In 2009, “The Missionary Book of the Year” project reached its fourth edition in Romania. Each consecutive edition has set a new record for the number of books sold. This year, the project consisted of the mass production and distribution of the book Signs of Hope by Alejandro Bullon, a well-known Adventist evangelist from South America.
The book was proposed by the Publishing Department of the church and accepted as the missionary book of the year in several countries in the Euro-Africa region. Nevertheless, the 2,350,000 copies of the book printed in Romanian and distributed mostly in Romania not only represent a record number of copies distributed but also brought numerous experiences and testimonies of God’s love. On average, every church member in Romania bought and distributed 35 copies of the book, offering them to friends, colleagues, family members and neighbors. All who participated in this effort were rewarded by uplifting experiences.
Pastor Daniel Dinca and his congregation decided to give this book to every family in 40 nearby communities. Once the mission was completed, he discovered that over 52,000 copies had been handed out.
Valentina, a 21-year-old woman, read the book her mother received while waiting in line at a pharmacy. She was impressed by what she found in the book and searched the Internet to find out more about the author. She found a lot of information and even an evangelistic series posted on the web that she watched again and again. As she watched, she compared it with the Bible, and God’s Spirit worked to convict her heart. She started looking for a Seventh-day Adventist Church; and, a few weeks ago, she was baptized.
While this type of project, called “The Missionary Book of the Year,” is relatively new in Romania, it has galvanized the church as nothing else before. The Publishing House, with help from the Union and local conferences, produces a full-color book at a price lower than a bus ride in the city. Church members are thrilled to have a witnessing tool that looks nice and is so easy and affordable to hand out. Youth are also encouraged to give books to friends and to distribute them door to door. Once in a while, they discover that someone else has already left the book in a particular home. Church members are eager to learn what the next project will be and to continue sharing the hope that is in Jesus with more and more people.