Tag Archives: prayer letter

March 2020 Prayer Letter

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Fragile and temporary do not equal not important. Toilet paper is both and yet seems to be very important right now. But seriously, in times like this, people begin to see the truth in Scripture that man is like the flowers and grass in the fields that grow, bloom, and die. Though man is more aware of being fragile and his life on earth temporary, he is of great value to God.

CORONAVIRUS

You may find it interesting that the Russian word for “crown” is “корона” (pronounced “kah-RO-nuh”) and the Romanian word is “coroană” (pronounced “ko-ROA-nuh”). Yes, that virus crowned with spikes is here, too. As I write, there are 8 confirmed cases with others being suspected of it and being tested. In order to prevent a serious situation like the current one in Italy, the government of Moldova has established a code red for two weeks, banned all foreigners without residency here from flying into the country, closed all schools and universities, and requested that all churches of all faiths not meet for a couple weeks. As a result of all this, we will not be having our children’s Bible club, Sunday services, nor midweek service. Please pray for the government to have wisdom in helping to curb the spread of the virus. Though the death toll currently is low, every life is of value to God.

LBC MISSION TEAM

     Due to the restrictions listed above, the mission team we were expecting will not be able to come this month. Lord willing, we will be able to reschedule for a later time. God has a purpose and a plan in all this.

WOMEN’S EVANGELIZATION

     With the 8th of March being International Women’s Day, we decided to use our monthly ladies Bible study on Saturday, March 7th, to invite women from town to a special program that included lunch, craft, games, and Bible study. We praise the Lord that we had 12 Moldovan women attend. Viola gave the Gospel in her Bible lesson. Please pray for the lost who attended to further seek the Lord and be open to further discussion about Christ.
One of the ladies who came was the faithful lady who used to come to our ESL lessons and stayed afterward for the Bible study each week. Yesterday I spoke with her and her husband for three hours. She has heard the Gospel from us before but not her husband. When I asked if they would like me to start the chronological Bible study with them, he quickly responded with a “yes!” Please pray for Ala and her husband as I begin the Bible study soon. They are valuable to God.

MENTORING FUTURE MEN

     Each week, we run a Bible Club at a children’s home in the town just north of Soroca. The boys there, though, have few, if any, men that are investing in them at the center. I have had in mind a while to add in a time just for the boys. After the restrictions from the virus pass, I plan to stay after the regular program in order to focus on the boys, teaching them pertinant skills and character traits that men should have. I want to give biblical teaching to boys their age (12-14) that would be helpful for the challenges they face. Please pray for me as I seek to mentor them and for them to respond positively to it. They are important to God.

THE NEED FOR MEN

     In a world where women often tend to be the most faithful to the Lord, every missionary yearns for faithful men. Two men in particular, “M” and “V,” have potential. I mentioned “M’ in our last prayer letter. We have kept in touch, but we have not been able to meet and talk more of the Gospel due to things he has going on. “V” continues to come to our midweek Bible study and prayer meeting. Please pray that we will be able to meet outside of service when he isn’t working, as I have been offering to him.

Life on this earth is truly like a vapor that appears for a little time then vanishes away. These precious souls need saved from sin and to become followers of Christ. They are of a very precious in God’s eyes and ours, too. Thank you for your prayers and support that allows us to focus on working to make disciples for our Lord and Savior.

2019 November prayer letter

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I like and fear building things. I love seeing the transformation and progress but struggle when I don’t know what to do or do not see the kind of result I had envisioned. In life and ministry, we see this playing out metaphorically and literally.

BULBOCI EVANGELISTIC BIBLE STUDY
We are now about a month away from the New Testament and life of the Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Those coming have been building their beliefs on what they are personally reading in the Scripture rather than man’s faulty ideas. Some have been verbalizing their concern over their sin and are seeing their need for salvation. Not only is the group being built in doctrine but also in number. I was excited when another lady and her son started coming to the study for several weeks, but they have not come the last couple weeks. Please continue to pray for this group to receive salvation and building their lives on the foundation of Christ and His Word.

TAMARA
I honestly cannot think of anyone I personally know whose life looks so much like the life of Job in the Bible. After her last surgery, a group of people and family donated money for a well to be dug next to her house. Currently, she and her husband (who walks on crutches from an accident 25 years ago) have to pay someone to bring water from the closest well, which is down the road. A large amount of money was spent to buy the concrete rings and labor for the well. Shortly after we visited her, one of the workers went down to resolve a problem due to the amount of sand at that depth, and the walls caved in, burying the worker up to the neck. Tamara was so stressed from the news that something burst in her forehead, resulting in enormous swelling under the skin which spread and ended up having to be operated on. Praise the Lord that the man in the well was able to be rescued alive, but Tamara was left with another surgery, more medical debt, and still no well. Please pray for her to continue trusting the Lord despite the sequential hardships.

PETRU
If Tamara has been buried with problems, Petru has gone through the fire. At 90 years of age, his mobility is hindered. Due to the propane line to his gas stovetop leaking, he had a fire in his house. Thank the Lord that he was able to get out with only some burns around his lower legs. He was not able to come to the Bulboci church services for several weeks while he was recovering. I have been encouraged in seeing his faith built through his own reading through the Gospels. Jacob found the Gospels in a very large print, which has enabled Petru to read on his own. His understanding of Christ and the Gospel is gaining more clarity. Please pray for Petru to clearly understand and believe the Gospel.

SECERIȘ (seh-cher-REESH)
In the Fall, believers here usually celebrate a Harvest Sunday, thanking the Lord for the harvest. We had our second annual seceriș in Soroca and held our first one in the Bulboci church plant this year. At the service in Bulboci, three from my evangelistic Bible study came.

BOOTH’S VISIT
Sometimes we are built up emotionally and spiritually through friends. Long-time friends, Joshua and Melissa Booth (church planters in the United Kingdom), came to visit our family and a couple other families here in Moldova. Their visit was like a cup of cold water on a hot day. We were refreshed and encouraged. We thank the Lord that He knows just how and when to build us up through others.

A SHED
Really, I mean a literal shed. Our family project at home right now has been building a shed to hold tools and gardening items. The old house we currently store our items is falling apart and is getting too dangerous to keep it around. Please pray for wisdom as we work to finish it, Lord willing, in a week or two.

Thank you for your part in the building process here in Moldova. May the Lord continue to build lives in Moldova.

August 2019 Prayer Letter

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If variety is the spice of life, then it’s been very spicy recently. We’ve had a good mix of work and refreshment

The first two weeks of July, our team was busy running two consecutive weeks of VBS. The first week we were blessed with a high day of 25 kids. They listened well to the lessons about Moses and played enthusiastically during game time. We rejoiced in seeing some familiar faces and several new ones. Though no decisions for salvation were made, the gospel was preached.
As in past years, the second week we worked the same program in Soroca. Our numbers were up compared to passed years in town. After the Gospel was given on Thursday, one teen girl asked to speak with our coworker, Sarah Bodaly about salvation. She was very interested but was not ready to make the decision. Pray for this girl, “C” and for the Lord to bless the follow up with the VBS contacts.
The last two weeks of July we drove all the way to Greece for the bi-annual missionary conference for BIMI missionaries to Europe. The kids were thrilled to see their friends from the last field conference two years ago. We enjoyed the fellowship, were challenged by the preaching, and enjoyed the historical sights. We extended our stay for five days of camping in Greece for our family vacation this year. Though some people thought our children had the measles, it was just a mosquito problem from the first night.
On August 7, Stephanie and I rejoiced in reaching the milestone of 15 years of marriage. We hope the Lord grants us many more years of serving Christ together.
The following week, our missionary team met for our annual Team Retreat to spend time praying, discussing ministry improvements, and planning the calendar for the next year. The time away together was very profitable. We look forward to what the Lord will do over the next year, Lord willing. Please pray for us as a team to stay unified, grow, and enjoy serving Christ together.

Tamara, who I have mentioned in the past, had another cancer operation recently, which will be followed up by chemo and radiation. The last time we talked, she was encouraged with how the surgery went but still needs your prayers.

The weekly evangelistic Bible study in Bulboci continues to go well with those who come. I have finished 14 weeks thus far. Three usually come faithfully, along with some believers from the church group in the village. The Orthodox priest has not only been warning people not to come to our Bible study but has also started speaking evil of those who come. My heart rejoiced to hear one of the ladies state that she doesn’t care what evil the priest says about her. She cares more about hearing God’s Word and learning the truth written there. Others have shown interest in coming but have not yet made the decision to deal with the opposition from the priest. Please pray for Christ to be honored, the Word to grow, and for people to accept and follow Christ.

The Bible study with the couple in Soroca continues to go well. Please pray for them to continue learning and for me to have an open door to start another evangelistic Bible study with another group in Soroca.

One of our coworkers, Sarah Bodaly, left for about a 5 month furlough. Please pray for her as she travels and reports back to supporting churches.

Our other coworkers have made exciting steps this summer on their house. The frame is up, roof crew is putting on the roof, and the Hughes are putting up the OSB sheathing. Please pray for them as they work to get as much done as possible before the winter months set in.
Stephanie has a first this year… four students to homeschool. They are off to a good start, but we would appreciate your prayers in this task, too.
Thank you for your prayers and support.

For a PDF printout of our prayer letter, click HERE

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!

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.