Let the countdown begin!

In just ten days, Katie and I will be leaving for Romania! In preparation for this upcoming milestone, I've decided to write a countdown to help you pray for us over the next week (and three days). 

#10 Pray for (at least) ten new children to come to our after-school program this year.  We are so thankful to have seen the average attendance increase from 8-10 children per day in 2012-2013 to 22-25 children this past year.  We are praying that this will continue to increase as we welcome a new group of 5th graders on September 15th.

#9 Pray for the nine months of our school year.  We will continue to focus on: teaching character and life skills (such as patience, perseverance, and caring), reaching out to the parents of the community, and preparing these children for high school.  Pray also for our teachers: Claudiu, Cristina, and Annamaria.

#8 Pray for eight new contacts in our hometown of Reghin as we get to know more people in our community.  We are excited about new opportunities to share God's love with our neighbors and those we come in contact with throughout the week.

#7 Pray for the seven churches of our area. We have work in Reghin, Apalina, Filpisu Mic, Peris, Gornesti, Glodeni, and Petrilaca.  Each of these communities is unique, but it is a blessing to serve in each of them.

#6 Pray for six people to join our support team at $50 a month by December.  This will help us reach our goal of $1600 per month.  Will you be one?  You can join us here!

#5 Pray also for five people to join our support team at $100 a month.  We are currently at 52% of our total goal.

#4 Pray for four new leaders in our local churches.  Two church leaders left our area as God led them to work in other parts of Romania.  We are praying for God to reveal who He has called to take on new leadership roles while we continue to focus on the discipleship of new believers.

#3 Pray for three visits (or less) to the immigration office as we apply for Katie's residence permit.  We are praying about which type of permit to apply for (work or religious activities) as we also pray about what Katie will be involved with on a weekly basis.

#2 Pray for the two of us as we start our life together in another country.  We are excited about the opportunity and are praying about the challenges of living a newly married life in Romania.

#1 Pray for our goal of reaching the Roma people of Romania with the Good News of God's love and salvation through Jesus Christ.  We are so blessed to be a part of God's work in Reghin, Romania.  We invite you to continue with us on this great journey!

-Paul