JESUS SEEN WALKING AROUND IN
THE VILLAGES OF ROMANIA AND INDIA
By Tim Timmons
Monday, August 23, 2004
 IRVINE, CA (ANS) -- Over 2000 years
ago Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem and grew up in the
small, poor village of Nazareth. “Can anything good come out of such a
hick town?” was the talk behind his back. Yet Jesus is the most unique
one ever to walk on planet earth and in 3 ½ short years he
started a movement that literally changed the world for good! His
approach was not the Madison Avenue PR routine. In fact, when he saw a
crowd forming, his normal response was to get away from them. Jesus
spent most of his time with religious rejects, the common people, not
the “in crowd”, but those who were poor and needy. (Pictured: Tim Timmons).
Jesus chose to invest his life into a few, uneducated, poor men who
became empowered to turn the world upside down with the love they had
experienced while hanging out with him. He pursued the unlovely and the
unlikely and turned them inside out to spread the good news of this
revolutionary love.
This same Jesus can be seen still walking around in this world in the
villages of Romania and India among the poorest of the poor. In Romania
Jesus has been incarnated in the life and actions of John Ungureanu and
in India through Suresh Kumar. As I have had the opportunity to observe
what’s happening, my mind is continually blown over the approach and
its dramatic effects. Not only is it amazing to watch; it’s also
challenging and instructive to all.
ROMANIA—JOHN UNGUREANU
I first met John in the early 80’s. John and his family moved from
Romania and became citizens of the United States. Although John has
been a faithful brother here, God was only preparing him for greater
things. He was forced into retirement because of some physical problems
a few years ago. He never made lots of money in his work, but now earns
even less per month. Having so little is a difficult struggle for the
Ungureanu family, yet they are totally devoted to following Jesus and
finding peace and strength through Him.
Well Jesus had a plan for John. He travels into Romania twice a year
for 6-8 weeks each trip and in the name of Jesus goes into the villages
of the poorest of the poor. He finds families in need and meets that
need as best he can—all in the name of Jesus.
One large family suffered the loss of the mother at a young age. The
entire village felt badly for the situation. In the name of Jesus John
carted in a refrigerator and made sure it would be filled up through
the winter. As word spread about this amazing gesture many have come to
faith in Jesus in that village. When John came across a blind woman in
her 80’s, he saw that her house was falling down. So, in the name of
Jesus John had that home rebuilt and provided for her through the
winter. The next time he returned she had turned her life over to Jesus
and wanted to be baptized.
On each trip John is able to touch from 150 to 200 families with the
love of Jesus, meeting their needs with no strings attached. John
baptized 35 new believers in Jesus on his last journey into the
villages and there are more waiting his upcoming September trip.
John has learned the most effective way to make a difference in Romania
is not through an established mission or church there, but by
personally demonstrating the love of Jesus to these dear people. He
avoids the politics and corruption that run rampant in many other
efforts there. What’s even more important, John goes to villages that
no one would touch.
John launched Love for Romania and takes from $5,000 to $15,000 into
Romania each trip to share the love of Jesus. Northeastern Romania is
in great disrepair and economic despair. Love for Romania is wholly
focused on servicing the needs of the “least of the least!”
Would you like to walk with Jesus in Romania or help him keep walking?
Check out www.loveforromania.org
or write John at loveforromania@cox.net.
India—Suresh Kumar
Thirty-two years ago God placed a burden upon the heart of Lalitha
Kumari to reach the unreached people of India. Because of her obedience
to the call of God the Lord has blessed many people throughout Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Today, her sons—Suresh and Sudheer—carry on
this incredible work throughout India.
Under the banner of Harvest India they have now sparked 922 churches
throughout the villages. This huge country of over 1 billion people
have an interesting make-up—87% Hindu, 11% Muslim and 2% Christian.
This may seem to many as a major obstacle, but not to Suresh. They
present the love of Jesus with a progressive approach of “soup, soap
and salvation.” The love of Jesus is irresistible!
When they go into a village, they meet with the leadership and offer to
help them with their greatest needs. This may translate into creating
water wells, bringing in a medical clinic or whatever. Upon the
credibility of this relationship the door is opened to present the
person of Jesus to these same people. The results are phenomenal!
Suresh along with Keith Page of Rock Bottom Ministry in the USA are now
raising funds to build a facility where they believe women who are
enslaved to a life of prostitution will be able to find refuge and life
in Jesus. They are committed to reaching people with the love of Jesus,
training them to love God and to love others, and sending them out to
do the same.
Would you like to walk with Jesus in India or help him keep walking?
Check out www.harvest-india.org
or write to Keith Page in the USA at keith@rockbottomministry.com.
SO WHAT’S THE REAL LESSON FROM ROMANIA AND INDIA?
To me, the real lesson in both countries is the simple demonstration of
the true gospel—JESUS PLUS NOTHING. When you add on to Jesus any of
your favorite doctrines or religious terminology or an invitation to
join an organization, you are no longer presenting the gospel. Neither
of these two scenarios above are attempting to convert anyone into
Christianity. They are practicing and presenting simply Jesus—JESUS
PLUS NOTHING!
Paul’s words clearly echo forth here: “But I am afraid that, as the
serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray
from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (II Corinthians
11:3).
Tim Timmons…a simple follower of Jesus… www.embersforum.com
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA
92842-2126 USA
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