Hughes News #84

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends,

Fall has been bustling along and we have been trying to hustle along with it.  With the start of the school year, we have resumed teaching English classes one night a week.  Several new students have joined us this semester.  With our coworker Sarah on furlough, we have picked up a few responsibilities that she had been covering.  Viola is teaching Sunday School every week, Jacob is leading kids’ English classes, and there are a few other odds and ends.  With it being harvest time, Viola has made grape juice, apple juice and sauce, and started gathering walnuts (which are waiting to be shelled).  With good weather for several weeks, we have made some more progress on our house.

We had a special Harvest Sunday service both out in the village and in Soroca.  The biggest blessing in the village was that three visitors joined us who have been attending a chronological Bible study that David has been teaching.  The biggest blessing in Soroca was having “V” with us for the service.  He has come off and on for a couple of years, but hasn’t been to a service in several months.  The fact of us having a meal after the service allowed more time to talk with him.  Would you take a moment to pray for these four souls- for the three in the village to be saved, and for “V” to resume coming to services?

Harvest Sunday in Soroca

Last we wrote we mentioned a couple of older people in our ministries.  “O” has continued to be faithful to midweek Bible study and has come a couple of times on Sundays.  Some days, she seems fairly confused, which makes it a struggle to know how much she is following in the Bible study.  “P” has been reading the Gospels on his own, but hasn’t been able to come as frequently to services due to sickness, a small house fire, and visiting relatives.  We ask for your prayers for them, and for us as we seek to honor them (being older than us) and yet point them to the truth.

Our “skeleton” house pictured in our last update now has “skin” (OSB sheathing) and a “hat” (roof).  It also has windows, but I couldn’t think how to say that in my corny analogy.  We have a couple more projects to do in order to get it completely closed in before winter.  With daylight hours dwindling, we’d ask you to pray for understanding in the decisions to be made and efficiency in work.

People around us are struggling, dealing with a variety of issues in this life, just as people around you are doing.  It has stood out to me recently as I’ve heard of:

- A mother’s problems with her college-age daughter

- A young family’s struggles to run their own business

- A teenage girl whose mother passed away a year ago

- A man’s difficulties with four kids as his wife works out of the country

- A woman’s husband taking his own life (we’ve known the woman for maybe a year, but just recently learned that this happened a few years back)

- A woman’s son battling with cancer

Some may realize it.  Others may not, but they all need the Savior.  He is the only one that can bring comfort and aid to their specific situation.  Our desire is that they meet Him, know Him and walk with Him.  We are glad we can be His representatives here.

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes

 

For Prayer:

1. “O” and “P” and the request mentioned above

2. Us to get our house closed in before cold weather

3. Preparations for special Christmas programs

For Praise:

1. Good Harvest Sundays in Bulboci and Soroca

2. Some more meaningful conversations with our English students

3. Viola feeling more comfortable conversing in Romanian

Jacob teaching kids' English class

Viola teaching at children's center