2020 was a year to remember. Many say it was a horrible year - a year of restrictions. In Romania, we felt the same at first. When the pandemic first reached Romania, we were not sure how it would affect our Business as a Ministry, The American Cafe. We had to let go of national workers right after expanding. The church meeting in person was restricted or forbidden on occasion. Everything we were doing here in ministry was put on hold.

Initially we were busy making needed updates to the cafe. After a few months without gatherings or business, restrictions were lifted. We were excited to operate semi-normally again. Then another set of restrictions and closures came. This second time around felt different. We started to see how the pandemic was affecting our committed churchgoers and our regulars at the cafe. God showed us opportunities to reach the people and to be the church in caring for one another. We brought food to many of our churchgoers and helped an elderly lady who was living in the dark and barely got out of bed. The church came together to clean her small apartment. We gave her clothes and got her power back on so she could have heat during the winter. We saw one of the newer believers in our church step up to visit her daily and bring her meals.

The pandemic started with feelings of lost opportunities and restrictions. God opened our eyes to be the church and take care of needs right in front of us. He gave us the ability to minister to our church body and then go beyond to help those that weren’t apart the church. Sometimes it takes a new perspective to see that ministry is available everywhere and the church does not exist solely within the walls of the church we build for ourselves.