What else can I say other than God answers prayer!  Join us in thanking the Lord for the blessings mentioned below and petitioning for the following requests.

HUGHES’ FURLOUGH
Jacob and Viola made it back to America safely for their furlough. We thank the Lord for the safety thus far in their travels (I believe over 3,000 miles thus far in the span of just about a month). Please continue to pray that the Lord will strengthen, encourage, and refresh them during their time visiting churches, friends and family.
I had specifically requested prayer for help in using my time wisely and keeping up with my responsibilities during the Hughes’ absence.  Thus far, the responsibilities are being fulfilled, in part due to the Lord providing some Moldovans to help in different aspects. Please continue to pray for me in this area as a number of unexpected but good responsibilities have been added to my schedule recently.

VAN
Thank you for praying for us to find a van.  After much searching, praying, and seeking counsel from many sources, we decided on a van to purchase for our family.  As I write this, a friend of mine from Soroca is on his way to Germany to check out the van and Lord willing make the purchase.  The trip is about 25 hours each way, non-stop, add in the times to fill up, cross through customs at borders, and it is over 30 hours each way.  Please pray for him and his co-driver to arrive there safely, the van end up being what we are expecting, the money transfer to arrive without problems, and for them to make it back safely with the van. 

RESIDENCY PERMITS
We thank the Lord that we were granted the two year residency permits.  I always rejoice to see the new residency cards in hand, thankful for our service to Christ to continue here in Moldova. Though we will not be attempting this in the near future, please pray for us to receive permanent residency permits in the future. I inquired further at the migration office if this is a possibility for us.  I was given a paper with the list of requirements, which we currently could meet, if we took a language test and worked on a couple other documents. This is a goal of mine within the next 6 years.  Our lawyer said they don’t give out permanent residencies.  Maybe the Lord would see fit for us to be the first.

GREATER INFLUENCE
During our ministry team retreat in August of last year, we specifically began praying for two things. First, we saw the need to gain entrance into people’s inner circle.  We had people coming to services but not willing to come over for a meal or allow us to personally disciple them.  We also saw that people we witnessed to through day-to-day life or visitation were not interested in us going further with the Gospel than the first visit.  We began asking the Lord to allow us to enter into people’s circle of influence.  Second, we started praying that God would raise men that we could disciple and lead along for Christ.
Over the past couple months, we have seen answers begin to both of these requests.  One lady who had visited us our second year started coming regularly with her daughter to our Sunday evening Bible study.  She was facing a very serious decision in life. Through a couple long conversations and much prayer, she chose to do what was right.  Another man has started coming regularly each week and was also counseled in an important decision.  He also has seen the validity of the biblical counsel he received and is following the Lord.  On a weekly basis, I have been meeting with another man, going through a discipleship course.  He lives outside the city in a village and would like to see a church planted in his village.  I am also working to start a weekly discipleship with another young man.  The majority of these have been men!  Please pray for the Lord to continue to work in the lives of these dear people and to raise up strong, male, godly leadership.

OPENING CLOSED DOORS
Over the past couple weeks, I had tried to call a young man in another village to see if we could meet and talk about salvation.  Both times I called, the young man’s father answered the phone. He asked me numerous questions very rudely and refused to let me talk to his “child,” a young man in his 30’s.  I was told to never call again, and he made some threats.  I thought that the door was closed. Much to my joy and surprise, the young man showed up at our house Sunday evening!  He did not have time to talk much, but we did get to start talking. Please pray for this young man, who is strict Orthodox, to meet with me again and allow us to open the Bible to see what salvation really means.

Thank you all for praying for us and the work here in Moldova.