Under the totalitarian regime of Romania’s Nicolae Ceausescu, most church attempts to construct new buildings or renovate existing ones resulted in government demolition by bulldozer. Today the Communists are gone, and the Second Baptist Church of Oradea has begun construction of a desperately needed new church complex. However, completion of the project is uncertain. The cost estimates that were set at $1 million last July have skyrocketed to $3 million, while the average person’s income has plummeted to about $40 per month. Second Baptist is appealing to Western churches for help. Yet at a time when severe economic crises are placing strains on ministries throughout Eastern Europe, many Christians there fear American churches have lost enthusiasm for their region.
“There seems to be a feeling that there was more interest [from American Christians] in Eastern Europe when it was under communism than there appears to be now,” said Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), who recently returned from a fact-finding visit to Romania.
“Relief work [by Western Christian groups] has declined,” says Danut Manastireanu, a board member of the Filo Calia (Love for Truth) foundation in Iasi, Romania. “Most has almost stopped.” Although Manastireanu expects some of the relief and evangelism activity to resume as weather improves this summer, he still foresees an overall decrease in mission efforts “because the interest has switched to other countries, such as Albania.” Many Christians believe the unprecedented amount of evangelical work in the former Soviet Union is also turning attention away from other areas.
Even the outpouring of interest in Romania’s orphans seems to have waned. Andy White lock, an American missionary working in a Cluj orphanage, estimates that 60 to 70 percent of the groups coming in last year to work with the children have already left.
Still, Romanian Christians hope that meaningful partnerships can be established between East and West. “A reduction in funds doesn’t necessarily reflect a reduction in activity,” says Valerie Hornsby of the Romanian Aid Fund, noting that several Western groups have effective, ongoing work in Romania.
The key, according to Manastireanu, is commitment. “I have been pleading for years for missions to help by encouraging groups of Christians in starting businesses or joint ventures. But many come here, unload their trucks, and go home happy they did something,” he says. “The organizations that major on long-term goals … have had a tremendous impact.”
Congressman Wolf is encouraging American churches to build up sister relationships with churches in Romania and throughout Eastern Europe. “Both would get a lot out of it,” he says. “The people of Eastern Europe may be very poor, but their faith is very, very strong.”
Reporting by Debbie Reece in Vienna.
