A day with Agogo (The grandfather)

    On December of last year, I visited Burundi with Cornel Urs. It
was a personal experience that touched my family and I for life. I’ll try to share with you some of the thoughts and experiences from my short trip, to understand the magnitude of the work that this man has begun and continue doing in Africa. This is the ministry we are called to participate and to be part of. It is a true work for The Lord. Genuine hard real work to minster to as many souls about Christ’s Love and to bless as many people who realy need our help and blessings.
    Burundi has been ravaged by civil war for over 12 years, from
1993 to 2005. The war left many orphans and the region looks just like
ravaged world … where over 10 million people live in a territory about
three counties in Romania. if you look on the map, Burundi is shaped like a human heart. As a comparison, Burundi is 10,745 sq miles (27,830 km²); Oregon is 98,466 sq miles (255,026 km²); Romania is 92,043 sq miles (238,391km²) Agogo in Kirundi language (the official language in Burundi) means grandfather. This is how the children in Africa are calling Cornel.
    To know a true mission for Christ, somebody should spend at least one day with Cornel. If I would have to summarize in a few words his passion for Christ I’d call it Extreme Mission for Christ Cornel’s mission in Africa began in 2007. He was informed by the Holy Spirit that he would have to come here. To start a mission here, or even to visit this country, even today, you would need a large dose of courage, or a real amount of “foulness” and faith. For those who know Cornel, he is the embodiment of the verse from 1 Corinthians 4:10 (KJV) “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but
ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.”
   For him there is no fear and faith in God and the Holy Spirit is leading his actions every day, from the morning he wakes up until night when falls asleep tired of the run and work for Christ.
    He began to build the first church in the capital of Burundi,
Bujumbura. He invested a lot of effort, hard work and sleepless nights to collect money from various brothers and sisters in Christ and churches who believed and believe in the true work of saving souls for the kingdom of Christ and trusted him and his work he does all over the world. He built the foundation and the walls of the 3000 seats church up to the roof, but had to stop because God was planning to open and help other churches in the suburbs and other regions, where people are more needy, willing and open to the gospel of Christ, and the need to know God is greater.
    There were people and organizations who wanted to stop or slow
down the work of God in Burundi, but their actions were unsucessfrull
because the missionary work is not Cornel’s but God’s work. The church in Bujumbura was divided, and in the building started by Cornel there are a few hundred believers that still worship God here.
    Cornel’s work continues elsewhere. Supported by two trusted men, a pastor and a translator and supported by Romanian Consul in Burundi, Mr. Zacharia Masizo, the construction of several churches outside the capital continues. The church buildings are made of bricks and other are made of mud bricks.
    In February 4, 2010 he founded the Apostolic Pentecostal Church of God International) with the operating principles generally as the Pentecostal churches in Romania. President of this newly form church assembly is Pastor Richard Minani. The new assembly includes churches from across the country including the capital. The zeal and dedication Cornel can not be described in words. Pushed by a power unknown to many, the Holy Spirit, running from one “corner” of the world to another, motivated by love for Christ and the gospel of Christ to lead many people to Christ, thus hastening the return of Christ in the clouds of heaven to pick up His Bride, the Real Church.
    He is of a rare modesty. To go on a mission, he uses the most modes means, thereby trying not to spend too much money to have funds for the children and people of Burundi whom he loves just like hischildren.

In fact, if you talk to him, you’d hear him often using first person when referring to children and places in Burundi: our, us, my … when he really lives in Romania. He lives a simple life to help others. 

  He does not live for himself, but for Christ and others. Cornel’s purpose in life is to spread as much of the love of Christ to as many people as possible thereby hastening Jesus’ coming. 

    I give glory to Christ that I can work with such a man. We thank God for people like you who come to know Cornel and for joining us in the work Cornel began and continues to do in Africa, in India, in Romania, the United States, Europe and worldwide.
      Romanian Heart of Africa Ministry was formed solely to assist Cornel mission in Africa, in India and around the world. Any financial support will go directly to his mission. The funds will be used with the greatest responsibility for saving souls for Christ, but especially to help children in Burundi. Although there are many brothers, sisters and churches from Romania and entire Europe that helped and continue to help Cornel’s Ministry, Romanian Heart of Africa Ministry was created to help exclusively Cornel’s mission from North America. This ministry is not about Cornel or any other names, it is all for the glory and praise of Christ.

Marcel Urs, Jan 2015