Dear supporters,
It is my privilege to update you with what God has been doing in Romania during 2020. Thirty years ago on New Year’s Eve in a restaurant in Green Village, Pennsylvania my father’s perspective was changed as a minister friend of his invited him to travel along to Romania, a country with newly opened borders following a regime change. Many times God uses change, sometimes even change that is not welcomed by us or expected by us, to move us from place to place in His Kingdom.
Such a year is 2020. We began the year as many ministries with a set budget, travel plans, ministry plans, fundraising plans, etc. Within months, many of those same plans had been cancelled, revised, or postponed. Logistics and social norms were rearranged the world over, with many similarities in lockdown procedures and government reactions. But our God, He is over all of matter, time, and space and He interacts in the affairs of men! Things that we trusted Him with before our plans were changed could still be entrusted in His care.
While all summer camp ministries were cancelled, our ministry families found new ways of reaching out, like most of the world, through additional online resources. Though we could not visit some locations of ministry in person, our staff could offer material support that was needed perhaps even more than it had been previously. Some of our families took the opportunity to catch up on learning and training opportunities that otherwise would not have been possible.
The Romanian school system waivered, as our school system, between total virtual learning and modified in person learning, and ultimately, as most of our local school districts, has proceeded with a morphed version of both virtual and in person classes. As that decision has taken shape in the new school year, our purity presenters have met and discussed what future ministry looks like for our school focused purity program, and how we can best reach our audience both physically and virtually.
One of the largest shifts in plans made at the beginning of the year was in presenting, fundraising, and purchasing a new PULSE center building less than a block down from the Oradea maternity hospital. The opportunity to purchase this building had come as a result of prayer, and was truly one of those moments in which one stands back in awe of God’s hand moving. We were excited! We moved in and started renovating under a rent to own agreement! We developed a plan to raise funds that involved a US deputation tour with the Visan family! Then COVID! Is it all lost? Was this a wrong move? Did we somehow misread God?
We believe this building is still truly a miracle answer to prayer! It is a corner building with double doors
directly across from a street crosswalk! It is a ground floor building with plenty of room for offices and counseling! Since COVID, the maternity hospital has discontinued abortion services as a walk-in service, and as a result our foot traffic in the center has multiplied by several times over! We are dealing with questions of how to minister to ladies who walk through our doors that would never directly seek our center out! God does things well!
The same COVID challenges that disrupted our logistics plans also disrupted our fundraising plans. We did not have a spring baby bottle campaign. We did not have a spring banquet. We did not have a summer deputation tour with services. We did not even have an August food show stand. And so our goal of paying for the center by the end of September 2020 will not be realized. But God is faithful! In spite of losing all of those fundraising opportunities, God has provided some exciting alternatives, and we believe He will continue to provide for what He has set in motion!
We have received a matching challenge from a board member to others for up to $5,000!
We have received a donation from a business transaction of a one-time donor of $27,000!
We have received various other donations from churches and individuals totaling around $7,000!
Potentially, if we can honor the matching challenge of $5,000 we are close to halfway to our purchase price even with all of the challenges and changes that this year has brought.
Our goal is to embark on a fall drive to pay for the new PULSE building by the close of this year!
Is that a big challenge? YES! Is it possible with God? YES!
Most churches are finally into a stable routine of worshipping again, whether in person or otherwise. The economic climate of this year, even with the normal fluctuations of an election year has had some unexpected economic increases in the middle of some very harsh economic hardship. While we don’t know who has benefited financially and who has struggled, God does. We are His people, and while some of His children may be depending on Him to walk them through challenges, others are asking how they can give back to God’s Kingdom with unexpected blessings.
We are simply asking that you help us convey that God is still Alive! and using My Brother’s Keeper in His Kingdom in Romania, and that the building that God led us to and blessed us with is still very much an answer to prayer. He is using it, and we have the confidence that He will provide the funds to pay for it! We need about $70,000 to pay for the building completely. Spread the word! Pray with us! Give as God enables! Believe that God will work in the lives of His children, both those who can give and those who cannot, and together the Kingdom of Heaven will continue to move forward as a rock in uncertain times! Amen!
Please feel free to be in contact with any questions or information requests. You can reach me with the contact information below.
Blessings,
Luke Holtry
President, My Brother’s Keeper
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