Missionaries of the Week

John and Estera Vatran

Both John and Estera’s families immigrated to the U.S. in the early 70’s when Eastern Europe was under communist oppression.  As young adults, they met, married and both felt the call of God to missionary service.  John began a long course of study at Western Seminary in San Jose while he worked his day job.  By the time he earned his seminary degree, communism had collapsed and the way was open for them to return to Romania to minister to their own people.  Conservative Baptist International appointed the Vatrans to Romania in 1992, which is the most effective place they could serve because they are already acquainted with the culture and language.

Romanians are very open to the Gospel and not anti-American as so many European countries are.  They receive the Vatrans very gladly and Romania is a rich harvest field.  John has full, full days as he teaches in seminary and university in Bucharest, which involves an overnight train ride each week.  He also mentors the young men with hands-on ministry on weekends and leads evangelistic outreaches.  Dozens of churches have been planted.  The entire family, including daughter, Daniela, and son, Jonathan, is involved in ministry in worship teams, sports outreach and women’s ministry.  Daniela and Jonathan are currently in college, but are in Romania in the summers. The Romanian church has known very little about women’s ministry and Estera has been able to start many ministries for women as well as AWANA.  Pray for good health and stamina for these servants of God in their ministries.

Address: Str. C. D. Loga Nr. 2/A, Aradul Nou, Arad, 310249, Jud. Arad
ROMANIA, EUROPE

9 Sunday  ~  Missionaries of the Week: John and Estera Vatran, Romania (World Venture). Please continue to pray for the many ministries in which the Vatrans are involved.  Find special information about them at the front patio this month.                          
MK Birthday – Karina Palmatier, Arizona (age 13)

10 Monday  ~  Jon and Karen Finley, Paris (WorldVenture). Jon, Karen, Samuel and Michael have returned to Paris after a year here in the States. The family has good news to share – Karen is expecting another child to be born in late February.  The news is that it is another boy.                                           
MK Birthday –  Michael Finley, Paris (age 4)

11 Tuesday  ~ John and Eriko Houlette, Japan (WV).   The Houlettes have been involved in church planting in Japan for 25 years, serving the last six years as Field Chairman.  Please pray that God would supply a few more committed supporters to meet their financial needs. John just completed a degree in personal counseling.  Congratulations!!

12 Wednesday  ~ Our Ministry Team in Albania. Pray for this couple as they teach and train Albanians for service in other countries like Macedonia and Turkey.

13 Thursday  ~  Jay and Kathy Pinney, Montreal (Outreach Canada). Jay and seven other leaders have been involved in organizing and planning a National Church Planting Congress that was held in November in Ottowa, Canada.  This is a special event which is held every second year and is a great blessing and encouragement for the church leadership in Canada.

14 Friday  ~ Gerry and Nancy Kraft, Exec. Dir. (Outreach Canada). Pray for sufficient support for the Krafts. The U.S. dollar has lost 20% of its value against the Canadian. Many of our missionaries are hurting.

15 Saturday  ~  Bill and Pam Rapier, Illinois/South Africa (African Leadership Development). Pray especially for Pam as she mothers their two little boys, who are now in second grade. Pray also for a book that Pam is writing about women, AIDS and orphans in Southern Africa.