EXTENDED HANDS MINISTRIES

“…whatever you did for one of the least of these …”

**AUGUST 2006 ***NEWSLETTER**

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” Ecclesiastes 3:4

Summer is quickly passing and so much has happened since we wrote you two months ago. We thought we should keep you informed so that you can pray for us and know the times we are going through at present. The problem is – where do we start?

We hinted at some problems in our midst – in the church in our last e-mail. Things came to a head shortly after and after much prayer we decided the best thing for all would be to discontinue programs for a time and seek God in restructuring the church activities. It has been a very difficult summer to say the least! To explain our decisions to do this would take much too much time and it is difficult to explain as even we do not fully understand what is happening around us. We do know – Satan is working overtime and the lure of the world is very strong. As more and more western knowledge comes into Romania – materialism is becoming the ‘god’ of the people and they no longer need God or want anything to do with Him – other than to receive the blessings that they know He can give! However, we serve an awesome God and we know that in His timing – in it’s season – everything will come right and we look forward to a powerful move of God’s hand to turn the hearts of the people here in Romania towards God.

Since June when we last wrote – Valentina completed grade one and received a first place award! Dana finished grade 10 with an average in the 90’s! Bianca finished grade 12 and passed her big exams so is now qualified to work – where – we do not know! Rita is doing an awesome job in Medias and has now moved to a village to continue the mission work there. Marin is still in Italy, we have not heard from him. Gheorghe continues to serve God and will be water baptized on August 13th. Monica continues to help us where ever she can and is a great blessing to us.

We still have not received any word on our citizenship although the three month time limit is almost up! Therefore, we also have no word on Valentina’s adoption either!

We were blessed with a young couple from Canada. They worked hard along side us – they taught English daily, helped with the gardening and picked lots of strawberries (ate a lot too!), helped install a flush toilet and shower in the mission house, poured the foundation for the new education building and we could go on and on! With all their help we were also able to take some time and explore a little of Romania and we had a lot of fun. They truly blessed us and it was a pleasure to have them visit and we miss them very much! They left a big impression on us and the village and many are still talking about them –especially Valentina who loved the things they did with her. Thanks KC and Chris!
We were also blessed by a team from Holland. Although the original plan was for them to do camps with us – we had to rethink that when we stopped church activities. Therefore we did some children’s programs and did a football tournament and then they went into another area and did camp there. They were a blessing and from the reports we have received –they were also blessed! God continues to work and we are so thankful for His faithfulness.
Albert has been working hard with who ever he finds available to dig trenches to put sewer in the ministry yard. The ministry house now has a flush toilet and the Holland boys thought they were in Heaven and the girls could no longer gloat that they had one and the boys did not! The walls and rafters are up on the new education centre and they are preparing to close in the roof in the next few days. Although the weather has been very, very hot – the men have been going ahead and much progress has been made. May God continue to protect the men as they work and to bless this building to further His Kingdom.

Next week the Bible School students return for their next session. We are looking forward to this time together and thank God for His faithfulness in bringing these students in to learn His word! Please pray for these students as they truly must put their lives on the line as they receive opposition from families and friends and must sacrifice much in order to attend! We pray also for safe travel for the professor from England and for the Romanian professors as they travel each day.
With our Sundays free from church activities in our village – we have taken the opportunity to travel and visit other churches. Albert has spoken on several occasions and each time God has moved in a powerful way and people have come for salvation, for healing, for encouragement. We have been blessed to see that God is moving in Romania and there is still a hunger for God and that people are turning to Him! It has also been a blessing to be able to visit with other pastors and to share visions and problems and to seek the will of God together.
As we told you in the last newsletter — Elvira will be in Canada very soon after you receive this letter – maybe sooner! She leaves August 23rd – so that she is in Romania for Valentina’s birthday on the 21st. She will spend a week with her mother on Vancouver Island and will meet with the church family there before flying into Manitoba. From Manitoba she will travel by car into Alberta where she will be until the end of September and then return to Manitoba to speak and visit for the month of October. On November 1st she will return to Romania! Please remember to keep her in your prayers as she has many speaking engagements and she still does not like to public speak! She will also be spending a lot of time traveling and covets your prayers for travel mercies! Elvira is looking forward to seeing her grandbabies, children, friends and family. If you would like to see her and you have not yet contacted her – you can still do that by e-mailing us or by calling our daughter Shauna’s cell phone which Elvira will use while in Canada: 204- 823-0829.

As we shared our situation with many of you – you expressed your concerns that we were working too hard and were not taking time for ourselves. We want you to know that we just returned from an 8 day journey in the mountains. We explored many mountain streams and rivers and took the time to sit in God’s beautiful nature and just reflect on God’s faithfulness and to seek direction for our future and the future of the work in Crihalma. We have a peace in our hearts in knowing that God is wanting to do a big thing and that we must be patient and wait for the right time and to prepare ourselves to continue to work with His children. Valentina loved the time she got alone with mama and papa and it was a great time of getting away to think, pray and mediate! We also have stories of God’s protection and how He uses simple things like hot bread and Pampers wipes! Ask Elvira when you see her!

FMÎ RAPORTURI DE LAUDĂ ȘI CERERI DE RUGĂCIUNE

1. HEALTH: Although both Albert and Elvira continue to have aches and pains – we thank God for His continued mercy and the strength that He gives to continue to work for Him!

2. BIBLE SCHOOL: August 7-19 is the next Bible School session. Pray for safety in travel and that the students would be able to study and to learn to the glory of God. We are thankful for the students and the professors and pray God’s blessings on them all!

3. TRAVEL: Elvira will be travelling to Canada on August 23rd and will be doing much road travel while there. Pray for safety and God’s protection over her. Pray also for Albert as he will remain in Romania to continue the work and take care of the family!

4. CHURCH: Pray for wisdom, for direction and guidance as we seek God’s will for the future of the church in Crihalma. Pray for the kids – that God will protect them and draw them closer to Him during this period of restructuring!

5. FINANCES: God continues to be faithful in supplying for the needs of the work here in Romania. We thank God for the people He uses to do this and pray God’s blessings on them as they continue to be obedient in sharing of their resources. Increased costs at this time are with Elvira’s travel and the finishing of the education building.

6. PRAYER: We can not say thank you enough to God for providing faithful people who support us in prayer. We have sensed your prayers in the last days in ways we have not experienced before! We know that many do not understand all that is happening – but – God does! We ask that you continue to pray and that we might know God’s perfect will for the work here in Romania!