Happy Easter! Blessings to you as we celebrate Christ’s victory over death and sin, and His resurrection before us to new life!
A local clothing store offering discounts to Ukrainians.
Ukrainian Refugee Ministry in Gyergyó
Our church registered the old building as a government-approved refugee shelter for Ukrainians. If you remember, the church here outgrew their smaller building three years ago (here we got married), and since then the old sanctuary has been used for storage. But four weeks ago, we cleaned it, got the heating and water working, and moved in 20 beds!
To date, no refugees have chosen to stay here. Our town of Gyergyo is very much out-of-the way, tucked in the mountains. Most Ukrainians are interested in temporary shelter on their way to an airport to fly out of Romania. Many are headed to the United Kingdom or Germany, and few seem interested in staying in Romania for very long.
Ukrainian Refugee Ministry in Sighişoara
Things, however, are different in Sighişoara. A Stoneworks International missionary there is assisting many Ukrainians with housing, food, and transportation. They are opening a second house soon dedicated as a refugee shelter. We plan to travel there next week and help any way we can. Sighişoara is near an airport, and on the main highway going into Hungary and Western Europe. As such, Sighişoara is much more attractive to refugees than our little town. Pray for us to be a blessing while we are visiting Sighişoara.
Kind of interesting: Two weeks ago, Hungary had elections and a census. Though we are in central Romania, this is a Hungarian-majority area (over 85%), so much so that Hungary set up polling stations for elections here. In 2010, Hungarian citizenship was granted to ethnic Hungarians living outside Hungary, allowing them to participate in elections. This is a political ad we received in the mail.
Pray for Jacob’s Language Tutor
Denes (his name has been changed), Jacob’s Hungarian language helper, is an 18-year-old who does not believe in Christ. However, Jacob had a great conversation with him during class. Denes has been shaken by the shifting political landscape in Eastern Europe, and the threat of war, which has lead him to begin asking himself deeper questions about life and death. Jacob spoke with Denes on what Scripture says about the afterlife, and the new heaven and new earth. Denes shared his doubts that he has lived a moral enough life before God, yet commented how any Christian’s life before and after conversion appears functionally the same. Denes believes that in every religion everyone simply follows a set of rules, or laws. Jacob really emphasized to Denes that no one could ever live up to God’s standards and the need for Christ’s sacrifice. And also how, as a Christian, we do not merely conform to God’s laws; we conform to God. We do not merely follow God’s laws. Rather, we follow a person; a king, a shepherd, a savior, and a high priest. Please pray with us for Denes, that his heart and mind would be good soil for the seeds of the Gospel, and that he would come to put his faith in Christ.
Jacob is in Phase 3 of 6 in Hungarian Language Learning.
Jacob’s Language Progress
This week, Jacob officially launched phase 3 of his language learning program, six phases total. He can manage conversations and retell simple stories in past and present tense, and is now grappling with communicating conditional, subjunctive, and abstract concepts.
Every spring, the golya storks migrate back to Transylvania. Their nests are on telephone poles everywhere. They spend half the year here and for winter they fly all the way down to South Africa!
Please take a moment to pray with us for the requests below:
Prayer Requests
- Pray for people in the Gyergyo basin to recognize their need for Christ this Easter.
- Pray for a speedy process in getting Josiah’s American passport.
- God’s grace and wisdom for us in interacting with the lost.
- Wisdom as we navigate attending church together, juggling translating the sermon and caring for both kids while at church.
- Pray for Ukraine and how we may be able to serve refugees here.
- Peace in Eastern Europe, but for people to also realize their deep need for Christ in the face of economic and political hardships.