Returning to Romania:

My time home this year has been one that has been slammed packed with events that have kept Freddy and me on the run.  As I look back over the past months, I wonder where time has gone. On June 19^th I will be returning to Romania in hopes of a powerful display of God’s glory as we begin to put together everything for this year’s construction workers. There is much to be done beforehand.  So much preparation is needed to get everything lined up for the work to begin in October when our first construction team arrives.  But, as of yet, I still do not have anyone who has decided to help us purchase the gas-powered generator, which we will need to start construction. Why do we need this? We have no electricity there and in order to speed up the work we need a generator.  Otherwise, we will be unable to use power tools. I can purchase one in Romania for around $995.00.

 Also our funds for this work are still not enough! We only have a little over $6,000.00 raised. All of you know that this is very little when it comes to construction work. I am asking you this month to give over and above to help in the planting of the church. This is not for any other purpose but to be obedient to what we have felt God is leading us in this year. Why do I ask?

· So that those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior will have a place they can go to worship and continue to learn of His Word.

· So that they will not have to sit on the ground in the heat or cold to hear this Word being taught.

· So that the command of God can be honored as He said, “Go ye into all the nations and preach the Gospel.”

 Men, women, teens, and children are hungry to hear. The harvest is ready now! After 4 years of going into the areas around Ferma Larga, I can truly say now is the time.

 If I did not have such a strong conviction within me about this work I would not be making another appeal to you. But I know that God placed these people on my heart from the very first time I went into these villages.  After ministering one day in the village, a man asked me, “Do you think you could build us a church so that we could have a place to worship?” That day I thought to myself, “Well, God, that must be for someone else later on after we have watered and sown the seed awhile.” That day I brushed it off and not until now 4 years later do I hear those words once again echoing in my mind.  “God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.”  I guess the plea for a church was always back there somewhere in my mind because now I hear those same words over and over again as I work to get things in place to start this work project.

 Men and women there in the village are eager to help us.  My hold-up is sufficient funds for the materials. Please help us by praying that God will provide all that is needed to get this job done. The roof must be replaced, but replacing it will take more than what we have collected so far. I look around here in America and see all the beautiful churches and I think, “God if only we could get something suitable just to hold the people, something with windows, doors, lights, heat and, oh yes, God an outdoor toilet would be nice.”  God sent us to Romania for such a time as this and my heart truly breaks every time I think of the call HE has placed on us.  I am the least of all persons to accomplish such a task; but I will continue to say, “God, I am willing to go if you but send me.” Please don’t get upset with me asking for your help.  I promise you it is harder for me to ask than you know. Depending totally on others does not come easy for me. Nevertheless, I know that God desires for me to walk this path of blind faith and be totally dependant upon Him. That dependency comes from God and through others like you as He flows through those of you who are willing to say, “Yes, God, I will help.” Pray that everything that is needed will come quickly so that when I return on June 19^th, the work can begin. Thank you and God bless you for your faithfulness to pray and help us in the work in Romania. 

Our Newest Ministry Outreach, Ladies Bible Study:

On May 9^th the foundation launched out into new territory.  For two years the Holy Spirit has been drawing us to minister to the families in Ferma Larga and Ferma Cojocna beyond what we have been doing thus far.  We realize that the children’s program was and is a starting point; but failure to continue beyond that point, failure to touch the mothers, fathers, and older children would be limiting the Great Commission.  This spring the Holy Spirit was very vocal about starting a Bible study with the ladies in the two villages.  He pressed our hearts that time was of the essence to reach these families.  Exactly what that means we have no idea except that we need to be about “our Father’s Business”.  A problem of ministering to the two villages simultaneously is that the families of both villages are not the best of friends, and even within Ferma Larga it is extremely difficult to get the ladies of that village to associate with one another. In the past month we have come to realize that some of the women in Ferma Larga don’t even like each other. Dark clouds of bondage and suspicion divide the village.  Jealousy and envy are widespread. One stronghold that saps Ferma Larga  of its spirituality is religious tradition.  The village does not have a Christian within its borders that will pray for a breaking down of the walls of the strongholds.  On the other hand Ferma Cojocna is progressing even in the face of the adversity of having their crops destroyed two weeks ago. So what is the difference?  Ferma Cojocna has a young Christian lady (Georgeta) right in its midst that has been praying for years that someone would come and present the Gospel to her village. The result is that Ferma Cojocna is more receptive to the Gospel message while Ferma Larga remains resistant and closed.  The sower sows the seed but those who remain on the outside never receive the seed; those who partake of the seed but lack understanding or personal discipline to allow the seed to germinate in good ground allows the seed to be either stolen or it withers and dies from lack of attention.

 Sometimes we Christians think there is no way that we can make a difference by ourselves. However, “Georgeta” (Ferma Cojocna) is proof that we can make a difference.  It may take a while and we may not even in some situations ever see the fruit of our labors, but scripture does not lie –“the fervent, effective prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  For the past two years NetWork, Limited’s “Christmas in Romania” team has gone inside the homes of the families of Ferma Cojocna, prayed with them individually, and ministered to them with testimonies and gifts. Georgeta’s prayers for the people of her village together with NetWork, Limited’s sharing the love of Christ have broken down many of the barriers of that village.  Since Ferma Larga does not have as yet a power filled Christian to intercede for the village, then we as intercessors must begin to march around the village through our prayers to bring down the walls of suspicion and bondage.  

Our prayer is that God will provide – the ground has been tilled, the plants that have sprouted are being watered, but who will tend the crop?  Please join with us in prayer and supplication that the walls of Ferma Larga will be brought down and the Light of the World will flood into the most hidden recesses of these two villages and bring freedom to the captives and release the prisoners from darkness.  

Adoption Process:

Barbara has spoken with her social worker and learned that the adoption FILE will be submitted to the courts at the end of June.  She will not actually go to court in June, however. once the file is submitted, the judge will set a date for another court date.  Legally, there are a certain number of days during which the court must respond regarding a date for hearing the adoption request.  HOWEVER, this is Romania.  The law may be specified on paper but that doesn’t really mean a whole lot.  Please be praying that the date for the adoption hearing will be in July!  The month of July has long held such painful memories for Barbara, so please pray that God will restore to her that which is promised in Joel 2:25 (NIV) “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten, the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts, and the locust swarm of my great army that I sent among you.” It would be wonderful if something good happened in that month.  So stand with us in prayer that restoration will come in July for Barbara.

 Thank you:

· A special thank you to Beverly Harless and all those who work at “Princeton Baptist Medical Center” for your hard work in collecting money to purchase Bibles. What a blessing of “LIFE” you are giving! Every dollar collected will be a gift of eternal life to someone. May God return to you a hundred-fold for your willingness to give.

· A special thank you to the “Senior Saints Committee” at First Assembly, Clanton for the surprise farewell party and for all the supplies you gathered for Romania. Your thoughtfulness is so appreciated. Thank you for a wonderful time of fellowship each month as you allowed me to come be apart of your Bible studies. May God bless you!

· A special thank you to Debra who seeded the first fruits (over and beyond her tithes) into our ministry as she stepped out into her new real estate business. May God always keep people coming to your business so that you can be used even more to help others.

· A special thank you to First Assembly’s “Young Adults”, (Shirley and Ronny Rigsby’s Class) for your invitation to share about our work and for your generous love offering. May you have increase to continue to bless!

· A special thank you to “Cedar Grove Youth” (Heath and Freda Vines Class) for your invitation to share about Romania and for your generous love offering. May God bless you!

· A special thank you to all of you who give into our ministry monthly. You all are such a blessing to us and we continue to lift your names before the Lord for your faithfulness to sow into HIS work. It is those of you who support monthly who are the glue that holds us together. Your monthly support helps us stay on the mission field doing that which we feel God has called us to do. Every time I read in 1 Corinthians 3 it reminds me that nothing we do would accomplish anything, if it were not for God making it grow. “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:7 – 9 (NIV)

 Thank you all for allowing God to use you as one of those who plants and waters.  Together we will all see HIS kingdom grow.

 Yours in Christ,

Freddy and Rita