Hi, I am Doru Pavel. Welcome to my blog! Together my family and I work together in Romania. We fill the spiritual gap that exists in the lives of youth and the local church. I (Doru), focus on developing spiritual (Holy Spirit) awareness and concentrate on developing spiritual healing, understanding, and practical ways to live out a biblical faith. My wife is dedicated to our family, the church families, and in the lives of so many others, both in person and virtually. The children do what they do best and befriend, encourage, witness and love on their friends and church family.
We started this blog to serve as a portal to share with you a glimpse into the missions experiences that surround the development of faith in youth but God has set before us so much more. We want to reveal the goings on of world missions, the obstacles we encounter, our spiritual development, as well as, the development of the children we work with. We would love for everyone to be able to see what is happening in our hearts, minds and the mission, as God works through us. We post monthly tidbits about expat life, missions work, and spiritual development.
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If you would like to know more about me and what called me to minister in Romania click here.
To see a list of our current prayer requests you can see our Past and Future Page by clicking here.
What we do in Romania.
Due to prejudice and economic hardship many children are left in government institutions at an alarming rate. Although, this amount has decreased dramatically since 30 years ago there are still over 10,000 children being abandoned every year and roughly 52,000 children seperated from their families for sometimes years at a time for no acceptable reason at all. Many of the children grow up separated from their families all their lives and become unprepared to handle real life situations because they suffer from lack of positive adult interaction, stability and mentoring.
Sadly the reality for these children is that there is no one to reinforce positive virtues and values that make successful adults. They do not understand the importance of doing well in school, being motivated or learning to be self-sufficient. There are countless children that end up on the streets, homeless, involved in sex-trafficking, drugs and the like. There is no denying that positive role models are a necessity for young children, that’s where we come in. Every day we meet with the children before and after school to help them integrate biblical principals into their every day life. We help hold a chapel service for them, play games, assist in camps, hold workshops, and one-on-one discipleship all aimed at helping them be prepared to integrate into society.
We are a family that is following Mark 9:36-37
call to welcome the youth to the ways of Christ, fostering Christian growth and discipleship. Our desire is to develop leaders with character, from among the youth of Romania that would be fully equipped to lead and disciple current and future generations in their country. We are currently live in Romania fulfilling full time missions work at a Church that has two locations and participating in various ministries that need support.
The focus and purpose in Committed to Youth is:
- To reveal, teach, demonstrate and instill the eternal perspective
- To explain how hope in Jesus and in eternity brings hope, freedom, life and joy.
- To bring people into a life of worship and glorify Jesus.
Our story.
I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, son of Romanian immigrants in the late 80’s. My parents had fled the communist rule of Ceausescu in hopes for a better life in the United States. Although, I did not grow up in Romania, my mother worked diligently to keep us as close to the Romanian traditions as possible. After the curtain fell, we traveled almost yearly to visit family in Romania. I spent plenty of summers learning the culture, language and understanding more about my heritage. It was those summer months that I spent with my cousins and friends that I really began to realize how different life was for the youth in Romania. Generally speaking there was a lack of hope, peace and joy that surrounded us the entire time I was there. I know that those summer months were spent to bring me where I am today. It was completely obvious that the lack of Jesus Christ was inhibiting people from experiencing a better life.
Years later, after college, after serving in the United States Marine Corps, after getting married and three kids later, God reignited my call to minister to the youth in Romania. Working at a cable installation company, I distinctively remember the day, while I was in prayer God told me to “Go to Romania.” I promptly shared this with my wife and we began the long road of preparation for missions. Two years after we received the call, we sold what we had, packed and shipped what we could, and arrived in Romania.
It has been a long and arduous journey both spiritually and physically for our family. As you can imagine moving across the world is not an easy task with, now, five kids in tow. But, that is a testament to the will of God being done. There is absolutely no way that any of this would be possible if it weren’t for God. Over 20 debts paid, house sold, cars sold, kids being all in for missions, funding coming in, finding an organization to work with, the list goes on and it all happened so quickly that it’s undeniable that God’s hand print was on our lives for all of it.
We have been here in Romania for more than 6 years now and, although, things don’t necessarily become easier, we know we are in the hands of the One who has orchestrated all of this for His glory alone and for that we maintain love, peace and joy.
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—with the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 12:20-21 HCSB
If you feel the Lord leading you to donate to our mission please know that all general donations are welcome and will be allocated to where needed most if you would like to donate to some thing specific please see our Faith List . No gift amount is too small.
Your gift will be handled with complete integrity through Axia International (https://axiainternational.net/donate?project=662-5387CLI).
This link will allow you to create a new account and set up recurring gifts, or do one time gifts as a guest and there are also other giving options if offline giving is more your style.
Checks that are sent are made out to Axia International and must be marked in the memo line: “benefiting project #765 for Doru Pavel General Fund”.
Mail to:
Axia International
1411 Wunsche Loop, #2166
Spring, Texas 77383-2166
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