The 48 hours that my team spent doing ministry in a small town in the heart of Romania changed our lives forever.
It started as a fairly normal morning until I received a call about four siblings who had been found abandoned. They are young (12, 8, 6, and 5) and in that moment, they needed somewhere safe to go.
You know what’s always amazed me?
How something as simple as a college student saying “yes” to a summer can turn into something much bigger over time.
For years, we’ve had students come serve with us. They arrive not fully knowing what to expect but come willing. And somewhere along the way, something shifts. You see it in how they connect, how they listen, how they begin to care about people in a deeper way. And then, years later when you start hearing it in their stories.
The back of the picture says 2005. That was the first teen trip to Romania from my home church—and honestly, it started something bigger than anyone probably expected. After that, teams kept going every few years… until life, leadership changes, and Covid hit pause.
Leadership Development, Romania, Behind the Scenes
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to be at Praxis 2026 at the Eastern European Bible College. One of the participants, Ionuț Cornea, shared a reflection that has stayed with me—and I wanted to pass it along because it speaks to something we all need.
Here’s the truth he started with:
God finds pleasure in us… before we do anything.
Last Sunday at Impact Church was one of those moments that reminds us why this work matters.
For so many students, faith can feel distant or uncertain and they are not quite sure how to take their next step. That’s where the church is able to step in and create a place where they can see what it looks like to follow Jesus.
