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 An
Immigrant's Story
Testimony of James Coulton
I was born in Romania under Ceacescu. Religion was not outlawed, but it was discouraged. I remember some classmates were Pentecostal Christians or Seventh Day Adventists, but I also remember how the teachers made fun of them when they declined to wear a Communist scarf. We students made fun of them too.
Once in a while my mother would take me to church. In fact, at my grandfather's urging she enrolled me in the communicant's class when I was the right age. I studied in a small class of three and answered the questions and took communion. But that was it. She didn't go often, and the church was far away. Travel wasn't easy then in Romania. After I went through the class I rarely went again.
My father almost never went to church. He worked hard, six days a week, twelve hours or more a day, and Sunday mornings he and I would clean the front lawn. The Romanian Orthodox would walk by on their way to church, and I had a faint sense it was wrong to be working then, but it was what we did. I never heard him speak about God unless he was cursing.
So I had very little sense or knowledge of God growing up. I was interested in girls and freedom. But God did begin to pry open my mind.
Our Communist country was officially atheist, and if you wanted to get ahead you had to join the communist party. Joining a church was a sure way to be left behind. But I came across an American coin one day, maybe a quarter or a half-dollar. And it said, 'In God we trust.'
That blew my mind. On the money? Of the free country I wanted to escape to? A whole powerful country said, 'in God we trust' on their money?
It made no immediate difference to me, but deep down something shifted.
God gave me a good friend, ten years older than myself, who was a Pentecostal Christian. He saved me twice. Once, I was so depressed, seeing no future for myself in that country, that I considered suicide. He talked me out of it. He didn't quite bring God into the conversation, but God was lurking not far away. The second time, he gave me the tips I needed to beat the border security and escape the country. That was a difficult good-bye, saying good-bye to my mother before I made my second attempt at freedom.
I made my way to America and worked as a machinist, then joined the army. God was not much in my thoughts. It was easier not to care. But God gave me a second push when he put a devout woman in my path. God used her in my life. When I had CQ duty, and had to stay up all night, she would call me from her apartment and we would talk two or three hours. She began to bring up God a lot. She told me once, 'you would be a good Christian.' I was flattered, I thought she meant I did good things. But it did soften me towards Christianity.
And I needed to be softened. She invited me to her parents' house for Christmas. I knew they were devout, and I was scared. Slanders were passed around in Romania about devout Christians, and I didn't know any better. I asked a fellow soldier what to expect, and he couldn't help messing with me: 'James, they're going to dance around the table! You better be ready!' I went, but I was scared .
Of course they were perfectly nice and warm and normal. I was so relieved. One day I'm going to find my friend and get him back. We began to spend weekends there, and that meant we went to church Sunday morning.
Going to church has been a slow process for me. There is so much to learn, so much to change in how you think and live your life. And for a long time I only read the Bible in church Sunday morning. Pastor Ken Smith led me to Christ, and then we moved to Philadelphia and went to the Elkins Park church. Some years later Pastor Edgar began a men's study, and that really helped me grow as a Christian, reading the Gospel of Mark and talking about it.
I think I only became an adult Christian four or five years ago. It feels so good to understand God, both his Word and his World. It is a blessing, and I don't say that flippantly. It's deep and awesome.
To know God and know His Son died for me, I feel special. To be growing in understanding is a great privilege. Parts of the Bible used to make me so mad I'd close the book. Now I'm starting to get the whole picture. But at the same time I feel more humble. So often before I burned up inside when things didn't go according to my plans. Now I have more peace, waiting for God to show me his plan. And I look at my kids, who I take to church every week, and I wonder what they will do when they grow up and leave, but I know that God is in control, and that I am doing my part.
So now I have satisfaction, more humility, and more peace, but there is still more. Before I knew God I considered suicide, but now I have hope. I thank God every day for that.
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