"WASHING OUR NETS"
In my devotions today I read where the disciples were washing their nets...they were not fishing for men at this moment but were doing a very common, mundane, but very necessary maintenance job. The Lord came up on them and did not rebuke them because they were not preaching or winning folk into the kingdom, but simply gave command and the ministry once again took precedence and they eagerly followed. There was immediate fruit. We feel like right now we are doing just that...I did not write my usual report on Monday of this week because so many things were pending and when they began to develope we have been so busy that I could not write. I am pleasantly surprised at all the folk who emailed their concern over our present dilemmas and the lack of communication about them. This proves that at least someone reads these.

OUR SHIP CAME IN
Yes, the long awaited container has arrived to the delight and back pain of us all. The Lord knew what he was talking about when he said in Gen. 45 "Regard not your stuff". We do not deny that with all the concern, expense, and physical effort, what little we have in this world is certainly a joy and comfort and convenience to have with you. We have come a long way from the commission our Lord gave the apostles in Mt. 10...but then I never claimed to be an apostle. It is truly amazing how much STUFF you can get into a 20' container. With 8 strong men we were able to get it in and under roof in short order. But digesting it all and putting all in the right place takes some time. My back is aching as I write this but I rejoice that this hurtle is past. Bring on the next net to be washed.

VAN IS SOLD...SHOPPING
Praise the Lord the van sold in Germany for a decent price and we are now shopping. We are not picky, nor have we turned up our nose at what we have...on the contrary we wanted and tried desperately to keep that van because it was so perfect for our ministry. Yet the Lord allowed bureaucracy to wrestle it away from us. We are now praying and trusting that the Lord will provide just what He wants here in Romania. Please pray with us and we will keep you informed.

THE LOGINS LOG IN
Our friends and co-labourers in the Lord's work have arrived safe and sound and will begin the tedious process of washing and mending their nets for the next while. We are grateful for so many answers to prayer. 5 YEAR VISAS ON THE HORIZON I went with my landlady yesterday to obtain a very important paper necessary for the obtaining of our visas. She is a mover and shaker in this bureaucratic magpie. We walked into a government building and into a room with 20 windows and folks at all windows except one. We went to that one and my landlady greeted the lady at the window like they went to high school together. The lady immediately began working on our papers with vigor and fury. There was much dialogue which included many pointings to me. There was many papers six of which my landlady and I were directed to sign in the designated place. After signing, the lady put on her coat, left the building and got in the car with my landlady and myself. I don't know what is going on...I'm just along for the ride...in more ways than one. We enter city hall and walk past all the hoopla and busy goings-on...to a window where there is no line...our lady takes her place behind the window and with the help of another "high school friend" begins a further process of paper shuffling and government stamps and signings. I was handed my copy of the vital document and we all walked outside. My landlady handed the first "high school friend" the equivalent of $30. As we walked back to her car she said, in broken English, "It saves a lot of time to just grease some palms in the right places." I have no idea what I signed...I trust my landlady and all the people who arranged for this vital document but for all I know I had just bought munitions factory for the PLO at 37 percent interest for 35 years. They won't have gotten much if they were trying to get me. Oh well, such is normal life on the foreign mission field in eastern Europe with a strange language.

I truly hope to be able to report more ministry this time next week... not that we received some of our ammunition and weaponry.