JUNE 2006 — NEWSLETTER

“Love …always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
(I Corinthians 13:7,8a)

How quickly time goes by – perhaps this newsletter seems very early to you faithful readers – well – it is – with several motives. One being that summer is almost here and many will be going on holidays, camping, etc. We wanted to reach you before you do that so that you can stay informed and to let you know that our prayers are with you and pray that God protects you and gives you all great times of refreshing. .
Secondly, we wanted to inform you that Elvira is scheduling her trip to Canada for this fall and needs your help!!!! Presently, the plan is for her to arrive in Canada late in August and begin to travel west from Manitoba into Saskatchewan and Alberta the first week of September and depending on how many churches wish to see her – returning to Manitoba for the first week in October. Present plans are for her to return to Romania late October, early November. Therefore, it is urgent that those of you who wish to hear from or see Elvira during her visit, to contact us now so that the best possible scheduling can be done. Please communicate via e-mail at our new site – addressing scheduling to: elvira@ehm-romania.info and she will get back to you and communicate in order to fit everyone in. Thanks in advance for your help and Elvira is looking forward to seeing you soon and catching up on your lives and sharing about the work here in Romania.
It has already been a very busy spring season here. The School of Harvest and Ministry Crihalma completed another session and we were blessed with five new students who were very keen and eager to learn and we look forward to seeing them grow in wisdom and knowledge of Jesus Christ and what He desires for their lives. We were also blessed with two new professors who were received very well. We are so thankful for the many people that God has sent us – to help fulfill the vision He has placed on our hearts – to train men and women of Romania with knowledge of God’s word to go out and teach their own people. God is a God of resources and we thank Him for His faithfulness in providing in all areas. The next Bible School session will be in August, just before Elvira leaves for Canada. We will have one professor coming from England and are praying already that God will prepare the students to receive what God has in store for them.
Our sister Bible School in Holland also visited us with 20 people, so together with students, professors, and translators we were housing 30 extra people! The children’s programs went very well with up to 70 in attendance on the hill behind the gypsy village. The team also traveled to several villages in our area and presented a drama which was very well received and we pray that the seed that was planted will grow and bring forth fruit. The men from the Bible School also started the destruction of part of our existing building, to make way for an addition which will better facilitate the Bible School, Church, teaching programs and functions in the future.
Papers for our citizenship are now in the hands of our lawyer who has promised to get them filed as quickly as possible. As this is Romania, we do not know how quick that is but we are hoping he will be calling to let us know they are filed by the end of May – therefore, by the time you receive this letter! He tells us that the government then has 3 months to inform us whether we have been accepted or rejected. Therefore, we are praying that when Elvira returns to Canada in August, she will bring a good report with her! The process of adopting Valentina will be started after citizenship is received!
Our Romanian Children: Rita was home for Easter and to take one of the weeks of Bible School. She is doing very well in her work and we receive good reports on her work and relationship with others. She will be moving to a village to start a work in June and so covets your prayers as she enters a new step in her ministry. Dana, is very up and down. She reports that she is working very hard at her studies and her marks will soon show us if that is true. We have seen that God is doing a work in her heart and we pray that she is able to give Him her total life and walk with Him. Valentina is growing in every area – except out perhaps! She has sprouted so much this last year that she will soon reach the height of mama – we know – that is not so tall – but she is only seven!!! She continues to get excellent marks in school and her teacher tells us that she loves her very much and is thankful to have such a good student in her class. This is a very high recommendation because Valentina is gypsy and they are not usually appreciated in any way! However, Valentina is not really treated like a gypsy – in fact, they are not sure how to treat her because she does not act like a gypsy but not like a Romanian either! The teacher says she is a great example to the others and is very sensible and just not like any of the other children! We thank God for her and for her courage in resisting the wrong and standing up for what is right! It appears that her and the Orthodox pope’s (pastor) son are doing a great job at trying to teach the other children what is right and what is wrong! Interesting combination but we believe there is only one God and so if they are working together for the Kingdom of God ?????
We are sorry to report that Marin has completely backslidden again. After working in the bar in our community for several weeks, he and his girlfriend left for Italy. This is very heavy on our hearts and we pray that God will protect them and bring them back to Himself! Bianca is finishing grade 12 and will be writing her big exams at the end of June. We are not sure where her future lays after she has finished and we are somewhat sorry to report that we are not sure that education has been a good thing for her. Although she is still serving the Lord in the church, she is very pulled by the things of the world and we are having some trouble with her attitudes and actions. We pray that she will allow God to guide her and that she would remain open to Him and not fall into the trap of the world. We also need much wisdom in helping her and in knowing what is the next step for her.
We do not only have negative news – although we must confess that lately we have been very discouraged with the work and the way the kids seem to fall away after being in the church for so long. Their culture is so strong in them that it seems to draw them back into the cycle of poverty without them even realizing what is happening! However, we have one young man who became a Christian under our ministry when we first came to Romania. He was very active in the church until he decided it was time to get ‘married’. Eventually, he found a girl, 14 years old and she became pregnant. Gheorghe was then too embarrassed to come to church and so we saw very little of him. However, this spring he returned from a short stint in Italy and asked if he could come and talk with us. He told us how God had been with Him while he was away and how all the things that we had taught him came back to his memory and how he desired to serve God again. So, a few weeks ago, he gave his life back to God. This has provided him with many challenges as his ‘wife’ does not want him to be a ‘repenter’. However, he has been strong and faithful in the church and we believe that God has a call on his life –something we have always believed. He is working with us, doing odd jobs and helping with the building project and he is a very big blessing to us. He is very humble and has a great servant heart and we can see that God is preparing him for great things. We covet your prayers for him that he would be able to resist the call of the world and stand up for what he knows is the truth and what is right!
Perhaps some of you remember us talking about Monica? She is another blessing to us and we are so thankful for her! She has taken over from Rita, teaching of music to the children. She also supervises study times and helps the children do their homework. She has also become very good at translating, she helps us take care of an elderly lady in the community and we could go on and on. After a short time away from the Lord, she has returned, with a servant heart and a desire to be used of God, wherever and however He desires to use her! This week Monica will be travelling to Lugos with Elvira– a city about 8 hours from Crihalma to take a teaching study on the book of Hebrews. We are praying it will be a blessing for both and that God will use it to further His kingdom. Please pray for protection as they travel and for Valentina and Albert who will be left at home to fend for themselves for these 2 weeks!
In June we will be blessed by a visit from a young couple from Canada, the son of some friends from Manitoba. They will be with us for 3 weeks and will be involved in teaching English, with the building project and in whatever area they see a need. We are excited about this and pray that God would use them and we would have a blessed time, working together for the Kingdom of God!
In July a group of teens from Holland will be coming to assist us once again with our summer camps. We are praying that God will prepare the hearts of the children and teens attending to receive what He has for them and that He will also prepare the weather and the Holland team – that all might be to His glory!
Our Canadian Children: Karl and Patricia are somewhat discouraged by the slow progress in the building of their new home. However, it will get built. The kids are doing well and Patricia’s health is somewhat better although she still has some bad days. Karl has been suffering with swelling in an ankle which the doctors say is gout and this has been very painful for him. Shauna is doing well, has gone through some difficulties but continues to put her trust in God and we know that He will give wisdom and strength as it is needed!

The pages are full and so the rest we will have to save for sharing another time, however, we encourage you to visit our web site to keep more informed as well as to see some pictures to accompany this report.

God Bless you all and we thank you for your prayers and support! It is great to be in the family of God – extending God’s love wherever we are!

EXTENDED HANDS MINISTRIES:
PRAISE REPORTS AND PRAYER REQUESTS

1. HEALTH: Although both Albert and Elvira continue to suffer from various aches and pains, we thank God for His strength and power to continue to do the things we must do! Continue to pray for complete healing and continued strength.

2. WORK PROJECTS: We are preparing to lay the foundation for the new addition to the ministry building. We will also be building a shower and toilet facility for use by the visiting teams. Please pray and believe with us that God will provide the workers to finish it as quickly as possible. Pray for wisdom and patience for Albert as he works and makes the necessary decisions as well as for protection for all.

3. CAMPS; We thank God for the opportunity to minister to children and youth. Please pray for protection for the Holland team as they travel as well as for the campers. Pray that the Word of God would enter the hearts of all who attend and that they would meet with God in a special way this summer. We are still hoping to purchase land at the river but it has not happened as of yet but are blessed by a farmer who allows us to use his land.

4. BIBLE SCHOOL: We thank God for the professors who are giving of their time, and for the students who have attended the Bible School. Please pray that they would be able to do the studies and that they can return for the next session in August.

5. CHILDREN: Thank you for your continued prayers for ALL our children! We thank God for those who have remained in Him. We continue to pray that God would strengthen them and keep them close. We also pray for those who have wandered away and believe that they can find happiness in the world. We pray that God would protect them and bring them back to His fold – quickly! For those who need a physical touch in their bodies, we know that God is capable of doing that too and believe that He will do it!

6. FINANCES: God is so faithful! He knows in advance what we need and how he will supply those needs. We thank Him for the faithful people who continue to bless the work in Romania with their financial resources. We pray God’s blessings on you as you continue to partner with us in the great harvest field here! We also thank you for your prayers – all the finances in the world will not help us if we do not have your prayer covering! Thanks to you who uphold us – we appreciate it so much that words can not express!

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
( I Corinthians 15:57)