God's Love through
the thick walls of Aiud Prison

All things have a beginning. We planned this outing a year ago and we thought of it being an outing for our youth group, as a means of knowing different ways to serve and get involved in our Lord's ministry. I did not set as a goal to do all the things from Matthew 25:35, but I wanted to create opportunities for my brothers to find their calling and to walk in the good works that God prepared beforehand.

I have lived in Aiud for 30 years and walked almost daily by the thick walls of the prison, without trying to understand life behind bars, thus limiting myself to only watch as a child groups of prisoners marching to the fields outside the city. Later, when many of my friends worked as  guards at the prison, I heard many stories about the characters inside and their adventures. But I have never been past the gates --- didn't feel the calling   to.  I did feel the fight even before our  visit to Aiud, a few days prior to it... we wanted to give up, to delay it.  However, 14 of us won and made it in front  of the gates, this was the first victory. It looked like a battle from David's time, we were in front of a city that needed to be conquered, we passed the first gate and we were heading towards the second with power. 
The enemy regroups itself and on the second gate it attacks frontally and directly. We were overcome numerically, the enemy is stronger than us...but it is not stronger than the ONE who sent us there... the second victory. Our mission was to prepare our comrades who were in the enemy camp, to resist until the Great King.
After a long wait we meet with the prisoners, there are 30 children around 18 and 21 years old. I looked at them and I understood that they didn't have to be there. The enemy captured them and made them his slaves. I felt that God loves them and wants to redeem them, He wants to pull them out of their slavery. I haven't felt I was better than them even for one second. The team was great, it fought and by the power of the Most High, it fulfilled its mission. The third victory. Now God will make the seeds we planted  grow and, as He sees fit, call us to take part in such battles. I am honored that the great God chose to use us in this way.
  There, a different kind of feeling came over me. I looked at these children and I knew the Lord makes me love them … unconditionally and without reservation. I want to go back there, when my King sends me, and win back for Him as many as I can... because He loves them very much.

                        Florin Avram 
                        Cluj-Napoca
                        April 22, 2011