Jonathan and Kristy's update 02/07/17

02/07/2017

This is an election year here in Romania, and unfortunately, the socialist party won the vote. During the middle of the night, they passed a bill making it unpunishable to take up to about $48,000. This was done to exempt certain politicians from having legal action taken against their corrupt deeds. There have been many protests in the larger cities in Romania, and they have been the largest protests since the fall of communism. We hope and pray that the Lord will change the hearts of those leading our country that they will make wise decisions and lead our country in a good direction.

 

In our last prayer letter, we mentioned how random the young people are, and how we just never know what they will do or say from one minute to the next. We are grateful that several teens have been coming to the teen classes lately! This past Sunday, there were ten, and they were fairly well-behaved. After we were finished with the class, I said that we could sing another song if they wanted to, and they did. They continued to want to keep singing, and we must have sung about 10 songs! We are praying that these truths that they sang will remain in their minds and work in their hearts.

 

Gina, one of our saved ladies, asked us to pray for her son, Adi (Oddy), and his wife, Lusi. They have not been coming to church, and we trust that the Lord will work in their hearts and bring them back to Him. Gina’s unsaved husband, Ion (Yone), has not come to our church services in years. However, he has just started studying with some Jehovah’s Witnesses that come to their house. Gina has tried to show Ion how their doctrine is not according to the Bible, and we are praying that Ion will understand the true Gospel and receive Christ as His Savior.

 

The other week during my children’s class, all but 3 children left the class. Thankfully, the ones that stayed were attentive and learned! During a later children’s class, about 12 children came, and all but 2 left! So many times while working with the Gypsies, the phrase from the Bible comes to my mind: they are “as sheep without a shepherd.” They wander here and there, following their feelings, lusts, and desires, and they need God’s grace and leading in their lives. Please pray for spiritual maturity in our saved Gypsies, that they will follow the Lord faithfully.

 

Among other news, it is that time of year when we have to pay our government mandated health insurance here. Although it is cheap compared to US insurance, it has about doubled in price in the past 3 years. Unfortunately, paying for health insurance here is a long, complicated nightmare. First, we have to go to the health insurance office to the information desk to see what paperwork we need. Then we have to go to the finance office with the necessary paperwork and pay for the insurance. When we went to pay, it took us over 3 hours from the time we left the house to the time we got back! We attempted to go to the health insurance office with our receipt and renew the health insurance (which is the next step in the long, complicated process), but by the time we got there about 11 a.m., they had already given out all of their 110 numbers for the day . . . by 8:10 a.m.! They don’t even open until 8:15! So, we will have to go another day to the health insurance office, probably very early, just to get a number to get in hopefully before 1:30 p.m. when they close.

 

Our property has been surveyed, and I contacted a few people about building us a fence. We are hoping someone will come soon to measure and give us a quote. Thank you for praying for this need, and please continue praying. There continue to be more thefts in our area, some with chainlink-type fences being cut by the thieves. We have a small, temporary chainlink fence around part of our property, and are very grateful for the Lord’s protection and safety.

 

Thank you for your interest and part in our work among the Gypsies. We are encouraged and blessed to have you behind us!

 

In His service,

Jonathan, Kristy, and Cory