Hughes News #99

"Tie your shoes and pray for the Hughes"

Dear Friends, 

 

In May and June it was time to renew our residency permits.  For us that means 1) a visit to our lawyer in the capital to prepare our application, 2) a visit to the immigration office a few weeks later to submit our approved application and get our pictures taken and 3) a visit a week or so later to pick up our permits.  Because we have to start the process a few weeks early, the date we were approved was a few weeks before our previous permits expired.  The result is that while in theory we received a one-year permit; in actuality we only gained 10.5 additional months.  We were already planning to apply for citizenship, but the increased difficulty with residency permits has made it more pressing.  The first step is to pass two tests – a Romanian language test and a Moldovan Constitution test.  The next test date is in September.  We would appreciate your prayers as we prepare for them. 

 

In July our missionary team led three weeks of VBS – one at our coworker’s home in Zastinca, another in Bulboci, and the third in Soroca.  The Lord gave us good weeks – good weather overall, attentive and cooperative kids and strength to minister.  In Zastinca we averaged 22/day, in Bulboci 28 and 10 in Soroca.  Overall we were able to minister to 94 different kids.  One blessing was the attendance of some specific kids: two of our neighbor boys, a girl from a family with whom our coworker has Bible studies and a sibling group that we’ve known for some time.  Another was several of the ladies from Bulboci ministering with us that week.  A third blessing was seeing kids memorize Scripture.  Typically we learn a verse together each day and have a list of additional verses for a competition.  Over the three weeks the kids said 530 verses!  We were thrilled with their work and pray that the Holy Spirit will use these verses along with the lessons to draw them to salvation.  A further blessing was the feedback from parents and grandparents in Bulboci.  While our goal is to please the Lord, it is encouraging to hear that those in the village viewed our program positively.  We pray that this will give us open doors to minister to more families.  Finally, there were several little moments from the kids that warmed our hearts – smiles flashed, cute things said, chocolates shared, hugs given.  Though we were trying to minister to them, the Lord blessed us through them during those weeks. 

 

In His service,

Jacob and Viola Hughes 

 

For Prayer: 

1. Ministry planning for the upcoming year 

2. Study with “L” and “M;” hopefully starting with “V” 

3. Romanian and Constitution tests on September 20, Lord-willing 

 

For Praise:

1. Residency permits renewed 

2. Good weeks of VBS

3. More progress on our house- both inside and outside

 

Zastinca 

 

 

Bulboci

 

 

 

 

Soroca

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