APRIL 2009 NEWSLETTER

‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!  (Luke 24:5b, 6a)

Hallelujah!  He has risen!  We serve a risen Christ – one who is coming back for His church real soon!  We look forward to this day with great anticipation!  All we ever seem to hear these days is ‘crisis’, ‘financial disaster’; ‘the end is coming!’   And truly, we believe it is!  God’s Word is being fulfilled daily and as we think of Christ’s reception into Jerusalem two thousand years ago, we pray that He is being received in hearts around the world so that when He comes again, we, the church, His bride, will be ready to receive our King and go to meet Him and live with Him forever!

Not sure how it is in the rest of the world, but, spring has come to Romania!  It is beautiful here!  God’s majesty is displayed each morning in the sunrise, all day in the beautiful blooming flowers, the returning birds and the fresh spring air and again at night in the incredible sunsets!  What an awesome creator we have – such imagination, one that continues to delight the soul and refresh the spirit as we see His glory all around us!

New life has come to our home too!!  For those of you who do not get our prayer updates – we have a baby boy!  His name is Laurentiu, he is now 14 months old and he has brought much joy and laughter into our home in the one short month that he has been with us.  Why – you ask?  Why have we taken him?  Laurentiu was a premature baby, born to parents who have already abandoned six children between them.   He was very sick shortly after birth and the doctors expected him to die at any time.  During this time, his parents abandoned him and left for Italy.  When he was well enough, it took some time for family services to find his relatives and his aunt took him into their home.  However, he was often left uncared for and so the grandparents moved him to another home until the parents returned for a 3 week visit after which they abandoned him once again and left him in the care of a brother who could not care for him long term.  The grandfather asked us if we would consider caring for him and although we never thought we would take in another baby, God had already prepared Elvira for this event and so it was not a hard decision to take him into our home.  Laurentiu loved Albert at first sight and his first words in our home were ‘papa’ – a seal on papa’s already soft heart!  Laurentiu loves men, does not seem to care for the female gender unless they are young – like his new sister, Valentina, who he loves very much!  However, over the last month he has discovered that it is to his benefit to have mama on his side too and some trust and lots of bonding has happened.  However, he is a sick baby, although you would never know it to look at him now.  This next week we are expecting to get a call from the doctor, calling him in to have a series of test for which he must stay in hospital, and Elvira with him as they do not want to take the chance that he will be abandoned there again!  Please pray that God has already healed his little body and that he will get a clean bill of health with no permanent damage to his organs!

The first session of Bible School has also happened already this year!  God blessed us with awesome professors, translators and 12 students who were eager to learn and God did some wonderful things in their hearts.  We are praying that He continues to work in their lives and that they are able to put into practice the things they have learnt and that they will return in June when the Bible School runs again.  Some of the students met with some serious opposition when they returned to their homes so they are in need of prayer.  However, we know that when Satan is fighting – God is working and we know who will have the victory!

Our first ever, Ladies conference was held the week after Bible School.  Because of some of the problems the men had, several of the women who were to come were unable to.  There was also a very bad flu going around at that time which claimed several other women and as a result we opened the conference up to some of the ladies in our village.  We know that God hand picked the ladies who were there!  The speaker was awesome and had some very practical lessons for us as she taught on being ‘Women of God’!  God did some major healing in some hearts and we know that He will continue the good work which He has started!  Those of you who were praying for our cooks – the men – will be relieved to hear that God heard your prayers and the ladies were served some very delicious meals. It is true that they had some help with deserts but we could not have asked for a better catering service and – they cleaned up after themselves too!!!  God is good!

God is also doing some awesome things in the village church where we are working.  More people, mostly women are attending regularly and God is growing the seeds that were planted many years ago.  New life is bursting forth and we are excited as we see lives blossoming in the love of Jesus and know that there will soon be fruit and we are believing for a great harvest!

Seems like this year has already been full of ‘firsts’.   Next weekend we are planning the ‘first’ ever mother and daughter day out!  Many of the church ladies have daughters around Valentina’s age and all of them have been begging us to take them to the river for an outing, as have their mother’s! Although our river property is only about 15 kilometers from Crihalma, most of the ladies have never been there to see God’s beauty and experience His peace in such a setting!  We are believing for a day of binding hearts in the love of Jesus and for spiritual growth and healing for all.

Our Canadian children and grandchildren are doing well.  Shauna was just up to visit Karl and Patricia and the kids in New Sarepta and they enjoyed each other.  Would have liked to join them!

Our Romanian children are also doing well.  Rita is excited because her special friend from Holland has come to work in Romania – they are seeing where God would lead in their lives.   Dana is preparing to write her ‘position’ exam so she can get a teaching position – please keep her in prayer as she writes in June.  Valentina, is doing well in school, is thrilled to have a baby brother and continues to bring us much joy!

We have had some discouraging news from some of our other children.  Marin is having some marriage difficulties,  some have lost jobs due to the ‘crisis’, others need a touch from God, please continue to pray for them!

It looks like Albert has been ‘elected’ to visit Canada this year.  He plans to arrive in September and stay into November.  If you would like a visit in your home and/or church, please contact him so he can begin his scheduling.  Thank you for being open to hear from him, what God is doing in Romania.

‘He is risen – as he said!
EHM PRAISE REPORTS AND PRAYER REQUESTS

1.  HEALTH:   Albert continues to get stronger all the time.  He is completely off his diabetic medication and the doctor is now weaning him off of his blood pressure pills!
Elvira is doing great.  Some pain in the legs but nothing that is stopping her from continuing to be very active.  She is the only one who escaped the bad flu that was going around and is very thankful because she does not have time to be sick when everyone else is needing her!
Laurentiu:   was diagnosed with hepatitis B shortly after he was born and they suspect liver damage.  Please pray for him as he undergoes tests in the next week or so.  Also for Elvira who must stay in hospital with him!

2. BIBLE SCHOOL:  We thank God for the great work He has done in the 12 students who attended the March session.  Also for the professors and translators!  Continue to pray for these students- that God would reveal His word to their hearts and that they would be able to put it into practice!  Pray also for the professors who will be coming for the June session!

3.  FAMILY;   So thankful for God’s hand of protection on our Canadian children!  We miss them so much and yet know that God is watching over them much better than we could!  We pray that God would keep their jobs secure in this time when we hear so many losing their jobs!
Romanian Children:  pray also for the security of their jobs, that God would continue to provide for them, both financially and spiritually.  Pray for us as we counsel and they seek God’s direction in each one of their lives!

4.  FINANCES:   We continue to thank God for His faithfulness and for the faithfulness of His children who continue to support the work here in Romania.  We do not need to tell you how difficult it is getting to make ends meet as we know you are very aware.  We are just so thankful that we are the ‘KINGS KIDS’ and that our Father  ‘owns all the cattle on a thousand hills!’

‘For our Lord God almighty reigns, Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!’  (Revelation 19:6,7a)