McAlester, Oklahoma
Thursday, November 09, 2000

Dear Pastors and Churches:
    Greetings in the Name of the LORD Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, who gave Himself for the sheep!  May this letter find each of you doing well and rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ!
    Janet's surgeries on both the 2nd and the 11th of October went well.  The surgeon stated that he was pleased and was able, during the 2nd operation, to remove nearly all of the tumor which was located against the brain stem.  The pathologist's report was good - the tumor was determined to be benign!
It was determined to release Janet the next week after her second surgery.  The hospital staff was admittedly imprudent and sent a young man, a volunteer, who was mentally deficient to wheel her outside to the pickup.  He did not set the brakes, or somehow allowed the chair to move and thus Janet took a rather hard fall to the floor - but did not injure her head.  For this we are thankful.  As a result of this fall, however, Janet has suffered much pain and has been unable to sit up for long periods. An x-ray showed no broken bones.
    On the 19th of October Janet's staples were removed and we travled by auto to Fort Smith, Arkansas. The following week I underwent a scope procedure during which they "blasted" a large kidney stone with a laser.  I was kept in hosptial overnight and we remained in Fort Smith until the 2nd of November when the doctor removed a stint he had installed.  I believe I am well along on the road to recovery at this time.
    Janet is still weak and must walk with the aid of a walker.  She is free from pain except that which is a result of her fall in the hosptial in Tulsa.  She does have some dizziness and double vision, but we are thankful to report that her double vision seems to be better at times.  She still has almost total hearing loss in her right ear from the surgery and suffers much at this time from nausea and cannot keep food down except with the help of prescription medication.  Her progress toward recovery is slow at this time.
    Janet will be seen by her surgeon on the 10th  (tomorrow) - perhaps for the last time.  He has already told us that the only further treatment Janet needs is an annual MRI to watch for a return of this slow-growing type of tumor. This we can send him from Europe.  We hope, as the LORD may enable
us, to travel tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 10th) from McAlester, Oklahoma via Arkansas to our home Church in Mississippi.  We will stop off to say goodbye to Janet's family in Arkansas enroute to Mantachie.  Lord willing, we will be spending the remaining days of our stay in the States in Mississippi with our home Church.
    I have wanted to telephone many of you pastors and Church members who are so dear to us, but many things have kept us busy.  Along with my pastor, I was privileged to preach on October 1st at the Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Tulsa.  The pastor and people of that Church as well as those of Covenant Baptist Church, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Grace Baptist Church of Claremore, Oklahoma have been very kind, gracious and helpful to us during our stay in their area.  Others have written and phoned, and visited.  We believe in eternity you will be rewarded for your faithful kindness to these
two poor "sheep".  I had hoped to be able to visit several Churches while in the States, but have just not been able to do so.
    We do not know exactly when we will be able to return to  Romaia.  We still hope for the last of this month - November - just after American Thanksgiving.  It may be necessary for me to travel alone to Romania for a few days to look after some things there which cannot be done from the States.  There is the very complicated matter of inspection and paperwork which needs to be done on the car, as well as needed funds for hungry Brothers and Sisters, rent, utilities, and assignment of translation and editing projects -  books and literature in progress.  However, I cannot make this trip until Janet is able to look after herself to some degree.  So we are yet much in need of prayer and of the grace of God in our lives.  We are cast completely on the LORD.  We ask that you pray for us as we wait upon Him for His provision.  We are anxious to return to Romania, but realize that we must do so only in His time and according to His will.
    Again we want to express our appreciation to you for your prayers, many kindnesses during this time, and generous giving to help us.  Most of all we ask that you join with us in praise and gratitude to our Heavenly Father and Redeemer for His grace towards unworthy sinners such as we are!  "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithflness." (Lam. 3:22, 23). Praise God for His everlasting love to, and care for, His elect "sheep" who deserve nothing other than eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire, but who receive of His hand grace and mercy new every morning! He is faithful! Grace!  It is all of God's free grace!  "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy" (Romans 9:16).   Slava Domnului !
    Pray for the Pughs, please!
    In the cause of God and truth,
    Curtis and Janet Pugh
     curtis@rdslink.ro