Blankets from Büsingen

Tigmandru is a predominantly Roma town with a population of about 5000 people. Most of the population does not have steady work; people make a living by working as day laborers in agriculture in the summer and by cutting and selling forest wood in the winter. Many people live in small, basic houses with no running water.

The local Nazarene church in Tigmandru serves its neighborhood with a mother/baby care program. Each week lay pastor Magda Cini gathers mothers and their babies for simple lessons on hygiene and child care. During this time, Magda builds trust and relationships, and shares about the Lord.

Magda said the families need baby blankets to keep their infants and young children warm. Members of the Büsingen Church of the Nazarene responded this fall by hand-sewing or donating 20 blankets, which they gathered on Sunday, 28 October, to send to Tigmandru. Each blanket is labeled with “Made for You- Psalm 139:14.”

Reprinted from Where Words Meet, November 2012.

Missionary Profile: Jonathan Phillips

The following missionary profile was published in Engage magazine.

Since August 2009, Jonathan Phillips has been serving as a missionary in Romania, where he develops discipleship ministries and conducts lay ministry training on the Romania District. He also teaches theological education courses for European Nazarene College.


In 2001, while a sophomore at Eastern Nazarene College (ENC), Jonathan spent a semester abroad in Sighisoara, Romania, with the Romanian Studies Program. That experience laid the foundation for him to return with Nazarenes in Volunteer Service (now Mission Corps) for a year after graduating from ENC in 2003 to work with the Sighisoara Church of the Nazarene and Veritas.

Engage: How did you first recognize God’s call to be involved in missions?

Jonathan: I grew up in the church and always enjoyed missions services. There was something refreshing about hearing the stories of what God was doing around the world. Although I felt a call to ministry as a teenager, I didn’t feel a specific call to cross-cultural ministry until spending a semester abroad in Romania in 2001.

Engage: What is your favorite aspect of what you do in your present assignment?

Jonathan: One of my favorite aspects of discipleship ministry is simply getting to know people for who they are. That means spending unhurried time with them and learning about them and where they’re coming from. As I visit the different Nazarene ministries and churches in Romania, I get to interact with a wide range of individuals – coming from different socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Spending time with them helps me know how to best minister to each one amid the immense diversity.

Engage: What are some of the challenges that you face in carrying out your work?

Jonathan: Learning to say “no.” I’m the kind of person that would love to be involved in every ministry opportunity that comes my way, so I have to force myself to be realistic about my commitments. I’ve come to learn (from experience) that when I stretch myself too thin, I’m not effective in anything I’m doing. I’ve come to realize that seasons of ministry change, and often a present “no” becomes a future “yes,” as God prepares the ground for more fruitful ministry.

Another related challenge is what I call the urgent over important – when whole days that were supposed to be spent in ministry are spent instead resolving practical issues like repairing a leaky pipe or renewing a visa. This is best summed up by a Romanian saying: “We live in Romania, and this takes up all of our time.”

Engage: Please share a story of a significant event or moment that has happened in your current assignment.

Jonathan: Last year I began leading a discipleship group for men in the village of Tigmandru. The three men who attended regularly were relatively new Christians with minimal biblical knowledge and church connection. Over the course of the year, as we studied the Old Testament together, they not only added to their biblical knowledge, but also became more active in living and sharing their faith, and in their church involvement. It has been so encouraging to see them respond to God’s call upon their lives. I actually wrote an article for Engage about this ministry.

Engage: How do you maintain a close relationship with God and your family in the midst of the demands of missionary service?

Jonathan: The basis of a close relationship with God is spending time each day with Him through reading the Bible and in prayer. Another discipline which has helped me over the past few years is to have a friend who serves as my accountability partner. We check up on each other, even though we now live in different countries, making sure that we’re staying close in our relationship with God. One other way I am spiritually fed is by downloading and listening to sermon podcasts from a friend who pastors in the U.S.

I’m able to maintain close relationships with my family through the ease of the technology we have available to us today. Through email, MagicJack, and Skype, my family is just a few clicks away. My parents and I have an established time each week when we talk. It’s like I’m across town from them rather than halfway around the world.

Engage: What are the rewards of what you do?

Jonathan: By far, the most rewarding aspect of ministry in Romania is seeing Romanians grow deeper in their relationship with God and living in obedient service to Him. It’s especially rewarding to see Romanians who have grown up in nominally Christian homes begin to connect their faith to how they live their lives.

Engage: What are some aspects of the culture where you live that you have come to love or embrace?

Jonathan: I enjoy learning about Romania’s rich history, including the ethnic diversity found here in Transylvania.

Engage: What do you like to do for fun?

Jonathan: I enjoy reading and playing board games. Another interest has been researching my family genealogy and learning about our past.

Engage: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

Jonathan: I don’t like to travel. I think there’s a perception that missionaries love traveling, but I don’t. In fact, I find it to be exhausting. I enjoy reaching the destination and investing in the lives of the people in that place.

Engage: What advice would you have for others exploring a possible call to missions, or embarking on their first missionary assignment?

Jonathan: First of all, make sure your life is God-focused. Spend time with Him reading the Bible, in prayer, and practicing other spiritual disciplines. This will help you discern His leading as you explore your call to ministry.

Second, don’t underestimate the value of the period of preparation before you begin your first missionary assignment. The years spent in school and receiving training to become a professional in your field of study are an investment which will pay off as you’re able to minister more effectively with that training.

Finally, read as much as you can about what it means to live and minister in culture different from your own so you are prepared for adapting to another culture.

June Missionary Prayer Focus Requests

Jonathan Phillips, serving in Romania, shares the following prayer requests with NMI's Prayer Mobilization Line. Jonathan is part of the PML's June Prayer Focus.

• Pray for Romanians who are preparing for pastoral and lay ministry in the Church of the Nazarene.
• Pray for those who are ministered to by Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Romania, that they will experience the love of God and respond in faithful obedience.
• Pray for the paperwork and approvals needed to begin construction on a new building at the Sighisoara Church of the Nazarene.
• Pray for the paperwork and approvals needed to begin a new organization that will help to develop small businesses providing jobs for local Nazarenes and supporting local churches financially. The organization will begin with a sewing workshop, as well as a garden and a greenhouse to grow vegetables and flowers to sell.

Missionary profile: Michael and Tamara Hudson

The following missionary profile was published in Engage Magazine on April 10, 2012. 


Michael and Tamara Hudson, missionaries in the Romania District, are serving through youth mentoring, church planting and church development. Michael is the theological education coordinator, and also assists with finance, literature development and church planting. In November 2011, Tamara was appointed the district superintendent -- the first woman in Europe to hold this position in the denomination. Hailing from Canada, both are ordained elders in the Church of the Nazarene.

They previously co-pastored the Nazarene church in Brampton, Ontario, Canada (2007 - 2009); before that, they served as missionaries in Albania for nine years (1996 - 2005) and Romania for two years (2005 - 2007.) They returned to Romania in 2009. They have three daughters: Julia, 16; Emily, 14; Elena, 10.

Engage: How did you first recognize God’s call to be involved in missions?

Tamara: I was called to be a missionary at age 9 when a missionary visited my home church.  I clearly felt the Lord was telling me, “You are going to be a missionary when you grow up.” I was able to be involved in various ministry and mission experiences including youth teams and Youth in Mission. These experiences confirmed the call of God to cross cultural ministry.

Engage: Please share a story of a significant event or moment that has happened in your current assignment.

Tamara: Last fall 13 people were baptized in the Blessing Church in Bucharest, including our own daughter, Elena. What a joy it was to participate in that occasion and to baptize our youngest daughter.

Engage: What is your favorite aspect of what you do in your present assignment?

Tamara: Our ministry is about investing in people. We love to spend time teaching and equipping others for ministry. We love to spend time praying, worshipping and serving together with our Romanian brothers and sisters. The most significant moments in ministry often occur around a dinner table or over a cup of coffee.

Engage: What are some of the challenges that you face in carrying out your work?

Tamara: The work load is sometimes difficult to handle and finding balance in life and ministry can be challenge.

Engage: How do you maintain a close relationship with God and your family in the midst of the demands of missionary service?

Tamara: Personal prayer and devotions is essential. We have developed family traditions (dinner table prayer and activities) which help us learn and grow together. We take time to play and have fun together on a regular basis.

Engage: What are the rewards of what you do?

Tamara: Seeing young people called and equipped to answer the call of God in their lives.

Engage: What are some aspects of the culture where you live that you have come to love or embrace?

Tamara: We have learned to love Romanian food and all the time it takes to prepare it together with friends. We also love the history of the country and love to visit old castles and fortified churches. 

Engage: What do you like to do for fun?

Tamara: We enjoy outdoor activities, especially hiking in the mountains.

Engage: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

Tamara: One of my first student jobs was handing out rain coats at Niagara Falls in Canada.

Engage: What advice would you have for others exploring a possible call to missions, or embarking on their first missionary assignment?

Tamara: The call of God is what keeps us firm when challenges come. Be sure of His call and stay close to Him. Apart from Him we can do nothing!

EuNC - Central Europe Field

In the early 1990's, the world saw the church enter multiple new countries in the heart of Europe and in the CIS within a short period of years. Today, Central Europe is beginning to reap the harvest of the seeds that were planted here more than a decade ago. Beginning in 2009, men and women called to ministry and committed to remain in their home country throughout the course of their study have begun to celebrate the fruition of their years of theological preparation. Graduations and ordinations are starting to be a consistent part of district assemblies across the field.

In October, Elke Kaci was ordained. She is the second EuNC graduate and elder for the Albanian-Kosova District. Elke is the mother of two and deeply involved in ministry as the pastor of the Lushnje church. At the Albania-Kosova assembly, her husband Ilir Kaci, who is a physical education teacher, received the CM certificate for his years of study.

In Romania, Cristi Boseff, pastor of the Bucharest Blessings church and district licensed minister, Dan Cristea, were honored for their continuing commitment to theological preparation. The Romania district celebrated with them as Antonie Holleman recognized the years and the progress both of these men have invested in their studies.

In Hungary, the Wesleyan partnership has coordinated efforts to be a well organized and effective Learning Center that serves a wide range of students from several sister denominations. The Hungary Learning Center is a convincing example of the academic levels that can be reached in theological education and pastoral preparation with a commitment to excellence.

Tim Green from Trevecca Nazarene
University teaches in Romania

The Bulgaria district has several students close to completion of their course of study. The 2011 assembly celebrated the graduation of three Bulgarian students and the 2012 assembly anticipates more graduation celebration.

While students from the earliest cohorts progress toward completion, three districts are watching a new influx of Nazarene students. The Albania-Kosova district has 18 very motivated learners who have completed a record 6 classes in the 2011/12 academic year. Romanian Nazarenes are excited to see God calling many youth to ministry - youth who are now answering their calls both by taking classes and by becoming actively involved in leadership. In Bulgaria and in Romania, church growth and development in Romani communities is creating opportunities to provide contextualized theological education as Roma men and women deepen their faith foundations. It is probable that in those earliest years, the seed planters had hopes for what God would faithfully do. They could not have definitively known how He would accomplish the spread of His gospel nor could they have written a more beautiful story. Over these two decades, men and women have sacrificed time, energy, and resources in order to immerse themselves in study and preparation for ministry. Most often, they did this in conjunction with the faithful fulfillment of their roles as parents, spouses, professionals, and ministers. Their dedication is inspiring. Their celebration is earned. Most importantly, their testimony speaks clearly of a faithful Gardener who provides the resources necessary for a kingdom harvest. Today, the Central Europe field is praising the Lord of the harvest for His goodness even as we labour to plant more seeds in anticipation for the future.

Cezarina Cufaj, EuNC alumni 2011 and administrator of the Albania learning centre writes: “Coming back to Albania after 10 years and working on education was easy and amazingly challenging for me. The quality education I received at EuNC changed my life and equipped me for ministry. I want the same for the people of Albania. When I came to Albania I found a fertile ground for education and this made my work fruitful. My role was to be a facilitator because the students of Albania are hungry for knowledge and very committed to their studies. Their sacrifices for education have motivated my sleepless nights to prepare classes for them. So far, this journey has been transformational for the students and for me. God is doing great things in Albania, and I feel so privileged to be a part of it!”


This article was originally published in European Nazarene College's "In Touch" newsletter, April 2012 edition.

Just Three: Men’s Discipleship in Țigmandru, Romania

At first glance, a discipleship group with only three participants may seem insignificant and almost pointless. When we look deeper, we recognize that the success of discipleship does not rest solely on the number of participants, but rather in the way they allow themselves to be transformed by God’s Spirit.

When I was asked to lead the men’s group in the Church of the Nazarene in the Romanian village of Țigmandru, Romania, I prayed that there would be at least one person who would make a serious commitment to grow as Christ’s disciple as part of the group. Instead of one, God entrusted me with the discipleship of three men, each being young in their Christian walk.

I recognized that they needed to be better grounded in the Bible. So, for the past year, I have met weekly with these three men (often for more than three hours at a time!), as we studied the major passages, events, and people in the Old Testament.

On Sunday evening, February 19, these three men were presented with certificates from Continuing Lay Training after they shared with the congregation the overarching Old Testament story from beginning to end.

Our discipleship group has always been about more than simply imparting knowledge about the Bible; it is the means through which they have been transformed by the Bible. I prayed from the beginning that they would become leaders in the church, in their families, and in their community.

God is answering that prayer in ways I never imagined. God is taking these three men and using them to do things that I as a missionary could never do. They’re growing as lay leaders by becoming more involved in the day-to-day life of their local church. They’ve taken the initiative to start an outreach ministry in their homes to share their faith with their extended families and neighbors who aren’t yet willing to step into a church building. Additionally, they’re now leading a children’s ministry in a neighboring village.

Just because we’ve finished studying the Old Testament doesn’t mean discipleship in Țigmandru is coming to an end. These young men recognize that this is only the beginning of their spiritual formation. We have plans for future discipleship courses – for them and others in the Țigmandru Church – in the areas of the New Testament, spiritual disciplines, and Christian beliefs.

It has been wonderful to see God work in the lives of these young men throughout the past year, especially as they have recently become involved in leading two new outreach ministries. Even though there were "just three" in the discipleship group, God is working through them, so "just three" is becoming the "first three."

written by Jonathan Phillips

Reprinted in Where Worlds Meet, April 2012 and Engage Magazine.

God’s Perfect Timing

Sighisoara, Romania – On Tuesday, January 31, Veritas director Petra Popa was looking for a miracle. It was the day payment was due on the new Veritas ministry center, but there wasn't enough money in the bank.

Back in the summer, the advisory board for Veritas, the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) partner organization in Sighisoara, Romania, had realized the organization needed a new building. The compassionate ministries for children, teenagers, the disabled, the elderly, and against domestic violence had long outgrown the former fur coat factory that had served as the Veritas “Family Center” since 1998.

Within a week of their June 2011 meeting, board members found a property for sale that was within walking distance of the Family Center. It would take a miracle for Veritas to be able to buy the new property and to sell the old Family Center. Amazingly, by the end of the summer, both had been accomplished.

The owner of the new property, which consists of several buildings on over an acre of land, gave Veritas the option to pay for the property in three installments over the course of a year rather than securing a bank mortgage. Additionally, the owner accepted the former Family Center as part of the payment, significantly reducing the sale price of the new center.

The first of the three installments was paid at the signing at the end of the summer. The second would be due at the end of January, and the final would be due June 2012.

On the morning of January 31, all the money for the payment had still not arrived in the Veritas bank account. Petra knew that as the director of a Christian organization, she needed to respect her financial commitments without delays. Monetary gifts from various donors in the United States and Great Britain had been deposited, but a large amount already transferred from the NCM office in Bucharest had not yet been received in the Veritas bank account.

Since the funds coming from NCM are processed in dollars, and Petra had to pay in Euros, she was hoping for a favorable (low) exchange rate. She was quite discouraged on the morning of January 31 to see that the dollar was weaker than it had been the day before. It would now cost $1.36 for each Euro. Petra decided to wait until all the money was in the bank before she would exchange it.

In her office at the new Veritas Community Center, while waiting for news that the money from the NCM office had been received, Petra prayed that the money would arrive in time and that they would get a favorable exchange rate.

Throughout the afternoon, Petra kept checking the exchange rate, and it kept getting better – first to $1.33, then to $1.28. Finally, at 4:30 pm, just a half hour before the bank closed, the money arrived from Bucharest. By this point in time, Petra was able to secure an exchange rate of $1.25 – saving Veritas over $1,500 from what would have been received at the earlier exchange rate!

In God’s perfect timing, Veritas was presented with an incredible opportunity to purchase a new center for compassionate ministries.

In God’s perfect timing, Veritas was able to pay its second installment in full on January 31.

In God’s perfect timing, the last money to be transferred was received at a time when the exchange rate was best.

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

Republished in Where Worlds Meet and NCN News