Participants: Steven Grabiner
Series Code: OCIR
Program Code: OCIR000007
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00:09 The colorful country of Romania is located in Central Europe
00:13 at the top of the Balkan Peninsula. 00:17 The countryside in identified with the Carpathian Mountains 00:21 the Danube River and the Black Sea. 00:25 Romania's temperate climate and varied landscape 00:29 have contributed to the fact that throughout recorded history 00:33 Romania has been inhabited. 00:36 As its common throughout the world 00:39 the Romanian people have cherished 00:41 the ideal of personal freedom yet there have been times 00:46 when they have fallen short on that goal. 00:50 Join us today and we visit an OCI member 00:54 that is introducing people for the freedom 00:58 that they can have in Jesus Christ. 01:16 The context between freedom and oppression 01:20 which is such a recurrent theme in human history 01:24 has surfaced many times in Romania's path. 01:28 According to JN Andrews in his book 01:31 the History of the Sabbath in the 1500s 01:34 they arose a group of Sabbath keeping Christians 01:38 in Transylvania, a region of Romania. 01:42 In the mid 1600 01:44 they were the third largest religious group in Transylvania. 01:50 Eventually due to continued persecution and oppression 01:54 the majority fled the region 01:56 or assimilated into other religious faith. 02:00 In the decades following World War II 02:03 communism ultimately exerted 02:05 its oppressive control on Romania. 02:09 The ongoing struggle for freedom 02:12 became evident here in Timisoara in 1989. 02:17 Within December of that year that a reformed pastor 02:22 by the name of Laszlo Tokes 02:25 gave an interview to some foreign journalist. 02:28 He decried the oppressive nature of the Ceausescu regime. 02:34 He first was sequestered in Timisoara 02:37 and then was to be exiled to a small village. 02:41 But before that happened on December 15 of 1989 02:47 there was a groundswell of support for the pastor. 02:51 His church members surrounded the church. 02:55 They prohibited the military from reaching him. 02:59 That initiated a very bloody revolution in Romania. 03:05 The next week saw many of thousands 03:08 put to death by the military. 03:10 However over the course of that week 03:13 the military changed sides. 03:17 Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife 03:19 who had ruled the country for decades 03:22 were ultimately captured and put to death. 03:26 But the flame of liberty was once again kindled in Romania. 03:35 Following the fall of communism 03:37 a new way of freedom swept through Romania 03:42 seizing upon in this opportunity Herghelia Institute was born. 03:48 Using an attractive lifestyle center 03:51 and a well-rounded health education program 03:55 Herghelia frees people from the wrong habits of life, 04:00 more than that they introduce people 04:02 to the freedom that's found in Jesus Christ. 04:07 I grew up in a family where I learned 04:10 to be concerned about people around me 04:12 and we loved the church 04:15 but we love very much the people outside the church 04:17 and we were concerned that they will somehow 04:20 understand the three angels message, 04:23 the present truth and will be prepared for Jesus coming. 04:28 And so for me as a medical student 04:30 it seemed natural to embrace the medical missionary work 04:35 as a mean to get to the closer to the people 04:39 and to convey to them Gods love 04:42 and the calling each one of us has to join in His kingdom. 04:47 God's vision for His people was to a establish lifestyle center 04:51 or a sanitarium near every big city 04:54 and in His wisdom he knew that people today 04:58 are very hard to be reached to tell or just ideas 05:03 they need something practical related to their health. 05:06 There is a great concern today about health, 05:08 health improvement and God knew that 05:11 this will be the last avenue to reach people. 05:15 Most of the patients they come to Herghelia lifestyle center, 05:20 they come with cardiovascular problems. 05:23 Ischemic heart disease, high blood pressure 05:27 also many of them has diabetes type II, 05:30 obesity it's a big problem. 05:33 Usually they come in a quite advanced state of disease 05:41 and they learn step by step also the program 05:45 that's going on here helps them to see to understand 05:51 to feel how it is to live in another way. 05:57 In 2008 my doctor told me 06:00 that three of my heart arteries were clogged. 06:03 I was hospitalized at the heart institute in Cluj 06:07 and was urged to have heart surgery. 06:10 They told me that if I wasn't operated on right away 06:13 I would die. 06:14 But I decided not to have the surgery. 06:19 I prayed that God would help me. 06:22 I heard about Herghelia on the Internet 06:25 and after one session I was much better. 06:30 Before coming to Herghelia 06:32 I was hardly able to walk up a few steps 06:36 but after a few days I was running 06:38 and playing tennis and I felt great. 06:44 From my view point as a physician 06:48 the health systems in general 06:49 particularly in the developed world 06:53 they are struggling with chronic diseases 06:56 that are the result of lifestyle choices. 07:01 And also the choices of the healthcare system 07:03 and how they've chosen to meet the needs of those problems. 07:08 Both of those are on a path it's totally unsustainable. 07:11 The only real way to turn things around 07:14 is to get the root problems. 07:16 Now the choices people make the lifestyles are living 07:19 and places like this have a very significant role 07:23 because that's what they're doing. 07:27 I came to Herghelia for the first time in 2004. 07:32 I was very scared when I first came 07:35 because I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. 07:39 My doctor had told me I would be on medication 07:41 for the rest of my life. 07:43 So when I found this oasis I realized that they were wrong. 07:47 I made many changes after I came to Herghelia. 07:50 First I changed my diet then I started physical exercise. 07:56 All my friends were asking what I had done at Herghelia. 08:00 They saw I was smiling, 08:02 I had a look of peace on my face, 08:04 I had a joy for life. 08:06 And that's easy for me to be friendly now. 08:10 I have given up my blood pressure medication 08:13 and now I have a normal blood pressure 08:14 from the lifestyle changes I've made. 08:18 You can almost picture the patients 08:19 they come through here as seeds 08:21 that are being planted in communities all over. 08:26 After about 16 years of operation 08:29 people, church members see that this is very efficient 08:32 and this encouraged another health center 08:36 in the eastern part of the country. 08:37 And there are at least six other health centers 08:41 in Romania in the making. 08:42 So we are coming close 08:44 to have lifestyle center in each country. 08:47 And I would say Romania it's not a very rich countries 08:51 neither poor can be a model for other countries 08:54 that it's possible when the church and the members 08:58 and the standard power of such ministry. 09:01 It's clear that God wants doors open. 09:05 And I don't think what I've seen in other places in the world 09:09 He is not waiting for political doors to open, 09:11 He's just waiting for doors that medical missionary work opens. 09:18 There's a lot of potential that's just waiting to happen. 09:23 What we try to teach them here is to find the real support 09:30 that they need in the process of change. 09:34 You know the inspiration tell us 09:36 that in medical missionary work 09:40 applying these natural remedies by faith 09:45 we are going to see supernatural results 09:48 and actually this is what is happening 09:50 at Herghelia day by day. 09:53 The Lord really touches the hearts of the people. 09:57 Every one of them is taught in a special way, 10:00 yet their experiences are so different. 10:07 I knew God and I had a relationship with God before. 10:13 But here I felt God's presence 10:15 through the staff that work here. 10:18 I used to pray privately, but when I first came in 2004 10:23 I was very surprised that before each procedure 10:26 the therapist or nurse who pray with me. 10:30 Here at Herghelia I've learned a lesson about service, 10:34 about giving yourself for the needs of those around you. 10:40 It's amazing how peaceful it is here 10:44 that something we all need in our fast paced lives. 10:48 By faith, by prayer, by reading step by step 10:53 we are empowered and we are able to be an example 10:57 and we influence the workers, we influence our patients. 11:03 Many patients say we found God in Herghelia, 11:07 it's a quarter of heaven, it's a warm atmosphere, 11:10 it's a home and that motivates us to go forward 11:13 and to pray for and to trust more 11:16 no matter what difficulties are. 11:19 Growth is natural and for a long time 11:22 we've been dreaming to have our own chapel 11:25 and a place where to worship 11:27 but also a place where we can gather people for a conference, 11:31 for a medical conference, for lifestyle 11:35 its such a blessing to have such a place 11:37 and to have maybe camp meetings for our Adventist community 11:40 and we hope by God's grace to be able to complete the project 11:44 we started these sand saw of a multifunctional building. 11:49 Even before we started the lifestyle program 11:53 we had a burden for the whole country of Romania 11:56 to educate the people 11:59 in lifestyle diseases, in prevention. 12:02 So the journal developed little by little 12:07 and in the year of 2000 12:10 we were able to join with Seventh-day Adventist 12:13 union publishing house in Romania 12:16 and actually since then 12:19 they are doing the stuff publishing 12:21 for our journal and also the distribution. 12:25 And the feedback that we receive 12:29 is that the Journal is a very efficient tool 12:33 in all of the church out reaching programs 12:38 in the whole country of Romania. 12:41 The church is not the leadership, 12:45 the church is some of all the source 12:50 out of living witnesses of Christ. 12:55 We cherish very much this health center 12:59 for what we can do with their help. 13:04 At the time we have 150 churches 13:06 and we spend money, time, energy 13:12 in producing short time health expo 13:16 and full-time health expo's. 13:19 In big cities we had tremendous success 13:22 and it has done not by the church, 13:25 but by Herghelia center and the church. 13:30 Two years ago my husband and I were impressed 13:35 to come out with a cookbook. 13:37 Our patients were asking please we are going home 13:41 we need something to connect to Herghelia. 13:44 Not only recipes but also information, 13:47 nutritional information. 13:49 So people have learned step by step 13:53 from the traditional Romanian omnivore diet 13:57 to a healthier diet to a plant based diet. 14:02 We just looked out we saw the need 14:05 and providentially our cookbook 14:09 ends up in being the syllabus for a course 14:12 in the first school of nutrition and diabetics 14:17 that started in Romania. 14:19 This June we had the first conference 14:22 of the Romanian Association for Nutrition and Dietetics. 14:26 And we've been able to invite important people worldwide 14:31 like the president of the American Dietetic Association 14:35 and we have other invitees from France, 14:37 from England, from Australia. 14:39 So we have a roster of speakers very well-known 14:42 and very well grounded in the science of that epic. 14:45 So this helped the students to get receive a vision 14:48 and I think you know Herghelia is now in the forefront 14:52 of what's happening in nutrition and diabetics in Romania 14:55 and I think this is good for the institution 14:57 and its good for ourselves Adventists 14:59 because we know a lot of things which other people don't know 15:02 and it's our duty to share. 15:05 People are interested to know more 15:08 and so we very much encourage the people 15:13 who read the book Ministry of Healing 15:15 together with Desire of Ages, 15:17 the Great Controversy, our cooking book 15:21 and also we have the magazine health plus life. 15:25 This is very well read by physicians, 15:28 by educated people in fact its the only 15:31 scientific lifestyle magazine in Romania. 15:36 Central to our health ministry is representing God 15:41 and people observe that 15:42 and patients who come to the lifestyle center 15:45 they are very much impressed 15:47 because we pray with them 15:48 and we are concerned about their spirituality 15:51 about their trust in God 15:54 and we try to help them to understand 15:57 that God is our Creator. 16:00 He invented our physiology the way our body function 16:04 inventing the mechanism to which we recover 16:09 and we are just helpers 16:11 and so they need to turn to Him 16:13 and enjoy life and enjoy happiness in that relationship. 16:18 Having this sanatorium affects the whole country 16:21 you meet all this influential people 16:23 that from Romania from all over Europe. 16:26 And you have opportunity to share God 16:29 in a wonderful way and many times 16:31 when they hear about Adventist they think about Herghelia. 16:35 And so Adventist for time is 16:37 what they see in Herghelia and this is a wonderful thing. 16:43 They are watching us from the first day 16:46 when they are stepping in the program. 16:49 And they are so curious because they feel 16:52 the atmosphere is so different than the world. 16:55 And each morning in our devotional with the staff 17:00 we connect with our Savior and we ask for His wisdom, 17:04 for his power to sense the window of opportunities 17:09 to be able to be a weakness for this patients. 17:13 The lifestyle center has been an effective tool 17:17 to minister to many people within Romania. 17:20 In a moment we'll see what the Herghelia team is doing 17:24 to reach the surrounding countries. 17:35 When you think of missionaries what do you picture? 17:39 For many people the image of a doctor, 17:41 teacher or pastor in a remote country comes to mind. 17:45 But the truth is God needs people 17:47 with many different skills in His work 17:49 both around the world and close to home. 17:52 At OCI we're passionate 17:54 about helping to connect mission minded people 17:56 with our network of more than 80 ministries. 17:59 Each project aims to share the Gospel in practical ways 18:03 and they need skilled workers of all types. 18:05 Mechanics, gardeners, cooks 18:08 and designers just to name a few 18:10 and of course they also need teachers and doctors. 18:13 If you're interested in serving at an OCI ministry 18:17 visit our website for a list of current opportunities 18:20 or call our office, we'd love to talk to you. 18:30 Jesus said, "You shall know the truth 18:32 and the truth will make you free." 18:36 The team at Herghelia has taken this admonition seriously 18:41 therefore they have incorporated education 18:45 as an interval part of their ministry 18:47 and they're growing outrage. 18:52 The young people are coming here 18:55 to learn to be better equipped 18:58 and trained in medical missionary work. 19:01 This meaning two aspects working outside 19:04 as a public health educator, 19:06 trained to organize health expo's, 19:09 health clubs and is training them to live a better life. 19:13 And then the second part they are trained 19:16 to work in the lifestyle centers. 19:19 The emphasis is on massage, physical exercise, 19:23 hydrotherapy, cooking classes, 19:27 cooking demonstration, health lectures, 19:31 and of course the Bible 19:33 and spiritual background for all of this. 19:38 We have been studying medicine, 19:40 massage and things that have to do with health. 19:43 How to be a good teacher, 19:44 how to teach others to be healthy, 19:47 to stay healthy, to do exercise and all new such things. 19:52 It's a big blessing 19:53 to have the medical missionary school here 19:56 because we have the opportunity 19:58 to train medial missionary workers. 20:02 And in this way the impact of this place 20:07 becomes wider and wider. 20:11 It's a bigger influence in our society. 20:15 Well, it's a blessing 20:17 because the school is close to the sanatorium. 20:20 The students can practice in the health center 20:23 they have a work-study program four hours each day. 20:27 They work in different departments 20:28 they help as much they can but more than that they learn. 20:32 And we would learn about every small thing 20:35 that it must be done in a sanatorium. 20:38 And we also go with the patient 20:39 and then we spend time with them 20:41 we are talking we go to work with them 20:43 and learn about their disease why are they sick, 20:46 what they have done, how they feel now. 20:50 Before I came to Herghelia 20:52 I had a desire to do missionary work, 20:55 but I do not have- 20:57 I wasn't secure that I could do it on my own. 21:00 I don't have enough knowledge, 21:01 I don't know where to start, what to do and all these things. 21:05 So coming to Herghelia 21:07 the Lord has taught me many things. 21:09 First of all it strengthened me in my relationship with Him. 21:12 Secondly, it helped me to love people. 21:16 I became more mature in the faith and also as a person. 21:20 I was challenged in many areas 21:23 so I could search it out 21:24 and be more ready for the field, missionary field. 21:29 The first ingredient is to read the Bible 21:33 and the Spirit of Prophecy and catch God's vision for us 21:38 because God's Son was a medical missionary. 21:41 He came here and He became humble 21:44 and He came poor and He cared for every soul 21:49 and He helped them, healed them 21:51 and make God known to them, that is what He wants us to do, 21:55 it's very simple if we trust God and we catch this vision. 22:00 We didn't work very much for these village 22:03 because Herghelia is here from 25 years now 22:06 and all the people know what we are doing here. 22:08 This year we've been focused more about other villages 22:12 and other places where there's nothing about health. 22:15 We've been to Targu Mures that's very close 22:17 and we've been visiting hospitals 22:20 and we had lots of activities in the city. 22:24 There are a lot of requests out there 22:26 and the people are coming here and asking 22:29 can you send me a man or a woman 22:32 I need here in this institution or in that institution. 22:35 The church needs- they employed already 22:38 a lot of our graduates for the health department 22:40 or as church planting and they are still searching. 22:45 I mean, even now we have five requests 22:47 for our conference here and we are not able to provide. 22:51 In all the fields there is need of workers. 22:56 When I first came here I said that 23:01 here is a different world 23:03 and when I was to the sanatorium and they saw the people, 23:06 the sick people how they are treated 23:08 and all the atmosphere you can feel 23:10 when you open the door. 23:12 I just felt that I'm in another place on the earth. 23:15 You know a place of heaven. I really enjoyed being here. 23:18 And I really enjoyed because I've changed a lot 23:21 in just one year my life has changed. 23:25 Well, we are living in special times 23:28 and I'm happy on one side I see problems 23:33 and people having more and more issues 23:36 and they need more and more advise counseling and so on, 23:40 but on the other side they see a great opportunity. 23:43 We see everyday people that are coming to us 23:46 and say please teach us. 23:47 I can see you have something special. 23:49 I can see that you live a different lifestyle. 23:52 I can see that you have something that we don't have, 23:56 teach us how to live, teach us what to believe. 24:00 And it's amazing that they ask also even who is our God 24:04 or what we believe or what we do 24:06 to be so happy to be rejoicing 24:08 this time of crisis all over the world. 24:10 But they can see that we have something they don't have. 24:14 And medical missionary work is the right work for today. 24:19 If you have a passion to do God's work 24:23 and to be what He you wants you to be 24:25 you want to be better equipped 24:27 to do medical missionary work do massage, 24:30 physical therapy, hydrotherapy, 24:33 teach cooking classes and do lifestyle counseling. 24:37 I really will be happy if you join our team. 24:42 God's stirring up a lot of people's interests 24:44 families just start something, start something. 24:46 And church administrators that are wise are facilitating us, 24:51 encouraging and not trying to control others. 24:55 And I'm glad our World Church leaders now are encouraging 24:58 the other administrative levels to work with us. 25:01 As a pastor I have no way of knowing 25:04 what God wants each of my church members to do. 25:08 God will tell you what to do, 25:10 and don't come to me to find out what to do 25:12 listen to God and He will tell you. 25:14 After working here until 2011 25:19 and after getting married last year 25:22 my wife and I've move to a place an hour and a half away. 25:28 I mean, we started working as missionaries. 25:30 One thing we focus is not to do but to be 25:36 and we are trying to help our students 25:40 to couch all students, first of all to be 25:42 to experience in their own life 25:45 and then to share it with others. 25:46 And that's what Jesus did 25:49 and that's what medical missionary work is answering 25:53 to the needs the real needs of the people around. 25:57 As every beginning 26:00 in the beginning was very hard very difficult 26:02 and we've been blessed to be helped by Wildwood 26:06 by Uchee Pines by Loma Linda 26:09 and it's natural for us to help other projects. 26:13 We knew Wildwood, Uchee Pines and then we were introduced 26:16 to the larger family of OCI ministries 26:20 and it was a blessing to become part of OCI. 26:24 It's like you are alone in a family 26:27 no brother and sister and it is the big difference 26:29 between having some brothers, sisters not being alone. 26:33 And that's really OCI there is a family 26:37 and we share knowledge, share resources, 26:40 help each other and it's a blessing to represent OCI 26:45 in this part of the world as a vice- 26:47 field vice president helping other institutions 26:50 to get on their feet and also learning from them. 26:56 It's encouraging to see how God 26:59 has blessed the Ministry of Herghelia 27:02 as they have pressed through the opening 27:05 created through the fall of communism. 27:08 They have ministered to thousand of individuals 27:11 as well as inspiring and encouraging 27:15 a generation of young people to take the message 27:18 and spread it throughout the towns 27:20 and villages of Europe. 27:23 God has an open door for you as well. 27:26 Are you willing to follow His providence 27:29 and to press in to the opportunities 27:32 He presents before you? 27:35 I encourage you to consider 27:36 how you can help the expanding work of OCI around the world. 27:41 We value your support, 27:44 please visit us at outpostcenters.org. 27:48 To learn more about the worldwide work of OCI 27:51 and our member ministries such as Herghelia Institute. 27:56 To contact us email info@outpostcenters.org 28:03 or feel free to call us 423-236-5600. 28:10 We would love to hear from you. 28:13 For OCI Reports this is Steven Grabiner. |
Revised 2014-12-17