Updating

Howdy Everybody,

Just a quick update to let you all know what's going on with our family.

After one year on the mission field (as of March), we are more excited today about the Lord's work here, and the Lord's working in our lives than when we first arrived.  The first year we spent in the village of Dabravino (in the home of Missionary Matthew Welch, my father-in-law) forty minutes from the Black Sea.  The first six months we took care of his home while he was away on furlough; the last six months we lived and worked together.  We are so very thankful for the Welches' hospitality; we couldn't have asked for better or more patient hosts.

While Bro. Matt was on furlough, I went to meetings with national pastor Hasan.  Bro. Hasan had 8 churches he looked after weekly.  Sadly (for us), the Lord took Hasan home in 2011.  Upon Bro. Matt's return, he resumed going to Bro. Hasan's meetings, leaving me free to go with another national.  So, for the next six months I attended meetings with our next door neighbor, Bro. Alish.  Alish is a strong young preacher.  He is one of the best Turkish nationals in this work.  It was both a privilege and a learning experience being with him.

At the end of last month we moved out to the village of Zlatna Niva, about an hour West of where we were living.  My brother Zachary took his family back to the States for a much needed furlough, and we agreed to look after his portion of the work as well as his home while he was away.  Now I am traveling with Pastor Alish the elder (at present, he is the oldest national pastor, where Alish from Dabravino was the youngest).  Alish the elder has at present seven meetings he preaches at.  Alish's family have taken us in, and really made us a part, not only of the work in this area, but also their family.  On Sundays I also drive an hour farther West to Targovishte to be with Pastor Nasuf for his Sunday morning services.  Presently pastor Nasuf has a number of young people attending worship service and testifying regularly.

My language studies continue, and I slowly continue to improve.  I am able to understand more than I speak, but am also able to make myself understood.  Since going with Alish the elder, I have been reading a passage of scripture every service, and giving brief testimonies.

Presently, the boys, Hannah and I are all in good health.  The boys have recovered well from their bouts with pneumonia in the Winter.  We are all enjoying life here in Zlatna Niva.  This September Carrick will begin preschool here.  He will be attending with other Bulgarian and Turkish children, so hopefully he'll get the fundamentals of the language.  He's a sharp little boy.  His Momma's been teaching him sign language, so now when he awakes in the morning he signs he's thirsty instead of shouting it.  Hannah's pretty sharp too for teaching him to sign!  Christian (the Turks call him Kristi) is happy, healthy, and a handful.  We love them both; they bring unimaginable joy into our lives.

Please keep us in your prayers.  While at Zach's we need to begin looking for a more permanent dwelling (we can't always house sit for missionaries on furlough).  Please join us in praying the Lord will direct us to where we need to live and minister.  We've no doubt that where ever he leads he will supply our needs; but please help us believe God.

We love and miss you all.  God bless you.

William LeFevre and family

PS - If anyone's interested in hearing about the work first hand, my brother Zachary, veteran missionary here for over 15 years, would be more than happy to stop by.  He's on furlough through January, Lord willing.  His cell number is: 931-952-9194  You can also reach him via email at zacharylefevre@yahoo.com

March 2012 Prayer Letter

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;

he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke 4:18,19

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

According to Luke's gospel, these words were spoken early in the ministry of our Lord. He had just returned from the wilderness after having been tempted by the devil. It is important to remember that Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, was led of the Spirit into the wilderness; by that same Spirit resisted the devil while in the wilderness; and by the power of the Spirit He returned from the wilderness. At no point during His wilderness experience was He forsaken of the Spirit; that's a comforting thought. It's good to know that while going through a "rough patch," with the devil seemingly around every corner, and that though He can't always be felt, God's Spirit is ever with us.

This winter has been a 'rough patch." And yet we thank God for it, as He has shown Himself, time and again, faithful and able to meet and exceed whatever came our way. Toward the end of February, our littlest son, Christian, was hospitalized with double pneumonia. A week later, Carrick, his older brother, was hospitalized with the makings of the same. When a child is hospitalized here, a parent is required to stay with him. Also, the patient is responsible for everything apart from hospital-administered medicine, and I mean everything. When Carrick was admitted, he was placed in an entirely different facility than Christian. Thankfully, Hannah's sister Sarah cheerfully volunteered to stay with Christian while Hannah moved to the other facility to stay with Carrick. I was left to make sure patients and caregivers had everything they needed. Praise the Lord the boys recovered, the bills were paid, and the Lord's work moves on. And our God illustrated that the hills and valleys are alike to Him, and He's able to do anything His children need. What a Savior!

While we rejoice in what God proved again to us, we sure are thankful for being led out of the wilderness. Our Savior came out of the wilderness and into the pulpit, preaching good news to the poor, brokenhearted, captives, blind and bruised. It's our privilege to tell the same audience that our God is still alive and able to save. And it's the joy of our hearts to hear from them that they've believed the gospel. Bro. Matt Welch preaches at the house church in Dolgapol. The man of the house, though cordial, always refused the invitation to come into the service. Nevertheless, when the service would begin, he could always be found within earshot. After several months of this, one day Bro. Matt arrived to find the man already in attendance right in the middle of the room. When testimony time came around, he was up declaring how after all those months listening in, he had believed the Gospel and no longer would remain on the outside. Praise God, what He's given us is worth coming in for. In the village of Nikolai Kolevo, due to some necessary minor repairs, the church had to temporarily meet in another house. The room dedicated for the meeting was up a steep flight of narrow outdoor steps. One of our believing ladies, though heavyset and infirm, determined to make it to the meeting. When her weakness prevented her climbing the stairs on her feet, she got down on her hands and knees and crawled her way to the top. When she entered the room she greeted everyone individually with a "Praise God" and tears of joy. It's a blessing serving Jesus; whether in the storm or out, He's good all the time. Keep us in your prayers. This month we move out to Zlatna Niva to look after my brother Zachary's place while he's on furlough. While there, I'll also be looking after his meetings. Pray for his churches and myself, that in whatever capacity, God will use me to be a blessing. God bless you all. We love you.

Because of a living Saviour,

The William LeFevre Family

Home

Dear Praying Friends,

Praise the Lord both our boys are home from the hospital.  On Monday Carrick was discharged, and yesterday they released Christian.  Both boys will continue antibiotics and cough medicine as needed, however, they'll both be cared for (spoiled) in the most  loving environment there is.  Both boys are happy, and it's hard to put into words our feelings about having them home again.  Thank you all, so very much, for your faithful loving prayers.  Please continue to pray for full and complete recoveries; as that's what we are trusting the Lord for.  God bless you all.  We love you.

William LeFevre

Sunday Morning in Shumen

Dear Praying Friends,

I have just returned from the hospitals, and both boys continue to fare well.  Christian, our baby, is off his breathing treatments.  And we are awaiting testing to determine the present condition of his infection.  Carrick still has an infection, and some of his present happy-go-lucky state is due to his medicines controlling and partly masking the problem.  Hannah mentioned today, that first thing in the morning, prior to his injections, he's weak and his breathing labored.  However, medicine or no, he is much improved from the evening we brought him in.  And whether it's a couple more days or even a week, we are praising God they are still with us and getting better.  And we are trusting God to deliver them home again, happy and healthy.  

Please continue to pray for Hannah and Sarah, as they are rooming with the boys.  Thank you all again for your gracious outpouring of love, both in your words, and especially your prayers.  We love you all.  God bless you.

William LeFevre

A Good Report

Dear Praying Friends,

A quick update.  Both boys are much improved.  Last night Carrick gave us quite a scare.  His fever was terribly high, he was out of it.  This morning, he was himself again: playful, respectful, but mischievous.  When Hannah would step out of the room, he'd hide himself in the closet.  So very good to see him better than he was.  Christian continues to make progress.  They have ordered another series of tests for Monday, which is good news, in intimates a possible release pending the results.  From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for praying.  You'll never know what your prayers wrought in our lives, and what you all mean to us.  God bless you all.  We love you.

William LeFevre

A Second Prayer Request

Dear Praying Friends,

First, let me thank you for your prayers on behalf of Christian, our 1 year old.  He continues to improve.  Today they altered his medicine to reflect his condition, as he doesn't need quite the strong dosages he was taking upon arrival.  He continues with nebulizer treatments, but only as needed.  I was able to see him briefly this evening, as I replenished supplies to the room.  (In Bulgaria, the patient is responsible for everything: sheets, towells, food, etc., even so far as to go to the pharmacy for any medicines the nurse might need.)  The doctors said they still anticipate at least 4 or 5 more days in the hospital before he can be discharged.

Secondly, please pray for our 2 year old Carrick, as he has now been hospitalized as well.  He was admitted this evening with a severe case of the flu (presently Bulgaria is experiencing an influenza epidemic), complicated by the onset of bronchitis.  At anyone time there are several 'bugs' running their course through the people we come in contact with.  This particular strain quickly escalates or morphs from run of the mill childhood illness to something more severe.  In 24 hours Carrick went from mild to non-stop coughing, from a low grade fever to 104+ when he was admitted.  They were able to bring his fever down some shortly after arriving, however, Hannah just called to say it has spiked again.  The nurses are trying to determine the best, and quickest way to get his illness under control.

This, of course, is a double strain on Hannah.  Not only does she have two sick little boys, but they are hospitalized in two separate facilities: Carrick in an infectious disease building and Christian in the children's hospital building.  The buildings are part of the same sprawling complex, but a ways apart.  Consequently, her sister Sarah is staying with Christian, while Hannah takes care of the present sicker of the two.  I am busied running errands for both patients and their nurses.

Again, thank you for all your kind words, and especially your prayers.  As my father-in-law is want to say, we are still doing better than we deserve. God is good and merciful and worthy to be praised in every circumstance.  God bless you all.  We love you.

William LeFevre

Another Update

Dear Praying Friends,

Christian continues to make steady progress. The doctors informed Hannah this morning that the infection was much deeper than they had at first thought, but, the medicine was doing its job. They also cautioned us that, more than likely, he would begin vomiting as the medicine breaks things up. His appetite continues to grow, as does his impatience with being cooped up. Hannah has been allowed a few hours reprieve, for rest and a private shower, as the doctors consented to let her sister Sarah stay with Christian. When she returns, we've been informed, she'll have a private room with it's own separate facilities. Hopefully, they will also permit visitors. Thank you all again for your many words of exhortation and comfort, and especially your prayers. We are blessed indeed, and so thankful to be part of the family of God. We love you
all. God bless you.
William LeFevre