Category Archives: prayer letters

June 2019 Update

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     Moldova has quite a variety of roads. Just driving 30 minutes away to the village of Bulboci twice each week takes me over smooth, new asphalt, repaired asphalt, rocky roads (not the ice cream type), and dirt roads.  Last week I began thinking how much life and ministry is such. Sometimes things are going very smoothly with few bumps along the way. Other times you are hoping the car doesn’t fall apart. It is all a part of the journey and God allows all of it to help us get to where we need to go.
BULBOCI MINISTRY
We had mentioned in our last prayer letter that the 90 year old man has been experiencing opposition from his family. After he joined us for Easter, his relatives met him, took his nice clothes away and said he can receive them back when he starts coming back to the Orthodox church. With the family member causing most of the oppostion being away for the summer, he was expecting things to get better, not worse. Currently, things have calmed down and he still comes when he can. Please pray for this man to grow through this and grow in his faith.
I once heard a message of how people often use God as an umbrella. They only seek him when the storms of life come. The one man who was seeking after God has lost his interest currently, now that some things in his life have improved.
For the past month, I have been leading an evangelistic Bible study in the village each Wednesday. It is a cronological study from Creation to Christ. The first week two ladies came, then three the second week, six the third week, but then three the fourth week. The response has been very positive, but since it is an agricultural village, when the weather is good, the people go to the fields to work. Please pray for wisdom on possibly changing the day/time.
GOVERNMENT(S)
Over the past couple weeks, the political situation here in Moldova grew to a critical level. In short, Moldova ended up with two presidents and governments because two sides refused to acknowledge the other as the legal ruling power. Some worried that there could end up being civil war. After about a week of this, one of the parties conceded and stepped down. Praise the Lord that there was a peaceful resolution and that many are hopeful that the changes in the government may diminish the corruption here. Please continue to pray for the leadership here.
VBS
The first two weeks of July, we will host vacation Bible school, one week at our house in Zastînca and the other week in Soroca. Please pray for us as we finalize our preparations and for God to work in the hearts and lives of those who come.
TAMARA
About a year and a half ago, Jacob and I led Tamara to Christ. Up to that time, her life would remind people of the life of Job. God continues to allow her to relate to Job’s life. Please continue to pray for Tamara as she battles cancer, other health issues, and financial challenges.
SOROCA
For several weeks now, I have been meeting with the couple I mentione din the last prayer letter, using the Creation to Christ Bible study. Since we hold the study at their office, each week is like a different road. Some weeks we have few interruptions and others are very bumpy, taking us three hours to get through due to the flux of customers. This setup works for them well and I do not mind, as long as they are hearing and understanding God’s Word. Please pray for “V” and his wife as they seek to come to know God personally.
LIFE
As we continue down this road of life, our journey consists of things you can

Easter Sunday

probably relate to. Over the past couple months, we have had vehicle issues, new kittens born, pets die, dentist visits, gardening, unexpected witnessing opportunities, and more. Please pray for us to stay faithfully on course, regardless of how the road is.

April 2019 update

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Over the past couple months, I have told my wife, “I believe this is going to be a great year!” I am excited about what God is doing in our lives personally and also in and through our ministry team here in Moldova.

DISCIPLESHIP
This may sound strange, but Stephanie and I started being discipled by a veteran missionary. My training and experience includes many things such as visitation, leading people to Christ, baptizing, teaching the main doctrines, children’s ministries, music, preaching, and more. This past furlough, thanks to my pastor and the man who is discipling us, I saw my lack of knowing how to effectively make disciples for Christ who then make disciples who will make disciples.
In wanting to obey Christ’s command in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples and to teach faithful men “who shall be able to teach other also” (2 Timothy 2:2), we are meeting each week to be discipled ourselves and learn how to effectively make disciples who will then make disciples. As I have talked with other missionaries, pastors, and believers, I have seen that we are not alone in needing to grow in this area. Please pray for us to excel in learning to make disciples and training others to do the same.

RESIDENCIES APPROVED
In some ways it is now routine but still so vital to us… receiving new residency permits to live and work here in Moldova. Praise the Lord that we were once again granted new residency permits.

BULBOCI…..PROGRESS?
In a small village work, the little things can often seem big. For example, we had about five people absent from the service this past Sunday, which may not seem like a lot for some churches, but for this church plant, that was about half the people we have coming. The 90 year old man I mentioned in our January prayer letter has not been able to come due to health reasons most weeks. We have also been experiencing opposition from the Orthodox priest in his village and son who lives next door. These kinds of things don’t feel like progress, but we know God is still working.
A woman from the village group invited a neighbor who ended up coming to service. He publically shared his struggles and his desire to see his life changed. I have since shared with him the Gospel, took him with me for an entire day, and met with him to answer his questions. He seems to understand the Gospel, is continuing to think things through, and has asked some very good questions. Please pray for wisdom to answer the questions and for the cares of this world to not steal the seed planted.

SOROCA
We have also felt like we have taken some steps backwards in the work in Soroca. From people moving out of town or country, joining up with another evangelical group starting a church in town, and people drifting from the Lord, we feel like we are starting over again. In spite of this, I am still excited as to what God is going to do over the next year.
Lord willing, I will be starting a chronological, evangelistic Bible study with a couple this week. There are others with whom we continue to sow seed and water. The others in our team are also working to lead others to Christ. We expect God will give an increase and that we will reap if we faint not. Pray that we will not be weary in well doing, be diligent and bold in witnessing, and have patience till God gives the increase.

GOD MEETING NEEDS
This month, Abby and Caleb both got braces. While cheaper than in America, having to pay for two in braces was still a huge chunk of money to pay out. The last couple months, there have been some churches that have given us extra money, over and above the usual amount. They were not aware of the need, but God was. Praise the Lord for His working to help meet our needs through His people.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support!

January 2019 update

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Our four and a half month furlough is over, and we are back in Moldova. Rejoice with us on what God did during our furlough and so far since our return to Moldova.


In the span of four months, we visited 25 of our supporting churches. We enjoyed spending more time getting to know the pastors and congregations.


Despite being busy during furlough, we were able to spend the last four weeks with our sending church, Heritage Baptist Church. My pastor allowed me to preach several times during our furlough, which I appreciated. We enjoyed getting caught up on what God is doing in the lives of those in our church.


Over a month ago, I mailed out our furlough DVD and new prayer cards to all the churches we were not able to visit this furlough. If you did not receive our packet, please let me know.


It was a blessing to be able to witness in my own tongue again as we traveled around. One person we invited came to church the next day. Another person trusted Christ after a service. I even got to speak to a Russian lady and give her a tract.


In Moldova, I do a lot of spiritual feeding. On furlough it was nice to be on the receiving end again and challenged and fed spiritually.


This past furlough we again rented a vehicle from Baptist Missionary Transportation Ministries. Praise the Lord, in four months of traveling about 10,000 miles, we had no car trouble and no accidents.


In our travels we were also able to spend time with family in Michigan and Ohio. And my brother in Virginia drove to meet up with my parents and us in Kentucky. We spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with Stephanie’s family in Memphis. We really miss family when we are home in Moldova, so it was a blessing to be able to spend some special time and holidays with family for a change.

Due to an engine problem with our first flight out of Memphis, we were delayed in getting to Moldova by 4 days. In the end, we arrived in Moldova on January 20th and all our luggage by the next day.

What a joy it was to see our co-workers again and get back to work here in Moldova. Shortly after our arrival, though, Viola’s father passed away. Please pray for her and her family as they grieve the loss of Mr. Hitz and for the Lord to comfort them in this time.


Other than the worst case of jetlag we have had as a family, we are feeling refreshed and very positive about what God is going to do this year in Moldova.


For example, after the service this past Sunday in the village church plant, the 90 year old man who has been coming for months stood up and said he wanted to be baptized and be a part of the group. We explained once again the need to repent and accept Jesus and his Lord and Savior. He said he wanted to do that right then. What a joy to see him trust Christ in front of all there. He is already wanting to be baptized, so we don’t have to convince him of that step of obedience. Even though his family has been against him coming on Sundays, he has been faithful. Please pray for “Peter” to grow in his faith with the time God grants him left.

We have two other prayer requests for you. First, we are renewing our residencies for Moldova. In the past, we have received two year residencies. Our lawyer is trying for a three year residency for us. Please be in prayer for our residencies to be extended, Lord willing, by three years.


Second, please pray for the political situation in Moldova. They will have elections on February 24th for seats in parliament. If the Socialists get the majority, that can be bad for Moldova and us as missionaries. The President is a Socialist, too, and favors Putin, who does not favor freedom of religion. Please pray for peace and freedom here to continue.


Thank you for your prayers for us and your continued giving. May each one of us be even more fruitful in the coming year.

July 2018 Update

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     Life often feels like a roller coaster. It is full of ups and downs and goes by quickly. The last two months have been a roller coaster.

CHURCH PLANT IN SOROCA
We were thrilled to see the numbers grow this past Spring on Sunday mornings and began making plans for having our charter service to begin membership. Since our last prayer letter, “M” has disappeared from town. We have not seen him nor his family. I don’t know what happened in his life, but please pray for him.
In addition to losing “M,” our two Peace Corp volunteers, who had been with us over the past year or so, finished their contract and have left. We also had two dear ladies who sold their house and moved to the capital city. For a small group, this drastically changes the dynamics.
In spite of this we are moving ahead with our plans this Sunday (August 5th) to have our charter service and begin membership. Please pray for this step to help lay a strong foundation for moving forward.

BIBLE CONFERENCE
Last year we held our first annual conference, with the theme being “Family.” This year, our theme was the Bible. We taught on inspiration, inerrancy, preservation, and why we use the translations that we use. Those who came responded very positively to the messages and information.

VBS in Soroca

VBS
This year, we ran Vacation Bible School in three locations: at our house in Zastînca, our church rental in Soroca, and the children’s center in Cosăuți. Our theme this year was the life of Joseph. We felt that the children who came listened the best of any year previously. Several children that had come to Sarah Bodaly’s children’s ESL classes came to the VBS. One of the girls who came had trusted Christ last year. What a joy it was to see those who had come in the past and several new faces, too.

FRUIT
A couple years ago, we first met “D” at a children’s home. This teenager was very reserved, rarely smiled, and very aloof. He would rarely stay for the Bible lesson. The last year, he had warmed up some to us. Jacob had the idea of inviting him and some other young people from the center to attend a week of Christian camp where the Gospel is clearly preached. On the way home from picking “D” up from camp, he shared with me how he decided to repent and trust Christ as Savior. What a joy it was to hear this! His smiles a lot more and is much more open to us. He has started reading the Bible that we gave him. Please pray for “D” to grow in the Lord.

BULBOCI
The latest news from the church plant in Bulboci involves an 89 year old man named “Peter.” A lady who comes to the services on Sunday invited him. He has come the last four weeks. He is a sweet, old gentleman who is joy to be with. I met with him a couple weeks ago and went through the Gospel thoroughly with him. This past Sunday, I preached on how one becomes a child of God. He is listening and very open. Please pray for this dear man.

TEAM RETREAT
Each August, our mission team goes away for several days for our annual team retreat. We pray together, review the past year, plan the next calendar year, and reconnect as a team outside of ministering. Please pray that the Lord will bless the retreat, refresh each of us, give us greater unity, and guide us as we plan the next year together.

HOME ASSIGNMENT (a.k.a. FURLOUGH)
As I write this, we have only 29 days left before head back for furlough. We fly out on

August 28th. Imagine what you would have to do if you had to leave your home and work for several months. I have a very large list still that I have to get done before we fly out. Part of the tasks are what I have to do in order to be ready for the work of reporting to supporting churches (like creating our furlough video). Please pray for wisdom as we seek to finish all we need to in the remaining days.
Note to our supporting churches: If we are not scheduled to report to your church this furlough, we will be mailing our new prayer cards to you and access to our furlough video. Lord willing, we will be able to do this in September.

Thank you all for praying for us.

Watch out, here we come!

2018 May Prayer Letter

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I hope I am doing this right. That was my thought as I knelt to one knee on a cold January day at the gazebo to ask Stephanie to marry me. I had seen it done on TV many times, but being something I personally had never done before. I didn’t want to mess it up or make it look like I had no clue what I was doing. Right now, I am feeling about the same, thinking, “I hope I am doing this right.” Regardless, we believe God’s grace will lead us through these new territories.

I have never had to be a spiritual coach for one battling cancer with good days and other days seeming like they may be the last. “T,” the lady Jacob and I led to Christ last year, has continued to cycle in and out of the hospital. Her husband is very disabled from an accident 25 years ago. She used to be the one to take care of him. They have gone into debt with all the medical needs. She is diabetic and has high blood sugar as well, which have only complicated her treatment. I want to encourage her and lead her keep trusting the Lord through these trials. When I went to visit her in the hospital (over an hour away from where we live), I found a Baptist church in that city which is only about 20 minutes from where she lives, which is much closer than we are. The pastor and I met and then went together to go visit “T” in the hospital. Pray that this church will be a blessing to her. Please pray for her to have faith and peace. Pray for me to have wisdom in knowing how to coach her in her walk with the Lord.

Back in April, a man who had just moved to Soroca came to our Thursday evening Bible study. After someone had given him a Bible, he began reading through it, seeing firsthand that what he had been taught growing up did not correspond with what he was reading in Scripture. He told us that he is seeking for the truth so that he can teach his children the truth. “M” has been coming to every service when he can since then. His wife and children have even come to visit with him. We have never had an entire family trust Christ and join. Please pray for this dear family to trust Christ as Lord and Savior. Please pray for us as we seek to answer this man’s questions and seek to make the Gospel clearly understood.

We have never organized a new church plant. This has been our goal and work during

Fellowship meal in Soroca

our second term here in Moldova. We have the goal of having a charter membership at the beginning of August, Lord willing, on the 5th. Over the past year, I have taught on salvation, sanctification, the church, and am now currently going through the ten main doctrines. Please pray for us as we chart this new territory on organizing the group of believers here into a committed body of believers.

Easter meal with Bulboci gro

There is a manual for many things in life. However, we do not have a manual to plan and execute “Home Missionary Assignment” (a.k.a. “Furlough”). After having one home assignment back in 2013, we learned a lot and have somewhat of a system or manual of our own. Still, several aspects will be new for us. We have two more children than we had last time we visited supporting churches. This means we cannot legally stay in one hotel room in most places, and we’ll place a greater demand on families in churches willing to house us during our visits. This time on home assignment, we will not be between ministries but in the middle of a ministry phase. We will have a sudden pause in ministering to the people we have been serving and teaching. Jacob and Viola Hughes and Sarah Bodaly are here to keep the work going, for which we are thankful.

We know we will see God’s grace guide through these new aspects. We have already seen God’s provision in many furlough preparations. We have our schedule already booked with the supporting churches we are able to visit. We have a van reserved for us through Baptist Missionary Transportation Ministry. On Monday, we found out that we were approved for staying in a furnished missionary apartment during out time in the States. Please, thank the Lord with us on these provisions and pray for the Lord’s grace and wisdom in the remaining details.

Please also pray that the Lord would use and bless our Bible Conference and weeks of Vacation Bible School. The Bible Conference will be in place of our normal Thursday evening Bible study. The VBS weeks will be July 9-13 in Zastinca, 23-27 in Soroca, and every Tuesday in June at the children’s center in Cosăuți.

Thank you all for praying for us.

2018 February Gross family update

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God never changes… but life often does.  Some of the changes are intentional, others are unexpected.  Rejoice with us in some of the changes, and please pray for the other changes.

SOROCA CHURCH PLANT

      In December, we saw a drop in the number of people coming to services.  Three ladies left for Russia to visit family during the winter months and have yet to return.  One lady has been at home sick most of the winter.  Another couple left to visit friends in another country.  Lord willing, we will see people back home and together with us this Spring.
I am currently teaching on the Lord’s ekklesia, the church.  As I am teaching through this series, we have the goal of officially organizing the group we have into a church.  Please pray for wisdom for us as we work on this and for the people who come to commit to the Lord’s church.

BULBOCI CHURCH PLANT

     In the last prayer letter, we mentioned the work in the village of Bulboci.  We have been meeting with the group of believers each Sunday afternoon, and I have been going out each Wednesday for visitation and to lead a midweek Bible study with believers.  The Lord has recently opened up a door for me to start building a friendship with and mentor in the Lord an 18 year old young man from the village.  Please pray for the Word and work to grow in Bulboci.

WINTER VBS

     We held our first Winter VBS in Soroca this past January.  Though we did not have the number of children we had during the summer, we were encouraged to see two of the girls again who trusted Christ this past summer at VBS.  Please pray for these two girls to grow in the Lord.

“T” UPDATE

     About a week ago, I visited “T” again.  Her health declined again, causing her to go back to the hospital.  They said there are additional tumors which have been causing complications.  The doctors said that without treatment, she may only have months to live.  She is currently back in the hospital for further tests and possible surgery.  Lord willing, when she arrives home again, we will set up a meeting at her house for me to share the Gospel with her friends and relatives.  She told me during the last visit that her husband said he has noticed a positive change in her after she trusted Christ this past summer.  Please pray for her to trust the Lord through this health trial and for the Gospel to be preached to her family.

FURLOUGH PLANS

When is our furlough?
This Fall, last week of August through first part of January

Where will we be reporting?
We are scheduled to report to over half of our supporting churches, visiting churches in 13 states.  Thankfully, our schedule has come together and meetings are already booked.  If we were not able to schedule a meeting in your church, we will have our furlough video available for you to see or show.

Why are we taking a furlough?

1. Not because we want to get out of Moldova. We love serving the Lord here and find it very hard to have an interruption in preaching and teaching the people.  There is still so much work to be done… and the laborers are few.

2. Not to raise more funds.  We thank the Lord that we have had only two churches that had to discontinue supporting us financially.  Some have increased support, which has made up for what we had lost.  Thank you for your sacrifice and faithfulness that allows us to not feel the need to seek additional supporting churches this furlough.

3. Our last furlough was four years ago.  Yes, hard to believe, I know.  We are due to report back to supporting churches. Time really has flown.  Lord willing, the next furlough after this one will be to drop off Abby and Caleb at college.

4.  We have family we have not seen for four years.  Ana and Simeon have never been in America, and will see many family members for the first time.

5. We will have time to reconnect with our sending church.  I love my pastor and want to be with the body of Christ that has done so much for us to be here.

Please pray for the remaining furlough plans to come together (housing while in Memphis area, vehicle for furlough, securing our house for while away, creating our furlough video, etc.)

MY DOCTOR VISIT

     During December and January, I was in pain for about three weeks.  So much so that I made an appointment at the hospital in the capital.  About a week and a half before the appointments, the pain started to subside.  That is the good news.  The disappointing news is that the doctors gave me a clean bill of health overall and were not able to give any conclusive reason for the pains I had for three weeks. For those of you who were praying for me, thank you.  I am feeling normal again.

Thank you all for your faithful prayers and support.

November Update

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One recent evening, as Stephanie and I were talking together, I told her that if someone gave me the chance to go anywhere in the world and have any occupation I wanted, I could not think of being in any other place, doing any other thing, than what I am doing. Here are some of our joys from the work here in Moldova.

COSĂUȚI
After the children’s home in Soroca had closed, we began work at a new center that opened up in the village of Cosăuți, just 15 minutes north of Soroca. The director has a big heart for the young people in the center and desires to see their lives changed for the better. So far, the young people have been receptive to the Bible lessons. Please pray for wisdom in ministering to these hurting and needy souls.

BULBOCI
I will attempt to make a long story short. A widow from the village of Bulboci started coming periodically to our Sunday services in Soroca. She has arthritis in her knees and lives on the very edge of the village, but she would make the hour journey to our church (about half of that time is her walking to the bus stop). Jacob and I had began talking about starting a Bible study in her village.
     At the end of this summer, we found out about a Baptist young man (Alexei) and his mother who grew up in this village. They live in the capital city now but have been praying for many years for a church to be planted in their home village. This year, he has started taking steps to evangelize the village of Bulboci. In September, he organized a medical missions team to come and asked if we would preach the Gospel to those who came to the clinic. We gave the Gospel to around 400 people! Of those, almost 70 asked for us to visit them again and give them a Bible. In October and November, Jacob and I individually met with people and gave them the Bibles and offered home Bible studies. We were encouraged by the responses of people saying they wanted to start reading the Bibles right away. Alexei and his mother will remain in the capital through the cold months and return to help in the Spring.
During this time, we found out about a small group of Baptists and a couple Pentecostals in the village, and some neighboring villages, that had been meeting with a Pentecostal pastor and deacon that drive from an hour away to hold a service several times a month. Jacob and I met with the pastor and deacon to explain our plans of working with Alexei and his mother to start a Baptist church there. In the end, the pastor said they have been meeting with the group for 8 years and have unsuccessfully found someone closer and with more time to invest who can lead the work. They asked if we would take over the group. This past Sunday, everyone met together and was in agreement to make the change. Please pray for us as we continue to evangelize in Bulboci and begin leading the group of believers.

“T”
Remember the lady “T,” that Jacob and I led to the Lord in August who had a lot of health problems? Her health had declined so much that I was wondering if she was going to make it. She ended up having another operation at the beginning of this month. When I visited her about a week ago, she seemed like a new person. The doctors are shocked at the state of her health. Even better, she continues talking to family about Christ. Once the busy fall season passes, we are planning on gathering her friends and family at her house for me to share the Gospel with them all. Please pray for “T” to grow in her faith and continue reading the Bible and being a witness.

LADIES BIBLE STUDY
We are excited to see the positive response to the new monthly women’s Bible study and luncheon. Viola Hughes leads the study in Russian. While most of the women who come are believers, there are some unbelievers who have come. Please pray for Viola and for the Lord to use these meetings each month to encourage and grow the women that come.

MEN’S PRAYER BREAKFAST
Each quarter, Jacob leads a men’s prayer breakfast, too. Though the number is few, it is a sweet time for just the men and boys to be together, sharing our hearts and bringing our requests to the Lord. Please pray for more men to join us

Thank you all for your faithful prayers and support.