Hughes News #81

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

Dear Friends, 

Greetings from Moldova!  This fall our little corner of the world has benefited from a plentiful harvest- a blessing for an agricultural society.  We hope you are well.  Thanks for taking the time to catch up on our news.

 

With coworkers on furlough for a few months and school-year ministries resumed, our weekly responsibilities have shifted a bit.  Sunday mornings we have our service in Soroca.  Viola plays the piano for the service and I speak twice.  A couple times a month she teaches Sunday school.  Sunday afternoons we travel out to a village to lead a service there.  We now have more time overall with the people, which we are trying to use to get to know them better.  I have temporarily stepped away from language study in order to give time to our house project, but Viola still has lessons twice a week.  Tuesdays we have an hour program at a children’s center.  Our coworker, Sarah, teaches the lesson, Viola preps the game time, and I lead it when I am there.  Tuesday evenings Viola and I each have two English classes that we teach.  Our midweek service is on Thursdays.  I lead our midweek service on Thursdays- a study on the prayers in the Bible and a prayer time.  Viola teaches a ladies’ Bible study that meets once a month.  As with anyone, there are lots of other little tasks and responsibilities that pop up, but that will give a glimpse into our lives.

 

As with any ministry, there have been some difficulties in the last couple of months, but I’d like to share some bright spots that have stood out to me: 

    - A man that attended services in the past started coming again after an absence of several months.  His unsaved wife has been coming with him. 

    - Viola and I have each seen some more progress in our language abilities. 

    - I recently met a brother in Christ from a city a little over an hour away.  He told us that his church has been praying many years for a Baptist church to be established in Soroca. 

    - I have been thrilled with the actions of “M,” one of the boys at the children’s center.  He has listened, answered questions, behaved, and made some mature choices.

These have each been an encouragement to us.  Will you rejoice with us?

Our house project is moving forward.  Since I last wrote, we received the architectural plans and our building permit.  We demolished the old house on the property, and a crew has started on the foundation for the new house.  Lord-willing, they will finish the foundation and slab this fall.  There is a lot more to do, but we are thrilled with the progress we have seen.  

Trench dug for the footer

 

First pour for foundation

Forms for second pour for foundation

 

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes

For Prayer:

1. “V” who has come back to services and “L” his wife.

2. Paul Hitz (Viola’s dad) is recovering from a mini-stroke he suffered a week ago

3. Some visits we hope to make in the next couple of weeks

4. The crew to be able to finish the concrete work; decisions regarding the construction 

 

For Praise:

1. Little glimpses of God’s grace and His working

2. House progress: good timing and weather, reliable workers, further contacts

3. Family planning to visit in November