Romania
Olongapo/Tarlac/Quezon city
As a Romania mission team member you will reach the people of Romania for Christ and invest in eternity as we assist missionaries and pastors in reaching the Romani villages.
Destination
Romania
Dates
June 13–26, 2027
Leaders
Mr. Mark Goetsch
Mrs. Melany Goetsch
Cost
$3,500
14 Openings
Ministry Opportunities
The two-week trip to Romania helps support two ministries. In the first week, the team will partner with Ruben and Jordan Cristinoiu at a local church in Sânmihaiu Almașului, assisting with VBS programs, games, and Bible teaching for local children and teens.
Then, the team will travel to Romani villages near Satu Mare, under the direction of Brent and Sara George. There, the team will visit up to four villages a day, teaching children, encouraging local believers, and helping with village church services through preaching, testimony, and music.
Music Ministry
The purpose is to offer evangelistic concerts in Barcelona and nearby cities, as well as in Marseille and Tuscany. In 2025, we did a similar mission trip with great success. Music is a powerful evangelistic tool to share the Gospel with European audiences.
Our team will visit St. Gaudens to have an evangelistic concert there working with Pastor Price and his church.
Children's Club
Much like a VBS in the United States, we will have the opportunity to work with the children of the church and community. We will learn a few songs to teach the children. Despite the language barrier, we are able to assist Dave with crafts, games, and even Scripture memory.
Literature Distribution
We will take advantage of the route of the Tour de France. People gather from all over Europe to see the race go through the various towns, providing an excellent opportunity to get the gospel in the hands of thousands. Since the route changes a little each year, we are able to get this information to new people each summer.
Camp Ebenezer
Hebron Valley Baptist Church organizes several annual camps throughout the year for families and young people.
We also hold the "Intensive Bible Institute at Eben-Ezer," which meets quarterly for intensive studies in the Word of God.
Church Ministries
We will be encouraging the church by coming alongside the Valcarcels, Prices, and Maietta and the church members to help in their existing ministries.
Leaders
Mark and Melany Goetsch
Since 2008, Mark and Melany Goetsch have been to Romania on 11 summer mission trips. They enjoy taking college students and staff to work with the missionaries in Romania and exposing them to missions.
For the past 29 years, they have served the Lord at PCC. Coach Goetsch is the PCC Athletic Director, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, and teacher in the physical education department. He also serves as an adult Bible study teacher at Campus Church. Melany taught music for 27 years at Pensacola Christian Academy.
Mr. And Mrs. Goetsch
hosts
During this trip, the team will spend time serving alongside missionaries and helping with ministry in several Romani villages.
Brent and Sara George
Brent and Sara George have been on the field in Romania since 2009. They have five children: Jacob, Bethany, Danae, Noah, and Justin. The older three are no longer on the field, but they still help the team. Their mission work includes soul-winning, discipling, church planting, youth camp ministry, children’s ministry, and sending nationals to the mission field.
Ruben and Jordan Cristinoiu
Since November 2018, Ruben and Jordan Cristinoiu have been serving the Lord together as missionaries to Ruben’s home country of Romania. There, he pastors Grace of Life Baptist Church, a church plant in the village of Sânmihiau, where they serve their local community through children and youth ministries, Bible studies, and church services, with a special focus on reaching the Romani people.
the land
Romania is an Eastern European country with a population of about 19 million people. Although some areas of Romania are becoming more urban, most of the country remains rural and agrarian. The rolling countryside is covered with endless hills, hay fields, small villages, and wooden churches.
The village of Sânmihaiu Almașului is located between the cities of Zalau and Cluj. It is very similar in weather and terrain to Medieșu Aurit which is between Satu Mare and Baia Mare near the Hungarian border. It can get hot and humid in these areas, but at times it can also be surprisingly cold as well.
the people
The majority of the Romanian population consider themselves Orthodox, while the second-largest religion is Catholic. The people have a knowledge of God and Jesus but have little understanding of the Bible’s truth and the good news of what Jesus Christ has done for them.
Romanian is the Latin-based language spoken in Romania, but many of the boys and girls are taught English in their school system and enjoy talking to Americans using English. Romanian people also love to hear Americans attempt to learn and speak their language and are appreciative of the effort team members make to learn songs in Romanian as well as some simple presentation lines.
the missions work
The Romania team will work with the Romani churches near Satu Mare and Cluj-Napoca, helping to extend the growth of the ministries of both Brent & Sara George and Ruben & Jordan Cristinoiu.
Team members will get to help with VBS programs, games, and Bible teaching for local children and teens. Later during the trip, they will visit up to four villages a day, teaching children, encouraging believers, and helping with village church services through preaching, testimony, and music.
History
In 2008, YOM sent its first mission team to Romania, led by Mark and Melany Goetsch. Since then, teams have returned each year—except in 2012 and during COVID-19. The early trips focused on camp ministry in Sighetu Marmației, but today’s efforts are centered in Medieșu Aurit and Sânmihaiu Almașului, partnering with missionaries to reach the Romani communities of Romania.
highlights from past trips
Every year, the team has seen children trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior during the Thursday evening invitation. It is a blessing and encouragement to see the growth of the church and the spiritual development of children who were witnessed to in the villages.
The team members get to assist with a VBS-style morning program that reaches more than 70 children every year. Each day, the children enjoy activities including Bible lessons, review games, Scripture memory, crafts, and basic English education. Then in the evenings, the team leads services under the tent that bring villagers together for singing, testimonies, and Bible preaching.
hosts
During this trip, the team will spend time serving alongside missionaries and helping with ministry in several Romani villages.
Brent and Sara George
Brent and Sara George have been on the field in Romania since 2009. They have five children: Jacob, Bethany, Danae, Noah, and Justin. The older three are no longer on the field, but they still help the team. Their mission work includes soul-winning, discipling, church planting, youth camp ministry, children’s ministry, and sending nationals to the mission field.
Ruben and Jordan Cristinoiu
Since November 2018, Ruben and Jordan Cristinoiu have been serving the Lord together as missionaries to Ruben’s home country of Romania. There, he pastors Grace of Life Baptist Church, a church plant in the village of Sânmihiau, where they serve their local community through children and youth ministries, Bible studies, and church services, with a special focus on reaching the Romani people.
the land
Romania is an Eastern European country with a population of about 19 million people. Although some areas of Romania are becoming more urban, most of the country remains rural and agrarian. The rolling countryside is covered with endless hills, hay fields, small villages, and wooden churches.
The village of Sânmihaiu Almașului is located between the cities of Zalau and Cluj. It is very similar in weather and terrain to Medieșu Aurit which is between Satu Mare and Baia Mare near the Hungarian border. It can get hot and humid in these areas, but at times it can also be surprisingly cold as well.
the people
The majority of the Romanian population consider themselves Orthodox, while the second-largest religion is Catholic. The people have a knowledge of God and Jesus but have little understanding of the Bible’s truth and the good news of what Jesus Christ has done for them.
Romanian is the Latin-based language spoken in Romania, but many of the boys and girls are taught English in their school system and enjoy talking to Americans using English. Romanian people also love to hear Americans attempt to learn and speak their language and are appreciative of the effort team members make to learn songs in Romanian as well as some simple presentation lines.
the missions work
The Romania team will work with the Romani churches near Satu Mare and Cluj-Napoca, helping to extend the growth of the ministries of both Brent & Sara George and Ruben & Jordan Cristinoiu.
Team members will get to help with VBS programs, games, and Bible teaching for local children and teens. Later during the trip, they will visit up to four villages a day, teaching children, encouraging believers, and helping with village church services through preaching, testimony, and music.
History
In 2008, YOM sent its first mission team to Romania, led by Mark and Melany Goetsch. Since then, teams have returned each year—except in 2012 and during COVID-19. The early trips focused on camp ministry in Sighetu Marmației, but today’s efforts are centered in Medieșu Aurit and Sânmihaiu Almașului, partnering with missionaries to reach the Romani communities of Romania.
highlights from past trips
Every year, the team has seen children trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal savior during the Thursday evening invitation. It is a blessing and encouragement to see the growth of the church and the spiritual development of children who were witnessed to in the villages.
The team members get to assist with a VBS-style morning program that reaches more than 70 children every year. Each day, the children enjoy activities including Bible lessons, review games, Scripture memory, crafts, and basic English education. Then in the evenings, the team leads services under the tent that bring villagers together for singing, testimonies, and Bible preaching.
Join the Team
Ready to serve on the mission field? Apply for one of our short-term mission opportunities available each summer.