Home—nearly 500,000 books in all.

The event of distributing books in prisons— even of General Chis personally handing the books out and encouraging staff and prisoners to read them—caught the attention of many people. CNN and the Romanian national TV stations broadcast news stories of us passing these books out in the prisons.

General Chis stated, “Several years ago we put people in prison for distributing books like these. Now we are distributing these books in prison!” It was a bold statement for a top government official of a former communist country to make—a statement never made before, or since. But one factor had not been considered in planning this event—the powerful Orthodox Church.

With so many blessings abounding, Satan is sure to be angry. The leaders of the Orthodox Church were enraged. One of the most influential Orthodox patriarchs publicly denounced General Chis. False charges of corruption followed, and he was removed from office. After much political debate, he was later acquitted of all charges. (Today he teaches in a Romanian university, and is still very close to his Seventh-day Adventists friends.) New laws were quickly passed which practically shut down all the work of HPS and put the Orthodox church in control of religious matters in all the prisons.

New Friends, New Experiences

Yes, returning to the Ministry of Justice Building brought back all kinds of memories. But why were we returning? To help nurture the relationship between HPS and the Romanian Government. Now, instead of meeting the powerful General Chis, we would be meeting with Magistrate Mihai Marian Eftimescu, the new General Director of Prisons. Mr. Eftimescu held the position of Magistrate in the Supreme Court of Romania before being called to his new position as General Director of Prisons.

After just a few moments together we all felt very comfortable with each other, and Magistrate Eftimescu was warm and friendly, and extremely supportive of the efforts of HPS. We feel this is the beginning of new relations between HPS, Laymen Ministries, and the Romanian Government. In fact, plans are being made for Mr. Eftimescu to visit Laymen Ministries’ office and studio this summer, while touring several American prisons.

Mr. Eftimescu told us of the “lifers” in the maximum security prison in Criova, and how the books and studies shared with these hardened, dangerous prisoners had made such a change in their behavior. “Even the security measures in connection with these inmates were lessened due to the change in their characters,” he commented. Teaching the Bible to prisoners may not be politically correct in the eyes of the Orthodox super-church, but the power of God as seen through the printed page did not go unnoticed by calloused prison guards and officials.

Even with new laws and a shake-up in top prison officials, HPS still has some freedom to work due to prison commanders who have seen favorable results. But the new laws make it necessary for HPS to work as a humanitarian educational organization. Part of this education is studying the Bible with inmates! Perhaps the days of the big meetings, nationwide book distribution, and astonishing news reports are over, but a work still remains to be done, although it is a much more quiet work.

Laymen Ministries wants to help the dedicated workers of HPS. Support is needed for printing more Bible lessons and other simple one-on-one materials. Some full-time workers need sponsorship. Humanitarian help is also needed, which continues to keep the prison gates open for our workers, and which provides some very basic needs of prisoners who live in conditions that are completely desperate. A video is in the making about the prison work in Romania. As soon as it is available, we will let you know.

In Prison Again!

Many of you have been blessed by the stories of Nicu Butoi, as he has related his experience of being arrested for distributing Bibles during the times of hard line communism and placed in a cold damp prison in Bacau, Romania. The Lord allowed him to win the favor of the dreaded guard, Andrew, and this hardened killer became his protector during the rest of his incarceration.

During our latest trip to Romania the Lord opened the way for Nicu and I to visit the Bacau prison to shoot video footage of his story. This is unheard of in Romania today—most people are instantly denied permission to shoot video in the prisons! Recently Nicu spent a few days in our studio at Laymen Ministries, and we now have some of his experiences available on video, which are also airing on 3ABN.

Zappies

A few years ago Laymen Ministries helped set up a publishing work in Ulatea, Romania. In December of 1998 a fire destroyed the whole facility due to a faulty natural gas heater. Thanks to your support, we were able to help with the purchase of new equipment and began building a bigger and even better facility than the one lost by fire.

Last fall we stopped by to see the progress of the building. We had a wonderful meeting with Eugene Mindaianu, director of the press, and Nelu Dumitrescu, former Union President of the Romanian SDA Church. We left more funds with them to help in getting the roof finished so printing may begin soon.

Curt Shearers of Moses Lake, Washington, has been working with Zappies since last summer, sponsored by Laymen Ministries. He has been working hard on the building project, speaking in churches, and motivating laymen to distribute literature.

Joyful Reunion

Nicu Butoi and I attended the 81st anniversary celebration of the church in Paretu, Romania. This was the same village where Nicu and I met for the first time on the platform of an outdoor stage where over 3,000 people had gathered to watch the baptism of 147 souls, back in the spring of 1993. Nicu had been used by the Lord to bring these souls to Christ through his efforts as a lay-evangelist. This was the beginning of a relationship that we look forward to sharing for eternity, as long as we each are faithful to Christ. Laymen Ministries began sponsorship of Brother Nicu’s evangelistic efforts then, and we are still glad to be able to do so today. In the area of Paretu alone, Nicu’s evangelism has brought literally hundreds of souls to Christ. Thus at this anniversary we were both honored guests as literally hundreds of people packed into an auditorium reserved for this special occasion. It was a great blessing to see the faces of all the people the Lord has brought to the Truth through Nicu’s eight evangelistic series in Paretu.

Baptist Challenge

This summer Laymen Ministries sponsored Nicu Butoi’s evangelistic effort in Bucharest. Several souls were won to the Lord through these meetings. Three ladies from the Baptist Church came every night. One of these ladies, whose name I will not mention at this time, was the secretary for one of the larger Baptist churches in the area. Because of her highly visible position of responsibility and her dedication and hard work, she is well known in Romania.

After going through the series, she told Nicu that it was never in her mind to leave the Baptist church, and that she still did not have this in mind. “What I want to see is a revival in my own church! I cannot understand how they have fallen away from the Sabbath. This truth is so clear in the Bible,” she explained one Sabbath morning to Nicu.

This lady wrote an open letter to many of the pastors of the Baptist church in Romania, challenging them to prove from the Scriptures the change of the Sabbath to Sunday. Rather than show her any proof texts, they have launched a campaign against her, and are talking about disfellow-shipping her. She is heartbroken. “How can they, brothers and sisters of mine, act this way over a clear teaching of the Bible? The Sabbath is as plain as day!” she exclaimed.

Her open letter is causing quite a stir among the Sunday keeping Baptists. Please keep this lady and her friends in your prayers. She is a courageous woman, and we are sure the Lord will give her strength to stand for the truth.

Also, we want to thank each of you for the support you have given over the years to help win so many souls to Christ through lay-evangelism and prison work. Soon, maybe sooner than we realize, the doors could be shut in Romania by the powerful Orthodox Church and/or a resurgence of neo-communism as this struggling country tries to come to terms with its economical and social chaos. We have only today. Tomorrow’s freedom is never guaranteed.

In 1994 Laymen Ministries and UPMI distributed 100,000 copies of The Desire of Ages, and other books and Bible lessons to prisoners, prison staff, and government workers and officials

Photo by: Joe Stanfill

Today, Laymen Minstries still maintains friendly relations with Mihai Marian Eftimescu, the current General Director of Prisons in Romania.

Prison guards curiously check out Joe Stanfill's (right) camera as we visited Bacau prison where Nicu Butoi (left) was imprisoned.

Checking out the progress on Zappies:(from left) Eugene Mindaianu, Jeff Reich, Nelu Dumitrescu, and Nicu Butoi. All the support from our donors has been much appreciated.