Warm, satisfied Christian greetings from Romania!

This month has been full of work in the fields. We have laboured for souls and for corn, potatoes, beans, etc. It finally warmed up enough to baptize in the river. We always enjoy this publick witness for the Lord Jesus and rejoice in seeing people follow Christ who have trusted Him for salvation. My youngest daughter, Lydia, was among those I baptized this month. Many of these who get baptized are tormented by family and friends for their step of faith. It is considered a heinous crime for those who were baptized as babies in the Orthodox church to truly follow Christ in believer’s baptism. It costs them something. One young lady in her twenties who I baptized this month (pictured above) was grilled by her father in an attempt to keep her from this step. She followed Jesus anyway! I wonder what it has cost you?

We have always desired to reach people through different means. We preach, teach, pass tracts, maintain a website in Romanian, print literature, and raise a garden. The last activity may seem strange in the list, but we have used this to reach out to people who are in need. The need of the material things of life pale in comparison to the needs of the soul; but showing compassion in one area can lead to open doors in the other. My family has laboured in the field (see picture below) to raise vegetables so that we may be a blessing to others and show them that we care. It is a shock to Romanians to see our American family sweating in the field. They do it because they must. They do not understand why the rich Americans are there. One Romanian recently approached me and asked, "Why are you working like a peasant?" I replied that saved people always work hard. This is a needed example to the believers in our church. Another man questioned as to why I would be in Romania in the first place and asked one of the brothers who was helping us in the field if we were growing cannabis (marijuana). That is the only reason he could come up with as to why the American would be here and in the field. Any other explanation just didn’t satisfy him. I must admit, though, that we do have an addiction, but it is not fed with drugs. We are addicted to the ministry. We are addicted to serving Jesus Christ and trying to help others. We are addicted to trying to bring glory and honour to our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ! Pray for Romania and Eastern Europe. Many missionaries are leaving the field while few are signing up for service. Countless Christians who were led to Christ in these areas are leaving for greener pastures in western Europe. The field is white but is growing empty. We must work and pray while it is day.