EXTENDED HANDS MINISTRIES

“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  (Hebrews 12: 1b)

It appears that the end of  ‘the race’ is close at hand.  However, at times we grow weary and it is easy to take our focus off of the finish and off of the positive things that God has been doing in and through our lives here in Romania.  Sometimes we wonder if  God truly is working in us, through us, or in the lives of the people who we are in contact with each day. “Therefore, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, …”  When we do this, we truly are able to see that He has a purpose and His purpose will be fulfilled, even though the world seems to be going crazy around us.  When we consider what He suffered for us, the price He is asking of us seems very, very small!  So, let us focus on the positives, the good things that have been happening and know that God is alive, is working in the lives of people around us.

First, we will start with the littlest, big joy in our family.  Laurentiu is still with us, even though we have feared several times that he would be taken from us.  His parents were to return to Romania from Italy in June in order for their baby to be born.  When they returned, they planned to take Laurentiu back to live with them.  However, it seems it was not to be, at least not at this time.  Their baby was born several weeks early, in Italy.  This means that they have to do much paper work in order for them to bring the baby back to Romania.  This also means we have more time to love this little boy in our home!  This last month he started to walk, (he is now 17 months old), he also got 6 teeth in one week!  He is a very mischievous, fun loving little boy who steals the hearts of all who meet him.  He is also very head strong and knows how to work the situation to get himself out of trouble – already!  We can see many challenges ahead of us but pray that with the wisdom of God, we will be able to help him grow into a strong man of God.

Valentina is growing more beautiful every day.  She has turned a lovely brown again and is turning into quite a young lady.  She is almost as tall as mama – which does not take a lot – but for an ‘almost eleven’ year old, this is big news!  She loves her little brother and has become a very big help around the house for mama.

Dana was recently hit by a car while she was crossing a busy street.   The doctors in the hospital say it was a miracle she was still alive.  The ambulance driver says it may be a miracle but not a surprise as she was hit right outside the church she had just left!  Even the unbelievers – believe!   She was unconscious for almost half an hour but had no bruises, only two small scratches!  After several days she had some back pain and headaches but all have since disappeared and we thank God for sparing her life.  She has also testified to God’s goodness and is committed to following God ‘radically’ with her life!  She has passed the first series of tests for a teaching position and has one more to do so we are praying that God will help her with this so she is able to get a teaching position for the fall.  We give God the glory for working in her life!

Rita has just become engaged to her friend from Holland!  Frank and Rita plan to marry in May of 2010.  We are very excited for them and are thrilled with the way God is working in their lives and for the testimony they are to others around them.

In just a few days our oldest ‘home made’ son will turn 35 years old!  Not sure how that has happened when we are so young!  Our grand daughter just turned 9 and our grandson will be a big 11 years old!  Although we feel we do not hear from them often enough, they assure us they are doing fine and so we must leave them in God’s hands and pray His protection on their lives!   Shauna is doing well although often gets frustrated with her life,  However, we know that she is a big blessing to those around her and know that God has a special purpose for her life.  We miss all our kids and would like to be closer to them and be a bigger part of their lives, but know that God endured much more than He asks of us and know that the cost will not be too great when we get to the end of  ‘the race’.

We have completed another Bible School session.  Six of the 12 original students attended and it was a blessing to see how they had grown and matured in the last three months.  Their hunger and desire to learn more Bible truths was awesome and we give God the praise for these young men who are committed to learning more about Him.  The professors were also a blessing and we thank God for the dedication of these men who give of their lives to teach  these gypsy men about God.  Elvira was cooking for up to 15 people for those two weeks and was truly happy when the two weeks were done but was also blessed to see the change in them and to see how they have grown spiritually.

Albert has been able to complete a lot of yard work over the last few months.  The fences in both yards needed major repairs and except for a small around Elvira’s flower gardens, the work has been completed and he is truly thankful for the health and strength that God has given him to be able to do this.  Albert has become more and more in demand as a speaker and teacher in different areas of Romania and finds the pull between his desire to teach and the call of a pastor to ‘feed the sheep’ very difficult.   He has made an agreement with another pastor to be in the church in Crihalma so that he is able to travel to other churches and in this way – both ministries are being taken care of.

Elvira has been extremely busy in all areas.  The demands on her time in the medical field have been increasing to the point of it almost being a full time job some days.  However, there are other demands on her time – from cooking for the Bible School, a baby in the house as well as a 10 year old, translating in the church and doing personal evangelism.  Some days, Elvira is almost over whelmed and we have been trying to get away for a few days just to have some quiet time.  However, commitment to the people has kept us in the village and we are seeing God do some awesome works of  healing through her faithfulness in this area.  We have had serious axe wounds, chain saw cuts, burns and other injuries heal much more quickly than the doctors expected, or in fact we expected.  We know that this comes from the prayers that are said on each person’s behalf as Elvira is administering medical attention.  It brings such joy to our hearts when we hear people thank us and  ‘our God’ for healing them.  We pray that God will heal hearts in the same way as He heals bodies and bring them into His Kingdom and that we do not become tired with the things which often seem insignificant to us.

September is quickly approaching and this means, first, another Bible School session where we are expecting the students to have persevered during the summer months and to return to another session even though they face persecution and difficulties.   We are expecting professors from England and are so thankful for their faithfulness in returning and teaching for another session.  September also means that Albert will soon be on his way to Canada.  Although he is excited about seeing his children, grandchildren, family and friends, he is not happy about leaving Romania which is where is heart really is.  Contacts also seem to be very slow in coming in and we are searching God for direction and what and where He would have Albert to travel while in Canada.  We encourage you strongly- if you would like to have Albert share about the work in Romania, in your church, home or where ever, please contact him as soon as possible so that he is able to complete his travel plans.

One of the subjects we seldom, if ever, talk about in a negative way – is our finances.  God has been so faithful in supplying our every need and we are well aware that it takes His people, responding to the needs to accomplish this.  However, as with most everyone, most everywhere, it seems that the ‘financial crisis’ is affecting us and the work here in Romania.  We are desperately in need of some humanitarian aid, children’s clothes, medical supplies, etc. and it appears that there no longer are funds to make this happen.  We have been told that there are two container loads waiting to be shipped to Romania out of Vancouver but there are no funds to ship them.  It seems very sad that people have sacrificed to donate these things, people have worked hard to prepare them and we are waiting for their arrival but there is no money to make this happen.  We have also been waiting for funds to get our camping project underway- but – it is not happening either and our hearts are heavy because the need is so great, we have the property but not the resources to put what we believe is God’s plan into action!  We are not sure if you are aware that the cost to run the Bible School also comes out of our funding.  Costs are increasing but we do not feel we can ask the students to pay because most of them are unemployed and living on their children’s family allowances and are making great sacrifices to attend the school.   We have been criticized for not making our financial needs more obvious but feel that this is God’s work to lay the burden on the hearts of those who He chooses to help in this work.  Therefore, we thank you who have responded to the need and those who will respond now that we have made you more aware.  May God Bless you richly and bless the work here in Romania and may many respond to His calling because of your gifts of love to Him.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…”

EHM PRAISE REPORTS AND PRAYER REQUESTS

1.  HEALTH:   We can not stop thanking God for the health that He continues to give.   Although Elvira is finding that she is getting more tired and run down and therefore seems to be getting more of the viruses and flues that are going around, we thank God that He continues to give strength to continue to serve others in their needs.

2. BIBLE SCHOOL:  We thank God for the students and the faithful professors who are making the Bible School a success.  We continue to believe for more dedicated students to begin in spring and for committed professors to continue to teach.

3. FAMILY:  We are so blessed by all our family, both ‘home made’ and God ‘appointed’.   They bring us so much joy and we can not imagine our lives with out any one of them.  Continue to pray that God’s will would be done in each one’s lives and that He would use us in the plan that He has for their lives.

4. TRAVEL:   Although we can not say that Albert is going ‘eagerly’ to Canada, we do thank God for his willingness to go and share what God is doing in Romania.  Please pray that the schedule would all come together so that he can rest and that God would protect him and use him where ever he may go.

Also continue to pray for all travel in Romania.  Although some     highways and some drivers have improved, it is still quite dangerous traveling through Romania.  Pray for protection and guardian angels!

5. FINANCES:  God is our provider and we know that He always provides at the right time and we thank Him for His faithfulness.   Please pray and believe with us that the finances needed at this time will be in place even before this newsletter leaves our desk!

‘run with perserverance…..’