Missionaries

Paul and Tanya Gericke

Camp Development NAB Missionaries Download Profile

Winter Wonders!

Published on February 12, 2024

We pray you all had a wonderful holiday season celebrating the Good News of Jesus with friends and family. For us here in Romania, it was a busy and blessed season.

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Fruitful Fall

Published on November 14, 2023

It is fall, which means school year ministries have begun! There was a little break between summer camp ministry and fall kickoff, but not much.

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Summer Camps

Published on August 10, 2023

Happy summer, everyone! We have had a full last couple of months getting adjusted to being back in Romania after our home assignment and then running a full month of camps at Camp Falcon Rock!

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Get to know Paul and Tanya Gericke

Visit their ministry website: rootsinromania.com

Q Who is someone that influenced you in your decision to serve as a missionary in a cross cultural setting?

Paul: To be honest, as I grew up my aim was to be a Pastor in North America rather than a missionary.  All of my mentors were just that, local pastors.  As we felt this call to Romania, a few of these mentors helped me recognize and discern God’s call to Romania in my life.  Further to this was a pastor in Romania that not only demonstrated an incredible heart for ministry, but spoke wisely about God’s call of missions if my life.

Tanya: For me, it was definitely my parents. Both my parents work for Youth for Christ Vancouver and we grew up leading youth trips to an orphanage in Ensenada, Mexico every second summer. I grew up as one of the leader’s kids, then a team member, next a leader and then a coordinator of the trips. My parents showed me how to live out my faith through serving in cross-cultural settings

Q What life experiences did you have that helped you prepare to go overseas?

Paul: Bible school, camp ministry and working as a pastor where key ministry experiences that helped to prepare, however, traveling to Romania a number of times and leading teams has had the biggest impact on my preparation for long-term overseas missions.

Tanya: I grew up being a part of short-term missions teams and feel blessed to have had that incredible foundation prepared for me by my parents. I also was very involved as a leader in the Youth for Christ Greater Vancouver ministries, which focuses on local missions. Through being a part of the YFC mission I was able to further my passion and skills in working in mission-styled settings.

Q What initial fears/concerns did you have about serving as a missionary overseas?

Paul/Tanya: Being young and feeling such a strong conviction to help develop Camp Falcon Rock in Romania, is a little overwhelming. We both know that we have been called to this ministry however we also know that we have many shortcomings. We are prayerful for a strong community to come up around this mission as we know that the Kingdom can only be advanced through the power of the body of Christ!

Q What are some of the ways you have been affirmed in following God’s leading?

Paul/Tanya: We have been overwhelmed by the affirmation we have received since feeling called to Romania. As soon as we made the decision to move our lives to Romania, God has opened a lot of doors and raised up an incredible community around this ministry. The first affirmation was on our trip to Romania in 2012 when we met with the local Romania ministry leaders to discuss their plans for Camp Falcon Rock. It was then that they accepted us to be partners with them to develop the camp. Since then, the NAB has come behind the project, churches and people all around Canada and the US have partnered with us and an Advisory Committee has formed to help us through this process. We have felt extremely blessed with the affirmation we have received.

Q What are some of the factors that lead you to become an overseas missionary through the NAB?

Paul/Tanya: We considered a number of different organizations but NAB was undoubtedly the one that we felt was the best fit. Romania has been supported through NAB churches financially and through short term mission trips, and so this was an opportunity for the NAB church community to come together to see this ministry advanced. Personally, we felt that the NAB provided incredible support and guidance to missionaries unlike other options. We also appreciated the flexibility with the different types of missions the NAB is open to and how quickly they came behind this specific camp ministry in Romania.

Q What advice would you give to those considering overseas missions?

Paul/Tanya: Be content with God’s timing. Pursue God’s calling but be open and attuned to God’s timing for the place, ministry and moment that He wants to use you as His tool in growing His Kingdom. It is incredible to get to see God work so clearly through missions and even more exciting when He invites you to join His mission so be ready to jump in whole-heartedly but be devoted to prayer throughout the journey.

Q How can people pray for you?

  1. Financial Support for the Camp Falcon Rock capital campaign
  2. Continued wisdom as we progress in the camp building and program development plans
  3. Guidance and support for Tamas and Tunde (Camp Falcon Rock’s camp directors) and us, as we work closely together to develop this ministry.
  4. Patience and diligence as we continue to try and grasp the Hungarian language!

 

 

Country Facts

Romania NAB pastors and churches have decades of relationship with leaders in Romania, but it was in 2014 that NAB formalized a ministry agreement to aid the Hungarian Baptist Conference of Romania in the development of Camp Falcon Rock. We are working together for the construction of a ministry center that be instrumental in developing the next generation of Christian leaders for this country. Read More Facts View All Countries
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