Kelly Kinsley, MD
My Visit to Herghelia: Center of Lifestyle Medicine
Some roll up in Ferraris and Porsches, others arrive by shuttle. All are eager to experience what money can’t buy: health. Twice per month, fifty visitors from all over Europe embark on a two-week health retreat at a remote sanitarium in Transylvania, Romania. This rural retreat is in such demand that its waiting list is six months long.
Herghelia’s well-appointed facilities feel like a spa inside and out. The atmosphere is nurturing. The thoughtfully prepared food, educational classes, exercise opportunities, and hydro and massage therapy, all reflect a high level of quality and professionalism. The ever-helpful staff radiate a sense of caring for each and every guest.
In addition to the sanitarium, there is a health evangelism school where young people come from throughout Romania and Europe to study English, Bible, gardening, and health education. The school prepares these young adults for ministry, either at Herghelia or back in their hometowns and cities. Twenty students were present during our visit.
Herghelia is surrounded by beautiful farmland and extensive greenhouses, providing a constant supply of fresh ingredients for each meal. I enjoyed organic fruits and vegetables, fresh bread made with homegrown and milled wheat, and many other delicious foods.
This ongoing ministry of healing and teaching provides many spiritual opportunities to learn of the Creator God and His great love. Herghelia is blessed with a wonderful meeting hall that serves as a local church on Sabbath, and a lecture hall during the week. Every morning starts with worship where staff, guests, and visitors gather to sing and hear the spoken word of God.
The week I visited was a special week of spiritual emphasis. Last October, Dr. Nicolae Dan invited a group of us to come present a series of meetings on the everlasting gospel and righteousness by faith. The group was organized by Dr. Brian Schwartz and included his wife Dr. Lyndi Schwarz, Dr. Fred Bischoff, and myself.
We arrived in mid-July and presented the message of “Christ our Righteousness” throughout the week. Lyndi presented a series on the gospel through the book of Romans. Fred shared a number of historical vignettes tracking righteousness by faith though the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Reformation, the Advent movement, and beyond. Brian shared a number of gospel topics including “The Love of God,” “The Faith of Jesus,” and “Repentance.” Brian also shared the fact that at least four generations have passed since the Advent movement began, and offered some valuable reasons as to why. I presented a series on righteousness by faith in the book of Hebrews.
Those who attended, including some of the guests at the sanitarium, found their hearts warmed as they were either reminded of, or introduced for the first time, to the matchless love of a God that literally died so they can be with Him for eternity. Herghelia is blessed with outstanding technology that enabled us to record the entire series. It can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/user/hergheliatv/videos
I was very impressed and encouraged by the ongoing work in Herghelia. It reminded me of this quotation found in Medical Ministry:
“This is why our sanitariums were established—to give courage to the hopeless by uniting the prayer of faith with proper treatment, and instruction in physical and spiritual right living. Through such ministrations many are to be converted. The physicians in our sanitariums are to give the clear gospel message of soul healing.” Medical Ministry, p. 246
The work in Romania is true, faithful, and courageous. The Romanian church has emerged from under communism, coming forth with power, strength, vision and boldness. The people have a large vision for what God can do for and through them in ministry and outreach. Like them, may we all open our eyes to the beautiful possibilities God has set before us: possibilities of ministry and possibilities of the heart.
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