Eurasia Update
Nearly ten months ago, we began the adventure of our lives. Progress in Asia came brutally slow at first. Not allowed to own a vehicle until our residency permits were complete, I was left walking about fifty miles per week. We carried our groceries up the steep hill to our rental home. It took us two weeks to get our water turned on and three weeks for electricity. It took about two months to get our belongings released from customs, four months to get our residency permits, and five months to get a vehicle. It took us seven-and-a-half months to get internet access and eight-and-a-half months to get natural gas (meaning no heat and only cold showers until then). Progress with the language acquisition and ministry crept along at a similar pace, as simply fulfilling bureaucratic demands consumed a majority of our time.
Progress over the last couple of months has been amazing. We welcomed our second team family November 12. Within one month they had housing, water, electric, gas, and limited internet access. Yesterday they received confirmation that their residency permits have been approved! This has freed us to begin the process of forming the limited company under which our language school will operate. We have employed two CPAs who are helping with this process, and they are optimistic that our company can be registered within a month. This is most encouraging news. After all this time and labor, the dream is beginning to take shape.
In the meantime we continue discipling a young man whom we were privileged to win. We are making many contacts and witnessing as God gives opportunity. Many people have expressed their eagerness to attend our school as soon as it is operational. We are trying to be a blessing to another team that arrived ahead of us. In addition to having our own Sunday services (morning and afternoon), we often attend their service in the evening. Our schedules are now freer to intensify our own studies in the language. We recently hosted a prayer meeting for foreign workers in our area. God used that to be a great encouragement to all who attended, but especially to some young men who had really become disheartened.
In recent months we have entertained friends from the States: Pastor Tarr, Pastor Wilkerson, and our three oldest children. Next month we look forward to entertaining our missionary friends from Bulgaria and our liaison and his wife. One of the most exciting developments in recent days has been an investigative project we are pursuing in cooperation with Dr. Keen and First Bible with the objective of getting a Received-Text-based Bible printed and widely distributed in our country.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support and prayers. We believe God has great things ahead!
Missionary #6501