Sibiu 2008

This is  the thirteenth trip that the Ovilla Church of Christ has made to Sibiu, Romania.  Do you kind of get the impression that they look forward to the teams arrival each year. 

It's apparent just from these few pictures that all the hard work and preparation is appreciated by the students. We want to thank everyone who contributed to the Romanian Mission Fund. Without your generous donations, we would not be able to continue to support this work.

We left Dallas on July 8 and began to realize almost immediately that this trip was going to be one of the best. Travel was exceptional and going through Amsterdam was great! We arrived in Sibiu on Wednesday evening around 10:00 PM and everything was in order at the pensiune. The brothers and sisters there to greet us and it was a great reunion! We took a day trip with the church on Friday, the 11th and went to Bran Castle. That is Dracula's castle! It was a great day of fellowship and sightseeing. Worship on Sunday was especially meaningful. Being back with our christian family in Sibiu was great. Preaching and teaching were done with the help of translation. Class began Monday morning. We had an AM class from 9 - 12, a Women's class from 4 - 5 PM, and a teen and young professionals class each evening. We made new contacts for Lee and were able to reach out to many who had left the church in recent years. The Open House on Friday PM was a great success with 106 in attendance. God truly works and blesses His people. Continue to pray for the Sibiu church and for the Skeltons as they serve. 

Sibiu 2007

A group  from Ovilla made their twelfth trip to Sibiu, Romania.  Each year the mission team travels to Sibiu to encourage the church and teach VBS.  Last year the missionaries, Kyle and Pat Holt, retired and returned to the U.S.  The Ovilla church has selected the Lee Skelton family as the new missionaries for Sibiu.  Lee and his family are making plans to move to Sibiu in May, 2008.  Sibiu, Romania is a city of approximately 300,000 people.  The Romanian revolution was in 1989 which freed the people from Communistic rule. The people of Romania are earnestly seeking for the truth. 
 
The mission team prepares bible lessons for a five-day VBS.  The group then teaches classes of  children and adults from 4th  grade through adults.  The main religion of Romania is Orthodox Romanian and the Lord’s church is not openly accepted.  The group is, however, allowed to teach VBS as a Conversational English Course in the school using the Bible as the textbook.

 
VBS this year was smaller than in prior years, but the group felt that this may have been the best VBS that they have ever had.  After attending classes at a local school all week, the students were invited (for the first time) to the church building for ice cream and the graduation ceremony.  There were more than 90 in attendance including parents. Then Sunday morning, many of the students returned for worship service. It was very exciting.