In early February, nine choir members from the institute’s male choir and myself had a super excursion to two villages close to Beius/Belenyes in the Western Carpathian area of Romania. We arrived in the first village just in time to participate in the evening worship which was part of a week-long prayer celebration.

Szabo Arpad, a former choir member now serving as pastor in a neighbouring village, preached. On Sunday morning Kelemen Csongor, one of the choir members, delivered the sermon. Both pastors of the villages were choir members when the choir was founded in 1996. Attila and Zoli arranged a wonderful hospitality for us and we shared our faith through song to about 400 people.

It is always rewarding for me to witness the fine work that former choir members are doing throughout Transylvania. Both of these pastors were not only great hosts but they truly inspired my present choir members. Just after this I was able to purchase a portable Yamaha piano with funds donated through the Gifts of Change project, “Share the Gift of Music in Romania.” It has already been put to good use on several occasions and it gives us more opportunities to perform in places lacking adequate instruments.