The English Club

A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered as facilitator for an Expat English Club. My responsibility entails organizing meetings and facilitating online discussions. So, this past Thursday we had the very first meeting of this 'club' and 6 people showed up out of the 60+ signed up. Considering this was the first meeting, 10% is not a bad start. Why would we devote time to something like this? First of all because it is an excellent avenue to make inroads into the international community in Bucharest. Secondly, because we want to be a positive force in the lives of those we get to meet and would like to pursue discussing spiritual matters with them.

Here is a quick summary of those who came:

DANI - an American from Oregon who is in the middle of a world motorbike tour and is currently wintering in Romania after having come here form East Asia and Rusia.

KAIS - a Frenchman from Paris, has only been in Bucharest for about a week. Wants to meet other internationals and get to enjoy life as a bachelor while in Bucharest.

MICHEL - also from Paris, he's been in Bucharest for about 3 months. He works at a French bank in the city, and is an atheist. We established this after I commented how refreshing it was to be able to feel free to discuss politics and religion without cultural inhibitions. Unlike in the US, in France there no politics/religion taboos in discussion, and people are not relegated to discussing the weather. Michel was kind to inform me that he shocks people when he tells them he is an atheist, but that he categorically believes there is not a higher being.

RANDY - from Pittsburg, has been in Romania for about 3 years and is currently working for an English business magazine in Bucharest.

DANIELA - a native Romanian, has a boyfriend in Atlanta who is considering moving to Romania in the summer. She wants to practice her English, as well as have a group of people to introduce him to when he arrives.

MARGUERITTE - from France, is Michel's colleague at the bank and is wanting to get to know people as she's only been in Bucharest for about 2 weeks.

Please keep them in your prayers as you ask God for others to come to know of the sacrifice of Christ, our Lord.