Elder Curtis Pugh - Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist Missionary To Romania

Since our last prayer letter Janet has returned safely from the U.S. to Romania! She had a good trip with wheel chair assistance in all the airports. It is great to have her home again! Regarding our health, we are OK, except that I continue to have eye problems. The doctor in Hungary says it is three separate problems and prescribed for that which causes the pain. However the pain remains. Once before going there and twice since going there I have had blood vessels burst in my right eye. I hope to be able to return to Szeged, Hungary to the university eye clinic in the next week or so. I ask for your prayers about these problems.

Bocsa Mission: Our members and "adherents" are faithful in attendance at our regular services plus we have had two returning visitors. However, one has now gone to Germany to work for a few months. Romanians often go temporarily to the rich countries of the west to do the work others will not do there. We continue to be slandered by the Arminians here who seem to be willing to tell any lie to try to dissuade people from listening to us. That is to be expected and I think is the lot of sovereign grace missionary Baptists everywhere as we leave traditions behind and insist on following the Bible and the Bible only.

Oltenia: We continue with the preaching point in southern Oltenia each Lord's Day evening. Since our last report we have had 3 adult visitors and one young child. Those who began meeting with us continue faithful in attendance including the two who are lost. We enjoy good fellowship there and complete freedom in teaching the Word. The people there continue with literature distribution in witnessing to the people of that area. One Brother has taken our materials into a nearby "county" on a recent trip. Oltenia is probably the strongest Romanian Orthodox area in the country with many superstitions and activities related to the cult of the dead as well as other manifestations of wicked priest-craft.

Republic of Moldova: I have just received an invitation to return to a southern city in the Republic of Moldova for special meetings scheduled for the last of December. We may also have a new opportunity to preach and distribute our literature in another city in the northern part of that country as well. We are praying about these possibilities and waiting on the Lord for guidance in this matter. Of course I cannot be away from Bocsa or Oltenia on weekends and so this limits our travel activities somewhat.

Literature and Compact Discs: Requests for literature continue to come to us by mail and e-mail though in recent weeks the requests have slowed a bit. We are presently working on producing 140 CDs; 40 sets requested for distribution to pastors in one area of the country and 30 sets for a class in a seminary. Each set contains a Bible study program CD as well as our "Baptist Collection" CD which has been completely revised and enlarged so that it now contains all our translated articles and books (35 of these in Romanian) plus 120 full-length English books all from the public domain and almost 300 shorter English articles mostly by sovereign grace missionary Baptists as well as standard reference works, dictionaries, etc. These books and writings are virtually unknown among Roman ians and would be unavailable to most because of the cost if they existed here. We believe this is a great opportunity to sow the seed of the Word of God among those pastors and students who read English! We ask for your prayers as we make and distribute these. In addition we always have ongoing translation projects. We have exhausted the special book fund plus a bit more to purchase a supply of a new publication of D. Spencer's book on the doctrine of grace due out this week.

Auto Accident: Sunday evening a week ago we were sideswiped by a hit-and-run van that crossed into our lane. Most of last week was taken up in dealing with Communist-era mentality; repeatedly going back to an isolated village "police station" near the accident scene, writing out extended police reports, getting permission from the police to have the car repaired (!), filling out insurance reports, and the like. We are thankful that the Lord spared us from a more serious crash as the car suffered only relatively minor damage.

Siberia: I continue to correspond with the pastor who hosted our visit to Siberia. I have been sending him materials on church-truth and answering his questions on the subject. He has been taught that Baptists came out of the Protestant Reformation, etc., but seems at this moment open to the truth and anxious to follow the Bible. Please pray for him and the Brethren there in that far-away place.

We extend to you our sincere appreciation and thanks for your interest in this mission work. Your financial support and prayers sustain us in our efforts in our "corner" here. For these we thank you and desire God's blessings upon each of you as you serve Him in your place.
Pray, please, for the Pughs!