CEE Story From The Mission Field
Reaching Indians in Romania
June 14 , 2006
Dr. David Man Singh is an Indian believer that was converted from Hinduism as a boy through missionaries in his homeland. He is called and deeply burdened for his own people in India. So why would God call him to go on a mission trip to Romania? He certainly didn’t know. Even stranger was that this mission trip was designed to use the game of tennis as a tool to share the Gospel, and Singh doesn’t even play tennis. In fact, when he did try during the trip, he was injured! But God had other plans all along.
When Troy Geddes, International Mission Board missionary to Romania, brought the team of American volunteers onto the courts, the courts supervisor, Catalin Basarab, took notice of Singh.
“Is this guy with your team?” he asked.
“Yes,” Troy said, “but he doesn’t play tennis, he is here to tell how he converted to Christianity.”
Catalin then turned to the right, pointed to three high rise apartment buildings that were only one hundred feet from the courts and said, “Those buildings are full of people from India!”
Over to the right was a compound of apartment buildings surrounded by a wall and heavily guarded. When Troy’s efforts to get inside were rebuffed, he had to track down the director of the compound. Come to find out that the apartments were owned by the Indian Steel factory MITTAL, one of the largest steel factories in the world (if not the largest). It is literally one-third the size of this Romania town of Galati, and it employs 18,000 people, some of them Indians that lived behind this wall of security. An evangelistic rally was planned later that week where Singh would give his testimony. Troy was determined to invite the Indian steel workers. But the guards were just as determined to keep him out.
A couple of days and several phone calls later Troy found himself with a meeting between himself, David Singh and the company’s director, Mr. Udia Raj Singh. It turns out that David and the director had more than there last names in common. They also had their faith in Jesus.
“Everything was going as planned and we were being treated extremely well, when this very important man, turned to me and asked me what I did for a living!” said Troy. “I hesitated…took a breath and told him that I was a Bible teacher. Right then the phone interrupted us and we waited for what seemed like an eternity. Mr. Udia Singh finally got off the phone and said in a high pitched excited tone, ‘this is wonderful, I too am a follower of Jesus!’”
Not only was he thrilled with Troy’s visit and evangelism campaign, but he gave them permission to hand out invitations—actually he gave them permission to give the invitations to the hostile guards and make them do the footwork!
Dr. Udia Ray Singh, this very special man that employees over 18,000 people, attended the evangelistic rally the next night, a fact that amazed Romanian religious leaders that thought Troy’s tennis/evangelism campaign was doomed to failure. Many others attended as well—100 others.
None came from the factories’ apartments, though Troy knows that God has opened a new door of ministry opportunity and eagerly anticipates what God will do in the future among those Indian people. But they came from their homes and gangs and hovels in a part of town that is referred to as a “forsaken” part of town—the Gypsy area. And guess what? Gypsies, too, have their heritage from India! They absolutely loved hearing from this man of their same color! He told them of a time when he subsisted on only beans and rice, and how he, too, dug through the garbage cans in order to survive. He told them about God’s grace and how he gave his life to Jesus and how they needed to do the same! They loved him.
Even better, the entire region heard David’s story as the Evangelical TV of Galati broadcast it over the airwaves a few weeks later.
So an unlikely Indian man makes a trip to Romania and ends up unleashing a ministry opportunity that will reach thousands. Dr. David Singh didn’t understand God’s command to go, but he obeyed anyway. Troy is glad he did. Many Gypsies in Galati, Romania, are glad he did. Hundred of native Indian steel workers will one day be glad he did. Pray for God’s work through Troy and his family in Romania--for the Indian steel workers--for the Gypsies--for the Romanians. And ask yourself--where is God calling you to go? Discover your options for being involved with what God is doing in Central and Eastern Europe through praying, volunteering,or giving.