Hughes News #97

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

  

Dear Friends, 

 

In our last prayer letter we mentioned starting an evangelistic Bible study with “L” a woman in Soroca.  After the first lesson with her, she was out of town for several weeks.  Since her return, she has not missed a week of our study.  At the beginning of December she first came to a midweek service and has not missed since then.  Three weeks ago she came for a Sunday service and attended the past two weeks also.  While some things regarding her motivations are still not clear to us, we are grateful for her growing attendance.  As you pray for her, would you also pray for God’s clear direction for us as we share with and minister to her?  

 

Our ministry at the children’s home has been stopped for now.  Higher-ups in the organization were at the center one day and heard our Bible lesson.  After that the local director got word that the “religious instruction” would have to stop.  She tried to fight the decision, but management would not relent.  On one hand, we miss the kids and wish for the opportunity to teach them the Bible.  On the other hand, the kids’ interest in the lessons and in our program in general had been waning and it had been difficult to get them to cooperate.  

 

During the holidays we are hoping to build on the momentum from the Bible school we held in Bulboci this summer.  We are planning a one-day Christmas program at the village library with “The Greatest Gift” as our theme.  Along with kids, we are inviting their parents and grandparents.   We are unsure what to expect, as we’ve never done an all-ages event quite like this before, but we are encouraged by the interest shown so far.  

 

The following day we are organizing a Christmas program at the penitentiary in Soroca for the officers and their families.  A man who ministers there (but lives in another city) wanted us to be involved so that the officers could get to know us since we live in town.  We’d appreciate prayer that it will be an enjoyable event for these families and that the Lord would work through the preaching of His Word.  

 

In His service, 

Jacob and Viola Hughes 

 

For Prayer: 

1. Christmas program in Bulboci on January 4^th 

2. Christmas program at penitentiary for officers on January 5^th 

3. Special studies in Visoca, Evangelistic Bible study starting in Soroca 

 

For Praise: 

1. Studies continuing with “N” (Bible and English) and “L” (evangelistic) 

2. More work done on our house so that it is keeping us warm  

3. Visit with Viola’s sister and her husband at Thanksgiving 

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