January 24 Update

This week I've been rather puny, suffering from a touch of the flu.  Some of the children have also been ill.  I tried to get out to the meetings on Saturday, but pastor Alish insisted that I stay home.  As it turns out, the snow was so bad that they didn't make it to the third village, anyway.  

Last week pastor Ismail's wife had a tumour removed.  Now she's at home resting.  We would appreciate your prayers for her.

From Bulgaria,

Zachary LeFevre

November 21 Update

It's turned cold here.  As we drove back home yesterday from Romania the fog had frozen like frosty crystals on every twig of every tree and every blade of grass.  Our thermometer read -5 this morning (Celsius).

Last week it was my privilege to show the work in Romania to a group of saints from New Manna Baptist Church, Marion, NC.  Although we spent passed out gospel tracts and they sang as a choir in downtown Constanta, the main focus of their visit was to see the children we feed in the Turkish villages.  Thanks be to God, there are many children that receive a hot meal every day through our churches.  These children were tickled to see new people that loved them.  (They also loved the candy they brought.)  I am sure that the Lord used these poor believers, rich in faith, to actually be a greater blessing to the Americans.  As their hearts were broken for these people praising God in great poverty, my own heart was revived.  Our Turkish believers here were thrilled to see how many brothers and sisters they have in Christ.  As we worshipped the Lord in different languages, His spirit knit our hearts together in love.  The week ended with one of the girls here in the children's home getting saved!   Later we received word that a man dying of cancer whom we had prayed for got saved!  Along with our Turkish brethren here, we were truly saddened to see our new friends and Christian family leave, but we look forward to meeting again one day in that land where shades of love lie deep.  

I would like to thank you all for your prayers for my older brother.  He is still in great pain.  His recovery will be long and difficult, but he reports small improvements every day.  

From Bulgaria,

Zachary LeFevre

September 6 Update

Last Wednesday my brother and  I were able to travel up to Romania to assist in the baptizing up there.  From my village we drove about an hour and a half north, then crossed the Danube river on a ferry in Romania.  On one branch of the river there was a beautiful sandy spot with shallow water, perfect for baptizing.  Years ago we baptized a young woman named La-le.  This year her twelve year old son got baptized.  It's a blessing to see how her and the others have stayed faithful, and now their children are following the Lord.  Also, pastor Alish baptized his fifteen year old son this year.  Aside from the converts from his village churches each year pastor Alish has had the privilege to baptize some of his family members.  His sister was recently saved, along with many of is wife's relatives.  Since his father-in-law got saved this year he's been sober for the longest stretch of his adult life.  Altogether this year there have been forty-eight new believers baptized.

"And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room"  (Luke 14:22)

From Bulgaria,

Zachary LeFevre

August 15 Update

Thank you all for your prayers for our children.  Polly is home from the hospital and feeling better.  (Saturday she butchered three chickens for us.)   She's developed a rash from the antibiotics.  Today she goes back to the doctor. Now my brother William is in the same hospital with pneumonia.  Please keep him in your prayers. Pastor Nasuf reported two people saved in his villages this week. The children start school this week.  They're all home-schooled.  Next month Maggie should start Bulgarian kindergarten. From Bulgaria, Zachary LeFevre

August 9 Update

It's certainly been a slow week here.  I only preached twice this week.  Most of our time has been spent in resting, caring for the children, and visitting Polly at the hospital.   Today Katy and Isaac are about ninety percent recovered from their illness.  Polly is doing better.  Yesterday she had another x-ray which showed improvement.  Today she is having blood work done.  The doctor should tell us today when she can come home.   Our missionary friends and family have been very helpful to us this week.  We also want to thank you all for your concern and prayers.   From Bulgaria, Zachary LeFevre

August 3 Update

All of last week I was in Romania.  We spent three days working with the national pastors on the new hymns.  They were thrilled with the new hymn book.  Helping us were pastors and their families from Bulgaria.  Then my family came up, along with the other missionaries from Bulgaria for four days of English church.  In those four days we heard some excellent preaching!   This week has been much more difficult.  Three of our children are sick with pneumonia.  Polly was so bad that the doctor sent her straight to the hospital.  She is now in the intensive care unit.  Her room is clean and the nurses so far have been very helpful, and we thank the Lord for that.   Pray for us. From Bulgaria, Zachary LeFevre

July 5 Update

This week I've been working with Brother Ralph on the Turkish hymnbook.  We met with three of the Turkish pastors and went over every hymn in the book, correcting minor mistakes.  It took us four days, working sixteen hours a day, but we finally finished.  After singing over two hundred hymns we just about lost our voices.  Sometime this in the next week or two we'll be singing them again, this time for a recording.   We appreciate your prayers for this work.  As always, we have many needs, and the Lord knows them.  Pray for us. From Bulgaria, Zachary LeFevre