August-October 2024

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As the hymn states, “To God be the glory… great things He hath done,” so rings out our voices to God. The last three months have been such a blessing and encouragement to us. Rejoice with us in the Lord’s working.

July 29—August 2, I preached a week of camp, the same place I spent my first summer at in 2001. We had almost 100 campers and about a third of them trusted Christ as Savior on Thursday night at the invitation. What a joy to hear several of them share how thankful they were to God to have come that week. Praise God for this fruit and pray for them to follow Christ further and put into practice what they learned on Friday night.

In my last prayer letter, I asked you to pray for Ghena, Victor’s son, to trust in Christ. On August 14th, he did! He was under conviction as we talked about the Law and said he needed to resolve his sin problem that evening. My heart rejoiced to hear him call upon Christ to save and forgive him. He has since been coming to the Bible studies and Soroca services faithfully. He also already wants to be baptized, too. Pray for his continued growth and testimony in the village where he lives. Also, pray for a young man that Ghena has been talking with and plans to come to our midweek Bible study.

On September 15th, Caleb preached his first sermon in Romanian during a morning service. He has done well, improving each time since then. While I was gone to the States for 2 weeks in October, he also led the midweek Bible study and prayer time, too. It has been a joy to see him grow and mature. Pray for the Lord’s continued leading and working in and through him.

Stephanie and I celebrated 20 years of marriage this year. We were blessed to be able to get away for a few nights in October. I am so thankful to God for a faithful, hard-working wife, who loves the Lord.

In October, I flew back to the States to attend the Deliberate Discipleship Retreat. Last year’s was focused on spiritual disciplines and developing an intimate walk with Christ. This year’s was on making disciples who will make disciples for Christ. An added bonus was having my pastor there with me this time. Attending was an answer to prayer and will have fruit in our lives and ministry here in Moldova. Pray for me to put into practice all that I learned during the retreat.

The Sunday I was gone on the DDR, Caleb and my missionary friend, Victor Pascaru, preached. At the end of the service, “Love” (who has been coming to services for a couple years), called on Christ to save her. Stephanie also led a young lady to Christ with whom we had witnessed to in the past. Pray for us as we do follow-up with these new believers.

Pray for us as we make ministry plans for the future. Pray for us to grow in the area of evangelism and discipleship. Continue praying for Abby and Caleb’s residencies to be approved. Thanks again for your prayers and support.

April-July 2024 update

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Thank you for your prayers and support and interest in our ministry. This has been an unusually busy spring and summer.

In April, Stephanie’s parents came to visit. They were able to see and participate in Daniel and Ana’s baptism. Daniel and Ana have been saved for several years and felt the Lord convicting them to take that next step of obedience, and we praise the Lord.

In May, we celebrated Christ’s resurrection and held a children’s program in Bulboci at the library.  Later that month, we were able to go to the bi-annual BIMI European field conference, held this year in Croatia. The kids were able to see their friends again, and we were able to enjoy fellowship with some missionaries we had met over the years as well. The preaching was an encouragement.

In June, a mission team from Sligo Baptist Church in Maryland came to visit, consisting of a family we are friends with and an additional teen. Oscar, the team leader, went on visits with me, being used of the Lord with what he added to the discussions with people. The young people, in addition to participating in ESL/Bible club in the village, gave testimonies and played piano during Sunday services. Since our children do not have Christians friends close by, the team ministered to our children with all the time and attention they gave. We all enjoyed the fellowship of that visit. Also, in June I requested permission from the village of Bulboci mayor to use the library for the VBS, as we have in the past. But that was denied due to opposition we’ve had from some in the village.

In July we had a busy month with three weeks of VBS: one in Bulboci at a member’s house, one in Zastinca at our house, and one in Soroca. We had very good turn outs at each week, with a high of 29 one day at our house. Children even participated very well in learning the extra verses to win prizes. Several said more than 30 verses. Parents and grandparents came to the grand finale on the Fridays where we do a recap of the week and offer Bibles. The gospel went out, and we praise the Lord for Seed sown. Also, I am scheduled to preach at a camp two hours north the end of July. Please pray for the Spirit’s working in lives that week.

The three ongoing Bible studies are going well. One of these is discipling Victor, the man who was baptized this spring. I got to meet his son just recently who showed up unexpectedly to the study with Bible in hand. Please pray for Victor’s growth and for his son’s salvation. Please continue to pray for the English speaking man, “V,” that the Lord will give me wisdom in convincing him that God is good and that he needs to get saved. The other study with a couple has been going on for a few years now, but the man is doing his homework and continues to be interested in the truth, though neither he nor his wife have made a clear decision to trust Christ.

Please pray for our residencies that must be renewed this fall, winter, and spring. Caleb will turn 18 in January and must have his own permit. Abby’s will need to be renewed this fall, and ours expires this spring. The laws pertaining to our residencies are constantly changing, so pray the Lord will be gracious in letting us continue to be here and give the Gospel.

Thanks again for your prayers.

March 28, 2024 Update

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A lot has transpired since out last prayer letter in December. I sat down multiple times over the past month to write this letter but more came up and there was more to add.

Thank you for praying regarding Abby’s Moldovan residence permit. By God’s grace, she was granted a standard 1 year permit. Please continue to pray for her and Caleb regarding post-graduation plans. They both graduate this Spring.

The first week of January, we did a one-day winter VBS in Bulboci and one at our house in our village. That same week, we also did a Christmas program for the officers and their families at the Soroca penitentiary. The Gospel was given and seed planted.

We had been granted permission by the mayor in Bulboci to use the library for our VBS programs and also for doing English lessons with Bible study. Due to a woman who is opposed to us and made a petition in the village for us to not use the library for the ESL/Bible lessons, we ended up moving the weekly lessons to the house where we hold our Sunday services. The mayor is not against us but was put in a difficult position. Future use of the library for our VBS programs is now in jeopardy as well. Pray for the Lord to work in hearts and grant us wisdom.

On January 14th, while in the village for our Sunday afternoon service, I found out that

Last picture with Dad

my Dad died unexpectedly from a heart attack. We had just talked via Skype on the Thursday evening before. A day before that, I had taken Abby with me to attend a funeral in a village. We talked about funerals, death, and how to respond to a loved one passing. Little did we know she would need to put all of that into practice in a matter of days. Stephanie stayed in Moldova with Simeon (who was sick), and I took the other four with me for two weeks back to the States. God gave me grace to do Dad’s funeral with Delaney Young. The list of blessings and God’s provisions and mercy are numerous. Through some churches and individuals, the cost of the airfare ended up being covered within a short time. I miss Dad but look forward to seeing him again one day, all thanks to Christ.

Victor’s baptism

On March 3, we had the privilege to baptize Victor, a man from Visoca who has been coming with the Eli, another missionary here in Moldova. What a joy it was to baptize this new believer. Please pray for him to continue to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and be a light for Christ in his village.

On March 9, the day after International Women’s Day, we held a ladies luncheon outreach. We had 13 Moldovan ladies, about half from Visoca, the other half from Soroca.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

December 2023 Gross family update

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Looking back over this past year, we rejoice with all that the Lord has done. The seed planted individually and through larger outreaches, the salvation decisions of a few, the baptism of three, and the spiritual growth of others encourage us to press on for the Lord in the upcoming year.

The single missionary lady working in a village about 45 minutes from us brings a group to our Soroca services most Sundays. An older gentleman from her village, Victor, now professes Christ as his Savior and wants to be baptized. We praise the Lord for working in Victor’s heart and the hearts of others being reached in that village. Lord willing, Jacob and I will do weekly Bible studies again this winter after the new year in that village. Pray for the Lord to help the small group of believers to grow and those open to the Gospel to believe in Christ for salvation.

For several weeks, we had a believer from a village attend our services in the Bulboci church plant. We were blessed to have her with us for those weeks and hope to see her again once she returns from visiting one of her children for several weeks.

Harvest Sunday

Harvest Sunday

We had a combined service with both church plants to celebrate Harvest Sunday. We enjoyed the heart of thanksgiving to God, the fellowship, and the delicious food afterwards.

My family and I visited another missionary friend of ours in the southern part of Moldova. His daughter and one other young lady were baptized. My family and I sang, and I was also asked to preach on baptism. God added to our rejoicing on that trip with seeing a young lady and her sister also visiting the service for the baptism. Tania, one of the girls who attended our Bible Club in Cosăuți (ko-suh-oots) shared with me how she and her sister (now living in the capital city with a ministry that provides housing to vulnerable young people) trusted Christ for salvation. Our hearts rejoiced in having had a part in the sowing and watering, knowing someone else reaped, and that God gave the increase.

Please pray for inroads with teens and young people in Soroca. Some will politely listen to the Gospel, but we are seeking young people who are humble and hungry to know more. I recently ran into a couple of the teen boys from one of the two centers at which we used to do Bible clubs. I told them about our services and Bible study evening and also offered to meet with them. I also gave a ride to a 17 year old from a neighboring village. As I began to share the Gospel with him, his interest was very evident. There was an opportunity for me to stop sharing further, but he wanted to hear more. I left him with a Gospel tract, a Bible, and an invitation to call me to talk further. These all expressed interest but have yet to act on it. Please pray for “V,” “I,” and “I” to be hungrier for the things of God.

We have several winter outreaches right after the New Year: a program for the officers and their families at the penitentiary , 1 day VBS in Bulboci, and a 1 day VBS at our house in Zastînca. Please pray for the Lord’s blessings on these.

On some family news, Caleb finally got his braces off after 4+ years. Abby is awaiting the decision from the Moldovan government regarding her residence permit. Since she is 18, she is required to have her own. Lord willing, we will receive the decision next week. Thank you for your prayers and support!

October 2023 Prayer Letter

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I struggle to write some prayer letters due to there not being much exciting to report on. This is NOT one of those prayer letters.  Read and rejoice with us for what He is doing here in Moldova.

Tamara, the one battling cancer and a host of other problems, had a brother named Nicolai. He was born without developed feet, living his whole life as an invalid. My heart sunk when she told me this year that her brother had cancer and was not expected to live long. I visited him and shared the Gospel with him, leaving him to think about what I had shared. A few days later, Tamara called me enthusiastically to say he called on Christ to save him.  In just a few months, he passed away.  I thank God for the chance to share the Good New with him before it was too late.  Please pray for Tamara as she continues to battle physical, emotional, and financial needs.

In September, I was in the States for 2 1/2 weeks to attend a Deliberate Discipleship Retreat. This was the first time I had been back to the States other than our furlough every 4 years.  I have been trying to attend one of the retreats by our mentor over the past three years but without success.  In addition to being fed spiritually and encouraged by the fellowship with other men, I surprised my mom for her birthday and spent three days with my parents, brother, and his family.  God opened the doors for many opportunities to share the Gospel on the way to the States and on the way home to Moldova.

While I was in the States, the children came down with a cold that has now lasted two weeks.  Simeon also needed medical attention due to lumps that started developing this summer but had increased in number and size.  The doctors in the capital did not know what the cause was.  They had us do a multitude of blood tests and recommended we see a dermatologist.  On Monday, we saw the dermatologist and found out they are callouses that developed due to his shoes being too tight and rubbing on certain spots on his feet.  We are thankful that it ended up being something minor rather than something more serious as some were speculating.

Jacob and Viola have started evangelistic Bible studies with two Russian-speaking individuals, a young lady from Soroca (“N”) and a young man (“V”) from a village where we pick people up for the Sunday afternoon service in Bulboci.  Please pray for these two to continue seeking the Lord and come to faith in Christ.

The Sunday after I returned, we had the privilege of baptizing three Moldovans, our first time to baptize Moldovans.  The two ladies, Iulia and Ioana, are the two that trusted Christ a few years ago through our chronological Bible study, and the man, Volodie, is the brother of a lady who used to attend services before moving to her brother’s village.  Pray for these three and for the Lord to add more.

Tomorrow, Wednesday the 11th, we will be starting an ESL/Bible Club in the village of Bulboci at the library.  We have the permission of the mayor and school director, which has been encouraging.  We plan to have 30 min. of English lessons and 30 min. of Bible.  This will give us a more consistent influence in the lives of the people.  Please pray that the Lord will bless this new outreach in Bulboci.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

 

July 2023 Update

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A lot has transpired since our last prayer letter, thus I will just jump into the update.

April

                 Our Resurrection program at the Soroca Penitentiary for the officers and the program in Bulboci both went well.  During a holiday that is buried in superstitions and traditions, it was a blessing to share the truth of Christ’s resurrection and its significance in our lives.

May

During May, Stephanie’s parents came to visit for two weeks, and we took a family vacation in Romania.  While in Romania, we met with some friends of ours.  Among them was the Muldoon family, new missionaries to the deaf in Romania.  What a blessing to spend some time with them and their children.

June

June was full of VBS prep, including getting up a porch roof that could be used for VBS at our house.  We were able to get most of it up in time and cover it with a temporary tarp.  In addition to the regular Bible studies and services, I have enjoyed the weekly meetings with “V.”  He is the English-speaking man seeking God that I mentioned in our last prayer letter.  He is growing in his understanding of Scripture as we go through the chronological Bible study.  He has become a friend I look forward to spending time with each week.

July

We have three weeks of VBS scheduled for July.  The first week was at our house and went well.  We had 37 different Moldovan’s come, ranging from 4 years to  13 years old.  We still have two more weeks of VBS the last two weeks of July, one in Bulboci, and the other in Soroca.  Please pray for us to have endurance and the Spirit’s enablement.

Back in March, I had given Stephanie’s number to a woman I had met who was seeking God.  After losing my wife’s  number, she decided to try to find our church’s contact info online.  She called this past week and asked us to visit her at the hospital.  “M” has been seeking for God through Hinduism and other religions.  When she married an Orthodox man and was baptized in his religion, she had questions about things in the Bible, but the priest would not answer her questions.  Please pray for “M” to continue seeking the Lord and for her to meet with Stephanie when she gets out of the hospital.  Please also pray for her son who is battling a serious illness. 

This week, I received a phone call from our lawyer.  He said that the recent overhaul of the immigration laws in Moldova has complicated the granting of residence permits for foreigners.  They are granting only one year permits or denying them completely.  He recommended we apply for citizenship.  Please pray for wisdom as we look into this option.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

March 28, 2023 update

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We enjoy having our garden.  We like different aspects of the work but enjoy seeing the growth and prospect of harvest the most.  The last couple months have been that kind of enjoyment in ministry.  As with our garden, the harvest is often in danger of disease or pests that desire to steal the fruit.  Please rejoice with us in the development of fruit but also pray for wisdom in tending to these precious souls so that there will be fruit that remains.

I would like to give you some updates from our last prayer letter.  Victor, though still with volatile health issues, recently received a motorized wheel chair, which has been a blessing to him.  David, the 80-year old, will be coming back to Soroca, Lord willing, some time this Spring.  After passing out invitations, doing a week of Facebook Ads, and having the door unlocked and place heated each Wednesday evening for seven weeks, no one came to the new Soroca Bible study.  Though this is discouraging, the Lord has other plans for that evening (more of that below).  “Love” has continued to come to both services each week and the evangelistic Bible study with Jacob and Viola.  What a joy when she invited a newly retired friend of hers to start coming, too.  She has also joined Love in the services and study.  We thank the Lord for using her already to draw others to God’s Word.  Lena and Vania have  not returned yet from Russia, but please pray for Vania to start coming to services upon their return.

For 9 weeks (middle of January to middle of March), we held weekly Bible studies in the village of Visoca with the group that Eli has been bringing to our Soroca services.  Being with a mix of believers and unbelievers who are seeking truth, the studies included topics like salvation, Bible study, and prayer.  We enjoyed the time getting to know them better and hearing their questions during the studies.  Please pray for them to take the next step of faith from where they are now.

For March 8, International Woman’s Day, we held an outreach for the women in Soroca.  Seven Moldovans came, only two of them believers.  Another two of them came a couple weeks to our midweek service.  Please pray for lasting fruit from the event. 

For a long time, we had been praying for Iulia and Ioana to start coming weekly to the Sunday service in Bulboci.  They had trusted Christ through my Bible studies in the village a couple years ago.  After a couple years of discipleship, they still were not coming to services, though.  I stopped meeting with them each week and encouraged them again to come on Sundays.  With the encouragement of another believer who has been discipling them, too, they have now been coming faithfully for several weeks!  Pray for this growth to continue and for them to take the next step of baptism this year.

Around the time I stopped trying to start the Wednesday evening study due to no one coming, the Lord brought a young man into my path.  He speaks English very well and has been meeting weekly with me.  It started with questions about God and is now a Bible study on Wednesday evenings.  Please pray for “V” as he seeks truth and to believe or not in the God of the Bible.

Like we did for celebrating Christ’s birth, we are planning to do programs about Christ’s resurrection at the Soroca penitentiary and in the village of Bulboci.  Please pray for the Lord’s blessings and for fruit from these outreaches.

Thank you for your part in our lives and ministry here in Moldova.  May you have fruit added to your account because of your part in giving and praying.