July is here! It seems like it was February just a short time ago. We experienced a wonderful time at the recent annual Missionary Family Reunion. Everyone expressed their appreciation for the fun and fellowship with other missionaries. Bruce Garner did a great job encouraging us in the Lord and His Word. The spirit was great, and everything was just so positive. The highlight for me was to be reunited with missionaries I had not seen in a while and to just “hang out” with others. The teens and kids also had a blast.

Now, we are preparing for our annual missionary training we now call Advanced Mission Training. Those on deputation or who will be approved in September will be in attendance. This is a great time to get to know the new missionaries and to encourage them in their beginning stages of being a missionary. Pray for us as we teach and prepare them.

Well, I got to make my first international trip in 2.5 years. I was able to go to Romania and spend time with Rica Gonciulea and his family. Not sure if you remember but his wife, Cathy, passed away last October due to Covid. It was a good time for me to encourage him and help him process through this difficult stage in his life.

Rica and his team are doing a lot with 17 Ukrainian refugees in a center that they work with. I got to meet with them and speak to them. My heart really goes out to them since they have lost everything. Some of the wives’ husbands are still in Ukraine. It was fun to ride bikes with the kids and race them. We could not speak together but our hearts connected as we had fun together.

Also, Rica has joined with other Romania Baptist pastors in sending supplies across the Ukrainian border to Baptist churches and refugee centers. Our churches in the states have been helping with the expenses for the 17 Ukrainian refugees as well as helping those still in Ukraine. It is such a terrible situation.

I hope you all are doing well. Don’t forget – we pray for you often and are here to serve you. Be safe and stay healthy!

Your friend,

Jon