Hughes News #109

 

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends,

  

A few weeks ago I was picking up some photos for documents when a guy recognized me and started a conversation.  He first asked if we were planning to move back to America.  When I answered in the negative, he then wanted to know where was better to live.  We have gotten this question before, but this time I answered, “It depends on what you mean by better.”  To that he said, “Money.”  About that time I finally recalled how he knew me and when we had talked before.  Especially because of the back story, I more bluntly told him that money isn’t the most important to us and that it doesn’t guide our decisions.  This guy’s mindset certainly doesn’t represent that of all Moldovans, but it does some.  Because they come from a poor country, many have made money their priority, if not their god.  It was a reminder to me of the outlook the truth gives and of many souls’ need of the Gospel.

 

We have had four visitors in the last couple of weeks.  A couple came two weeks ago then brought their teenage daughter last week.  The Grosses visited with them this week and it sounds like they are very new to any kind of belief.  Last Saturday a lady we have a Bible study with called to say her friend wanted to come to a service.  She came last Sunday.  It was the first time she had been to any kind of non-Orthodox church.  It sounded like she was interested in coming again.  Please pray that these individuals would understand the Gospel, accept it and be saved. 

  

We have several things planned around Christmas.  We will have a special service with extra music on the 25^th and a Sunday school play on the 28^th.  Most likely we will go caroling on January 7^th (when some Moldovans celebrate Christmas).  Finally, we are hoping to have outreaches for kids on January 8^th and 9^th but there is still a question when some schools will start back.  Certainly, we’d appreciate your prayers that things would run smoothly, but more specifically please ask the Lord to speak to hearts and draw people to Himself through these different activities. 

  

After some appointments with doctors in November, Viola is scheduled to have a procedure done on her nose in the middle of January.  (She does not want me to tell people that she is having a nose job. J)  The doctor found that Viola’s septum (the cartilage and bone wall separating the nostrils) is crooked and suggested a surgery to correct that.  We are hoping this will resolve some dryness and bleeding issues as well as aid her breathing.  The procedure is fairly straightforward, but we’d be grateful for your prayers for both it and the recovery afterwards. 

 

Thank you for taking time to read our news.  We appreciate your investment in our lives and your prayers for the requests mentioned above.  We wish you a very Merry Christmas! 

 

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes

  

For Prayer:

1. Christmas programs / outreaches 

2. Some difficulties with a family who has been attending 

3. Viola’s procedure in mid-January

 

For Praise:

1. Visitors (G, C, S and V) the last couple of weeks

2. The exterior of our house finished  

3. A regular attendee (M) has started praying during midweek service

Hughes News #108

 

 

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends, 

  

As we mentioned in our last letter, our niece Haileigh Geiseman spent the summer with us.  Thanks to modern technology, we talk to her family fairly often, but it was so fun to have her with us and to get to know her even better.  Viola prepared several lessons for her and our coworkers’ daughter, Abby, joined them for a couple days a week.  Haileigh helped prepare for and run VBS, did household chores alongside us, taught Sunday school for the first time, and cared for a couple dogs we were watching for friends.  She has a desire to attend Bible college – we pray the Lord will use her in His service.  Now we just have to figure out which niece or nephew is coming next! 

  

Us with Haileigh

VBS in Bulboci

We accompanied Haileigh back to the States at the beginning of September.  We had a few days with some of Viola’s family, a couple days just the two of us, then a few days with Jacob’s family in celebration of his parents’ 60th anniversary.  After two weeks Jacob returned to Moldova while Viola helped her mom for a couple more weeks.  It was a blessing to have a quick visit with family! 

 

With Haileigh's family

With Jacob's family

In years past we probably have mentioned that many churches in Moldova have a Harvest Sunday – a day to thank the Lord for that year’s provision.  Instead of celebrating on two different days in two different places, the folks from the Bulboci service joined us in Soroca.  Most were able to make it and we had a wonderful day remembering the Lord’s goodness and spending time with one another. 

  

Harvest Sunday

  

We don’t have anything too big planned for the upcoming month.  We continue with our regular services and Bible studies, and we are working to get our house and yard ready for winter.  Often the days and weeks seem typical and unremarkable, but we pray that the Lord will help us faithfully serve Him and will use us as He sees fit.

  

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes

  

For Prayer: 

1. “V” – a lady who made a profession this summer 

2. “L” and “S” – two older ladies we have a study with 

3. The Lord’s work through our weekly ministries 

  

For Praise: 

1. Summer with Haileigh 

2. Good attendance, response to weeks of VBS 

3. Quick trip to see family

 

Bonus Pic - On these fall mornings our pup likes the space heater!

 

 

Hughes News #107

 

 

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends, 

 

We send our greetings from Moldova as we just crossed the threshold into summer.  May was cooler and rainy – some of the earlier fruit trees have suffered, but the fields are green and the crops look really good.  We had a few special events around Resurrection Sunday.  The Thursday before, our service focused on Christ’s sayings on the cross with several songs about His death.  On the Sunday in Soroca we ate breakfast together before our service.  On Monday we had an evangelistic outreach in Bulboci, in which we shared what the holiday means to us.  Just one grandma and a few kids came but it was a pleasant time and we enjoyed a meal and fellowship with the believers there afterward.

  

 

On May 4 Ghena Catlabuga and Simeon Gross were baptized.  Ghena is the adult son of a man who was baptized last year.  The Lord began working in his heart years ago through a serious health problem and he professed faith in Christ after visiting David’s Bible studies with his dad.  The Lord worked out the timing that Ghena’s wife, who was working outside of the country, was able to attend his baptism.  Simeon is, of course, our coworkers’ son.  It has been neat to hear of his interest in spiritual things and his initiating discussions with his dad.  We combined services and our group from Bulboci joined us for the day – a special service and meal afterwards.  We had just enough room to fit everyone in.  Out of the blue, a lady showed up on that day, when her niece “happened” to be there from Bulboci.  Each was surprised to see the other.  It seems the Lord is working in the aunt’s life – she’s been to services four of the last five Sundays. 

 

  

We are still waiting on word regarding our application for citizenship.  Because that isn’t decided yet, the time has come to renew our residency permits.  I can’t say the process is especially difficult, just time consuming and, at times, inconvenient.  We know the Lord will help us navigate the upcoming days. 

 

We are so excited to have our niece spend the summer with us!  Her dad will travel over with her this week and stay a few days before heading back.  We know we will enjoy it, but we are praying the Lord will make it special for her and use it in her life.  Thank you for taking the time to read our news.  We’d appreciate you lifting up our needs in prayer.

 

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes 

 

For Prayer: 

1. Preparation for VBS - June 30-July 4: Zastinca; July 14-18: Soroca; July 28-August 1: Bulboci 

2. Our niece’s visit 

3. “L” caring for an older lady with dementia-like symptoms; we continue Bible studies with her and she is considering baptism 

 

For Praise: 

1. Baptism of Ghena and Simeon

2. Bible study in Visoca going well 

3. Encouraged by believers around us