Hughes News #92

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

Dear Friends, 

 

We send you this letter from the Hughes farm in Illinois.  Since our last prayer letter we have reported to eleven more supporting churches and have visited two new churches.  We have also ministered in four school chapels.  The Lord has given us travel mercies and has encouraged us through times of fellowship with His people.  We love to inform others about  Moldova and it means so much when believers show interest in our lives and ministry.

 

The times between services have been filled with a number of things: office work, time with friends and family (including our nephew and niece’s music festival!), a sweetheart banquet, historical sites, research into family history and preparations for our return.  We have concluded the majority of our travels and have just three more meetings scheduled. 

 

Tea party with sister-in-law and nieces

As you probably would guess, Ukraine has captivated our attention the last several days.  None of the fighting has yet crossed the border into Moldova, but thousands of refugees have.  Moldovans have done much to provide food and lodging for these displaced souls.  If the conflict is not resolved before our return (our prayer), we hope to get involved in ministering to the refugees.  If you are interested in helping, please contact me and I will forward you more information.  Currently our departure date is still set for the middle of March, but some changes will need to be made to our flight itinerary.  Would you please pray as we sort out these questions and head back to the field?

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes

  

For Prayer: 

1. Ukraine – the fighting to cease, refugees to find safety

2. Logistics to be able to return to Moldova 

3. Final meetings, packing, traveling

 

For Praise: 

1. Encouraging Christian fellowship during furlough

2. Safety traveling many miles 

3. The privilege to preach God’s Word in churches and chapels

 

 

Hughes News #91

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends, 

 

We send you our greetings from North Carolina!  Furlough is moving by rather quickly but is going well.  Up to this point we have reported to eight supporting churches with another thirteen scheduled on our calendar.  Since we plan to return to Moldova in March, Lord-willing, it means that we have already passed the halfway point of our time in the States.  

 

It was so good to be able to spend the holidays with family.  We spent Thanksgiving with the Hughes side in Illinois then Christmas with the Hitz clan in Oklahoma.  The Lord worked it out for our siblings to be at those get-togethers.  Jacob’s brother traveled up from Tennessee and Viola’s two siblings who live out of the country made it back as well.  As we’ve traveled in meetings, we’ve been able to reconnect with extended family members and meet others for the first time.  

 

Hughes Family

 

Hitz Family

Although furlough (like everything in life) has its share of difficulties, we have been flooded with blessings: foods and restaurants to enjoy, games and sports to play, beautiful places to see, dear friends to visit.  In addition to the typical reporting to churches and preaching, the Lord has allowed us to serve in other ministries- an adult Christmas party, Sunday school, junior church, Timothy club in a public school, Master’s club and pulpit supply.  While we miss ministering in Moldova, it has been enjoyable to fill in where needed.  If we don’t make it to your church, we will do our best to send some prayer cards.  We would appreciate your prayers as we travel, report and minister!

 

 

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes

 

For Prayer:

1. Those in our ministries in Moldova; our coworkers 

2. God to use us in others' lives here in the States 

3. Furlough to be both profitable and restful

 

For Praise: 

1. Holidays spent with family  

2. Encouraging visits with supporting churches 

3. Safety on the road

Hughes News #89

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends,

 

Our last prayer letter began with the following sentence: “We are pleased to report that we were able to resume or begin each of the ministries we mentioned in our last prayer letter!”  Since then a high number of Covid-19 cases has changed or paused every ministry.  For five weeks we have not been able to have our Bible club at the children’s center.  There is a possibility that we can resume it on Tuesday, April 6.  We moved our English classes online for the time being.  We’ve had some technical difficulties with that switch but it has allowed us to continue instead of having to take another break.

 

We had completed five lessons of a chronological Bible study in Bulboci before several cases were found in the village.  About the time we thought we could get back there, our region in general and several locations in particular (including our city and that village) were placed in Code Red, meaning tighter restrictions for the rest of the month.  Lord-willing, we will get back there this week.

 

Please continue to pray for “V,” the older man I mentioned in our last letter.  As we were talking to him last time, the person with whom he is staying spoke out against the way we were leading the conversation.  We need God’s wisdom to know how to present truth to this man and his caregiver and we need the Holy Spirit to open their understanding.  We are due to visit him again soon. 

 

Many of the decisions the government has put out concerning the virus have not addressed religious meetings.  Because of that, we’ve had to try to interpret what is both the letter and spirit of the law.  Thankfully, the most recent decision specifically addressed religious gatherings (the first to do so in nearly nine months) and helped answer some questions.  It was not my intention to fill this letter with more Covid news (I’m sure you get enough of that already), but it has affected our ministries more so in the last month than it had in awhile.  The Lord is helping us through it and it seems we are about to dig in and get back to work.

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes

 

For Prayer:

1. Discernment in understanding and following restrictions 

2. A young family in Soroca that has been visiting services 

3. Witnessing to “V” with David

 

For Praise: 

1. Health and continued spiritual interest of our people here 

2. Return of a believer after staying with family several months 

3. More work accomplished on our house