March 6, 1945 is known in history as the day when communism was officially established in Romania. Simply saying, it went from a royal Romania to a communist era, which promised to create the ”NEW MAN.” In 1948, the law for the nationalization of industry and agriculture was passed, which meant the abolition of private property. That marked the beginning of communist persecution and the establishment of People’s Tribunals when all those who did not submit to the Communist Party policy were sent to prisons or forced labor camps. Many l times I was taken from school and sent to interrogation where I was asked to tell what my parents say about the Communist regime, if they bring something home from their work, or if they somehow hide animals that are not counted in the animal census. As was considered normality in those times, my parents taught me how to lie during interrogation so that they would not be arrested. I had become an expert at telling lies, and almost believed them too as I knew nothing about sin.
As years passed quickly, I started school and became a pioneer and a member of the Communist Youth Union. Graduating the Faculty of Electronics gave a new life. I soon started working as an electrical engineer in a new company and got married which in time resulted in two children. But, the old life was still in my mentality, as I continued to practice lying. Unfortunately lying had become a virtue in my life.
One day a work colleague brought me a Bible for children. After reading the book, Dorin and Daniela, my two young children realized that they were sinners and asked the Lord Jesus to forgive their sins and also invited Him to be their Lord and Savior personally. In the first instance I laughed at their naivety. But, my children who were then 10 and 8 years old at that time, stood strong on their new beliefs and told us that we are sinners as well and that we must ask Jesus to forgive us and accept Him as Lord and Savior.
In 1989, after the fall of the communist party I was invited to watch the Jesus movie. After my husband, Ionel, and I watched the movie, we truly understood that we were sinners and that we needed Jesus’ forgiveness. We prayed together and invited Him into our lives as Lord and Savior. The mentality of lying and stealing was now gone and the real NEW MAN in the image of Christ started to take shape within me. God blessed us with another child, Endi. My life has gained meaning and a new direction given by Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through Me! –Gina