David M. Howard, Jr.
3/13/00
March 1-11, 2000
On this, my fifth trip to Romania to teach at the Emmanuel Bible Institute, I was able to take my 14-year-old daughter Christina with me, and this was a wonderful experience for both of us. It was good to have extended time together, and it was great for her to be exposed to another culture in so many ways. She stayed most of the time with the family of Dr. Emil Bartos, Dean of the School of Theology, who has a daughter, Matilda, about Christina's age, and they got along famously; the Bartoses are a wonderful family. She had several experiences, such as visiting an orphanage, terminally ill children, and Matilda's school, that helped her see a side of life we do not see here in the U.S.
This trip was an invaluable experience in Christina's own development. It also was greatly beneficial to my own ministry at EBI, since she also got to see what was happening there, and is interested now in her dad's trips to Romania in a way that she was not before. She will know what it is that I am doing when I travel for extended periods twice a year, and she will be able to pray for me in a more informed manner.
During my week at EBI, I taught the following courses:
It was my second time with the first group, and they are a joy to teach: enthusiastic, serious, responsive. I will be teaching them an exegesis class in the fall. It was my fourth course with the second group, and they responded well. We will finish up their OT sequence when I return in the fall, with an OT Theology II course.
I also had several conversations with students outside of the formal class settings, in which I advised them about possible ministry and educational options, including working with one student on his M.A. thesis; I was supervisor for his senior thesis last year, and am informally advising him on the Master's thesis, which he is doing at the University of Oradea.
Beyond the above, Christina and I had several delightful social and worship times with various groups and individuals, both Romanians and Westerners, over meals and otherwise. It was good to be back among friends, and to meet new ones
I thank my institution, the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, particularly Drs. Steve Lemke (Provost) and Chuck Kelley (President), for releasing me to engage in this ministry, and the Timothy Project for funding it, including helping with Christina's travel. It is a valuable Kingdom service that is being facilitated.