Georgel Jivan is the pastor of a small village church in Darova, Romania, near Timișoara, where he has faithfully served the congregation for over 30 years. Last week, he was involved in a car accident that left his vehicle completely totaled. Thankfully, by God's grace, Georgel walked away without a scratch. While the accident destroyed his car, it wasn’t a huge loss, as the car was an old beater. In fact, Georgel has always driven old, beat-up cars, but not because he’s an overly humble pastor or trying to save money. It's because he pours all his resources into helping those in greater need. He is that person who truly lives out the spirit of Matthew 5:40, where Jesus says, "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well." Georgel doesn’t just give what’s asked of him; he gives even more—his time, his energy, and his resources—without hesitation. He embodies the kind of selfless love and generosity that Jesus calls us to, always going above and beyond to meet the needs of others, even at great personal sacrifice. Those old, beat-up cars of his have carried friends, family, the sick, the lost, and anyone in need who has ever called on Georgel for help. He’s transported books, band instruments, sacks of flour, chickens (yes, even chickens), and anything else that needed to be moved. His phone rings day and night, and he always answers without hesitation. With your generous support, we hope to bless Georgel with a newer and safer car that will serve him and others faithfully for years to come!

Here are a few funny memories of Georgel’s beater cars.

A few years ago, my parents went to visit Georgel, and as always, he drove them wherever they needed to go. When my mom got in the passenger seat, she glanced down at the center console and noticed a pencil sticking out. Curious, she asked him what it was, and without missing a beat, Georgel casually replied, "That's the stick shift!"

When I was in my twenties, Georgel, my cousin, and I were driving back from a trip on the Transfagarasan Highway, a winding mountain road that crosses the southern Carpathians in Romania. As it got dark and we were climbing in elevation, his car started to sway and shake. We were both a little scared, thinking the car might fall apart. But Georgel, completely unfazed, calmly told us not to worry—just to shift our bodies to the right, and the car would "calibrate" itself!

In 2008, my husband and I visited Romania, and as always, Georgel was our chauffeur. The car he had that year was quite a doozy. No one could sit in the passenger seat because there was a hole in the floor big enough to see the pavement beneath. One night, as it got dark and Georgel was about to turn on the interior lights, he jokingly said, "Get ready to be blinded by the brightest lights you've ever seen!" We waited in suspense, only to be met with a one tiny green light that turned on. He drove the entire night without being able to see any of the gauges on his dashboard. His motto: "Cu Domnul înainte!"—"With God ahead!

This campaign is unpublished.