Hughes News #96

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends, 

 

Maybe this is true in a lot of ministries, but it often feels that as soon as we are geared up and ready to move forward, circumstances change and we have to pivot.  Let me mention a couple of examples from the past month.  After a service in Soroca a woman approached us asking who could come to our church.  We assured her that she could and hoped she would show up.  A few weeks went by, she didn’t come, and I didn’t follow up due to the busyness of other summer ministries.  Eventually we visited her at home.  Several days later we made another visit and began an evangelistic Bible study with her.  We were pleased with her response, but then a few days later she called to let us know she would be going to the capital for a time.  After a good start we are waiting to hear that she is back in town (she didn’t give us any indication how long she would be gone).  

 

In our furlough presentation, we mentioned Viola studying Moldovan sign language to interpret for a deaf man who had been coming to services in Bulboci.  We asked for prayer for her as she continued to learn.  However, once we returned, he wasn’t in the village and we didn’t see him for several months.  In the middle of the service the first Sunday in August he showed up and was there every Sunday in the month.  So, that meant Viola jumping back into reviewing and working to communicate as much of the service as she could.  With these frequent changes, it can feel like we are spinning our wheels, but we try to remind ourselves to trust the Lord to work even when things can feel haphazard to us. 

 

We would like to ask prayer for a couple of studies.  A woman “N” has wanted one-on-one English lessons for awhile.  This spring we bumped into her and Viola was trying to explain to her that we are here primarily to talk about the Bible.  “N” replied that they could talk about the Bible in English.  We thought it would work for Viola to meet with her while our intern taught a young girl English.  Viola was pleased to find a curriculum that did a good job teaching English while at the same time incorporating Biblical themes.  She would appreciate your prayers as she meets with “N.”  The other study is an evangelistic one that we continued with a family while the Grosses were on furlough.  Shortly David should return and we will no longer be leading it, but we ask for prayer because they have reached the lessons which discuss Jesus’ life and draw the learners to a decision about the Gospel.  Would you pray for “V” and his family to be saved? 

 

We weren’t necessarily looking for an intern this summer and Moldova wasn’t Sara Beth Graves’ first option for her required internship, but God brought things together for her to be here in June and July.  She was a big help to us with several of our normal ministries and her presence allowed us to reach out in a few ways that we couldn’t just by ourselves (her teaching English to the young girl as mentioned above, for example).  She eagerly worked alongside us and cheerfully put up with things like doors without handles, a room without air conditioning and neighbors without inhibitions.  We don’t know how the Lord will use her internship in her life moving forward, but we know she was a blessing to us this summer.  

 

A couple weeks ago we were able to visit some of the kids who came to the VBS in Bulboci.  We visited with the kids and their parents/grandparents for a few minutes and presented them with a children’s Bible.  We pray that the Bibles will be read and that the connection with their families would open up more ministry opportunities in the future.  Last week we concluded our summer program at the children’s center by having a store in which the kids could spend the points they earned through attendance, verse memorization and behavior.  With school starting September 1, it is likely that we will have fewer kids at our program in the fall, but with the Lord’s help, we will pivot again and trust Him to guide us. 

 

Thank you for giving time to read this prayer letter.  It is difficult to accurately portray all that is going on as well as keep past requests updated.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.  Thank you for your prayers – we ask that you’d continue petitioning the Lord on our behalf.

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes 

 

For Prayer:

1. Ukraine – the fighting to cease, people to come to the Lord 

2. Discernment to know how to pivot and adjust as circumstances change 

3. Studies with “N” (Bible and English) “V” and his family and “L” (evangelistic) 

 

For Praise:

1. “V” (our deaf friend) back to services in Bulboci 

2. Good visits with kids who attended the Bulboci VBS 

3. A new electronic piano donated for services in Bulboci 

 

Hughes News #95

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends,   

 

Greetings from Moldova on a beautifully warm and breezy summer day!  Thank you for taking the time to read our latest news and for praying with us for the requests we mention.  We pray that your summer is going well and that you are encouraged in your walk with Him.  

 

Our donating bags of food staples and basic toiletries to Ukrainians has paused for now.  Shortly after our last prayer letter we distributed more bags and explained to the social worker how we would like to give our donations in the future.  We wanted to continue to give bags to newly arrived refugees through her office, but to set up something different that would allow us more interaction with those who have been in our city for awhile.  We purchased more supplies but then problems arose.  The social worker promised to give us a list of Ukrainians staying in Soroca, but she never did.  Then she stopped replying to calls and messages.  Eventually, we were able to donate the food already purchased to a hotel restaurant that was preparing meals for those staying at a campground.  Due to other summer activities, we have not looked for other avenues to aid those displaced by the war.  We are hoping that doors will open up in the next few weeks.  We have been able to stay in touch with one Ukrainian family that we met through giving as they are staying in a home in our village.  We are supposed to go visit them again soon.  Would you pray that the Lord would show us how we can best minister to them?  

 

The last week of June we held a VBS at the children’s home in Cosauti where we minister weekly.  Since we are teaching through a curriculum that points kids to the theme of redemption in the Bible, we continued with that curriculum for the week.   We were pleased to have 20+ kids each day and even more pleased that a number of kids memorized the daily verse.  Through the summer (including the VBS week) we are awarding kids points for attendance, verse memory and behavior.  Later, they will be able to spend those points on prizes in our store.   

 

A couple of weeks ago we heard the heartbreaking news of a wife who, returning from working abroad, told her husband she didn’t want anything more to do with him.  He has been caring for their four children (ages 5-11) these past 3+ years while she has been working.  Please pray for our brother “K” as he deals with this awful situation.  Would you also pray for God’s chastening on “C” his wife that she would repent and turn back to God and to her family?  If you’d pray for us, we need God’s wisdom to see how to care for this family.  

 

Last week we held a VBS in Bulboci, the village where we have Sunday afternoon services.  There were several blessings from the week.  First, four ladies that attend Sunday services came to help out.  They lightened our load and I think they enjoyed serving the kids too.  Second, attendance exceeded my expectations.  We had at least 20 kids each of the five days.  Third, a majority of these unchurched kids said their memory verse when they came the next day.  Fourth, the weather was very pleasant and the kids were mostly cooperative. Fifth, we have since heard very positive reports from adults in the village.  We ourselves enjoyed the week and are eager to see how God may expand this in the future.  

 

The war in Ukraine continues to indirectly affect those to whom we minister.  We already mentioned the Ukrainian family in our village that cannot yet go home.  The brother of a man who comes to services in Soroca lives in a region where the Russians already occupy.  The sister of a friend of Viola’s has had her three shoe stores destroyed by rockets.  Another friend’s father and brother-in-law live in a city a distance from the combat but that was hit by rockets last week.  After claiming they were after the Donbas and Luhansk regions, Russia has now openly named two other regions that are objectives, plus a number of other unnamed territories.  While the US has supported Ukraine with sophisticated weapons, Russia is now using Ukraine’s possession of those weapons as justification for fighting further.  They are claiming it is a threat to their country as long as Ukraine has these weapons.  As Moldova is seeking to join NATO and unite with Europe, the breakaway region of Transnistria openly stated this week that it wants a free union with Russia.  While we are still many miles from the combat and rocket attacks, it seems the possibility of the conflict more directly touching Moldova is growing.  To be clear, we don’t discern any imminent danger, but tension is slowly growing as opposed to diminishing in Moldova.  

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes  

 

For Prayer: 

1. Ukraine – the fighting to cease, people to come to the Lord 

2. “K” and his kids, his wife “C” 

3. The Lord’s direction as we minister to several individuals 

 

For Praise: 

1. An intern helping us the past few weeks 

2. Good weeks of VBS in Cosauti and Bulboci 

3. Good reports about our VBS in Bulboci 

 

 

Hughes News #94

 

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends,  

 

Greetings from Egoreni!  It feels like so much has happened since our last update.  Though things haven’t always gone as we planned or envisioned, the Lord has blessed us in so many ways and given opportunities to minister. 

 

One huge blessing is that we are finally living in our house!  We are really enjoying our home and living there has made it easier to work on projects a little at a time. Our next big projects are winterizing the house and finishing out our bedroom. 

 

Another huge blessing is getting our car back from Kiev! We know many of you were concerned and praying about this with us.  It is a long story of how the Lord worked out all the details but a brother in Christ was able to bring it with a convoy of refugees to western Ukraine where Jacob met him. 

 

It has been a blessing to have V and his mother, N, regularly attending Sunday morning services in Soroca. N is from Kiev and will be staying in Soroca until things calm down in Ukraine. V has attended off and on over the years but his mom’s visit seems to have encouraged him to be more faithful. Please pray that God will use this time to draw this family to Himself. Other attendees to Sunday mornings are from a village in our region.  Though they have professed faith in Christ, they lack a strong Biblical foundation. The afternoon services in Bulboci have gone well also.  We feel like people are finally opening up to us and sharing their lives and hearts with us.  Please pray that we can help them grow in their walk with the Lord. 

 

Our Easter services were a blessing.  We had a time for food and fellowship in both Soroca and Bulboci.  In Bulboci, one of our ladies has been staying with her brother some distance away but they both were able to come for our Easter Sunday. We also had a special evangelistic service in Bulboci, the Monday after Easter. Though only our church people came, we were all encouraged by the sweet time of fellowship. 

 

Our ministry at the children’s center has been both a challenge and a blessing. We have had more kids overall and some newer ones. E and P came to the center last fall. They are used to roaming the streets, doing as they please and have issues with drugs and smoking.  Their presence at the center has very negatively affected the other kids as well as the workers. Please pray for us to have wisdom as we try to minister to these kids. 

 

  

Another big part of each week has been buying, assembling and distributing bags of dry goods, toiletries and Christian literature for the Ukrainians in Soroca. We have handed out some 90 bags so far and plan to continue as long as there is a need. While some have just taken their bag and left, others have been fairly emotional and nearly all have expressed their deep appreciation. Many have taken a Bible or children’s Bible. Though we would like to have more contact with them many are moving on to other parts. E is one who is staying in the area and we have invited her and her son for a visit.  Up to this point we have worked through the social services office in our region. Since their funds are extremely limited and run out far too quickly, the director was so appreciative of the help we offered. She has invited us to go with her to a nearby camp where several Ukrainians are staying.  We plan to go and see what doors the Lord may open through that. We have received many gifts to help with these projects and at this point, we still have extra funds to help meet Ukrainian’s needs. 

 

  

Though there are concerns about the war in Ukraine coming to Moldova, daily life hasn’t changed too much. There are a lot of mixed feelings about the war, even among believers. Some from Russian families are hurt by the anti-Russia sentiments. Others have family or friends still in Ukraine or living with them here in Moldova and are grieved and concerned about the situation in Ukraine. Our friend, N, is in the latter group. Please pray for her and others with whom we have contact. Also pray for us to have wisdom how best to minister to each person’s need. 

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes 

 

For Prayer: 

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

2. Wisdom to best minister to people and their various needs 

3. The specific individuals we’ve mentioned in this letter 

 

For Praise: 

1. We are moved into our house! 

2. We have our car back from Kiev. 

3. Many opportunities to minister to others

 

 

Hughes News #93

 

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

 

Dear Friends, 

 

Greetings from Soroca!  Furlough was wonderful, but it is so good to be back in our little corner of the world!  Reporting to two churches, Viola speaking at a ladies’ Bible study and I preaching at a pastor’s fellowship finished our ministry in the States.  There were also special moments with family before we left: our nephew and niece’s music festival, attending a play, family movies from the 1950s, as well as not quite as interesting but helpful tasks- shopping, eye appointments, packing, etc. 

 

With the fighting in Ukraine, we wondered if we would have to delay our return, but very quickly the Lord settled in each of our hearts that we should head back.  The airline changed our tickets to Romania at no charge.  Our flights went well and we spent a night in Iasi before crossing the border into Moldova.  Our coworker drove us to the border where another missionary friend met us and brought us into the country.  Other friends have given us the use of their car for the time being.  Jet lag is usually more noticeable going east, but this may have been the easiest overall transition that we have experienced.  We thank the Lord for His care – within each of these stories are little details where we saw God’s goodness and that were an encouragement to us!

 

We have enjoyed reconnecting with several acquaintances whom the Lord has allowed us to bump into while out and about in the city.  It was also a blessing to both us and our people as we returned to services in Soroca and Bulboci.  On Tuesday we visited the director and kids at the children’s center.  We left with a heavy burden on our hearts after hearing of some of the kids’ struggles.  Please pray for God to work in their lives.  From a social worker, we found out that there are about 350 Ukrainian refugees in Soroca.  With her help and gifts from the States, we donated a small bag containing food items and toiletries to ten family units.  We offered Bibles and children’s Bibles and gave them an invitation to our services.  Although our time to interact was brief, they seemed to genuinely appreciate the gift.  Since there are others who have yet to receive material help, we plan to prepare some more packets to distribute as soon as we can.  Would you pray with us that the Lord will open more doors to minister to them physically and spiritually? 

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes 

 

For Prayer: 

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

2. Big needs in the lives of the kids at the children’s center 

3. Ukrainians and former attendees to come to services in Soroca 

 

For Praise: 

1. Many blessings and memories from a wonderful furlough 

2. The Lord’s direction and care in getting us back to Moldova 

3. Good first services and seeing several acquaintances