I could endanger their lives by revealing their names, so I will call them “Abdul” and “Souad.” Abdul is over 100 years old. He was 22 years old when he was led to Christ by two American missionary ladies. This was incredible because he was the son of an Imam, a teacher of Islam. Abdul got off “easy” for his apostasy from the Muslim faith; he was only kicked out of his home for the rest of his days.

When I first met Abdul, it was many years since his conversion. He was 97 and had been openly preaching the Gospel for 75 years! Locals see him in the streets and call him “The Old Fool” or “Old Satan.” He and his wife have been ostracized and have few friends, but they do have plenty of enemies.

Our ministry director in Romania, Alin Bogdan, just wrote me with overwhelming, multilayered news from that mission field:

• They've constructed two churches in spite of having to go into debt to do it.
• A businessman has put up half the money to buy a large house as a church in Dabuleni where there are literally no churches.
• They have recently evangelized in the villages of Turnu, Rueni, Dalci, and Zlagna-for two weeks in each.
• They evangelized in Ohaba de Sub Piatra for four days-and in Boita, Plopi, and Oltenioa, for three days each. Alin himself was heading to Plopi to preach again, then to Oltenioa to preach along with an ex-Orthodox priest who has come to Christ!
• Then the team will head to Roman Bretea, Cris, and finally, Bucharest.

Workers from other ministries, struggling to serve in Romania, have actually asked Alin, "How do you do it?  How are you doing so much?"  This has been quite a push for the kingdom!

Most humbling of all was this:

I had told Alin about the U.S. dollar weakening overseas and apologized that we were struggling to keep his ministry funded.  His response was not to ask for more explanation, or to chastise me for a lack of faith, or anything else.  Instead, with a heart of overflowing gratitude for what we have already given, and encouragement to go on, he wrote these words:

All of the workers are praying for you each day, and we have recently begun to fast as well.We have a list for all the workers, and each day it is a brother's day to fast . . . thus every day is covered in prayer and fasting. We are praying that the funds will never be lacking both for the ministry here and throughout the world.

Amazing!  In that difficult land, they are praying for us!  And fasting!  And this is not an "if you feel like it" fast . . . everyone takes a turn to make sure there is prayer and fasting every single day!