1999 DIARY OF A YOUNG GOD-LOVING AMERICAN MISSIONARY IN ROMANIA, PREACHING THE GOSPEL AROUND THE COUNTRY AND DETAILING THE FOOD, CULTURE, AND MANY ECCENTRICITIES OF THE ROMANIAN PEOPLE

On offer is a recent diary, written in 1999, of an American missionary’s trip to preach in Romania. The author is a Baptist from North Carolina, and speaks Romanian fluently. The diary is written almost completely in English. It begins in November 17, 1999: “Be ready. Some of this will be written in Romanian...My plane ride to Bucharest was a good one. When I arrived in Buc. at OJP., I had to wait 4 hours for my luggage. Ghita said someone would me me at OJP and take me to the train station. That was not the case. Eventually I made it to the station and waited 4 hours for my train (most of which I spent outside in a large covered area. It was very cold - about -5° or 30°F and I was prepared for 22°C or 70°F per Ghita’s instructions. My train ride was overnight in a ‘sleeper’ car. It was the bumpiest ride of my life...” In Romania, he soon begins travelling through the country preaching. “Last night, we preached in a church in Varadia which is a village with a creek that is used as a road. The church as freezing b/c the deacon lit the fire 2 hours late. What an experience! For supper we had sausage and head cheese made from a fresh killed hog. This morning, we preached in Carbonari...Tonight we will be at Stiepari to preach at a church w/ about 115 people. Tomorrow I will visit the high school and then be back in Timi?oara on Monday night...” In addition to writing about preaching to the Romanian people, the author writes often of the food he eats, and the kindness, customs, and eccentricities of the Romanian people.” He stays often with a woman named Maria, who is the sister-in-law of a friend back home: “I am not sure that Maria is a Christian. This makes things tough to deal with at times. The other night, I wanted to sue the phone which I said I had a phone card and she began telling me that I was supposed to give her money for staying there, electricity, food, etc. Well this is right for me to give her money, but not for her to demand it...I would rather her give her house for and expect nothing. This way, the money I give is a gift - a ‘thank you’ for allowing me to stay in the home...Do for others expecting nothing in Return. When you get something act as if it was not expected - Do things from the heart, not out of personal gain.” He also writes of the upcoming millennium and that “it will be interesting to see what Y2K brings. Y2K experts have listed Romania as one of the countries they think will suffer the most.” He also watches a game between an American team (Crossfire) “a sports ministream team based in Asheville, NC” and a team from Timi?oara. “I was able to sit w/ two Mormon friends, I met one in Bucharest. I have been praying for the HS to work on his heart and show him the light. This is a good time for that - he has heard Crossfire present the gospel 2x and he is homesick.” He also quotes some bible verses at length and does some time interpreting what he believes they mean. Most days he spends preaching at churches or joining Romanian Christian youth groups for bible study. On one of his last days in Romania he gets into a conflict with some locals who scam him out of some money: “The conductor of my car said I needed to pay for the extra luggage. I refused b/c I already bought 2 tickets which makes my cabin 1st class by myself. He wasn’t going to let me on but than he did (BTW: all this time, I am praying). Then the smecher (con-man) said I need to either purchase an extra baggage billet or buy him or his friends (3 of them) a beer. I didn’t buy them, but gave the money so I wouldn't have any trouble. This is a part of Romania I despise. He spends the last few pages reflecting on his trip in Romania and quoting and interpreting the bible. This young man really pours his heart out for his love of God and the importance of his religious message. The book is a total of 108 handwritten pages out of a 160-page or so book. The diary is written in a “Sainsbury Reporters Notebook”. The pages turn from top to bottom, not left to right. The size is roughly 8” x 5 inches. The pages are in good condition and all still attached to the ring binding. No wear or tear or discoloration. One or two pages are folded up and can be easily unfolded. The handwriting is clean and legible throughout, in blue and black ink. OVERALL: VG; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, MISSIONARY WORK, CHRISTIANITY IN ROMANIA, CHRISTIAN OUTREACH, BUCHAREST, CULTURE OF ROMANIA, FOOD OF ROMANIAN, BAPTIST, AMERICAN MISSIONARY WORK, CHRISTIANITY, RELIGIOUS YOUTH GROUPS, CROSSFIRE YOUTH MINISTRIES, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, Y2K, END OF THE 20TH CENTURY, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ARCHIVE, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNAL, LOG, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D’ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL