Romania
The Latin roots of the Romanian people make them an oddity in the midst of their Slavic neighbors, but these roots enable Romanians to remain warm and friendly despite centuries of struggle and domination. 89% of Romania is ethnic Romanian with significant minorities of Hungarians and the largest population of Roma (Gypsies) in Europe. Other minorities include Germans, Serbs, Croats, Ukrainians, Greeks, Turks, Armenians, and Russians. In all, there are 18 different people groups in this one small country, many of whom are entirely unreached with the Gospel.
At the beginning of WWII, Romania allied itself with Germany and gave assistance to the invasion of the USSR. However, in 1943, the USSR occupied the country, and Romania was forced to switch sides. The country became a “people’s republic” under the Soviet Union, but came under the rule of Nicolae Ceausescu. Although he began to pull away from communism and embrace western allies in the 1970’s, his dictatorship did an about face a decade later and became one of the harshest dictatorial rules in Eastern Europe with an economic policy that left the country in shambles. In 1989, Caeusescue was overthrown and executed in a public uprising.
Since that time the country has made progress in recovering both economically as well as socially. However, significant problems still plague the country. Poverty and alcoholism are a part of life in Romania. Street children, who are sent out to beg and steal on the streets, are a constant reminder of the plight of the poor in the country. Corruption is another constant problem with much of everyday life centered on bribing the right people. Not only has this rampant corruption hindered economic growth, it has also bred mistrust within the people and reopened wounds left by the communist and dictatorial governments of the past.
The Romanian Orthodox Church claims a large percentage of the population, however, this affiliation is largely an ethnic one without a true, personal relationship with Christ. Other churches are present in the country including Roman Catholics, Reformed, Baptists, Pentecostals, and Lutherans, but the Orthodox Church holds fiercely to its control over the people’s lives, fighting against evangelical inroads into the country. Many Baptist churches, however, have truly caught a vision for church planting and evangelism and are successfully ministering among their own people. As a result, the people are beginning to experience a spiritual freedom that parallels the political freedom they won in 1989.
The presence of 18 different people groups does pose a challenge to missionaries. Reaching each one through means of their own cultural understanding will not be an easy undertaking. Fortunately, we serve a God that can overcome all obstacles and wants every tribe and nation to know Him as Lord.
If you would like to be a part of reaching the people groups of Romania for Christ, contact us at hope4cee@pobox.com.