FAQ

How and Where did Silvia and Me Meet?

Silvia and I met in Romania 2001. I was on a missions trip with my church from LA; she was working at an orphanage in Romania. Our first conversation was when I approached this beautiful young lady and asked her what her name was and why was she following all of us around. She replied, saying, “my name is Silvia, and I’m in charge of these kids ”. For the rest of the 2-week trip we worked together, with our team from LA teaching the kids there about God, and life with Him. When I left Romania, I promised Silvia that we would keep in touch, and that’s what we did. During the next 2 years there were calls, emails, chatting online, another missions trip, and 3 visits. On August 9th, 2003 we were married in Romania, at Silvia’s church in Otelu Rosu.

Where are we both from originally?

I am from California, USA. Silvia is from Otelu-Rosu, Romania.

What’s our favorite…?

Food:
I like Pizza and Coke, French Fries;
Silvia likes ice-cream, peas with garlic, fries, and cookies!
Music:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Score – John Williams;
Hungarian Rhapsody #2 -Lizst;
Castle on the Clouds, Les Meserable;
Edward Scissorhands Score -Danny Elfman;
Symphony #9 -Beethoven
Books:
The Agony and the Ecstasy; Celebration of Discipline; Joshua: A Parable for Today
Movies:
Forest Gump; Toy Story; Edward Scissorhands; Babe
Restaurant:
Ruby’s (Seal Beach)

What do we like to do for fun?

I like to play basketball, to read, to listen to, play, or write music. I like art, and working with computers. Silvia likes teaching, spending time with kids, reading, listening to music, relaxing, and spending time with me (she said that

What are our beliefs?

Silvia and I are Christians, we believe the Bible to be the written word of God, and that Jesus Christ died for us, loves us, and asks us to love, forgive and enjoy people just like He does.

What are our personal testimonies?

Russ: (2001) I was 16 at the time. I was lonely, I was afraid of death, I was afraid of my future; I didn’t have a reason to get up in the morning. I worked in a coffee stand located in “Saint Mary’s” Hospital. During the summer I had many questions, lots of thoughts. I wanted to know what life was about, why we lived here, where we came from, where we’re going. And all I can say is that God answered my questions. At my coffee stand there also worked a woman, early 40’s three or four kids, and a very nice lady that everyone loved, and was a Christian. Through here God provided me answers. She would tell me about church, and I would say, “ya…next week”, and she would say, “don’t be shocked if you get a flat tire or something, there is a person called Satan that doesn’t want you to go”. Shortly after that I started to make friends with this large, powerfully voiced man, that would present his smiling face to the kiosk saying, “one medium latte, please”, in a voice that resounded like a tuba. One day I asked him, “are you a public speaker or something, your voice is so large”, he replied, “why yes, I’m a pastor at a near by church”, I thought coincidence…I don’t think so. I resisted for about a month until I finally went – and I found my answers. I found a life worth living, a death worth dying, and a reason to get up in the morning. Shortly there after I learned of Jesus, and asked Him to come into my life, to guide me, to forgive me, and to be my Guide.

Now, I’m eternally grateful for everything God has done for me. I have a great job, a loving circle of friends, a purpose in life, an optimistic view of life. I have joy, hope, peace, love, and most of all a home in Heaven. It makes me think of the song lyrics “What would I have done, if it wasn’t for Jesus? What would I have become, if it wasn’t for Jesus?” My life is truly changed. My friendship with Jesus has made the difference. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come” 1 Corinthians 5:17

Silvia: (2001) Because I came from a family that has never spoken much about God, it wasn’t till I was 14, that I began to draw close to God. Before that time I really didn’t know God.

When I turned 14 I began to regularly attend a Baptist church. It was through this Church that I was able to get to know God. I was amazed by him and the miracles of all that he created, and I desired more and more to get to know this God. The world, the environment I belonged, to all of a sudden did not count for much. I only wanted to know Him, the wonderful God. And at that time I fellowshipped with God up until the evil one, that is Satan noticed that I was getting along with God much too well, and so he got in the way between me and God.

When I reached 18 I wanted very much to become a true Believer. I wanted to become baptized but in that moment Satan, whom I don’t call by Satan but rather by the name “Terrible” intervened. What happened is that, in that same time, my parents divorced. When my parents divorced, I felt the whole world collapsed right from under me. I felt in that moment that God had forgotten me, but I was wrong.

So what happened is that I ended up going with the wind and I began to have friends that weren’t exactly the best fit for me. These friends were actually closer to the “Terrible” than to God, but this didnt interest me and I began to go even more often to clubs, discos and to all kinds of parties. I also began to do all the things that God did not like, but I didn’t care then, I only wanted to escape from the deep hurt I felt inside as a result of my parents divorce.

Well, this too came to pass and God showed me once more that He loves me. In 2000 the apartment building that I lived in exploded…but I survived. Some call it a miracle and say that I was saved as a result of luck, but it wasn’t like that. I was saved because Jesus Christ loves me. In this way he showed me that he loved me.

In that moment (that of the explosion), I found myself in a terrible situation. I desired very much to free myself from “the Terrible” and I didn’t know how. But I was able to, and in this moment I am waiting for God to bless my future. At this point in my life (2001) I am waiting so I can be baptized. In fact, I am striving to be a new creation, and I am trying to straighten out every false step that I took in the past, and to become more Godly.

And I will most likely succeed if you also can pray for me. When I was 18 God led me to work with Children and to help them to know Him better. I am trying to do this better every day.

Why is our website called “hebrews11.org”?

Hebrews 11 is a chapter from the Bible about faith and Godly living. A paraphrase of the entire chapter would look something like this:

“Faith is the confident assurance that something we want, something we hope for, even if we can’t see it up ahead, is going to happen, and is waiting for us. Men and women of God, in times of old, where famous for their faith: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rahab, and many others were used by God in amazing ways simple because they trusted him with faith. These people all trusted God and as a result won battles, overthrew kingdoms, ruled their people successfully, were kept from harm, were made strong, and received what God had planned for them. But others were laughed at, beaten to death, whipped, stoned to death, and never fully realized all that God had planned. God ‘wanted them to wait and share the even better rewards that were prepared’ for them. These men and women were living for heaven. Whether they realized His plan in their lifetime or not, they trusted him with faith till the end, knowing that earth was not there home, they did what ever He asked.”

I chose “hebrews11″ as the name of our website, because it’s a theme I want to be true in our family. That we trust God with what ever he has planned for us, we are “living for heaven”, and that through our faith in Him we can make a difference in the world.