God prepared Bulgarian Christians for a visit from Denmark through dreams

Top picture: Rene Hartzner (left) with Stella (right) and his family, who were expecting the Danish visit. Rene Hartzner founded Mission East in 1991.

During my visit to Ruth and René Hartzners cozy home in Hillerød, I can see signs of René here and theres great and long-standing commitment to the former Eastern Bloc. Before René Hartzner was Secretary General of the Danish European Mission in 1987–1990, he had been on the board since 1975, been a critical auditor and traveled a lot, including with Neerskov on his first trip to Eastern Europe i 1968. 

This rejsee became an eye-opener for René in relation to the official churches, which some Christians at the time considered for renegade. René tells us enthusiastically: - Among other things, we stayed with the Secretary General of the rPentecostal Pentecostal Church, Tradafir Sandru, in Bucharest.

Jharrow would take him at school and asked, why he collaborated with the communists. His caseof: "HIf I don't Sitting in this Position, vil the party deploy their own man who may not be a Christian at all."

The position he was in, was actually harder than for a pastor in the underground churchas hto should Make sure the church had it then as well as possiblebut at the same time cooperation with the Communist Party. It showed me that things not is so black/white as we might think.

God had prepared the visit through dreams

First went for a walk however to Bulgaria. We had planned the trip as well as possible and flew from Sofia to Burgas. The flight was delayed, so Timeplanand skid. We had received addresses from Richard Worm fire and would have visited a priest, who had suffered a lot and sId. in jail for the sake of his faith, like vYou should have been in church. 

But because of the delay ended vi walking up the main street and couldn't find our way. We were stood and looked at and short, which was only dimly lit by a street lamp. A girl met us and asked in German, What we wanted. We said., We wanted to go to church, Because it was legal. Stella, as the girl was called, saidthat we Be able to follow at a distance on 10 meters behind her. After the serviceesten a family came up to us and said they were happy to see usbut How could they say that? They didn't know us. 

It turned out that It was that family, We woulde visit where the man had been imprisoned. It was good though, we did not have ourselves attempted to fithe house, when we had then entered a house Close to, which was also called number 8, but where a spy was sitting. How did they know us? Jo, the girls had had a dream eight days earlier, where she had seen, How we got here to churchn to say hello family. And dThe day before, the mother had Adhesion Exactly the same dream, and it convinced family that we came to the serviceeste. 

Stella said that the young people went out and evangelized. I didn't think so, how come? But de went two by two and mocked for For example, a person on a bench. They split up so that first one person went and sat on the bench and then the other. At Easter they could say: "How beautiful are the daffodils" and the other would say "Yes, how great is God's creation." "Do you believe in God?" the second continued, while the third listened on and the conversation continued. We helpaHelp with smuggling family out of the country in 1971.

You started projects with practical help?

– From a Danish perspective, these were small amounts, we spent on projects in Eastern Europe, but in Eastern Europe it was large amounts. Financially distressed families got washing machines, as well as more churches received support for extension or to erect a brand new building. Back then, you could get a lot done for 10,000 USD, for example We bought and building for a Christian radio station in Cluj in Romania for the amount.

What was the fruit of the Danish European Mission's support for the construction and expansion of churches?

If you have a small church where people are crammed together, it can discourage people from going to church. If you have Expanding, it can be a significant reason to More people are starting to go to church. It has definitely meant that more people have become Christians. "OAnd that's the most important thing," adds Ruth Hartzner With a smile.

Have you been smuggling Bibles?

We had always Bibles with us when we traveled to Eastern Europe. The time I brought the most Bibles was to Romania on an official ski trip together with Kim Hartzner. There was a whole layer of bibles in the suitcase under the clothes, but on top I had put coffeepose From Irma. Vi gift the coffee to churches so they could give them to pregnant women who needed to give and Gift in the hospital At birth. I was asked to open my suitcase and the customs officer saw the coffee. I said.: "JI had heard that folk er nice in Romania and I would like to Give them coffee." Han got a bag coffee and didn't discover the Bibles. In total I have Maybe 80 Bibles taken in in Eastern Europe.

What was it like to be Secretary General during the fall of the Wall?

I traveled a lot in Romania and others øEastern European countries up to the Wall fnever and was in Romania i January 1990, where There were demonstrations andg handlebar finally fell. The collapse of communism was like turning a hand over. Under communism, you were always scrutinized at the borderrnebut Afterwards you could drive in freely. You felt it also in churchrne bythat they used to have to watch out for, Who they put on the podium. NNow it was a free-for-all. The church aisle was not increased after the upheaval - In any case not in Romaniawhere it also fPreviously had been high.