Traian Barbu is a 51 year old Christian from Romania. It would be impossible for me to describe in brief his tremendous personal testimony. (I would love to write that testimony out in detail and post it here at a later time.) For now however, I will try and stick to how God made him an answer to prayer.
When Pastor Ruben and myself were praying about the Community College, I was continually struck with a certain doubt. We knew nothing of administering a College. And the question would continually arise in me (even as we prayed); Who would do that?
The images that came to my mind were of an ancient Bolivian Academic with thick glasses, more interested in retiring to the country than investing the energies necessary to establish a quality educational work. The thought literally plagued me, as I continually thought: Where in the world will this person come from?
I met Traian Barbu on the second day after I arrived to Magdalena last year. (2007) He was staying in the room next to mine. And had only arrived himself four days earlier.
I did not speak Romanian and he had only been studying Spanish for a short time, but I gained quickly that he was a Christian. Every morning behind the rooms where we stayed, he could be seen out in the little grassy area with his Bible; sitting, reading, meditating; and looking up at the dawning sky.
My first week was very busy and I didn't really have much of a chance to get to know him at all. I gained that he had been an engineer of some sort and had also worked in public health. And I told him that he was welcome to share those skills with us; particularly the public health information we could impart to the people in the river communities.
He acknowledged my invitation cordially, but with obvious hesitation. And after that, we saw little of each other except for our momentary coming and going from the ajoining rooms. About a week went by without seeing Traian. Then one morning at around 6am, there came a very agitated knock at my door. And opening the door still half asleep, I found Traian there, seemingly upset with me.
"I have not slept for three days now sir" he said in his very dramatic, yet refined European way. "I am not a well man. And I need my sleep."
[Now, you have to know here that I am one of the quietest persons you have ever met. And so, I was wondering, how in the world had anything I could have done kept him from sleeping. When the truth later surfaced; I found it quite beyond my imagination's ability to grasp]
With hands on hips, leaning close to me, Traian continued: "You said that you were a soldier. Is that right?"
"Yes" I replied. "For a long time. Why?"
"Well sir" He said. "I am at your DISPOSITION. I don't know what God wants you to do. But I have not slept for three days, because God keeps telling me - Help this man." (pointing to my chest)
Still half asleep and sore from the previous day's activities, I was not really getting this.
"God told you what?" I asked rather stupidly.
Traian seemed frustrated. Looking me in the eye like one might look at a child, he said, "Listen to me!" (And I sort of came to attention) "God told me to place myself at your disposition. He told me to help you. I don't know who you are, or exactly what you have in mind to do; but I am at your DISPOSITION. Do you understand that word sir? It means, I am at your command."
The whole situation at this point was very confusing to me. Maybe he's not mentally or emotionally well, I thought to myself. He said he wasn't a well man. So not knowing what else to do, I asked if we might then pray.
Traian immediately got down on his knees and I knelt beside him. We prayed and worshipped together. Then I prayed that God would do all which was His perfect will in our relationship as brothers. I prayed that my friend would sleep restfully and be in health; body, soul, and spirit. And we parted.
A couple of days went by after that before I saw Traian again, when suddenly, he appeared on the porch where I was sitting alone. He had a folder in his hands. And he had a big smile on his face.
I looked up. "Sleeping better, I take it."
"Oh yes he said. But you are going to have to be patient and explain to me what you have come here to Magdalena to accomplish. But first, perhaps you should read this." And with that, he handed me a folder.
In that folder I found papers which had been translated into Spanish and English. They were not only the varied resume data of a Professor of chemistry, physics, and advanced enginneering math, but also, of a man who had been the Rector of not one, but three engineering universities! (And beyond that, Traian had been the National Director of Public Health in the largest region of Romania; and a horticultural engineer as well - All things essential to Pr Ruben's vision for this Project.
As I lay in my hammock later that night, the Lord had a splendid time playing with my wonderment over this. In my mind, He brought the picture of that ancient old grumbling Bolivian Professor and set it beside the image of the man I had read about in that resume earlier that afternoon. I am sure He was laughing at me.
What a humbling lesson in sovereign faithfulness! I didn't have to look for what I needed. God had brought him to Magdalena. And as though placing both of us in the same place in the world at the same time in this isolated small town near the Amazon wasn't enough, God went me one better and put the man in the room right next to mine. And if that again was not enough; God Himself brought Traian to my door in a most amazing, (and if you don't mind my saying so), supernatural way!
Professor Traian is presently working as a math, physics, & chemistry teacher in the only private school in Magdalena. We are even now working on a micro-project with local entities to close-in two school rooms to make a lab in this private school. (At Prof. Barbu's direction; this was completed in 2008) He and Pastor Ruben are teaching night classes in the beginnings of our VLM Leadership & Advance Sciences Institute. (College prep mixed with biblical Christian ethics classes) And my amazement with my new Romanian brother continues.
Traian's favorite saying is: "Puede mas?" Which means, "Can you handle more?"
Sometimes, when it comes to the amazing ways God works, I really don't know. *smile*
