Friday, September 9, 2016

Jonathan and Kristy's update September 8, 2016

9/8/2016

The last few weeks have been typical of Gypsy ministry with ups and downs. We are grateful for each day the Lord gives us to serve!

Thank you for praying for the children’s classes. They continue to be well-attended, though often some leave before the class is over. Dani (Donny) left the other week with some other boys, but Codru came and he was actually very good. Last Sunday, there were a ton of kids, and they were pretty good for as many as there were. We hope God will continue to teach them His truths through us.

Around 22 children have been coming to the weekly school times. Although they were a little more hyper during class this week and there were some interruptions, they have been very well-behaved overall. We thank the Lord for all that they are learning, and ask you to please pray with us that they will learn well. Reading is the most important focus in our school times, as we want them to be able to read the Word of God. We also do writing and numbers with them too.

A few weeks ago, we got a call from our neighbors (who are believers) that a group from a church in Germany was staying with them for a few days, and was interested in doing a program with the Gypsy children. So, we had some songs, games, and a Biblical lesson in the church neighborhood, and we enjoyed seeing this group’s willingness to serve. Some of those from the group came to church with us the following Sunday and gave some encouraging testimonies.

We had a good time at the baby dedication for Adi (Oddy) and Lusi’s little boy. In the end, close to 100 people came. A Romanian pastor friend of ours preached, and their family and ours did some special music. Praise the Lord for Adi and Lusi’s testimony to raise their son for Him!

The other week when we went to the church building to do school with the children, we started talking to Ica (Eeka), who recently got saved. She was not feeling well, and explained in tears that she ran out of medicines, and didn’t have any money even for food, much less medicine. She did not ask us for anything though, which is rare for the Gypsies. Thankfully, we and our co-workers were able to get some of her medicines. The Lord has allowed a lot of trials in her life. We were planning a baptism for this week (on Tuesday), so we talked with her about getting baptized, as well as to Sara, Adi, and Lusi. Adi and Lusi didn’t think they wanted to get baptized at this time, Sara was not sure, but Ica indicated that she wanted to. My sister, Larisa, made sure of her salvation at camp recently, so she wanted to get baptized. When the day of the baptism came, it was encouraging to see Adi come to the service, although he didn’t want to get baptized. Lusi didn’t come, Sara did not want to get baptized, and Ica was feeling terrible, so she was at home. I was rather discouraged that it seemed no one except Larisa was getting baptized, but also very glad that she was getting baptized! When we walked to the baptistry (which was next to the church) to do the baptism, Ica started walking over with us. She began crying, and we thought she just was feeling terrible, and she probably was, but she just said that she really wanted to get baptized! Praise the Lord! You can see the attached pictures of the baptism. It was good to see Rebeca come to that service. There were probably at least 100 onlookers to witness 2 of God’s children showing their salvation testimony and their desire to follow Him!

Thank you for your prayers for us and the Lord’s work here. May the Lord bless your part in this ministry to the Gypsies!

In His service,
Jonathan, Kristy, and Cory