We are growing a little home sick for ROMANIA!
It is hard to believe that over two years have passed since we have seen our Romanian brothers and sisters. Paula and I think and pray for them often, and we strongly desire to see them again. Memories are so precious, yet they only comfort so much. We are praying that God would send us back to them, and we ask you to join with us in that prayer. Thanks!

The last sent mission letter to our supporters

August 15, 2000

Beloved,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paula and I have returned from our summer mission trip with many stories. We ministered for 23 days in the town of Baile Herculane, Romania. We experienced so much that it would be impossible for me to tell you everything in this letter. Because of that I am enclosing the brief reflection I wrote immediately after we returned from our trip. I hope this will give you insight into this life-changing trip.

Once again, I want to thank all of you for being such a vital part of this trip as well as all the others. Your prayer and support made it all possible.

We are excited about the fact that our home church, Mt. Zion Baptist, is becoming more and more mission minded. As a result of short-term trips taken within our church, we are planning on holding a missions conference in November. Among other events, we hope to have the pastor from the church in Baile Herculane come and speak at Mt. Zion. We will send you all information as the conference approaches and would love to have everyone in our support group attend.

Finally, I want to tell you that this trip has confirmed our calling into outreach missions. I will be attending the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Missions. Please continue to pray for us, as we surrender fully to God's leading. This group of supporters is very special to Paula and I. I hope you realize that you have been used by God.

Please keep in touch with us through the various means posted on this page. We now live in Kentucky and want to keep in contact with all of you.

Grace be with you,



B. Spencer Nix

Enclosure

Romania: Summer 2000

As I reflect upon the events of the last 23 days, I am perplexed at the greatness of our God in the giving of unexplainable joy among His people. From the minute details to the principal ministry, the sovereign Lord reigned over it all. He was in management of our lost luggage, and the orchestrating of every hour of worship. In all situations He was displaying His worthiness to be praised and glorified. I am continually staggered at how He works all things for our good and His glory.
I could write hours on the conditions and the humanitarian needs of the Romanians, but that would not be adequate in reflecting the supremacy of our God. So I want to impart that God is so supreme, that He can and does overcome world poverty. He does this by imputing the righteousness of Christ (giving dead sinners the perfect righteous life of Christ), and as a result comes the joy for the nations all over the world including Romania.
I consider the believers in Romania have more than I, and most Americans, do. They have an unexplainable joy in worshipping the King of kings and Lord of lords. I am reminded of an 85-year-old woman named Ally in the village of Pirvova. As we waited for dinner to be served, Ally breathlessly shared her joyous testimony with Paula and I. She had so much to say that our interpreter would have to interrupt her in order to tell us what she was saying. But I knew before any word was interpreted, that this woman had joy. Her face glowed beautifully as she wept and told us how the Lord had redeemed her. She marveled at how the Lord had kept her healthy with a strong back and all of her teeth. She told us that she stacks hay superior over her daughter and grandchildren, and about the pleasure she has in the tending of her families two cows. Her life story brought tears to my eyes. She reminisced about communism and remembered running through the woods trying to escape the raiding Russians. She told how her father was captured and they way she cried herself to sleep. Then she told how thankful she was when the Russians returned her father. She had experienced in her life what we read about in novels and watch on the big screen. It would be easy to have sympathy and to ask why would God put a woman through so much. The answer was easily seen in this woman's heart and expressions. She counted all her life as joy. She thanked God for all she had and would not trade her life for anyone else's. This lovely woman reflected the joy of Christ and His greatness that cannot be explained.
This joy is deficient in America. I conclude this to be the case because in Romania they understand their full reliance upon God as the sole provider, while in America we erroneously believe that we are in control. The Romanian believers realize their need for God more than we do and it is illustrated in their thankfulness and worship.
Stories like Ally's have brought me to understand that the Romanians greatest need is not humanitarian relief or aid. They need exactly what all of us need. That is Jesus Christ. With Christ all things are possible, even without three hot meals, three bedrooms, and three televisions. The Romanians do not deserve any of life's blessings any more than you and I. I conclude that it is only when you have so little that you realize even that is undeserved and given graciously by our heavenly Father. With Christ our joy is complete. So, again, I say that God works for our good, in poverty or in wealth, to show us His greatness. In turn, we are to praise and give Him the glory for all things, and to take that joy to the streets of wherever we live. To God be the glory, great things He hath done.