Saturday, September 08, 2001
Dear Pastors and Churches:
    “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Philippians 4:23).  According to His riches in Glory, God by grace supplies every need of His children – Praise the Lord!
    Health wise, Janet and I are about the same.  Janet is growing stronger, albeit slowly.  Of course
she still suffers from dreadful dizziness, but has been able to put up some things from our
garden. I have had a recurrence of my “breaking out” about which the doctors can say nothing
for sure, but think it may be “stress.”  I made two trips to Budapest, Hungary since our last report
– one to get the car fixed and another trip to see the American trained doctor.  The extra
expense involved was necessary to insure proper repair of the car as well as qualified medical
care.
    We are happy to report that a fund has been started towards the purchase of a Risograph – a
duplicator which will enable us to produce tracts and booklets for the work here.  If you are led of
the Lord to help in this purchase, please mark your gifts “Riso fund” or “duplicator fund.”  We are
also glad to report that another $500 was designated for the Benevolent Fund – moneys which
are given to the Romanian Baptists to administer as they see the need.  Part is used to feed
hungry people, but the most of it goes toward construction of church and chapel buildings.
    I was privileged to make a second trip into that region of Romania known as Oltenia since my last
report.  I left home about 6:30 AM on a Sunday morning and returned home about 1:30 AM on
the following Monday morning – it was a long day!  I preached 4 times and visited in two homes
in different places.  One home is in a village where the authorities refuse to allow the Baptist folk
to construct a meeting place.  So the people meet in a home there, but with constant opposition.
I preached in the open air twice – once alongside a small river.  Afterward, the 100 or so people
moved closer to the river and 4 young men (probably early 20’s), two older women and one thirty-ish
woman were baptized by the pastor there.  I had the opportunity to meet and talk with one
Brother who was recently beaten by the Orthodox because of his faith in Christ and stand for the
Bible.  It was a blessing to see his joy in the Lord!
    Four young Romanian Brethren went with me on this trip.  I am happy to report that three of them
are solidly convinced regarding salvation by the free and sovereignly bestowed grace of God!
They also have embraced church truth.  Raul, our co-worker and faithful translator, went on this
trip as did Aurel, a university student who has gladly embraced the teaching regarding grace and
church truth.  Sami, a student at the Baptist Institute in Bucures’ti and Viorel (“Bobby”) also went
along.  “Bobby” is a young convert whose Orthodox parents forced him to sleep in the barn last
winter without adequate clothing because of his faith in Christ and union with a Baptist church.
Sami is convinced about grace and church truth and is a zealous preacher and distributor of our
literature in those places where he goes to preach.  We are thankful for these evidences of
God's working through His Word in this place.  Others are growing in grace and knowledge, as
well as these.  Pray for these young men and the others as well.
    Not everyone is receptive to the preaching, I am sorry to say.  Because of my stand against
Pentecostalism, two young women often get up and walk out of the services in the Bocs’a
Romana church when I preach.  Some of my auditors have not come to see free grace in
salvation as yet – they are convinced that their eternal destiny is in their hands.  Please pray
that God will open their eyes to the truth according to His will.  These people have heard visiting
American preachers from time to time for some 9 years, but the men who come with regularity to
our area of Romania are decisional-regenerationists merely adding fuel to the fires of
Arminianism with their “invitations” based on “free will-ism.”  I continue to preach that it is “Of his
own will begat he us with the word of truth…” (James 1:18).
    I am continually amazed at the eagerness with which our literature is received!  It is having an
effect here! As a matter of fact, I have more invitations to preach than I am able to accept, more
opportunities to teach young men that I can fulfill, and more places to distribute literature than I
can supply!  Stand with us, please!  Pray for the Pughs and the people of Romania while we yet
have open doors here!  Thank you for your faithful financial support and especially for your
prayers on our behalf!
    In the cause of God and truth with you,

    Pray For The Pughs
    Curtis and Janet Pugh
     curtis@rdslink.ro
    CURTIS PUGH
    str. Tudor Vladimirescu nr. 376
    1742 Berzovia, jud. Caras-Severin
    Romania