December 2010 *** Newsletter

‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, …” (Isaiah 9:6)

Once again the Christmas season is upon us.  The time when we remember the birth of Jesus, God’s son.  The one who left His glory in Heaven to be born in a manger so that He could die on the cross to take our sins so we could be reunited with our Heavenly Father.  Such a precious gift that so few people accept! When we see what Christmas has become in the world around us, our hearts are heavy.  Christ has been taken out of Christmas and it has become a time of gift giving and partying!  If only people would realize the true meaning of Christmas!

It has been a long while again since you have heard from us.  While we apologize – we know you understand how busy we are and pray you will forgive us for not keeping you better informed about what is happening here.  We do covet your prayers and realize you can do that more effectively when you hear from us – we will try to do better in the next year and in turn would love to hear about what is happening in your lives as well!  God bless you as you serve Him!

Wow- when we look back over the past 6 months, we wonder how we found time to do what we did and wonder where we can find more time to do the things we would have liked to do!  We will try to catch you up to date on where we left off.

In July, two Canadian young men joined us at the camp site.  We put them hard at work and in two weeks, even though it rained almost non stop and they both got a good case of what we feel may have been Beaver fever – we managed to get a lot of work done.  Bathrooms were erected, the container set on cement pads, a road and gate built and a walkway started.   We need to put a cement floor down and a roof over the dining area and the camp site is ready to be used the summer of 2011.  We are excited about what God is going to do there!

In August, Elvira headed to Canada while Albert stayed home to take care of Valentina and Laurentiu.  Elvira had a very busy but good time while in Canada and managed to drive all those miles alone – after having a bad scare falling asleep while driving during the first few miles!  Guardian angels!  Elvira was able to spend some very precious days with her mother – not realizing at the time just how important that time was as her mother went to be with the Lord in late October.  While we are grieving the fact that there will be no more phone calls to tell us she is praying for us and loves us or no more fleece pajamas with feet, we are thankful that she passed quickly and peacefully and is now home in Heaven with Jesus!  Elvira was also able to attend the wedding of her youngest brother – a blessing which was not expected!  She spent some precious days alone at a lake with our daughter Shauna, making memories and getting a little rest before heading west.  When returning home from the lake, Elvira got news that our son Karl had unexpected surgery on his Achilles tendon.  Word was that all was well but by the time Elvira arrived in Alberta, Karl was having difficulty breathing and after several days was taken into emergency where they discovered his lungs were full of blood clots!  Therefore, several days were spent with the grandchildren so that Patricia could be in the hospital with Karl.  While this was certainly not on the agenda, Elvira was glad she was there and everyone was so grateful that Elvira was able to be there during this time.  We are so thankful to God for sparing our son for we know that God has much more for him to do here on earth!
We want to thank all of you for your prayers for Elvira as she traveled, for Albert as he cared for the children and for Karl and family as they went through this difficult time.  We also want to thank all of you who cared for Elvira as she traveled, for making her comfortable and showing God’s love so graciously!
While Elvira was gone, Albert received a container from Canada.  It was a big chore for him getting it cleared as he had Laurentiu with him and things did not go well in Constanta but was finally able to clear it in Bucharest.   This was the 3rd container we received this year and we thank all of you who have made it possible and for your prayers as Albert has delivered the supplies around Romania.  Through you, we have been able to bless many churches, families, hospitals, and orphanages.   We have just received word that another container is on the way and we expect it to arrive in January 2011.
Elvira arrived back in Romania with 3 days to prepare for the next Bible School session.  Because of this, we doubled up our classes, turning 4 weeks of Bible School into 2 weeks.  This meant more mouths to feed at one time as well as more beds and we discovered we no longer have large enough facilities!  We were blessed with wonderful professors who were very helpful and once again we felt God working in the lives of our students.  One of our students finished his first level of studies and we are excited to be able to give him a certificate indicating this – God is so faithful!
Although Frank and Rita’s first position on the mission field did not turn out as expected and they have moved a little further away from us, their marriage is going well and they are happy serving the Lord.  Dana is living with them for the time and we are praying she will get a good job after the new year.
Valentina is doing well in grade 6.  She has developed and matured so much these last months it is almost unbelievable – hoping she slows down soon!
Laurentiu is such a bundle of joy.  He is so fun, so loving and takes so much energy to even think of keeping up with him.  He has decided that his mama and papa can either buy or make anything his little heart desires – including snow and a Christmas tree!  We are so blessed as he prays – so serious – yet so full of joy.  Such a blessing!
Our Canadian children are doing well.  Karl is still having some trouble with his incision site but is getting around without crutches although he cries he can not go snowboarding with the rest of the family.  Patricia is now working at the school and although she gets fairly tired says she enjoys it very much.  Shauna is doing well although she has had some struggles with health and being lonely.  She will be going to Alberta to spend Christmas with Karl and family – wish we could be there too!
Albert is busy mentoring the pastors in the area.  Seldom do we get a Sunday where he is not called to preach at least once, usually twice – in two different locations!  He loves to teach and preach and takes every opportunity he can to share God’s word with those who will listen and continues to spend much time studying God’s word and doing leadership training.
Elvira continues to be busy with the medical work as well as a variety of ministries in which she tries to show God’s love to the village people by becoming involved in the things which they are doing.

We want to take this opportunity at the end of this year, 2010, to thank you all for your continued prayers, for your financial support and for your friendship.  We love you, God’s family and pray that God would do big and mighty things in your lives this next year – that miracles would happen in your lives, in your families, in your churches, in your communities, in your country and in the world!  May you find His peace, His joy, and His love!

‘And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace….’

EHM PRAISE REPORTS AND PRAYER REQUESTS

1.   FINANCES:    We thank God for His faithfulness in providing for our every need.  However, our finances are the lowest they have been in many years and we are believing for provisions to be able to pay our utility bills – much less any thing else!   Our vehicles have taken a huge chunk out of finances this year but know that God is able – He owns the cattle on a thousand hills!   Pray for financial blessings!
-finances needed for daily living
-finances needed for vehicles
-finances needed for continued development at the river site
-finances needed for clearing the container and delivering the humanitarian aid
-finances needed for Bible School costs
-finances needed for development of new kitchen/dining area for Bible School

2.  HEALTH:   So thankful for God’s healing power.  We still have our aches and pains, perhaps all part of aging but are thankful for Albert’s good health, his doctor says all is well.  Elvira has pain in her back and legs, especially when she has worked all day but it is bearable!  Pray for continued strength to do God’s work!
Continue to pray for healing in Karl’s leg and that Patricia would make it through the winter without problems as her lungs were damaged last spring when she had pneumonia.
Pray for Shauna – that God would touch her body and use her for His Kingdom.

3. TRAVEL:   So thankful for God’s protection as we travel.  Albert will be travelling to Constanta and then throughout Romania delivering aid in January.  Pray for guardian angels to protect him as he travels and for Elvira and the kids at home.

4. BIBLE SCHOOL:  We thank God for the opportunity to teach men and women God’s word.  We are thankful for the professors who give freely of their time and energies.  Thankful for the students and the way God is working in their lives.   Please pray that professors will continue to come and share God’s word and that the students would continue to return and finish their studies!

5.  ROMANIAN CHILDREN:   So thankful for the way God is working the lives of Rita and Frank.  Pray that God would give wisdom and direction as they seek to do His perfect will with their lives.
Pray for Dana as she looks for employment.
Pray for Valentina as she seeks to be a Godly example to those around her.
Pray for Laurentiu as he develops into a young man of God  – that God would give us wisdom as we train him and raise him for God’s Kingdom.

‘Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness…. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.   Praise the Lord’ ( Psalm 150;2,6)