Octavian Ciudesnic Archives – Together in Mission | Spreading the gospel locally, globally and virtually

The Little Carolers

Together for Mission — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:33:23 +0000

The Psalmist says that in His greatness, God draws strength from the mouths of children to defend against His enemies (Psalm 8:2). This happened in Icoana during the Lord’s Incarnation. Children from Icoana came together full of joy and went caroling. We visited over 15 houses together. We rehearsed the carols we knew and learned some new ones as well.

At the end of this week of caroling, we had a special party for the children where we praised God through carols, played various fun games, looked gratefully at what we could accomplish together during our meetings, children drew together the scene of the birth of the Lord Jesus, and finally enjoyed gifts, reminding us all of the most wonderful gift God has given us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer Points:

For vision, strength, and energy in serving these children.
For us volunteers. We desire to restart the Awana club.
For the healthy growth of the group of teenage girls. Livia has started a special weekly group for 13-14 year old girls.

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The gospel is always effective!

Together for Mission — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:42:31 +0000

One of the verses that encourages me and drives me to continue preaching the Gospel is Mark 16:16: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” The complete and clear presentation of Christ’s Gospel is effective. God does His work. Even if people do not believe, preaching the Gospel is not in vain. The Lord Jesus says they will be condemned because they have heard and not believed. I desire and strive to be a faithful witness to the Lord in Icoana, obeying His command.

Another important aspect of the ministry I engage in is preaching the Word of God. In recent months, I have had the opportunity to support the local churches through messages, Bible studies, and communion. I am glad to share the beauty of the Word as the Lord reveals it to me and helps me understand it.

As every year, with the arrival of the cold season, we seek to stand by the disadvantaged groups in Icona. Together with a sister from the church, we visited widows and families with children, to whom we spoke about eternal life and offered food. The joy easily shines on the faces of some as someone came to them, opened the door, and broke the deafening silence of loneliness.

After the summer events for children, we resumed meetings with children in Icona, and together we seek to discover how God has worked throughout history through these little ones. So far, we have looked at Isaac’s model of obedience and how God can turn evil into good, as in Joseph’s situation. We hope that these children will one day come to know God!

You can support these works by interceding for:

The Lord to have mercy on the people of Icona and grant them saving faith.
God to help me make time to proclaim the Gospel to people on the streets.
To have wisdom to know how to speak with people going through difficult situations.
The Lord to work in the hearts of the children of Icoana.

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Jesus – the only SuperHero

Together for Mission — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 09:49:29 +0000

With God’s help, this summer we went to camp together with 20 children. The theme of the camp was “Jesus – the only Superhero.” Alongside games, trips, and other creative activities, we discussed why the Lord Jesus is the only superhero and how He helps us today.

Also this summer, we organized a day camp in Floru, thinking of the other children who couldn’t come to the camp. We were delighted to spend three special days with over 35 children from the Icoana community. Throughout these days, our friend Mariana from Tulcea presented to the children in a very captivating and creative way how they can receive a new heart from God.

Please continue to pray for the salvation of these children! Many thanks to those who supported these projects! May God be glorified in all things!

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The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man

Together for Mission — Sat, 06 May 2023 06:57:28 +0000

“The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.” (Matthew 13:37)

I think God wants us to resemble Him in this area as well. He came and sowed the truths of the Kingdom of God. If we, in turn, do this, according to the commandment He left us, we resemble Him. I pray that God will help us not to stop sowing the good seed in this world full of weeds.

The good seed

This year also, with God’s help and with the believers in Icoana, more than 100 packets of seeds were distributed along with the “Good Seed” brochure. It is a good opportunity to be a blessing to those around us at this time of year, but also an opportunity to speak to them about the Kingdom of God.

A rod not a fish

I like this social project the most. I am glad that the good Lord gave us the necessary resources for a solarium. As the name suggests, this project involves providing support to needy families by providing them with a way in which, through their involvement, they can produce more resources for themselves. The materials for such a solarium reach 3000 RON.

Time with children

Having three little children with whom it is necessary to spend time and play, we try to be a blessing in this way also and show the surrounding families and children what a truly Christian family looks like. Not infrequently, children and young people who came to our home, noted how big of a difference there is between our family and theirs. We are not perfect, but we try to show what it means to receive and give grace: asking for forgiveness and forgive, to serve the other and offer love.

The children in the picture come from two different families with whom we have a closer relationship. The two little girls are sisters(Mădălina and Georgiana) and they come from a family where both parents suffer from a slight handicap, and the other three are the children of the widow who benefited of the solar.

Reasons for prayer:

May God have mercy on the people of Icoana and save them. Only He can do that.
For Angelica and her children to see the goodness of the Lord and to return to Him wholeheartedly.
For strength, patience and wisdom in the discipleship with the children of Icoana.

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Ministry Preview 2021

Together for Mission — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 08:30:20 +0000

Ministry Preview 2021

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A ministry with impact in Icoana

Together for Mission — Tue, 11 May 2021 15:45:47 +0000

Through God’s grace and mercy while having lots of emotions and uncertainties, we planned the arrival of this team at the end of 2020.

We chose to walk in faith and took this process step by step. This team was a huge blessing and encouragement due to the testimonies these people have. They were redeemed from the darkest situations so God used them to start the year in a powerful way to spread the Gospel.

Glory to God for everything for we still enjoy the fruit of their ministry here in Icoana.

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Icoana Ministry 2020

Together for Mission — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 17:37:50 +0000

Despite the difficulties encountered in this pandemic times, we are thankful to God and encouraged to look back to 2020 to see His goodness and faithfulness.

We want to not forget any of His blessings and celebrate every step we take through His power! Praise the Lord with us for the blessings poured out on us last year and the mission in Icoana! We invite you to be with us this year too!

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A special moment in 2020

Together for Mission — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:10:44 +0000

When I think about 2020, besides this global pandemic, I remember a very special moment in my life as a servant of God. In September I was ordained as a pastor of a church from Floru called “The Light”.

Among the believers from Icoana, there were other important people next to me who are constantly investing in me and encouraging me.

I am honored and held accountable by God through this public act of recognizing my position as a spiritual leader and servant of the church.

My prayer is similar to Elijah’s prayer: Lord, let it be known today that you are God in Icoana and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. (1 Kings 18:36, adapted and paraphrased).

Pray for me and for His work to be done!

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Warming the heart and body

Together for Mission — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:07:23 +0000

For many of us, winter came with an abundance of sweet memories that fill our hearts with joy and enchantment when we think of the moments spent in front of a fireplace or out in the snow.

Unfortunately, for some families in Icoana, winter’s arrival is not such a wonderful time. Most of them are uncertain if they are going to have enough wood for heating. Because of this, we are grateful to be a blessing for some of these families and to cover their needs.

The project “Warming the heart and body” began with the tragic experience of a family from Icoana. Angelica’s husband, father of three kids between ages 8-12, died this summer. Our desire to help this family helped us discover more families with this specific need.

Our village doesn’t have gas or other natural resources so these families use wood to keep warm during winter. It’s also cheaper and more accessible than other resources. Our project helped 14 families until now, all of them with limited financial resources.

The families were chosen based on the following criteria:

Families with a poor financial condition;
Families with children;
Workers and servants in the Kingdom of God who are spreading the Gospel in the area;

We pray to God for their hearts to be warmed by His love and for a positive answer from their behalf.

“We love because He first loved us”. (1 John 4:19)

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Hope in the pandemic

Together for Mission — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 08:13:24 +0000

More than ever, in this period of emergency caused by the pandemic, the foodpaks from CHF have been waited for with enthusiasm and great need! We have 15 families we visit as a church in this program and they live in 6 different villages.

Olanu family lives in Ursoaia village. The two girls, Cristina and Maria were very happy when they saw me, they came into my path as soon as I got down from the car. With gratitude, their mother told me how useful the foodpaks I took to them right before the emergency stated was inacted. Her husband is working remotely and he could not come home for a month so they were left without money.

On my last visit I gave the kids a children’s Bible and a normal Bible for their family. They told me she reads to the girls the children’s Bible but she can’t read the normal Bible because her husband Ionuț (Johnny) took it with him and he carries it everywhere, he even puts it under his head being convinced that this way things will go well for him. A was happy to see their openness for the Scripture but I

We hope we can form a house group at that address and start a Bible study group. We have been praying for this for the village of Ursoaia as there is no believer there.

Badaran family is a family from the local church that is very involved in ministry, especially in the administrative part but also in the mercy ministry. Sister Daniela Bădăran cleans the church and is also helped by her youngest daughter. She came to know the Lord by finding an evangelistic brochure dropped on the street and than her husband kicked her out of the house with 3 children because she became a believer and she did not want to have an abortion. That is how she ended up in village of Floru. Now her unborn daughter at that time helps her a lot, the only daughter that still lives with her as the rest have their own families. She has a part-time job that pays her 95 dollar a month and we as a church, for her service, give her almost 50 dollars a month. Her daughter is a goo student in high school and is a testimony for her classmates and teachers. She is also involved in children ministry too. Given their hard life, they are one of the families from the church we helped with the food CHF bought in country. They were very grateful not only to help other with the foodpaks but also to be themselves helped with this food in this hard times of pandemics.

With gratitude and joy,

Pastor Octavian (Tavi) Ciudesnic

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