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LeFevre Family Christmas Letter 2024

 

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich,

yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

 

Dear friends, family, and the fellowship of Saints, A Merry Christmas to you all!

 

Time has a way of playing tricks on us. Last Christmas seems like an eternity ago, and yet where have the days gone in between? We spent last Christmas in America, drinking in every wholesome seasonal pleasure available to us. We even saw Santa Claus on more than one occasion and in completely different locations. I did notice several telling discrepancies regarding his person at each appearance. I’ll not belabor the differences in dress: that, in the fancier shopping center he was much more richly attired than he was in the classroom, where his outfit seemed shabby. We all have in our closets clothing varying from the expensive and uncomfortable to the well-worn and cheap. And we too dress, for the most part, to suit our surroundings. I don’t fault him for that. But when he expects us not to notice that he’s grown or shrunk in height or weight, and that his whiskers alter their length and hue, it strains credulity! And why, if he has his own means of manufacturing, is he always found in Malls?

 

Santa Claus very much aside, we very much enjoyed our Stateside Christmas. It’s less the customs and accoutrements of the holiday that bring us joy, and more the souls we pass it with. Surrounded by those dear to us, we thank God for the occasion that affords the reunion. It’s always good to get together, and the older we get the more excuses we find to do so. We seek out trifles, or nothings, and elevate them to necessities that we might once again be in the company of those that yield the most pleasure.

 

And yet Christmas by itself is a fount of joy that far excels and eclipses all the personal sentimentality that surrounds both the day and the season. While we revel in all of its trappings, the advent of the Almighty needs no external adornment to add to its magnificence. In fact, adding to often detracts from. I understand that the condescension of the Lord Jesus has contributed to the enriching of every facet of our human existence, and we celebrate that fact as best we can. But every benefit, every blessing reaped from believing, is intended to reflect clearly and distinctly His image alone. We are prone, as a people, to lose ourselves in our provisions and forget to kiss the Son that provides them. Recall to mind that the intent and expense of the gift serves to illustrate the affections and wealth of the giver. And has anyone ever given so unspeakable a gift to such an undeserving recipient as He to us? There is no way to quantify the expanse between those two extremities. And a life lived in absolute dedication and perpetual gratitude to God for the gift of His Son is only a start.

 

What wonderful, humbling thoughts! I feel almost ashamed to move on to anything else. Let me retain that spirit of thankfulness, recognizing the gracious handiwork of the good Lord in all His blessings. And He has blessed us exceeding abundantly.

 

Not least of His blessings, though smaller than the rest at present, is Derrick Wade LeFevre. How can I, in a single paragraph, do justice to the joys Jesus has granted us through “Little Fellow?” He turned five recently, and, by his own testimony, has grown up. He laughs, in good humored contempt, at the frivolities and eccentricities he manifested while four. His tastes have become more refined, more mature with age. He informed me yesterday that while four he was fascinated with trains, preferring to watch Thomas the Tank Engine. (The original, British version, not that abomination America produced, or the awful modern wreck, where the Island of Sodor is home to a multicultural depot, with engines of every nation shunting unnatural freight. Does that sound racist? It’s not. I just have the God-given sense to recognize that children’s programs have no need for politicization and can reflect wholesome virtue illustrated best during a specific period in time, and ought not be mediums of progressive propaganda. Which is why, if the kiddos are so inclined to watch cartoons, we only watch cartoons pre-1950, excepting some Bugs Bunny iterations, and Charlie Brown, and obviously the Grinch, with Boris Karloff. I do make an allowance for the 2009 animated version of “A Christmas Carol,” as it follows closely the book.) Now that he’s five, he’s moved on to tornadoes. His exact words: “When I was four, I was a train boy; now I’m five, I’m a tornado boy.” He is definitely a tornado boy, and a dust-storm boy, and a tsunami boy, an earthquake boy, and any and all manner of natural disaster-related phenomenon boy. His obsession with weather permeates every part of his life. While picking him up from school recently, we overheard a teacher discussing a fellow student’s undisciplined behavior with his father. We asked Derrick the little boy’s name who was being kicked out of kindergarten. He replied, matter-of-factly, “Hurricane Johnson.” We asked Derrick, “What do the children call you?” He said, “The Tornado Kid.” They both might have been born a hundred and forty years too late for what seems their obvious calling as desperados. (Do criminals still get nicknames?) People think I’m making things up when I talk about Derrick, or that I’m embellishing or exaggerating, but I assure you I’m not. All of his siblings are older. All of the conversations he hears are more mature. His vocabulary reflects that, even if his understanding doesn’t. While on the town the other night with his mother, he got in trouble for not listening or obeying. She said, “When I get home, I’m going to tell your father.” Arriving home he came straight to me, not waiting on Hannah. He said in a tremulous voice, apropos of nothing, “Dad, we need to have a good talk about discipline and patience, with zero spanks.” The good Lord has enriched our lives with this little boy.

 

Dixie Joy is another one of the Lord’s illuminations in a darkening world. At ten, though growing, she’s getting close to being passed by her little brother in height and weight. We expect a growth spurt soon. I think she fears losing the platinum tint to her blonde tresses when that occurs. She is a sweet little doting thing, always quick with a hug or an outward sign of affection, almost as quick with a flash of the temper and a pooched lip as well. She is very creative, investing her spare time, and even her school time, to personal projects of art or design. She loves Legos and loathes “The Tornado Kid” wreaking havoc on her little villages with his pet F-5. Where she sees the scattered mess of an invasive sibling, he sees the chaotic beauty of nature’s destructive power. Still, for all the strife he causes, Dixie Joy tries her best to mother him. You can imagine how that goes over. She is a well of patience and understanding that suffers occasional droughts. She compliments her mother, embodying the same loving essences, for now less refined, though distilling in her little frame.

 

Christian Asher has undergone a remarkable change in demeanor and stature. He’s days away from turning fourteen. And the impact of his growth hit home when, in preparation for the family picture accompanying this letter, I offered to comb his hair. For the first time in our lives, I couldn’t see the top of his head. But for personal pride, I would have retrieved a stepstool to finish the job. If you notice any mess in the mop atop his head, blame his shrinking father. He has also grown more silent, and at times, sullen with age. Which, if you recollect the child Christian, and all his youthful exuberance and excitable outbursts, the contrast is quite striking. (No one tells us that, do they? No one prepares you for the day when your happy little home, racketed with the cacophony of four perfect little parcels of pure, wholesome, innocent love, wrapped in fun and ribboned with laughter, falls quiet, when hormones beget emotions that grow into moods that hang low like louring clouds threatening storms, and you have to go out into the rain for relief. Growing children isn’t for the fainthearted.) Don’t get me wrong. I’m not likening Christian to the tempestuous sea, or inclement weather; I’m likening him to myself. Of all my children, who each manifest morsels of my moods or mannerisms, Christian is the whole meal. He has more of my temperament than the others. That is a frightening thought and one that has done more to alter my parenting than any book, other than the Bible, ever could. Incidentally, Christian says, “Hi. I miss you. And, oh, oh yeah… Merry Christmas.” I love him. I love to see him get the giggles and catch a glimpse of that little boy peeking out through his big body. I love to see him on Sundays, proud of his appearance, dressed to the nines (or with him, as with me, to the nearest approximation), basking in the warm glow of the light reflecting from his brother’s braces. A man might call himself favored of God and blessed to have one such child; I have four.

 

The fourth copy of my paternal image was stamped first, fifteen years ago. Back then he was all ears and smiles. But such were his ears that growing into them put a strain on his smile. Nevertheless, they both look natural now. He was, though, a perfectly aerodynamic little baby, with a great, round, bald head and two massive wing-like protuberances, flanking his watery, blue eyes. If his nose had been longer, he couldn’t have avoided an association with Dumbo. (I’m only writing this because I know he’ll read it, or it will be read to him -- he struggles with language comprehension –- probably about the same time you’re reading this. It’s hard to say what his reaction will be. I’m gambling on it being gregarious.) He is a good young man. (With ears like his he can’t afford to be unlikable. Hahahahaha. Just kidding, Carrick. I love you.) He has his teenage eccentricities, as do all teenagers, in their desire to both fit-in and yet standout. He sometimes dresses like an old man, in complete disregard of mood or weather, choosing to wear a suit and tie to take out the trash or go to the park in heat of summer; or a short-sleeved polo in freezing temperatures for football practice, with his wide brim Stetson hat shading, but not shielding, his enormous aural appendages. (I’m stopping. I promise.) He really is the most good-natured, respectful young man I know, providing big shoes for younger brothers to fill, and even bigger earmuffs. (As you can see for yourselves in the picture, I am exaggerating, or out and out, lying.)

 

I’m tired. My heart is full, but my thoughts are taxed. It is no small feat to try and sum up, in a few sentences, the sentiments that rule your heart and guide your home. I have attempted to express what can only be experienced. I set out to write my yearly biographical sketch of those individuals whose lives most affect my heart, to convey a sense of their worth to me, and how, as gifts most surely given by God, albeit mainly to and for me, they are blessings in and of themselves; and I have failed. Nevertheless, I enjoy the exercise. Perhaps if more of us penned our thoughts and expressed the love we struggle to articulate, our relationships might be stronger and our homes happier.

 

I haven’t written my usual, glowing review of Hannah, as she said she finds it embarrassing, and I don’t wish to cause her pain. You that know her know how beautiful she is. You know how industrious she is, how intelligent. You that know her closely know that she’s a thoughtful homemaker, a doting mother, and even a teacher. But I know her best. And all that I could say, or rather try to say, wouldn’t do her justice. So, I’ll only say this: She taught me how to love by example. I think that’s enough.

 

I’ve so far neglected to say anything of the wonderful Thanksgiving we passed with Bro. Matt and Miss Jane, Hannah’s parents, in their home in Dabravino. It has been my custom, since beginning this tradition, to start this letter the evening of our feast. This year, however, I spent the days leading up to the holiday in Turkey, studying the language. I returned to Bulgaria just a few days before and passed that time catching up on all the things I had to leave in order to accomplish my goal. I haven’t really had time to pause and muse, and draw inspiration. Needless to say, with Miss Jane and her best daughter, Hannah, helming the holiday celebrations, we dined like kings.

 

Neither have I mentioned the transformation our apartment has undergone, guided by the skillful hand of my beloved, reflective of the season. (She really does make a house a home.) I returned from Turkey to a veritable Christmas wonderland, warm and snug, glowing with lights tastefully hung, and scented with candles. The whole place announces the arrival of the King of Kings. We’re not really waiting on Santa to come on the twenty-fifth; Jesus has already been here and filled more than our stockings.

 

Still, I hope you all receive everything you’ve asked for this Christmas, though I’m positive none of us have made the nice list. (This letter alone excludes me.) If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. I asked for a new laptop, as my old one burnt up. I’m doing all this on a tablet for the first time. There are severe limitations in editing with a tablet, besides my limited imagination and ability. I submitted my request to the attractive blonde Santa Claus that inhabits my close personal quarters. We’ll see. I go out of my way to bring her a cup of coffee every morning and gaze devotedly on her as she scrolls through her phone. I sort and fold the laundry. I make our bed. I dress our five-year-old and drive him to school. I only hope it’s enough. I think I’d be wiser to ask from Him who “giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not.” If, however, none of us get what we want, let us be eternally grateful we’re not getting what we deserve. And bear in mind that all of the gifts we give or receive are but poor imitations, at best, of the gift God gave to us all in the person of His Son. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15

 

A very merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

O come, let us adore Him.

The William LeFevre Family

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August 2024

 

“And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.” Acts 20:15

 

To family, friends, and fellow saints,

 

Chapter twenty of the book of Acts recounts the return trip of Paul’s second missionary journey. The chapter stands out, and in particular this verse, because it still sums up many return trips of modern missionaries. It sounds like our return: depart Dulles in DC; arrive in Germany the next day; depart Germany for Austria; tarry in Austria; eventually depart Austria for Bulgaria; greeted in Bulgaria by friends; take another short journey to our ultimate destination. Things haven’t changed much in two thousand years, except maybe the part where Paul was minded to go afoot.

 

But there’s a bigger lesson to be learned from the text as well: We’re on a journey. We’re headed someplace. We may be pilgrims and strangers, but we’re headed for a country and looking for a city. We’ve said our goodbyes. We embarked by faith, and we have hope, that calm and certain assurance, of our arrival.

 

We, like Paul, have traveling companions. Not only do we have a great cloud of invisible witnesses cheering us ever onward, we have a visible company of likeminded travelers. All of us have made our departure from the city of destruction, deposited our sin burden at the foot of Calvary, and are making our way by faith and patient endurance, with the grace and mercy of God, to the celestial city. More even than those we meet and walk a while with on the road of life, we have a great, indwelling friend, able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, whose riches in glory are inexhaustible and every ready to us, who vowed never to leave nor forsake us no matter what the road holds.

 

As too, like our text, every day has its own adventure, its own challenges, trials, temptations. The Christian life is anything but dull when you set out to follow Jesus. New souls in familiar places, or new places with abounding opportunities or oppositions are around every bend and on every horizon.

 

One day, as with Paul’s journey, after many twists and turns, ups and downs, blessings and blastings, we, by the promise of God, who cannot lie, will reach our destination. Unlike the journey of the text, ours doesn’t culminate in a place as much as at a person. See, we began with Jesus; we travel with Jesus; and one day, bless His name, we’ll appear in His presence. We’ll see Him face to face and never desire to see anything else again.

 

There is such a feeling of peace arriving at your final destination. God was so good to us on this trip, I can’t explain it. After all these years traveling to and fro, I think this had to be the easiest trip we ever made. Our ride from Bristol to DC was excellent. John Porter drove the bus, and Luke Welch provided security. Google guided us, and Ben Franklin kept us fueled up and caffeinated. But it was God who went before us, contented us, and provided peace and joy. Why, even the check-in folks at Dulles were friendly! In fact, every employee at every stop seemed to be having a blessed day. God sure is good! Then to meet Keith and Tracy Blalock at the airport and be driven to an apartment we’ve never even stepped foot in, and find the other missionary ladies had prepared a welcome – it was better than good. We checked everything over and couldn’t have been more pleased. What an arrival!

 

It took us a little longer than usual to get our sleep schedules adjusted. One night I heard Carrick playing his guitar on the balcony off of his bedroom. I had to tell him he couldn’t sing “Country Roads” at 2AM out of doors; people who hadn’t traveled from America were trying to sleep. Two weeks after our arrival, we all came down with Covid. That seemed more in line with being back in Bulgaria. Between that and Hannah’s renewed battles with Bulgarian bureaucracy, we’re feeling everything fall back into place.

 

We were able to attend a special Turkish meeting in Avren a few days after returning. Young Pastor Alish has a new grandbaby that they were afraid had some health issues. Alish decided to have a service to preach to his family and a sofra to thank God for whatever outcome He gave. Isn’t that wonderful? Listening to believers thanking God regardless of what might be, sure does stir the soul.

 

Tomorrow we’ll have our big Turkish meeting in Dabravino. It’ll be good to renew old acquaintances again and worship once more with them in their language.

 

Oh, let me tell you about this. Yesterday, Dixie Joy, along with all her siblings and Hannah, were going to spend the night at “Mimi’s” (Jane Welch’s) house. For whatever reason, while packing the car with their luggage, Dixie’s bag got overlooked. When they arrived at Mimi’s, they realized what had happened and immediately called me. I went to where the car had been parked, and there was no bag to be found. Dixie Joy was inconsolable. Miss Jane said she’d buy her another bag and they’d replace the contents. However, inside the bag was a bracelet from her BFF, and that couldn’t be replaced. So together, Momma and daughter stopped to pray and ask the Lord that it would be returned. After praying, she made a post about it on Shumen’s Facebook page. An acquaintance saw it and shared it, as well. A few minutes later, a friend of that acquaintance saw it and reported she had found it and turned it in to the police. I was able to retrieve it this morning with everything (laptop, earbuds, clothes, and especially the BFF bracelet) still intact.

 

Pray for us. Pray for the nationals. Pray for this people. Pray that blinded eyes would be opened, and seeing eyes would look to Jesus. Pray for the family as we get back into the swing of things. Pray for Bro. Matt Welch, who’s back in America awaiting knee surgery at the end of this month. It’s a big expense, and he’s paying it out of pocket. Pray God raises it all quickly. Pray for Bro. Larry Leach, who has a house to sell here. Pray that God works in that situation, granting a buyer and peace of mind and heart for Bro. Larry. Pray for Bro. Zach and I as we make our way down to Turkey. Pray God would prosper our journey and go before us.

 

We love and miss y’all.

Because of a living Savior,

 

The William LeFevre Family                (A printable PDF version is available here)   www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

 

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June 2024

 

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

Revelation 21:23

To Family, Friends, and Fellow Saints,

The older we get and the longer we serve the Lord, the more Heaven means to us. Maybe it has to do with us having more people over there than here. I was with a preacher the other day who turned 87. He was on his way to preach in the prisons. When asked why, he said something to the effect that he was looking to see old friends. A fellow preacher responded, “You’re 87; if you’re looking for friends, they’re more likely in the graveyard than the prison.” My old dad would often peruse the county cemeteries looking at headstones. When I asked why, he replied, “I know more people here than I do anyplace else.” Heaven is sweeter because of the certainty of a reunion.

Maybe Heaven means more because of the vexation of our spirits living in this wicked world. I know there’s nothing new under the sun. I know that history repeats itself and that the days of Noe and Lot have once again come upon us. And yet, the days of Noe and Lot run concurrent in our day. In addition, according to my humble interpretation of scripture, the devil knows he has a short time left and has redoubled, or trebled, or multiplied his energies at wreaking havoc. His mask of subtlety has slipped, and his hatred is manifest everywhere. Every means of media has been infiltrated and blares out with reckless abandon and obnoxious repetition the odious and outright abominable message of the age. If you make the effort to shut it out, you still have to endure the effects on those who take it in. Only in Heaven will we be once and for all freed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, having passed out of the devil’s domain into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God. Heaven is sweeter because of its absolute purity, its wholesomeness, its goodness.

Maybe Heaven means more because of the pains we bear. There are physical pains: pains that come with age, pains that come with disease and illness, that the passing years exacerbate. There are pains that come with experiences, misfortune and misunderstanding, trials and tribulations. Sometimes the physical hurts are easier borne than the emotional. Regardless of their source or sustain, these burdens grow heavier with the years; or perhaps we grow weaker, too frail to endure long what we once bore patiently. We long to lay off these weights, soar homeward, and be at rest. Heaven is sweeter because all of the things that trouble and have troubled us will be gone forever.

Maybe Heaven means more because we long to worship. There might be some reading this that view worship as an abstract idea. You’ve read the word and even looked up its definition, but you’re unsure of its application. Some folks’ understanding of worship is cultural, i.e. what they do down South, or in a particular church, or at a particular meeting. Some people’s understanding of worship is based on their negative views of the “contemporary” church: “Well, if that’s worship, I don’t want any part of it!” (It isn’t; and you probably won’t.) And there are even some who’ve searched the scriptures and can give a chapter and verse definition of the term, straight from the KJV, who are as much out of practice or unwilling to participate as the modernists they condemn. But the lover of the Lord Jesus longs to lay at His feet and bask in His glory. Have you ever tasted and seen that the Lord is good? Have you ever once experienced His presence?

Have you ever forgotten your cares and lost track of your requests as streams of gratitude poured forth from your heart? Heaven will be worship. Hearts unbounded, free at last, unhindered by any carnal or worldly consideration, will break forth in unceasing praise of Him who loves us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. Songs will swell the vaulted corridors of the celestial city. Jeweled crowns of unimaginable splendor and inestimable worth will sail across the throne room and clang at the feet of Jesus without a second thought given. Creatures hitherto unknown and unguessed and unfathomable will chant His praises in perfect harmony with the saints. Heaven is sweeter because we’ll finally get to worship the way the soul intends, and the flesh can no longer hinder.

I guess the list could go on and on, couldn’t it? In the end, Heaven is what it is because of Him. Sam Richards, the old, white-haired Sunday school teacher, would say, “He’s the highlights of Heaven.” In fact, everything there is a reflection of Him. Paul, while referencing Moses and the tabernacle, said, “He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.” And just as everything in the tabernacle pointed to Christ, so everything in the New Jerusalem points to Him. The street, the foundations, the walls, the gates, the river and trees – He’s in all, over all, above all – Lord of all! Not to sound masonic, but He’s the architect, and everything reflects His genius. Everything reverberates with His praise. Everything echoes His goodness.
“And when I see Him face to face…”, that’s Heaven. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.”
In the meantime, we endure as seeing Him who is invisible; and we walk by faith until we walk in sight.

Gracious that’s not half bad, even if the worst missionary you know did write it. Until we see Him, we’re carrying on doing what we can for all we can. We’ve only got a few more weeks left in the country, then we’re headed back to Bulgaria. We fly out of Dulles on the 23rd of July. The good Lord has provided us another apartment in Shumen, only a few blocks away from the one we had to leave. We’re excited about taking up residence in it.
The boys will be attending a couple of youth camps in July, before our return. Keep them in your prayers. There’s lots to do and get done before our exodus. Pray we can get it all accomplished.

Bro. Zach wrote in his prayer letter about the Turkish Bible. The proofreading is finally done. They want to get it recorded, like Scourby, and put the recordings on the radio in Turkey and on YouTube. To get the whole Bible professionally recorded will cost a big chunk of money, $25,000. A number’s a number to God. What seems big to us is nothing to Him. Help us pray.

Because of a living Savior,

The William LeFevre Family              (A printable PDF version is available here)   www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

 

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April 2024

 

“My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come … Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Song of Solomon 2:9-13

 

To Family, Friends, and Fellow Saints,

 

Winter is that season of the year when, due to the earth’s tilt on its axis, a hemisphere is farthest from the sun. As such it is defined by coldness, being farthest from the source of its warmth, and by darkness, as the hours of daylight are brief. Without heat and light, growth ceases; plants wither and die. The landscape appears barren and lifeless. Creation is held in suspended animation until in the process of time the planet in its orbit draws nearer to its center once again. Our God in His wisdom ordained the earth’s circuit, and by its placement in the heavens created the seasons we sometimes enjoy and sometimes lament.

 

You can draw many parallels to life from the circuit of the earth. And yet our text points to a contrast. When the Shulamite’s Savior appears, calling her to come away with Him, winter is past. Not that winter has passed, as time passes, but is past, as in gone or done away with.

 

I’m fully aware that when the Lord Jesus appears to summon us to Himself, and we go to forever be with our Redeemer, winter will never come again. The long nights will be over, and we’ll bask forever in the unceasing rays of the Sun of righteousness. Not a single cloud will pass between us again.

 

But I know this as well, that when He comes by His Spirit, through His word, now, in this life, regardless of every contrary consideration – winter is past, as if it never occurred. In the presence of Jesus, the dreary, gray clouds –pouring rain and portending more – vanish, revealing the brilliance of the azure sky. At the sound of His footstep, flowers spring forth, bud, and blossom brightly, exhibiting their most vivid hue. The melody of the song birds fills the air heralding His arrival, every note audible sweetness. The glory of creation flows from Him, reflects Him, and adores Him.

 

And yet for all that, it’s to me He comes. My beloved has eyes and ears only for me. How can winter linger when love burns so vehemently? And who could recall the winter in the wonders of such a spring?

 

That’s a big, fat, flowery way of saying God sure is good, and there’s nothing better than being saved! I hope these few scattered thoughts find you faring well and weathering the storm.

 

We haven’t quite been everywhere since the last prayer letter; it just seems that way. We’ve put some miles behind us, nevertheless. It’s been good getting to places and churches new to us, and equally as good revisiting friends and familiar people and places along the way. It’s refreshing to meet pastors, who are well aware of the times we’re living in and see the storm clouds approaching and yet are still eager to do more – in defiance of the devil and the age. Praise God. We’ve had a number of churches, new to us, take us on for support. I’m always humbled by it, as I wouldn’t support me. I sure am glad they’re trusting the Lord though.

 

We’ve enjoyed missions conferences, revival services, youth meetings, and just good, old-fashioned church. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Christians meeting with no other agenda than to pray and sing praises and hear the word of God preached. That’s what refreshes the saints. All the programs and extracurricular activities might occupy time and prevent a foray into worldliness, but nothing builds up the child of God like Jesus-centered, Bible-founded worship. That’s our heart and soul. That’s what we want for our family, for your family, for the mission field.

 

I hear from our fellow missionaries overseas that the building in Avren is nearing completion. That’ll be a blessing. I’ve also heard the Turkish Old Testament is nearly finished being proofed. The believers continue to meet monthly in Dabravino for the big Turkish meetings. The pastors are also continuing their monthly fellowship services. Please pray for them. Pray for the children of the pastors. Pray God would touch their homes and help their families.

 

Keep us in your prayers. Time is running out on our furlough. Pray what time we have left, the Lord would use us to be a blessing.

 

The Lord bless y’all and keep you in His love, praying in the Holy Ghost, and looking for His daily mercies and His soon glorious appearing.

 

Because of a living Savior,

 

The William LeFevre Family            (A printable PDF version is available here)   www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

 

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“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  Philippians 4:8

 

To family, friends, and fellow saints,

 

I preached recently in our English service from the above text.  Well, in all honesty, I wound up there, closing out a meandering message with a few thoughts from that verse; but what a verse!  (All sermons are like drives to a desired destination.  I admire preachers who can take the most direct route in the shortest amount of time with no deviation.  As in life, so in preaching; I always take the scenic route.  One of the drawbacks to the scenic route, however, is that you see so many wonderful things along the way, the place you arrive at can seem underwhelming.  The biggest drawback, though, is that more often than not, all the passengers arrive worn out or asleep.  Speaking of meandering, I’d better get back to my point.)

 

The entire book of Philippians concerns itself with the believers’ perspective, the apostle delivering holy admonishments regarding the mind, culminating in our chosen text.  The lesson being, if our thoughts are preoccupied with those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, whatever the scripture asserts, we’ll cheerfully accept and set out to accomplish.

 

While there are many things in life that possess one or more of those qualities listed, there is only one thing that possesses them all: Jesus Christ.  He’s true: genuine, real, and not counterfeit, adulterated, or false.  True in the sense that He’s faithful, steady in adhering to friends and promises; loyal, not false, fickle, or untrustworthy.  He’s honest: upright and fair in all His dealings; free from trickishness and fraud.  But He’s also honest in the sense that He’s absolutely and always frank and sincere.  He never dissembles.  He’s never hypocritical.  He’s just: fair, without favor or partiality.  Just in that He always and in everything answers to and fulfills the laws, obligations, and promises contained in Divine ordinance, leaving nothing partially done or undone.  Just in that He’s exact and proper, neither more nor less, lacking nothing.  He’s pure: separate and apart from any outside influence or contaminant; clear, without admixture. But apart from being absolute in His person, He’s pure in that He’s free from any and every moral defilement.  He’s without spot; not sullied or tarnished; incorrupt and incorruptible.  In short, He’s holy, separate from sinners, higher than the heavens, and in a category all His own.  He’s lovely: amiable, pleasing to all the senses, exerting such sweet influences that one can’t help but love Him in return.  He has no equal in beauty or goodness, or indeed any virtue, so far excelling all rivals as to be incomparable.  He’s of good report: accounted well of by the honest testimony of many; free from accusation or inference as to His character, word, or action; renown and beloved.

 

Our Paul was so smitten with Jesus, his entire life was consumed with learning all he could about Him.  He said, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung.”  His conversion was so complete, he, without a care or a second thought, abandoned all he once cherished and set out in pursuit of the one who captivated his heart.  So ardent was his dedication, and deep his devotion, that the thoughts of Jesus transformed his jail cell in Rome from a prison to a palace, added sweetness to his sufferings, brought relief to his rigor, and multiplied blessings in his bondage.                                    

 

His circumstances never altered in the least, but the dungeon couldn’t alter his disposition when he was considering Christ Jesus.  He adds this footnote to those thoughts, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

 

In these perilous days of gloom and despair, where a wayward world wends its way on to Judgment, all the while bombarding our senses with invitations to join it, let’s unplug from the madness and let the mercies of Christ occupy our minds until we can, like Paul, rejoice in the Lord.

 

Speaking of rejoicing in the Lord, as I write this, little Özlem even now lingers on the threshold of Glory.  Her body, succumbing to the cancer, is lessening its grip on this life, and her spirit is yearning to fly away to Jesus.  I’ve mentioned her before, and requested your prayers for healing.  The Lord has heard and will soon heal her of every ailment, never to suffer again.  You’ll recall she’s from the village of Zlatna Niva.  She’s old Pastor Alish’s great-granddaughter.  Her constant and consistent testimony of the unfailing help of God, has literally spread all over the world.  And though only ten years old, and her circle of acquaintances so small, her faith has traveled the globe and encouraged hearts far and near.  Pray for her family.  They’ve sacrificed everything to try and get her help.  They’ve lived off of the compassion of others while seeing her to various hospitals and through treatments, being unable to work for the necessities of her health.  If you’d like to be a blessing, they sure could use it, and they’d appreciate it.  Their names are Ramadan, her daddy, and Zülbiye, her momma.  Naturally, they’re devastated, and apart from any other help, need your prayers.  Pray also for her grandparents.  Everyone in that church has rallied around little Özlem; her home-going will be heartbreaking.  Pray Jesus gets all the glory as He gives out grace to remain and carry on.

 

Pray as well for the ongoing building project in Avren.  That’s where the printing takes place, and the assembling of all the Bibles and hymnbooks.  It’s also where we meet for church on Friday evenings.  The second story is dedicated entirely to “Coats for Kids”; it’s the storage and sorting facility and soon-to-be distribution center.  There’s a lot of work yet to be done.

 

Pray for our summer meetings.  Most of our folks in the rural areas are laboring in the fields.  Our crowds are smaller.  Pray for power to preach.  Pray for our boys, Carrick and Christian.  They’re both in America with their Uncle Zach’s family.  They are there seeing friends and relatives and attending youth camps.  Remember our upcoming furlough in the fall.  Seems like the more we pray, the longer our prayer list grows.  Pray the Lord strengthens our faith.  He is good.  He knows our requests.  And the same Apostle that guided our thoughts toward the person of Jesus, directs our attention to His faithfulness in provision.  “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

 

We love y’all.  Pray for us.
Because of a living Savior,
The William LeFevre Family          (A printable PDF version is available here)   www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

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January 2023 LeFevre Family Prayer Letter

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” Hebrews 1:1-2

To the Strangers and Pilgrims scattered here, there, and everywhere,

I can’t think of a better start to anything than with “God.” He’s enough, and more than enough. The heavens of the heavens of the heavens can’t contain Him. His wisdom is infinite, His power unfathomable, His promise immutable, His love unending. Whatever adjective you use, He excels it. He’s the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. The patriarch Moses heard His call, saw His raw power displayed, hung on His every word on Mount Sinai, and when it was all said and done, still asked for more. He’s God, and I’m His. Bless His name!

If awareness of the nature of God alone wasn’t enough to inspire your heart, our text indicates that the one true all-sufficient, all-powerful God is interested in a close personal relationship with you. He’s been an active participant in this human drama from the beginning, conversing with Adam in the garden. Adam’s sin separated him from God’s intimate fellowship, and so began the period of the prophets, God communicating with man through an intermediary. On the one occasion God spoke to the people directly, they couldn’t endure it. Nevertheless, God, by human instrumentation, called. Some came, and some cussed him, but He still had compassion.

God, not content to endure the widening gulf between Him and His creation, at the last, took upon Himself the nature of man, and humbling himself, veiled His eternal power and glory in flesh. Once again God conversed face to face with man. Once again He called, “Come unto me.” Some came, some cussed Him, yet we all crucified Him; still, He conquered. Now, once again through human instrumentation – by preachers, pastors, evangelists, missionaries, teachers, Christians – He calls, “Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” What a God! I bless the day, almost thirty-five years ago, I heeded His invitation, and in simple faith, came to Jesus. He took me in. I’ve been His every day since.

Happy New Year to every last one of you. I hope y’all are doing well. God’s been good to us here in Shumen. winter has come, or rather, shows up sporadically. Most days this month have been in the fifties, and mild. Still, it’s winter, and that means our seasonal workers are home from the fields. Church attendance in all of Ahmed’s and my villages is up.

In Byala Reka, we’ve had to switch houses. The man of the house, Mustafa, died. His wife loves us to pieces and would give us the run of the place, but her daughter, returned from Germany on the death of her dad, does not. Praise the Lord, though, on the same day we were told we couldn’t have meetings there anymore, another woman opened her house to us. It’s much smaller in every way imaginable; the ceiling’s only six feet high in places. It’s poorer, as these folks have next to nothing. Yet the crowd’s still coming, and better than that, the Lord’s showing up. Last Thursday the whole place was in tears come praying time. That’s worth it. I asked Ahmed what we ought to do about the daughter that kicked us out of the other place. He said, “We’ll give her a bag of flour and a bottle of oil and tell her, ‘Jesus loves you, and we do, too.’”

Our poorest folks are in Varbitsa. There they hardly have wood to heat their own houses, let alone enough to spare for the room we meet in. Thursday mornings we dress extra warm in multiple layers, knowing the small fire barely keeps it above freezing. Yet, every meeting, regardless of the weather outside or the temperature inside, the crowd comes on. They fill up what few chairs there are and then grab whatever’s left to sit on. When the buckets and wood stumps are all occupied, they grab an extra blanket and sit on the floor. We sing through the gypsy hymnbook as long and loud as we can, warming hearts and generating heat. What we lack in insulation, the Lord makes up for in inspiration. I’ve never been to a meeting there yet where folks didn’t leave happier for attending.

In Lovets we’ve seen the biggest increase of all. For a year or two now, we’ve endeavored to faithfully minister regardless of who came. There was a long span of time where it was just us and a widow or two. Then when Covid struck again last summer, no one attended for weeks, after which those who survived reemerged to tell how God had delivered again. For the last month, though, it’s been standing room only, with both rooms of the little house full. At first, we chuckled and dismissed the surge as those only interested in flour and oil. Yet, it became evident that a number of them were unaware we were distributing anything. They came to see why everyone else was coming. One elderly woman, at the conclusion of last week’s service, said, “You preached my life. I lived everything you said.” Keep praying; God’s still working.

The good Lord willing, and with His help and your prayers, we are planning a furlough come fall. It is early, and it seems odd, out of place even to be mentioning it now, but as so many of our supporting churches plan their calendars well in advance, I thought it best to give early notice to anyone interested in us visiting. If God permits, we’d like to visit those of you up north first. Even if you don’t support us, we’d be happy to come in and declare the glad tidings of good things the Lord’s doing here. As of right now, our plans are to return later in the fall, nearer Thanksgiving. However, if anyone has a meeting you’d like us to attend earlier in the season, let us know, and we’ll see what we can work out. All of our contact information is always in the footer of our prayer letters. Our plans are to return near the end of 2023 and stay through mid-2024. Again, this is all very early and all subject to the will of God and change. “Whatever seems best to the Lord” is always our motto.

Because of a living Savior,
The William LeFevre Family        (A printable PDF version is available here)

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“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” Psalm 115:3

 

 To the Strangers and Pilgrims scattered abroad,                                    (October 2022 Newsletter)

Howdy from Bulgaria, where the country’s a mess politically, the people are in darkness spiritually, but God’s working miraculously. Does that sound like anywhere else you know? Sounds like the whole world to me. Bro. John (the Apostle, not the preacher you had in mind) said, “The whole world lieth in wickedness.” And instead of repenting, they’re just rewriting the definition of what’s wicked. In fact, the entire saga of mankind has been a giant attempt at rewriting their own story, blaming the Lord for everything, excusing the devil as a misunderstood victim of circumstances, and portraying themselves as determined overcomers, surmounting impossible odds to surpass the need for an omnipotent God.

You don’t think so? Nothing is new under the sun. Remember when Nimrod presided over the first United Nations down in Babel? They drew up a charter of self-determination, resolving that the Almighty was outmoded and unneeded. They instituted a one-world economy centered upon production. Finally, they passed a binding resolution, committing themselves to build a sure defense from future judgment and a means to ascend into the heavens. The good Lord rolled His eyes at their presumption, spoke a word that confounded their words, and derailed their plans, for the time being.

Human history is littered with attempts at supplanting facts forever settled in Heaven with the fictions of fallen man. In our day, it seems like they’ve doubled down on their own fantasy, to the point they think they can recreate the Garden of Eden, this time without the interference of God. (Ever hear of the Green New Deal?) They’re redoubling their efforts at ushering in the Kingdom, minus the King. And the only Christianity they’ll tolerate is one curiously lacking the resurrected Christ. What a mess, indeed!

Nevertheless, while the heathen rage, the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, He just laughs and goes about His business. Our God is unaffected, unmoved, and unconcerned over His opposition; they can’t do anything to stop Him. They tried once. They assumed they’d put a permanent end to His interference in their affairs. They soon learned their affairs were manipulated to serve His purpose. How can you do anything at all against the One who can do anything at all? In the end, He’ll reconcile all things to Himself, by Himself, and take all the deserved glory for Himself. And praise be to His worthy and blessed name, I’ll be there to see it for myself!

What’s God doing now, you ask? Let me tell you. We had a meeting in late August in Dabravino. It was the biggest meeting we’ve had in a few years. It was attended by Heaven and a couple hundred Turks and Bulgarians. There was singing, testifying, preaching, and praising the Lord. At some point we adjourned from the meeting house to the riverside, where twenty-three souls, who had confessed their faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ, were baptized.

The first man into the river was called Bayram, from Brestak, where Bro. Mitko is the faithful pastor. He had opened his house for the believers to meet in many years ago. At some point he opened his heart for the Lord to reside in, though he was timid and perhaps weak in his faith. Not long ago he was diagnosed with cancer. And though the doctors operated, there wasn’t much they could do. It seems he resolved that before he departed this world he’d confess Christ publicly. He was assisted into our meeting and laid upon a makeshift bed, but he entered and exited the river in his own strength. Not long after his baptism, Bro. Mitko took him to see a doctor in Pleven, about four hours away. The doctor confirmed he didn’t have much time left, and there was nothing he personally could do. On the trip home from Pleven, however, the great Physician healed him permanently. He slipped off the shackles of this decaying form and entered into life in the presence of Jesus.

An older man from a village close by attended the meeting out of curiosity. He listened intently to the preaching, drank in every testimony, and there at the riverside, he presented himself a candidate for baptism. Young Alish asked him, “Are you a believer?” He said, “I wasn’t when I came, but who can deny this? I believe Jesus.” He got immersed in Christ, and then we dipped him in water. Bro. Keith Blalock and I visited the meeting in his village several weeks later, and there he was. Not only was he in attendance, but he was translating everything being said for a Polish man who came.

Bro. Demir had several converts from his villages willingly and joyfully acknowledge their faith in Jesus. Ahmed and I were privileged to baptize the brother and sister from Varbitsa who have opened their house to the church. Young Alish said there were seven from his villages, saved during the last year or so, who were baptized.

Speaking personally, as good as all that was, and it was better than good, it was exceeded only when my little boy, Christian Asher, came to be baptized. I say little boy, but he’s bigger than his momma now. I’ve never pushed my boys to do anything, but I sure have prayed, asking God, that in His good time, they’ll take His hand in theirs and follow Him whithersoever He would. And He would, and did, lead Christian to declare publicly, to Turks, Bulgarians, and Americans alike, that Jesus Christ was his savior. My heart was full to bursting while raising my hand to Heaven, saying, “I baptize you, my brother…” What a God, who’d give His blood to wash a father and son, and make them brothers in the same spiritual family! Carrick Austin, his older brother, says he’s waiting to be baptized when we return to America. He’s a little like Naaman: He thinks the rivers of his own country are better than these here.

Pray for us. We’ve got needs and wants we only mention to God. Pray for the work here. Pray for the workers. God sure is good. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

Because of a living Savior,           
                                                                (A print ready version of this letter is available here)
The William LeFevre Family
 

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Prayer Letter March 2022

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, ... who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth … to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:1-6

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

I believe, as perhaps many of you do, that there is significance in the ordering of the books of the Bible. We know all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and by the Holy Ghost is both applicable and profitable for whatever your need whenever it may arise. Yet it seems also apparent that the latter books hold a special relevance for these latter times. And if you believe, like I do (and I certainly don’t see why you shouldn’t, as the Apostles declared it), that we are in the last days, we might look again to those latter letters and find sustenance to strengthen us for the coming calamities.

With that in mind, let’s cast our eyes to the first line of the last book of the Bible. There the Holy Ghost, by the pen of John, states emphatically the priority of almighty God and the prerequisite for all who profess Christ: the revelation of His Son. What’s the need of the hour? To see Jesus Christ. What does God want above everything else in this day? That His Son should be revealed to the world. Moreover, if the Christ hasn’t been revealed to you, what follows in the book of Revelation will remain a mystery, as it is the revealing of Jesus that brings all things into perspective. And really, what else would one want to see? What else can compare? Cousin Pierce LeFever said there were only two places he wanted to visit in life: Paris, France and Pea Ridge, Tennessee; and after seeing Pea Ridge, he no longer cared to see Paris. So, too, with Jesus; once you’ve gotten a good look at Him, who cares to look at anything else? “Mansions will glisten on the streets of glory… but Jesus will outshine them all.”

Can I add one more thought to this? I’m going to anyway, it’s my prayer letter, and I don’t write that many of them; I reckon I’ll write what I want. Do you know where the Christ was revealed to John? Where did John first see Jesus in the book of Revelation? From where did he hear Jesus’ voice speaking? In the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. What are the seven candlesticks, you ask? Let the Lord Jesus himself give you the answer: “The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” In these last days, where will you see Jesus? Where will you hear Jesus speaking? In church.

So much as happened since I last wrote, I don’t know where to begin. (“Why don’t you start writing more?” asks Hannah. Wives: can’t live with them, can’t worry about whose they’ll be in the resurrection.) Quite a few of these things are updated about regularly on our Facebook page, but if you’re like me and indulging social media less and less and feeling better and better about doing so, I’ll recap them here.

We were finally able to replace our vehicle. After almost a year of waiting, litigating, consternating, and aggravating all the wrong people with all the right information, we threw up our hands in desperation, and God filled them with enough to buy a used 2012 Mercedes Vito van. It has low miles and high expectations of being everything we need it to be. It accommodates all of us, with room to spare. But most importantly, it gets us where we need to be to minister to those anticipating help.

I praise the good name of the Lord Jesus for all of you who loved us and gave. And I thank God for guiding us in the right direction at just the right time to find this van available.

As a little postscript to this, the insurance company issued their final verdict via letter a little over a week ago. They concluded that ultimately I was at fault for a thief sneaking onto the gated property, breaking into the back hatch of our locked vehicle, climbing into the driver’s seat, prying open the steering column and hot wiring the car, fleeing the scene in said stolen car, hitting the gate in the process, finally crashing into a concrete pylon totaling the vehicle, leaving the scene, and returning on foot to the exact same village in which we live. Does it seem like this issue makes me a little testy? Listen, I don’t have anything against the thief; I pray he gets saved. I don’t even begrudge the loss of that vehicle. It was never ours to begin with. God gave it to us, and He didn’t need my permission to do whatever seemed best to Him. But, merciful heavens, Bulgarian bureaucracy can knock the shout out of any man. “But he giveth more grace,” and at the end of the ordeal, like Job, we’re better off than when we started. Bless the Lord.

A month ago now, we were able to hold our first big meeting of the year. Our churches were so sick of this pandemic and its restrictions, and so eager to meet again, that we went ahead and invited “whosoever will.” Praise God the “whosoever wills” outnumbered the “I don’t think we shoulds,” and the Great I Am came to the great In Need; the gospel was preached, the hungry fed, and all who came empty went home full.

Brother Keith Blalock preached the second of two meetings. He talked a little about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and mentioned everyone’s fear of Putin dropping the bomb. Brother Keith said, “I ain’t worrying about the bomb. If he drops the bomb, I hope he drops it on me first. I’ll be vaporized here and awake in heaven.” All the Turks took comfort and courage from that message. Most of them have grown up in and around Islam and were taught that no one can really know their soul’s final destination. When Brother Keith said with full assurance that he’d wake up in heaven, it finally dawned on a number of them that they, too, could have confidence in the work Jesus had done in their souls.

Speaking of the Russian invasion, for all who have asked, we are safe in Bulgaria, far from the fighting taking place in Ukraine. Only the Lord knows what tomorrow holds, and He has grace sufficient for what is and is to come. However, no one is expecting anything like what occurred there to happen here. Nevertheless, Bulgaria, like every other European country, is taking precautions.

Those of you keeping up with Hannah on Facebook, or our LeFevre page there, know the work she and our other missionary friends are doing with the Ukrainian refugees. To make a long story short, at the start of this war, Brother Blalock’s daughter, Kylie, had befriended a young Ukrainian girl newly arrived in Bulgaria. Learning from Yulia what efforts were being made to help the refugees in Varna, several of our missionary wives, with Brother Keith driving, went to see what they could do to be of service. After that day of volunteering, seeing the need firsthand, word began to spread, saints in America began to give, and the opportunities for outreach began to grow.

Skipping ahead, this last weekend, along with two missionaries from Ukraine, Brother Richard Maher and Brother Paul Gray, our folks went again, this time armed with gospel literature, to the center. After a morning’s profitable venture into some of the areas open specifically for refugee housing, our group made their way to the Ukrainian anti-war demonstration. There they distributed to small and great the gospel of the good Lord Jesus. Not a single Ukrainian refused a tract. More often than not, they would come back, asking for more for friends or family.

Every day, more and more Ukrainians are crossing the border into Bulgaria. Every day presents new challenges to meet their needs and new opportunities to give out the gospel. Pray for us that whatever the need, as much as we’re able, we’d be able to help. Pray especially for those whom God allows our paths to cross, that they would have open ears and tender hearts to receive the message able to quell the war raging in their souls.

Last, but certainly not least, and much to a hungry people’s hearty rejoicing, we’ve begun to give out flour and oil. Last Tuesday we began early in the village of Goren Chiflik and wound our way around several villages in that neck of the woods, distributing to the poor saints what God had provided for their sustenance. We were met everywhere with smiling faces and empty wheelbarrows and horse carts. The price of sunflower oil has nearly tripled in the last couple of weeks, so receiving a five-liter bottle really was like receiving liquid gold to most of our people. We go this week to our farthest villages, in the Balkan Mountains, to see their needs met. Pray for us as we go. Pray for them as they receive. Pray in all things that the Lord is glorified.

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family

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“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:” Hebrews 6:17-18

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,           November 2021

Have you ever read stronger verses, verses brimming with assurance and comfort, verses that engender hope and infuse love; verses that burst forth in song in the face of the devil’s fury; verses that provide ointment and anointing, a balm and blessings? Every inspired line, authored by God, penned by Paul overflow with an all-persuasive peace, and testify both to the nature and nurturing care of our great Redeemer.

As to His nature, He is God: eternal, immutable, unchangeable; the same yesterday, today, forever; unaffected by time or the tides of men; tested, tried, true; terrible and triumphant. As He is, so is His word: inerrant, inviolate, and, in the person of the Lord Jesus, incarnate; full of glory, grace, and truth; given by God to man that they might trust in Him.

As to His nurturing care, He is willing. Think about that just for a second, or an hour, or lifetime. Of all that He is, of all that He has, of all that He can do, it wouldn’t mean anything to you or me unless He was willing. But not only is He willing, He is willing “more abundantly.” It is His all-consuming desire that we rest securely, sweetly in the knowledge He cannot lie and His word cannot fail; that though our vessel be tossed to and fro, the anchor holding us will not move the slightest degree.

What a thought! The great I Am condescended to the woeful cannot and offered eternal refuge. Though the world, flesh, and devil conspire daily to discourage us, to disqualify us on the basis of our merit, our inability, the author of eternal salvation reminds us, it is His promise – of which He has sworn, and taken an oath to uphold – that secures our souls and succours our spirits. The oath and covenant are both unnecessary, given He cannot lie, but for our sake, that we might rest in Him without the slightest alarm or worry, He cheerfully swears.

Are you happier after reading those verses? Goodness gracious, I am. It might be a gloomy and gray November afternoon, but it’s eternal springtime wherever Jesus is. What a good God!

Where am I? Oh, that’s right, Bulgaria. Things have been on the slow side here for the last little bit. Bulgaria is still in pandemic mode, combating the fourth wave of COVID. Everyone is sick of it (accidental pun intended). The government introduced a controversial measure akin to COVID passports: green certificates. Basically, if you want to shop in larger, non-grocery stores, you have to show proof that you’re not a risk. Bulgarians immediately protested it, but the alternative is complete shutdown again. Thank God for Heaven: no sickness and never a shutdown. And there isn’t a single restriction in place, as there isn’t any need for them; everyone’s free to worship God.

One unintended, or perhaps very much intended, consequence of the unrelenting barrage of COVID coverage, (yes, we get it here, too) has been the subconscious fear instilled in people. It has become the new boogeyman, so to speak: Its specter haunts every potential gathering. Now a sniffle, a cough, or a cold chill threaten to close down entire communities. Where once we took care, now we take cover. For weeks on end, we’ve not been able to attend certain meetings due to flu and rumors of flu. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not downplaying this virus or its effects. What I am saying is we’ve become more health conscious than heart conscious, safer but less spiritual; more afraid of assembling than forsaking the assembly; more apt to trust science than search scripture; more concerned with spreading the virus than spreading the gospel. You’d think, being surrounded by this potentially life-threatening illness, people would prioritize being ready to meet God, but they’re doing everything they can to avoid Him, saints included.

In addition to fighting the flu’s influences, the entire work has been accosted with car troubles. Y’all know about the ongoing struggles with my vehicle situation. If you don’t, I’ll mention it in a minute, hang on. A few weeks back, Bro. Mitko’s wife, Monika, was in a serious car wreck that totaled her vehicle. Praise the Lord she escaped with only a mild concussion, as the driver’s side roof was caved in completely. God spared her and her daughter Eliza, who was with her. Just after that, Pastor Nasuf, while returning from service alone, lost control of his vehicle and wound up upside down in a field. Thankfully, God spared him, as well, and apart from soreness and bruising, he escaped without injury. My brother Zach’s vehicle suddenly started having transmission trouble last week. (I haven’t told him yet. We’ll see if he reads my prayer letters.) Help us pray, please, and believe God to provide what’s needed.

As for our vehicle, I don’t have bad news; I have an opportunity to see God work. We received a letter from our insurance company stating we defaulted on our claim, not having turned in the required documents within the prescribed time. Since the car was stolen in April, I have been to the main adjuster’s office in Varna at least once every three weeks. Each visit they set another task, another document to obtain, and each visit we did what was asked. It soon became evident that what we were doing was the equivalent of “buying blinker fluid.” It was busy work with the seeming intent to divert and stall us. When we pushed back, we were given the number of our case worker at the head office, who then sent us on another wild goose chase. So today, I took the letter to an attorney to see if anything can be done. I told you before, and I think some of you thought I was joking, that after the collapse of communism, all the car thieves transitioned to car insurance.

Where do we stand on a vehicle? At present we don’t have one, but I’m not complaining. God’s provided. Other missionaries have graciously allowed us to use their vehicles, for which we are very thankful. For the last few months I have been using Zach’s (see two paragraphs above). Now he’s due to return just after Thanksgiving. When he comes back, the Lord will work something else out. Today we rode the train to town to meet with the attorney. I thank God for the train. Since we’ve been in this valley, they’ve started road work on just about all the roads leading into Shumen, where we live. That means, for Ahmed to go to his mountain meetings, he now has to drive right past our apartment to avoid construction, and he picks me up on his way. God provides. We live in the center of town, surrounded by stores containing anything and everything we need. God provides. Whatever happens, God has, is, and will continue to meet every single need as it arises. Bless His name.

We’d like to wish each and every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving. We love and miss you, and thank God daily for you.

Because of a living Savior,

The William LeFevre Family

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“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”  Exodus 17:11-13
 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                 August 2021

The above verses should be familiar to every child of God. It is the account of the first direct action the children of Israel saw after crossing the Red Sea. Their deliverance from the “Iron Furnace” of Egypt, and subsequent death of Pharaoh and utter defeat of his armies, was a feat God entrusted to no one but Himself; Moses being His mouthpiece. So, too, our deliverance was the sole work of a selfless Savior. As Charles Gabriel wrote, “He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own; He bore the burden to Calv’ry, and suffered and died alone.” Little wonder he followed that with, “How marvelous! How wonderful!” He could have easily filled the refrain with as many worthy praises as he could imagine, and we’d Amen every one as recipients of that love. Do you still marvel at the love expended to ransom you from Hell? Do you still contemplate with wonder the great machinations enacted by almighty God to woo you to Himself, and win your soul forever in His safe keeping? Gracious me, if you don’t, sing his song again!

However, the verses I’m considering aren’t about our deliverance from Egypt, but from the Amalekites. The Lord dealt with the Egyptians Himself; He left the Amalekites to Moses. In other words, while our salvation is secure, our success is in jeopardy. Hold on a second, don’t get sideways. I’m not preaching Schofield’s notes; hear me out. In spite of certain unbelievers’ perpetual wish to return to Egypt, God made sure there was no Egypt to go back to. The Egypt they held in fond remembrance no longer existed; it had been decimated. There remained only one direction to go, forward, and at this juncture, the Amalekites stood between them and God’s promise. You know the story from here: When Moses held his hands up, the enemy fell back; when his hands dropped, they advanced. In the end, Aaron and Hur, seeing Moses couldn’t do it alone, came to his aid and stayed up his hands until the victory was won. There’s been a whole lot of good preaching (and some questionable) along those lines of helping one another and upholding one another, staying up the preacher’s hands, etc. There’s truth in it! We need one another. The very best among us are feeble, unable to contend long or at all against our enemy. We all need help and assistance.

Nevertheless, Moses himself wasn’t the answer to the Amalekites. Moses alone wasn’t sufficient to win the day. Moses, Aaron, and Hur combined couldn’t even startle the enemy, let alone scatter them. What then? What forced the Amalekites to give ground, turn, and flee? Let me draw your attention to what Moses had with him: “I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.” That was the rod that stayed up Moses as he wandered a stranger among the Midianites. That rod became a serpent, signifying God’s power, and swallowed up all the imitators. That rod wrought wonders in Egypt, called forth plagues, and leveled judgment. Lifted up, that rod made an impossible way through the impassable sea. That same rod struck a rock and brought forth a river to slake thirsty rebels. If you haven’t figured it out yet, that rod is a type of Jesus. As long as He’s lifted up, the enemy must give way before Him. Have you any Amalekites hindering you on your journey, withstanding your advance, threatening your ruin and destruction? Lift up Jesus. Magnify the Lord. Does the Amalekite of unbelief stand between you and God’s promises? Remember, this same Jesus that saved you will assist you. His triumph over sin, death, hell, and the devil was so exact, so complete, so utterly magnificent – that to mention it, to glory in it, to make it your banner is enough to embolden the feeblest of saints, and unnerve the most obstinate enemy.

I hope that helps somebody. More often than not, I write those things to help me. I like to encourage myself in the Lord. I like to see others encouraged in the Lord. I know this is a prayer letter, and I’m supposed to tell what’s going on here, but sometimes I get happy thinking on heavenly things and get carried away. Someone said the other day, “You ought to write a book.” I said, “Did you read my last letter? It was a novella.”

In the general information category, I’d like to mention our move from the village of Dabravino to the city of Shumen. We had been living in the Welch household since our return a year ago. We found this apartment back in early spring, but it didn’t come available to move into until late June. It’s spacious enough, and we’re close to a big park where the kids can get out and play. Additionally, we’re closer to the meetings I attend.

I’ve been waiting until I heard something about our car so that I could update everyone on it. Here’s the update: Nothing is happening. We’re still waiting on the insurance company to pay out so we can use the money to buy another vehicle. Meanwhile, the insurance company says it’s waiting on the police to submit a final report. The police aren’t sure what the insurance company wants and are waiting for the insurance company to tell them. It’s a Bulgarian standoff, kind of like a Mexican standoff without the benefit of enchiladas. Now, seeing as this is a prayer letter, I have a prayer request: Please pray something gives and this is all resolved. And while you’re at it, pray that about the time this gets resolved, that the perfect seven-seater vehicle comes available at the perfect price.

The other thing I was waiting on before I wrote was our meeting in Dabravino. This last Sunday saw a good size crowd, undaunted by the present-day pestilence and its perpetrators and perpetuators, assemble together to sing, pray, worship, and listen to preaching. After a meal, we recommenced our meeting by the river’s side, where twelve souls professed publically their faith in Jesus and followed Him in baptism. Five of those who were baptized were from one family, from our meeting in Smyadovo. I had the privilege of driving the sister to the meeting, whose two daughters, two granddaughters, and son-in-law all owned Christ as Savior. When we met at her house the Monday prior to meeting, all of her daughters said, “Normally we take vacations to return home and see our friends and family. This time we took a vacation to testify in church and get baptized.” After Sunday meeting, on our return trip home, their mother said, “William, I’m drunk on happiness! I still can’t believe it. I woke up this morning and said, ‘I won’t be needing my cane to attend this meeting.’” She must have had the rod of God! Pray for these souls. Pray for this work. Pray for its workmen. Pray for fresh unction.

We love you all and miss you dearly. Hannah, Carrick, Christian, Dixie Joy and Derrick Wade all send their greetings.

Because of a living Savior,

The William LeFevre Family

 

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October 2020

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:15-16

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

Colossians chapter three is one of those passages where, if you’re not careful, you’ll extract the “dos and don’ts” and miss the “who and why.” How anyone can overlook the resurrected and reigning Christ and His redemptive work is a mystery, but there are those who manage. In chapter three we’re commanded, as resurrected beings, to look and to long for heavenly things. Only those souls who’ve passed from death unto life, by virtue of the second birth, are free to rise unfettered, victorious over the world and its pull. The resurrection not only frees us from things, but frees us to things as well. Being freed from the service of external and internal sin, we’re at liberty to love and serve one another. Looking to and loving the living Christ benefits the whole world, beginning at home.

Tucked right in the middle of this passage are the means for mastering our mess (if you like alliteration): the peace of God and the word of Christ. They are contingent upon one another: Peace can’t rule where the word doesn’t dwell, and the word only dwells in those who dwell in it. To put it another way, get your head in the heavens and make the word your foundation, and you’ll find out that come what may, it’ll be alright. You can face a frowning world with the smile of God’s favor. One more thing on a tangential note - if 2020 hasn’t yet incentivized you to get a hold of Heaven and find some comfort, just wait ‘til 2021.

What an introduction to a prayer letter! Hello from Bulgaria. It’s been quite a while since I’ve sent out an update, though we try and post regularly on our Facebook page “The LeFevres in Bulgaria.” We’ve been back just shy of two months, returning on the sixteenth of August. Our return trip, though uneventful, was nevertheless surreal. Having traveled extensively prior to the global pandemic, we were taken aback by the “new normal”: a sea of highly regulated masked faces, herded onto half-filled planes, providing minimal service. The flights passed quickly, and we were in Bulgaria in record time. Upon arrival, seeing as how America is listed as a hotbed for COVID activity, we were given the option of quarantining or testing. We opted to take the test. Thank the Lord all of us tested negative for the virus, though some of us tested positive for meanness.

Bulgaria, like most everywhere else, has mandatory mask laws, social distancing requirements, and crowd limitations. And like most everywhere else, the general population doesn’t seem to bother: Masks are worn as chin straps; distance is ignored as someone might cut in line, and very few places have ever been filled to capacity. And yet, what is the one type of gathering that draws the most scrutiny? Evangelical meetings. Bulgaria has had almost ninety straight days of mass protests against government corruption. Yet who makes the news for perpetuating the spread of corona? A church in Plovdiv. As such, the meetings have been kept very low key. The national pastors continue to minister circumspectly, endeavoring to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” The weekly American meeting has resumed, as well.

In spite of COVID, or perhaps because of it, people seem hungrier for heavenly things. Those souls that brave meeting, leave with full and grateful hearts, appreciating more what they missed. Pastor Alish testified about a particular village church he’d almost given up on a year ago. He said that when they saw him, they asked if he was coming for church. He said, “If you all want church, I’ll come back next week.” They responded, “What’s wrong with right now?” In no time, a small crowd gathered, and they had a real meeting. In the village here, Hannah and her mother went to sing for a widow woman and her daughter. The man of the house lived and died an atheist, but his loved ones are seeking for something more. Brother Mitko said that everywhere the virus has taken its toll, not on people’s health so much, but on their finances and livelihood, and has them looking for something not subject to change. Praise the Lord we have the answer in our unchanging God and His eternal word

All the family fares well, and everyone sends you their greetings. All of our existing visas are secure, so no worries there. We’re working on getting Derrick his visa. Remember us in your prayers. Remember the ministry.

Love y’all

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family  www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

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“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,   September 2019 Prayer Letter

I’ve been hesitant to write this letter, not because I have news to break; rather, just the opposite: I haven’t much news at all. While stateside, I was waiting for something or other to report to y’all. I thought to myself, surely no one cares to hear of doctor visits or our children’s education. Nevertheless, a number of people have asked for those exact, seemingly mundane, details. Forgive my lack of faith in the depth of your personal interest and investment in us; I’m truly sorry. I pledge to do better.

Hannah is now in her third trimester. Baby boy is due to arrive on November 24th. We are currently residing in Bristol, TN, in a house our home church has graciously provided for the occasion. A couple of weeks ago, Hannah went for her blood-sugar screening. Afterwards, the doctor, not being pleased with the numbers, ordered the more in-depth blood-glucose tolerance test. Again, Hannah’s numbers were high. The doctor informed us that Hannah has gestational diabetes and is now considered a “high risk.” The fetal development will be monitored much more closely from here on out, and by a specialist, in addition to an increase in regular appointments. I sometimes doubt whether I made the right decision in returning to America for this birth, but things like this help settle it. Nevertheless, our confidence isn’t in doctors of any nationality or education, but rather in the Great Physician. He’s already been in the womb with “little boy,” and we’re sure He’ll see him safely delivered.

As many of you know, Hannah’s daddy, Missionary Matthew Welch, returned in early September on a short medical furlough. He was in dire need of a shoulder replacement. He had been living with a completely deteriorated shoulder for nigh on two years and was in agony from the pain. Due to a lack of insurance, however, he had put off having surgery, knowing the extremely high costs of American health care. Finally, when he could no longer endure the pain, he resolved to pay whatever the cost to obtain relief. As an answer to prayer, the Lord provided a doctor at one of the best orthopedic facilities anywhere, who would waive as many fees as he could to get Bro. Matt the help he needed. A comprehensive cost of thirty thousand dollars was settled upon, and a date was set. Trusting God to meet the need, Bro. Matt arrived on the first of September; had his surgery on the fourth; and in no time at all, saw the Lord, through the people of God, meet the need. What a blessing! Our God is able and willing to do exceeding abundantly above all we can think or ask of Him.

The work overseas never stops. Last Saturday, there was a big meeting in Dabravino, and we were told a number of souls followed the Lord in believer’s baptism. That counts as “good news from a far country.” Praise the Lord people are still being saved. While on the subject of the work, I have two burdens I’d ask you to pray for. Please remember Bro. Mitko Stefanov, our Bulgarian national pastor. He’s in need of a car. He’s been in the work since he was 17. He’s translated the King James Bible into Bulgarian. He pastors faithfully some six or seven churches. He’s been experiencing a number of health issues the last few years and needs your prayers for strength. A new five-passenger Logan sedan costs less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), but ten thousand would retrofit it with a propane system that would essentially double his gas mileage. With gas being close to six dollars a gallon, that system sure helps. Secondly, please remember this winter’s flour and oil distribution. It costs about thirty-five dollars ($35) to provide each family a hundred and ten pounds of flour and a gallon of oil. As much as comes in will be given out, and as many as can be helped will be helped. Last year, over sixteen hundred families were fed.

I opened this prayer letter with a familiar verse from the book of Jeremiah. It has been on my heart for a while now. The Lord said, “ask for the old paths”; that’s my new prayer request: I want to walk in the “old paths.” I used to hear a lot more preaching on that subject than I have of late, but most of the “old paths” preached about only went as for back as the sixties or seventies. Occasionally, you’d hear a preacher go as far back as Moody or Spurgeon. Some Baptists with a capital B would make a point to go back to John with a capital J. But the paths commanded to walk in by the Lord were already called old in Jeremiah’s day. It seems to me, if the Ancient of Days calls something old, it must go as far back as Him. In fact, the old paths originate with and lead to Him. And any path that leads to an activity apart from Him isn’t that old and isn’t His. Enoch walked in the old paths, as did Noah, Abraham, Moses and David, to name a few. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah discovered the old paths in Babylon. They wound through a fiery furnace and a den of lions but led on to the Son of God. The old paths can still be picked out in our day too. Just look for the garden gate. It has Genesis written at the top. If you enter by faith and continue in prayer, it will always end in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Please remember us in your prayers. Keep Hannah and “little boy” especially on your mind.

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family

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“I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos,for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” Revelation 1:9-10

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,   April 2019

 

John the Revelator, the beloved disciple, he who pillowed his head over the heart of the Lord Jesus, when writing his introduction, could have listed any number of experiences to establish his credentials. Yet, above everything, he claims kinship: “who also am your brother.” It’s good to have a brother, a fellow member of the family, one in fellowship and relationship, seated at the same table, basking in the love of the same father. And yet, Brother John also claims companionship. He states that he is our “companion in tribulation.” If a brother in blessedness is good, how much more a friend, and fellow traveler through life’s tribulations? To have someone with you when you face uncertainty is worth more than gold. As a final credential, Brother John notes his citizenship in the “kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.” Not only, he declares, are we members of the same family, but we’re also companions on the same journey, fraught with danger, headed homeward to the celestial city where we’ll reside forever.

 

I am thankful today for God’s children, for each and every brother and sister in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our God has a great big family that spans the world over. And wherever you meet a brother or sister, there’s a little slice of home; in the presence of family, you can’t feel like a stranger. I am twice-blessed to have fellow-helpers in time of heartache. The Lord ensures that His own are never alone, that when troubles come and storms arise, there are hands outstretched to lift you, arms open wide to embrace you, ears to hear your cries and complaints, eyes open in watchful waiting.

 

As many of you already know, the end of March found us in need of help, spiritually and physically. My wife, feeling uneasy in body and mind, visited her doctor. We learned, to our surprise, that she was expecting. However, there was a problem apparent in the ultrasound. The doctor said the problem could be taken care of with a small procedure, which she readily performed, except it couldn’t, and wasn’t. Having failed, the doctor suggested an abortion was the best alternative. An abortion, she assured, would prevent any and all complications with the developing fetus as well as Hannah’s health. We absolutely refused and were met with cold indifference. Leaving the doctor’s, we resolved that Hannah should immediately return to America and give this little miracle every fighting chance to survive. We committed everything into the hands of our good God and made the arrangements. That was Tuesday afternoon; by Thursday morning, she was on a plane bound for America. Friday morning, she walked into the ER in Bristol, Tennessee. After a battery of tests, the ER doctors reached the same conclusion: There was an obstruction to fetal development in the womb that could be easily extracted, except it couldn’t, and wasn’t. Having failed, they assured us that even though there was an obstruction, they would monitor every step of fetal development to ensure survival. Hannah would not be allowed to travel. Further, they recommended her to a well-known specialist in the field. They sent all the information ahead, and the doctor readily agreed to see Hannah. That was Friday; the appointment with the specialist would be on Tuesday. When this problem first arose, I posted about it on Facebook, requesting prayer. That post went the world over and was seen by thousands. People were praying everywhere. Our little group of missionaries were praying. Our nationals and churches here were praying. It came into my heart that Friday, after learning what the ER doctors had said, that if the Holy Ghost could enter the womb of Elizabeth and fill John the Baptist, yet unborn, with the Spirit, that it wouldn’t be any trouble at all for Him to see to the problems facing our little baby. Tuesday morning rolled around. Hannah visited the specialist. The specialist viewed all the material available. She looked at the pictures taken in Bulgaria. She looked at the pictures sent from the ER. She decided she could do the procedure the others had failed at. She sent Hannah for an ultrasound. They studied the ultrasound, and studied, and studied, and couldn’t find the problem. It wasn’t there. It was gone. “You have a perfectly healthy baby, developing right on schedule,” she told Hannah. “There is no problem.” Bless the Lord! He alone “doeth great wonders.” “For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:” 1 Samuel 1:27

 

I had intended to write this letter as a special “thank you” to all who helped towards our vehicle. I am extremely grateful for it, but more so, for you all. Y’all helped meet a need, for my family and the ministry. It was a great need, beyond our personal means. I thank God for everything that was given and for everyone who gave. The Lord bless each and every one of you. But then this “trial” arose, which eclipsed all other concerns, a trial that money couldn’t solve, and again, you all helped. You prayed. You took what you knew to God above, and He intervened on our behalf. Thank you for giving toward the purchase of a vehicle. But thank you so much the more for praying for us in our time of need. The Lord God has been close these last few days, weeks, months even. More than ever before, I see His handiwork, His soon answering of prayers. Someone said, “Wow, as lucky as you are, you ought to buy a lottery ticket.” But it’s not luck. I won the lottery thirty-one years ago, the day I trusted Jesus Christ to save me from sin, death, and hell. And He’s an ever present help in and out of trouble. He’s been looking for a means, a way in, that He might illustrate His love, power, mercy, and faithfulness. And every now and again, I have sense enough to throw open the door and cry, “Come in and be all You want to be, and do all You want to do!”

 

Continue to pray for us. Hannah and Dixie Joy return the twenty-fifth of April. (Did I forget to mention Dixie Joy accompanied her Momma? She did. Did I forget to mention my in-laws, the Welches, how much of a blessing they are, and a help, every single one of them? They are. Did I forget to mention that just yesterday I received a text that said our plane tickets were paid off? They have been. Can I forget to mention that the Lord is behind every single one of these things, using people to say, “I love you”? I can’t.) Pray for Hannah, for the trip, for the upcoming months. Pray for “Our Little Miracle,” that everything would continue to go well. Pray for us boys, that we get everything in order before Momma shows back up. Pray for the work and its workmen. The Lord blesses and blesses, in spite of us. God bless each and every one of you, exceeding abundantly above all you may ask or think, out of His abundant riches in glory. We love y’all.

 

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family  wdlefevre09@gmail.com  www.lefevrestoeurope.org  www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

 

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“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                                                                  January 2019

 

Happy New Year to one and all. We trust everyone had a Merry Christmas and blessed holiday season.

 

I’d like to express my praise and thanks to our good God. For over a year now we’ve been praying for a new vehicle. Our present car, a Dacia MCV Logan (if you’d care to Google it) was purchased in 2011, right after arriving here. The years, miles, and especially the roads, have taken their toll, and we knew it was only a matter of time before something major happened. We made our petition to Heaven, trusted God to provide and to take care of us until He did. This last furlough I didn’t emphasize our needs, choosing rather to uplift the Lord whenever and wherever I had opportunity to preach. Just before Christmas, and maybe even before then, the Lord began to move in people’s hearts to help us. By New Year’s we had all the money we’d need to purchase a new Dacia Lodgy. A week later we placed our order. Our vehicle will be ready, Lord willing, at the end of March. While we bless the Lord Jesus, and give Him all the praise and glory, we acknowledge that He uses men to accomplish His purposes. Therefore, we bless the Lord for every one of you who prayed, passed the word, and gave to meet this need. The Lord bless you all exceeding abundantly out of His riches in glory.

 

Pastor Demir sends his greetings to one and all. As many of you know, he has struggled physically, the result of two strokes two years ago. He has other health issues, and has been back and forth to doctors seeking relief and treatment. Just before Christmas an offering was taken to help him meet the needs of this expense. I was pleased to be the agent delivering that demonstration of love. When I explained a church filled with fellow believers he didn’t know, and would likely never meet, loved him and sent help for him, he fought back tears, and said, “Please tell everyone ‘Thank you.’” His wife, Asiye, didn’t fight anything back, and cried at every meeting, testifying of God’s good grace demonstrated through His people. Demir entered the hospital just before Christmas. His medicine has been adjusted, and he seems to be improving. A week ago he went in for a week of physical therapy. He was supposed to stay at the hospital, but as the therapy was only in the early morning and evening, he would escape during the day and come to meeting. Bless the Lord for a faithful pastor.

 

Bro. Larry Leach has been faithful in distributing to the needs of the poorest among our church members. “Coats for Kids” has been a blessing to hundreds upon hundreds of our believers. I heard a testimony today from a dear sister in the village of Detalina. She said her husband had been out of work for a long time. Finally, last week, the Lord opened a door for him to work in Varna, about thirty minutes away. She said, with no work, they had run out of money. They had no idea how they would make it until his first paycheck arrived. She personally went to a number of neighbors and relatives, asking for fifty leva to help make it through the week; no one had any money to spare. Then came the coat distribution. In spite of their lack, they were overjoyed to at least have a warm coat for their child, and thanked the Lord for it. When they got home, they checked the pockets and found them filled with socks and candy. The little boy noticed another pocket on the sleeve, too small for anything significant, and asked his mother to see if anything was in it. To her wonder, she found folded up, French Francs. Not recognizing the currency, she showed her husband, who upon asking a neighbor’s advice, took it to a money changer, who exchanged the two French bills for the fifty leva they stood in need of. The real blessing is, that some time ago, someone, somewhere, by Divine providence, stuck some money in a pocket and forgot about it; that before this need was ever felt, our good and gracious God had already provided for its relief; and that burdened men were used by God to convey the blessing. Can anyone beat this? Can anyone anywhere find anything better than being in this good way? As the Psalmist said, “Who is so great a God as our God?”

 

I think of the verse that preceded this prayer letter. I thought of it the other day, and my heart smote me. Too often I’ve read that verse, and prayed that verse, claiming the promise of God’s free provision of “all things”. I’ve preached about the “blank check” that faith in a good God provides; and it does, I still believe that. I’ve viewed that verse through the prism of my own need, glossing over the expense to meet my need. “He that spared not his own Son”, the verse says. But notice where God began. He didn’t begin by providing everything else, then at the last, as a final demonstration of His great love, offer His own beloved Son. No, He first gave His most treasured possession, His only begotten Son. What is it then to give anything else, when He’s already given His everything? How insignificant our little prayers are then to One who would give us everything. Oh for the boldness to believe the loving provision of God, and open our mouths wide!

 

Please keep us in your prayers. Pray for our little children, for their physical and spiritual well-being. Pray for Hannah and me, that we’d be parents pleasing to the Lord. Pray for the work here. We seldom tell of opposition, or problems we face, but know there are plenty. Pray the Lord protects and keeps our hearts and minds. Pray for the work: we’ve got a ton, and we can’t do it without the help and power of God. Pray for the national pastors, the Lord knows the things they face on a daily basis. Pray that we’d be strong in faith, not staggering at the promises of God; that our faith wouldn’t be in word only, but in watching and waiting with joyful expectation. And if you think about it, pray for our other needs: our home fund. I’m blessed to serve the resurrected Christ, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think. Not only is He able, but He wants to as well. He delights in illustrating His care for us all. Bless His name. Believe for us when our faith wanes, and we’ll do the same for you. The good Lord bless you all out of His abundant riches in glory.

 

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family

 

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“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,” (Acts 7:55)  &  “At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.” (Acts 26:13)

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                       October, 2018

 

I reckon Saul of Tarsus headed down the road toward Damascus, pondering the events of the previous few days. The stoning of Stephen had unnerved him, particularly that look on Stephen’s face. What had Stephen seen that could cause such sublime tranquility while facing such satanic terror? A few minutes later and the maddened crowd was literally gnashing him with their teeth, and he seemed not to notice. Whatever he was looking at blinded him to everything occurring around him and to him. What object was so captivating that a riot in progress couldn’t distract him? I reckon Saul thought to himself, “If I could only see what Stephen saw…” when, lo and behold, the object of Stephen’s attentions stepped into view. All at once, Saul understood: His brightness eclipsed the sun in its strength; His glory exceeded everything else in view; His voice drowned out all other sounds; His words melted Saul’s heart. What else could Saul do but happily surrender? He asked for a name, and received in answer the name above every name: “I am Jesus.” What a change the “heavenly vision” made! Old things were passed away, and everything was made new. That same glorious spectacle is revealed to us today by the gospel. No wonder Paul, formerly Saul, said, “Preach the word.” The preaching of the cross might be foolishness to some, but it’s the revelation of the glory of God to all who believe. Hallelujah.

 

Well howdy, one and all. Let’s jump into this prayer letter with a prayer request. Please pray for Pastor Demir’s health. He’s had several bouts of severe illness, and we’re not sure whether the doctors are treating the symptoms or the cause. We’re not even sure if the doctors here know the cause. Just pray. Demir’s faithfulness and desire are humbling. The other day, at the close of our meeting, he excused himself and was sick outside. That evening, I dropped him off at home and told him I’d see him again on Sunday. Sunday rolled around and there he was, waiting for me outside his house. On entering the vehicle, his wife informed me he had been sick and in bed since I’d dropped him off three days before. He said he awoke that morning determined to go to church, and prayed for the Lord to strengthen him. He said, “What else do I have? This is my life; this is what I live to do.” Asiye, his wife, worries over him constantly. She tells him, “We already lost Bro. Ralph this year; don’t you even think about joining him!”

 

Our eleven churches are doing well. One of the indicators of spiritual health is how the members treat the pastor. Bro. Demir’s churches love him. At most meetings, someone always gives him something, be it dried goods, something from their canning, bread, or a dessert, anything to minister to his needs. That does my heart good to see their care demonstrated. They might not be able to give money, but they give what they can.

 

We’re now in Gypsy summer, and the temperatures are back up after the first serious cold snap of fall. Everyone is hurrying to get their wood cut and put up in preparation for the onset of winter. Our little family is doing well. We have made it through the first wave of seasonal sickness. I can’t say we’re looking forward to the next wave. Dixie Joy is attending pre-K here in the village, as well as doing A Beka at home. She calls the school that she physically attends “real school” and the DVD school “fake school.” The boys only attend “fake school” but are prize pupils. Carrick excels in language and writing, where Christian does exceedingly well in math. It is amazing how much information their young minds absorb even when you don’t think they are paying attention. The other day, their Aunt Verity held a history party, with the theme being Bible characters. Christian wanted to go as Moses. We asked, “What do you know about Moses? What would you say about him?” He then recited Moses’ life story in rich detail. After the party, his cousin Levi told his mama, “Christian’s story made us all look like wimps!” That means the world to me: knowing my little boy is learning the scriptures.

 

Please keep us in your prayers. Pray for our little children, for their physical and spiritual well-being. Pray for Hannah and me, that we’d be parents pleasing to the Lord. Pray for the work here. We seldom tell of opposition or problems we face, but know that there are plenty. Pray the Lord protects and keeps our hearts and minds. Pray for the work: We’ve got a ton, and we can’t do it without the help and power of God. Pray for the national pastors; the Lord knows the things they face on a daily basis. Pray that we’d be strong in faith, not staggering at the promises of God; that our faith wouldn’t be in word only, but in watching and waiting with joyful expectation. And, if you think about it, pray for our vehicle and home fund. I’m blessed to serve the resurrected Christ, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I can ask or think. Not only is He able, but He wants to, as well. He delights in illustrating His care for us all. Bless His name. Believe for us when our faith wanes, and we’ll do the same for you. The good Lord bless you all out of His abundant riches in glory.

 

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family

 

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“And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf,
because he hath received him safe and sound.” Luke 15:27

 

August 2018

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

 

Greetings from Dabravino, Bulgaria! It’s been close to a month since we were received “safe and sound,” and while we’re not quite back in the swing of things, we’re certainly closer. Every return trip requires readjustments. Returning to “life as usual” in Bulgaria is a relearning process. The first night in country, trusting adrenaline to overcome travel delirium, I went into town grocery shopping. Ambling through the store, filling my cart with what I deemed as necessities, I eventually made my way to check out. Placing my items on the conveyor, the attendant began setting certain things aside, eventually accumulating quite a pile. She then informed me her scanner wouldn’t read these items and asked if I wanted to put them back or allow someone else. Somewhere inside me, a voice said, “Welcome back!”

 

A week after our arrival, we headed north to Romania, to Casa Julia, for our Missionary Camp Meeting. It was the first meeting we’ve had without Bro. Cheatwood. Things were notably different, not bad, just different. Things change. We wish they could remain comfortably the same forever, but they can’t, and won’t. Change isn’t necessarily bad. Change awakens us to what is missing, and what was, and forces us to forge onward. No one felt more keenly the loss of Elijah than Elisha, and yet he didn’t wish him back, but rather sought the God who made him the man he was. We missed Bro. Ralph; every message reflected that, but we met to worship God. While there was a definite loss felt, there was also an unmistakable presence. I preached the first service on “The Empty Seat and the Missed Servant” from the twentieth chapter of first Samuel: David was gone, but he left a binding promise of perpetual kindness to Jonathan and his house; he exhibited a surpassing love; and he eventually enjoyed a glad reunion. It is a comfort to know that when inevitable change comes, it brings to light things we’ve missed. When temporary things pass, eternal things shine forth. It was a good spirit-refreshing, soul-restoring meeting, and I bless the Lord for it.

 

A few days following our camp meeting, we were invited to a Sofra in the village of Zlatna Niva. As you may recall from previous prayer letters, a Turkish Sofra is a meal of thanksgiving. When the Lord has done something extra special in someone’s life, to show gratitude, they hold a supper. They bid all who can, come to the feast. The supper is preceded by a service. Hymns are sung, then the individual is given the opportunity to declare the reason for the Sofra. In this case, national pastor Alish’s oldest daughter, Emine, wanted to give thanks to God for a clean bill of health from the oncologist. After her testimony, many others testified of God’s great kindness and mercy in relieving their distresses. Young Alish brought a message from Matthew on “Ask and ye shall receive,” regarding our heavenly Father’s love for His children. A young woman, herself battling cancer and touched by the testimonies and preaching, begged for prayer. We cheerfully obliged and are trusting God for her help. The service over, like all good Baptists everywhere, we eat. We dined on young goat, wild rice, cucumber-tomato salad, and fresh rustic bread, with a side of hot peppers. We wish all our believers would be that thankful.

 

We held our first big meeting of the summer last weekend, our first Bulgarian meeting without Bro. Cheatwood. We had planned for a modest crowd, around one hundred people, thinking most would be working. When the count was made, we had over a hundred and fifty. Pastor Demir called me that morning and informed me more people wanted to come than we had planned. So, we changed our plans and made accommodation for them. The service was excellent, with Bro. Zach preaching from the first chapter of John regarding the baptism of Jesus. That afternoon, four souls who had professed Christ in their village church were baptized in the Kamchia River. The Kamchia was flowing particularly swiftly that day, and after almost losing the last candidate and a few of the missionaries, no one else felt the urge to enter the baptismal waters.

 

For the foreseeable future, I’m helping national pastor Demir. He’s been ill for the last couple of years, suffering the after effects of a number of mini-strokes. Due to his health, he hasn’t been able to shepherd his meetings as he’d like. Prior to his initial stroke, Demir was as faithful a pastor as we have, always in church. Now he’s uncertain what the day will hold or whether his strength will sustain him. Still, he doesn’t complain. Rather, he says his change in health is the best thing that’s happened to him in a long time. In every meeting this last week, he’s testified that it’s better to have no strength and rely on the Lord than to know everything and be able to work but miss God’s will. He said for years he preached from the shallow pool of his own understanding. Then he had his stroke. He couldn’t speak hardly, and he wasn’t strong enough to walk unassisted. All he could do was lie in bed. He returned to his Bible and prayed for strength. He said the Lord opened His word to him, and everything was sweet, fresh, and new. He’s a different preacher now. He said today, “Sometimes when I come back from meetings, I can’t remember how I got there or how I got home. But in the church, during meeting, I feel like a young man, like I could do anything, and all I want to do is preach!”

 

The meetings have been strong, though sparsely attended. The other day in Venelin, four people came out. Still, we had meeting as if there were a hundred in attendance. We closed the meeting with an invitation for prayer. While praying, a horse wandered in. Demir, without missing a beat, said, “Lord, grant this horse whatever he came for!” The woman of the house, embarrassed, hurried the horse out. On the way home, the ladies who came with us were lamenting the size of the crowd, wondering aloud where everyone was. Asiye, Demir’s wife, said, “Tsk, tsk, tsk, only four people!” “Six,” Demir said emphatically, “the horse counts as two.”

 

The Lord sure has been awfully good to us. Before departing America, money came in to be put toward a future home, while still other money was designated for a vehicle. We’re a ways off from both, but closer than we were. We thank everyone who gave, and bless the Lord who put it in your heart to help. He’s a good God, and our eyes are upon Him, trusting Him to do what’s best. We miss you all. Pray for us. We love you and look forward to hearing from you. Believe for us when our faith wanes, and we’ll do the same for you. The good Lord bless you all out of His abundant riches in glory.

 

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family

 

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May 2018

 

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh… were without Christ … having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

 

Paul states in the above verses that as Gentiles, we were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise.” While those two facts might not seem a reason for dismay, we are reminded by Scripture that: “salvation is of the Jew”; that Jesus Christ was the “minister of the circumcision” to “confirm the promises made unto the fathers”; that Christ was “made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.” He sent out His disciples with this charge, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles… But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He said of Himself, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” John said, “he came unto his own,” and Matthew stated, He came to save “his people from their sins.”

 

Now then, we see the terrible significance of being Gentile aliens and strangers: We were “without Christ.” We were left without a Savior or even the promise of a Savior. We were wholly alone, resigned to live and die in our sins. “Without Christ,” we were “without hope, and without God.” “Without Christ,” we were left as dead men walking, subjects of Satan, doomed to wander the course of this world with the children of disobedience, seeking fulfillment in the vanity of our flesh and minds, left to our own sinful lusts, under the awful condemnation of Heaven, awaiting the righteous judgment and wrath of Almighty God.

 

We were without Christ, without hope, without God! But God in Heaven was not without love. Israel, as a helpless newborn loathed by its mother, was cast in an open field, discarded as trash: navel uncut, lying in afterbirth, covered in blood, repellent to all who passed by. But beholding him, God pitied him, and in love flew to his relief. That great love that provoked God almighty to intervene on behalf of helpless Israel would not allow Him to forsake us in our hopeless estate. He who is rich in mercy made a way on Calvary to welcome every Gentile into the family of God. By the blood of Jesus Christ, we who were strangers and foreigners, outcasts and enemies, are now sufficient to sit at the same table with the saints. Our sins having been atoned for by the same Lamb, we are now fellow citizens of the same country, fellow heirs of the same inheritance, fellow occupants of the same exalted state, and fellow partakers of all the spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. We enjoy the same access to the Father and fellowship with His Son. And we patiently wait for this same Jesus to return in the clouds and take us home. In the meantime, we preach everywhere the same glorious gospel that opened the hearts of those first Gentile believers and trust the selfsame God to accomplish the same thing today. Now we not only have Christ, but are in Christ, and, as such, we have the hope of glory, and by the Spirit of His Son in our hearts, we cry unto God our Father.

 

Does that excite you? It certainly does me. Wherever I am, whatever I need, through Jesus I can obtain help of God. What else could anyone want? Maybe a prayer letter every now and again. It’s been a good while since I’ve updated you on our furlough. Here’s my update: It’s going well and is almost over. My wife (who once more begs me to make up my mind whether I’m writing devotionals or updates), informed me a day or two ago that we’d been in forty meetings in the last forty days. We’ve been in many meetings, some with great rejoicing, some that fed our hearts and stirred up our pure minds, but all good. I’ve been encouraged in the last few meetings, as several people have mentioned reading these letters. One preacher mentioned an object of prayer I thought no one but the Lord had noticed, and informed me he was earnestly praying for its fulfillment. That means more to me than I can express. I trust that, through your prayers, the good God of Heaven will grant all our petitions.

 

A few weeks back, I was preaching about our God being a personal God, knowing our desires, and working on our behalf for His glory. Well, I preached myself under conviction. After the service I thought, I’m not allowing God to be my God. I’m not consciously giving Him place to work in my life. I found a quiet corner of the church, pulled out a pen and paper, and wrote out a “Honey-do” list. I wrote out things I needed done in my heart, home, and in the work of God. In short, I renewed our relationship and invited Him to renew me. What do you expect followed? If you guessed “health, wealth, and prosperity,” you’re probably reading the wrong missionary’s letter. Spiritual warfare took place. I reckon the devil must have been looking over my shoulder, reading my list, and listening to my prayer. We’ve been in good meetings since, don’t get me wrong; they’ve been blessed meetings, but hard-fought meetings. The work of God doesn’t come without spiritual opposition and oppression. Nevertheless, I believe God, that everything shall be well. My beloved Savior knows our needs and will be pleased to supply them. Furthermore, He knows us and will be glorified in us. My Lord will work when all hell is raging, and spread a table for us, laden with the delectables of Heaven, in the very presence of our enemies, and they won’t be able to do a single thing about it. O what a Savior is mine!

 

I close as last time, with the verse etched on my dear old Dad’s gravestone: “Sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” Pray for us. We depart for Bulgaria July 9. Keep us in mind as we reach the home stretch. We love you and look forward to hearing from you.

 

Believe for us when our faith wanes, and we’ll do the same for you. The good Lord bless you all out of His abundant riches in glory.

 

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family  wdlefevre09@gmail.com  www.lefevrestoeurope.org  www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres

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“...Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” 1 Chronicles 17:16

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,          October 2017

 

For those of you who don’t know, as it’s been too long since I’ve written, we are Stateside. We arrived safely and without incident August 24th. After a brief period of rest and recuperation, we started on the road. We’ve been traveling for almost a month, all the way from Michigan to Florida and many points in between. It has been good to renew old acquaintances, and make many more new ones. We also, after securing a cell phone, have a new, direct means of contact. Our new phone number is: (828) 592-1498. If you’d like to have us in, to update you on the work in Bulgaria, to testify, sing or preach, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’d love to come and tell the goodness of our Savior demonstrated toward our gypsy Turks. Also, feel free to pass our information along to any other pastors or churches, and especially to as many praying people as you know.

 

We have been blessed to be in several good, strong meetings; and they have refreshed our spirits. It is a blessing in itself to be in meetings where Christ Jesus is glorified, and His Spirit manifested; to know that God is still at work in America, in this wicked day; to know that there are still, scattered here and there, people who both know, and desire the God of glory and the glory of God. It is my heart’s desire to be in, and have my little family in, as many of those meetings as I can. And when I can’t, to bring that same spirit to as many meetings as I’m in. If there is a dearth in this land, it is for a lack of preaching that provokes people to worship God in Spirit and in truth: that gives Jesus Christ the preeminence, and lifts Him high as an object of wonder and adoration, worthy of worship, love and sacrifice. O what a high estate to be known by Him, to be called His own! O for an insatiable hunger to know Him greater!

 

Pray for us. As we are traveling, pray the Lord fills us with His good Spirit, that we might bring Him glory, and be a help and a blessing wherever He leads us. Pray for our safety. Pray for more opportunities to testify of God’s goodness manifested on the mission field. Pray for our upcoming needs, those here, and those awaiting us when we return. It is human nature to calculate the immensity of a need, against the little at hand, and so grow discouraged. But that equation leaves out the key component: our great Savior. The last day of a three day meeting, and the Savior said they’d close with a meal. Brother Philip surveyed the crowd, and then checked the bank account, and said there wasn’t enough to feed everyone. Brother Andrew went a little farther, and found among the thousands, only one little boy brought lunch, but stated, as a matter of fact, it wasn’t enough. They both had subtracted Jesus; but add the Lord to your want and watch what happens. Bless the Lord, my needs exceed your resources and mine, but not His. Thank you Lord, for meeting all we stand in need of! Help us pray; believe for us when our faith wanes, and we’ll do the same for you. We love you and look forward to hearing from you.

 

Because of a living Savior, The William LeFevre Family

 

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April 2017 Prayer Letter      “...Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.” Acts 15:36

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

 

Last month the Leaches, our fellow missionaries here, returned to the states for furlough. While Bro. Larry is gone, my brother Zachary and I are looking after his meetings. Bro. Larry works with national pastor Ismael; together they take care of eight churches. Ismael is one of our longest serving national pastors.  He’s a good preacher and a loving shepherd to his flock. The last time Bro. Larry returned for furlough, I spent the better part of year going to his churches, learning from Bro. Ismael, growing to appreciate and love his people. They, like their pastor, are a tenderhearted lot. It was good, then, to return to them, to see familiar faces faithfully serving their Lord in their churches.

 

In the village of Stoyan Mihaylovski, the little church continues to thrive. Sister Minka, a widow who opened her house to the church many years ago, recently lost everything in a fire. It seems she was adding wood to her stove when a burning coal rolled out and set the room on fire. Soon, the entire house was engulfed in flames. Sister Minka escaped with her life, and that was it. The only other things to survive the fire were the hymnals the church uses. At present, she spends her time trying to clean up the wreckage and plant and tend her garden. By day, she occupies a stall in an outbuilding where livestock once resided; by night, she stays with a relative nearby. Still, she faithfully attends the meeting and testifies that, while it’s possible to lose everything you have in this life, the word of God will stand the fire. You can also scroll down to see photos of the devastation, and get a sense of what we need to fix it.

 

If you would like to help in the rebuilding of Sister Minka's home, you can make checks payable to:

Charity Baptist Mission P.O. Box 692 Bristol, TN 37621 Memo: Widow Minka’s House

 

Sister Sidika is a doting mother, loving wife, and faithful believer. Her husband, as well, loves the Lord and on meeting day stops work to come to church. The night the fire struck, she was in the crowd watching the destruction, helpless to do anything other than pray. She cried for Minka, for the church, and for those in the crowd mocking the believers. She asked the Lord what she could do. She determined then and there that the church wouldn’t be without a meeting place. She testified a few weeks ago that she had always wanted to host the believers but had never been in a position to. Her little family is desperately poor. They live in a two-room, mud-brick, whitewashed house. The electricity is spotty when working at all. What furniture they have couldn’t be sold, as no one would want it. Sometimes, to accommodate visitors, they bring in logs they haven’t yet split and put a pillow on them for a makeshift chair. Still, as the fire raged, she gave what she had to the Lord and opened her heart and house for the meeting. Every Wednesday now, she’s as happy as a soul can be, watching her heavenly family gather in to sing, pray, and worship God. Last week, at the close of meeting, she said it was on her heart to pray for her friends, that they, too, would come to the meeting and hear the word of God. Yesterday, when we arrived, we were gladly greeted by a house full of new faces. Sister Sidika was ashamed and embarrassed of her poverty, but in opening her house to the Lord Jesus, she found He makes himself quite at home there. In opening her heart to Him, she found He answers exceeding abundantly above all she asks or thinks.

 

I’d like to ask you all for your faith and prayers. We’re slowly making preparations for our upcoming furlough this year. Our needs are many, but I’m not asking for anything more than your help in praying and believing. I’m thankful for all that the Lord Jesus does for us and with us in Bulgaria. I bless the Lord in everything, for good times and hard times. I even thank Him for the ole Devil that fights us, for trials, storms, and valleys. And I thank Him now for what will be, for meeting these things we have need of. I rejoice in their fulfillment. My needs exceed your resources and mine, but not the Lord’s. Our heavenly Joseph is in charge of the storehouses of God’s bounty, and they stand open to needy souls. Help us pray; believe for us when our faith wanes, and we’ll do the same for you. We love you.

 

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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February 2017 Prayer Letter

"And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.    And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch." John 10:22-23

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

The place is Jerusalem; the occasion, the feast of dedication; the season, winter. The air is chill, the landscape bleak, the skies gray; all nature is clothed in death. But then we read these words: "And Jesus walked in." And though time and place remain the same, and the season maintains its predetermined course, there is a change. Though He bears the weight of winter on His head, and His feet burn with the heat of summer, there is a perpetual spring time in His heart, and wherever He goes, harvest follows. As Charles Butler wrote, "Where Jesus is, 'tis Heaven there." It may have been winter outside, but when He walked in, life sprang to attention.

In Genesis chapter eight verse twenty-two, the LORD gave us the seasons in perpetuity. He promised, "While the earth remaineth… summer and winter… shall not cease." For our part it seems He's making good on that promise this winter, as it feels never ending. But, thanks be to God, we have the hope of summer in our hearts. Winters must be endured for summers to be enjoyed; and without "seedtime," there is no harvest. Still, regardless the season, we rest confident that nothing hinders our God: the bitter cold of winter can't chill Him, nor the stifling heat of summer fatigue Him. He is master of tempest and wave; stormy winds fulfill His will; snow and rain accomplish his purpose; night and day are alike to Him; the sun and moon move or stay by His permission; all things were created by Him and for Him and, as such, obey Him. Therefore, come what may, I bless Him. And "when I am happy in Him," John Newton declares, "December's as pleasant as May."

This January, according to the Bulgarian news, has been the coldest in 30 years. We have seen more snow this year than our entire six years on the field, and, according to the other missionaries, more than in their twenty-year tenure. We have been snowed in on several occasions, for days at a time. During the biggest snowfall, two thirds of the country lost power, and in many places, it remained out for days. Ours was reduced to a trickle, with just enough current to charge our cell phones. In our little village, the main road to and from the big cities was completely covered over with drifts. When they opened the main road, we still had to wait a couple of days for them to clear our side roads. Once we were able to get out and about, we were amazed at the sheer amount of snow. The berms the tractors plowed up in opening the roads were well over the top of our vehicle; they created deep, one-lane canyons of snow, that though you could pass through them, you didn't relish the prospect. Stuck at home, I tried to make good use of my time sewing Bibles. At present, the weather has cleared, though it's supposed to get cold again.

During this break in the weather, my brother, Zachary, national pastor Alish, and I headed to Romania to attend the funeral of national pastor Ahmet. Ahmet maintained a good profession before many witnesses. He was saved from a life of alcoholism and abusiveness. He was changed gloriously by the gospel, and set out to preach the Christ that converted him. They said the day he got saved, he entered the church and listened to them sing a hymn that talks about seeing God. He prayed that day that God would make him fit, that he might be able to see Him. The Lord did much more than that, he used Ahmet to show Himself to hundreds. Finally, the other day, Ahmet's very first prayer was answered, and he got to see God. His wife testified at the funeral, "These aren't tears of sadness, these are tears of Joy. My husband's happy and home, and I'm happy for him."

A few days later, all the missionaries and nationals met in Dabravino to sew our reserves of Bibles. Midway through our day, a young couple showed up to the church asking for prayer. It seems the young lady was in the grip of fear, afraid to live, afraid to die. In a few minutes, we had assembled a crowd of believers. We sang, and then Bro. Cheatwood preached from 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." He said the perfect love of Jesus secures us that we need never fear. We don't have to fear Him never loving us, never helping us, never hearing us. At the end of his message, we all knelt around the young couple and prayed for them. By this time, a significant crowd had gathered, and there was power in that prayer. What a marvelous thing! Whether enduring the storms safely at home, shedding tears at a funeral, laboring with brethren to ready Bibles for distribution, crowding around a hurting heart seeking God's strength, the Lord was always near to hand, ready to bless, eager to comfort. Is there anyone like our God? Is there any work better than His?

As of right now, we are planning a furlough this fall. Lord willing, we will return to the states in September, staying through the spring of 2018. I know many of you pastors like to have advanced knowledge to plan accordingly. If you'd like to have us in to update you on the work, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our information is provided in the footer of our prayer letters. God bless you all.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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October 2016 Prayer Letter

"Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people." 1 Chronicles 16:8

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

Demir, a friend and fellow labourer, a national pastor with more than ten churches under his care, joined myself and two other nationals for a work day last week. We were meeting to hand sew Bibles and hymn books. (I never thought I'd be part of a male sewing circle, but the Lord's ways are mysterious.) As the labor is not arduous, there is plenty of time for fellowship while we work. I listened as the nationals recounted bygone days in Bulgaria, and in particular to the early days of this ministry. Demir said, "Years ago, whenever trouble came, whether it was sickness or persecution, we fell to pieces. I can't count how many times we begged, wept, and prayed for deliverance over the smallest trouble. But years have gone by, and we've grown up in the Lord and in His word. We don't fear our troubles anymore. We don't have to run from them. We've learned that when trouble comes, if you'll look around, you'll find the Lord nearby. We don't like them, but we like that the Lord comes with them." His small testimony, given among friends, was as honey to a famished soul: enlightening.

A few weeks ago, trouble came, in the form of our little Dixie Joy contracting pneumonia. She awoke around midnight with shortness of breath. We gave her what medicine we had, and watched her throughout the night. Sunday morning, she was none improved. We decided to take her to the ER. The doctor there diagnosed her with a mild touch of asthma, but to be safe, ordered an x-ray. The x-ray showed pneumonia in one lung. They admitted her into the children's hospital and started her on IV's. Our boys went to stay with their grandparents, Missionary and Mrs. Matt Welch; Hannah stayed with Dixie; and I played errand boy for nurse and patient. Dixie showed progress, while Hannah showed exhaustion (one of the medicines contained a steroid that kept Dixie wired for hours, nay, days on end). Praise the Lord, after four days they sent her home, much improved. A week later, her check-up showed she had completely recovered. While the family seemed scattered, the Lord was nigh to us all, comforted us, kept us, and brought us together again rejoicing.

The saints in Detelina have been begging to visit other churches for a while now. (I was scheduled to take them the day Dixie fell ill.) They're a good lot, strong in the faith, ready always to sing or testify. Last week, at our regular meeting, it seemed like everyone wanted to tell of God's personal handiwork. One girl said, "I've been waiting all week to give a testimony. Last week God nudged me to brag on him, but I was scared. All week long it's been like there's a fire in my heart!" She bragged on the Lord for near fifteen minutes while tears rolled down her cheeks. I was finally able to fulfill my promise, gathering them up early Sunday morning, bundling them off an hour and half away to the village of Zlatna Niva. Our meeting began when we pulled up. The saints from there greeted the saints with me with joy and weeping. The meeting moved into the building, where we sang for over an hour. We prayed and then called for testimonies. They testified for another hour. At preaching time, the power was present. It was by far the easiest time I've had preaching since coming to the field. And I had a cheerleading section that would have put U of T to shame. An hour later, we were all filled, happy, settled and secure in the goodness of our God and His Son, Jesus Christ. The couple of the house, National Pastor Alish and his wife Safet, prepared what was in their hand (bread, pickled peppers, and meatballs), and we all dined with grateful hearts.

The Lord has seemed especially good to us of late. I say "seemed" because the Lord is always good, and seemingly to us in particular. But while the Lord is good, it often takes trouble and trials to center our attention upon Him. Once centered, we find in Him everything we sought elsewhere, and we marvel at his forbearance. I am glad to be a missionary. I am grateful to be laboring (though the work is the Lord's) here, in Bulgaria. I am blessed with a loving wife and three little chips off this big blockhead. I am humbled by your all's love, prayers, and support. Pray for us, that the we might show forth the goodness of Lord Jesus wherever and to whomever the Lord lets us go.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

PS – As of right now, we are planning a furlough in 2017. Lord willing, we would return to the states in September of next year, staying through the Spring of 2018. I know many of you pastors like to have advanced knowledge to plan accordingly. If you'd like to have us in to update you on the work, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our information is provided in the footer of our prayer letters. God bless you all.
 

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July 2016 Prayer Letter

"Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go." Nehemiah 9:19

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

It sure is a comfort to know our gracious God will not, nor cannot forsake us; we are not cast off and have no reason to be cast down. The same guiding hand that led us to himself has promised to lead us home. In the brightness of day, the evidence of His presence is everywhere to be seen; His path lies plain before us. In the blackness of night, though unable to see a great distance, He gives us enough light to see Him, and we are consoled that He's near to hand, comforted that the same illuminating flame keeps the enemy at bay.

Being led of the Lord, we held our second big meeting of the summer recently. Believers came from all over to sing, pray, be edified by preaching, and worship the Lord Jesus. We started the meeting around 5:30 p.m., much later in the evening than usual, to help us beat the summer heat. Still, fetching them from their villages began much earlier in the day. The first service went very well. The singing was powerful; tears flowed freely. Bro. Cheatwood preached the first service from Romans chapter 5 about the love God demonstrated to the most unlikely: the weak, the ungodly, and sinners. After the service, four souls came, confessing their faith in Jesus Christ and desiring to be baptized. While half of the congregation repaired to the evening meal, the other half headed to the river. There, amid singing and praying, these fours souls were baptized, entering into the river with fear and trepidation, exiting with joy unspeakable, received by waiting and welcoming saints.

The last meeting of the evening proceeded much like the first, if not stronger. National pastor Alish testified concerning the death of Yashar, the national pastor he was saved under. He said Yashar had three possessions he was most identified with: a coat, his minivan, and his Bible. At his death, his oldest son took the coat to remember him by; his other son asked for the van; Alish said, "All I wanted was the Bible." Alish testified, "Ten years later, and the coat is gone, the van has since been turned into scrap, but I still have the Bible. Moreover, the son who wanted the coat is no longer in church; the son who drove off in the van went to Europe and ruin; but here I am with the Bible, still in church, still praising God." Later on, while preaching, he said, "As preachers, I'm sure we upset God more than anyone else. Who else plants a crop and then never goes back to see if anything came up? We go everywhere preaching and then are surprised when something grows." Pretty good for a man with only a Bible for an inheritance.

During the second meeting, national pastor Ahmed testified about goings on in Vezenkovo, a village three hours to the southwest, where our farthest church is located. He said last month, during one particular service, a woman visibly distraught came to the door. She was inquiring if anyone knew where "the believers" were. Ahmed answered, "We're the believers." Stunned, the woman said, "I set out from a village down the road, determined to find you. This was the first house I stopped at." She told those assembled of a tragic accident that occurred a few days before, that left her son in a coma, and she was asking them to come and pray. Ahmed took a group and returned to the woman's house. There he found a small congregation of broken-hearted and fearful souls. The man of the house testified to Ahmed, "Years ago, we had nothing and were the poorest people in the village, then Europe opened up to us. We went, worked, saved and got rich, but forgot about God. We never gave a single thought to God. We had everything. If I wanted a house, I'd buy it; if I wanted a car, it was mine. Now I've learned there are things that money can't buy. All my money can't wake my son up. All my money can't buy God." Ahmed preached to them, "What money can't do, faith in Jesus can. We're still poor, but we can talk to God, and he listens and answers." Ahmed said, "We preached to them, prayed, and then went on our way waiting to hear what God would do." A few days later, the answer came. The boy was awake and responsive, able to move his hands and legs. The family has since started attending the meeting in Vezenkovo. Our second service concluded after 10 p.m., and it was well past midnight before I returned home, weary, but happy.

A little more than a week ago now, we received excellent, though unexpected, news. A chance visit to the migration police resulted in learning we could now apply for permanent residence in Bulgaria. (We had been informed, before ever coming here, that obtaining permanent resident status would be a ten-year process. After completing five individual-year visas, we would be eligible for a single five-year visa. After that, we could apply for permanent residency. By that math, we assumed we would be applying for our five-year visa soon.) Delighted, we began the mad scramble to gather up all the paperwork. I first contacted our attorney to relate the good news and solicit his help. He informed us that a mistake had obviously been made, as there was no way possible we could be applying for permanent resident status. He listed his reasons and ruined our elation. Determined to press on, we returned to the migration office and laid out everything he had said before the case workers. They derided his so called "expertise," told us not to pay any attention to him, and assured us they would help us every step of the way. A week to the day, and with special and invaluable assistance from fellow missionary Larry Leach, we were able to turn in our documents. The ladies in the office asked us, "Did that lawyer help you in any way getting these?" "No," we replied. "Good," they answered, as they processed and approved our application. Lord willing, we return in September to pick up our permanent residence visas. On a side note, due to the time constraint (one week from when we were notified, to when we applied), we borrowed the necessary funds. Permanent visas are double the cost of our yearly visa expense, making it around $3,500. Yet, we are confident that the Lord — who led us here, went before us, and prepared the way — will provide. Keep us in your prayers. We love and miss you all.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                 May 2016

 

Years ago, Pastor Fred Potter preached a message from Philippians chapter four that he entitled, “Something to Think About.” He related that the Lord Jesus is the source of all the true, honest, just, pure, He related that the Lord Jesus is the source of all the true, honest, just, pure, and lovely things we know, and that of all the things of good report, He is the best. To think on Him is the best preoccupation of one's mind. Such is life, however, that the cares of this world seek to crowd out the loveliness of our Lord. It is a struggle, therefore, but one well rewarded, to think on Him. Our meditations of Him are a steadying force in an uncertain world. To think on Him is to seek comfort and obtain delight. “My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” Psalm 104:34

 

This past Sunday, I was again in Zlatna Niva, worshiping with fellow believers there. Before service began, two ladies entered, one a regular attendee, one a first-time visitor. The visitor was introduced to all and was welcomed heartily. We began our song service, and soon, through the singing, hearts were opened and tears flowed freely. The visitor sat stunned, wide eyed, and appeared bewildered. As she gazed upon us, she began wiping tears from her own eyes. At the conclusion of the service, while others were leaving, she remained behind, as if rooted in place. Silent through the entire meeting, now she began to sob and talk simultaneously. She testified that she didn't understand what was happening to her, her heart was full to bursting; she had never felt anything like it or heard anything so amazing. She embraced all the women, and weeping tears of new joy, departed. Thank God His presence and the sincere praises of His people are still sufficient to draw sinners to the Savior.

 

Özlem is a beautiful 9-year-old girl who lives in the village of Staro Oryahovo. Her mother, Ahsi, is one of our faithful church members. A few years ago, when the devil came against the meeting there, Ahsi and her sister, P'ska, were some of the few who stayed true, opening their hearts to God and the doors of their houses to what was left of the church. Özlem grew up in that meeting, loves it, and gives herself to the hymns. Last year, when everyone was readying to go to Romania to our bi-annual Turkish camp meeting, Özlem threatened that if we didn't take her, she would pray car trouble on us and storms the whole journey. She won, and went. Recently we learned one of the cults had moved into the village and was trying to recruit children with the promise of games and candy. Özlem's friend invited her, saying, “Come to our meeting, we have candy for you.” Özlem responded, “Come to our meeting, we have Jesus!”, “...Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise...” Matthew 21:16

 

Praise God, the Lord is still working here; though the laborers are few, the labors are increasing. We have installed all the windows and doors in our printing facility in Avren. This week we've been preparing the roof to set the tiles. We'll soon be ready for rewiring and plumbing. Once the roof is tiled, Bro. Ralph will move all of the copiers and printing supplies in, and we'll begin in earnest the printing of New Testaments. Please remember this endeavor. Printing is costly, averaging $1,000 a month, but it's our desire to make the word of God available to all who want it. In addition to printing, we want to begin streaming our Turkish services in Avren, to go where we haven't been as yet, and as supplements to existing meetings, but not in place of them; there is no substitute on earth for the local church. To do this, we are in need of a technology update, a laptop and camera capable of the task. Please help us pray and believe for all of these needs to be met. One more prayer request, not as urgent, but growing so: Our car has been in and out of the shop quite a bit recently, with little problems and big. The rough village roads and long miles are taking their toll, not to mention packing it to capacity with believers bound for meetings. Please help us pray for a replacement. This isn't just our ministry vehicle; this is our only vehicle. Praise God, He knows all of our needs and is the source of all of our hopes and joys. God bless you all. We love and miss you.

 

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family     wdlefevre09@gmail.com  www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres  www.lefevrestoeurope.org

 

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The William LeFevre Family - Missionaries in Bulgaria

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.” Psalm 35:9

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                              December 2015

The holiday season is upon us. We have just celebrated our Thanksgiving here and are preparing for Christmas and the New Year. As believers, however, every day is Thanksgiving; we celebrate every day the Lord's birth, life, death, and resurrection. Still, we don't begrudge a fallen world's attempts at imitating our joy. Some complain, and with good cause, of the world's commercialization and abandonment of the sacred; but what do we expect from those in darkness and at enmity with God? Rather, I praise the Lord that at this season, above all others, whether consciously or in ignorance, the Lord is exalted. Songs and hymns of adoration can be heard in the most unlikely of places. I have heard, “Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord... Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel ” echo through the halls of commerce and fall on seemingly oblivious ears, but it sung, nevertheless. “What then? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” Philippians 1:18 What a privilege is ours then, to guide lost souls from imitation to sincere acceptance, from ignorance and unbelief to faith in the resurrected Christ!

This year, as you know, I've been helping national pastor Alish in his meetings. At the start of the year, Alish pastored ten churches and preached at other meetings beside. Midway through the year, he assumed the care of three more churches without forfeiting any of his regular meetings. On some days we go together to meetings, on others we go to separate meetings. It is my joy to witness these souls growing both in their understanding of the Word and their love and care one for another and those around them. The woman of the house where we meet in Shkorpilovsti has cancer. She has been through several rounds of chemotherapy already, seemingly to no avail. She suffers a great deal from the treatments and a great deal more from her condition. The other day, during our service, she was weeping inconsolably. When it came time to pray, she asked prayer for two boys she had seen at the hospital during her chemo session. She said the boys had been in a terrible accident and were writhing in pain, crying out for relief. Though she suffers pain of an increasing nature and herself often succumbs to its effects, she was moved by the plight of these boys. Her heart was broken for them. She testified, “I suffer with hope, that one day my suffering will all be over. Those boys suffer with no hope, without faith; their sufferings are only starting.” That service she prayed fervently for those souls, and her zeal took hold of our hearts, as well.

Pray for Nasuf. He's one of our national pastors laboring in Targovishte. Recently I was asked to attend his meetings with him and distribute new hymnals to all of his members. I was happy to do so. I was made happier by the welcome I received from all his churches, not just in hospitality shown, but in heartfelt gratitude for our work in the LORD. Nasuf has been having heart trouble, and just this week went for a heart catherization in Sofia. Praise the LORD the procedure went well. Please pray he makes a full and speedy recovery, as we miss him in the work.

With the exception of visas, I seldom mention any of our personal needs. Some churches have chided me for this, stating that's partly the reason for prayer letters. I chafe at this and don't want to be burdensome, but on this occasion trust to your understanding and ask your prayers. Our winter wood supply, our primary heating source, is depleting rapidly. So please pray that either the LORD turns up the heat or sends in the wood. God bless you all. We love and miss you, and more so during the holidays. From our family to yours, we pray you have a Merry and Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

Contact Information:  wdlefevre09@gmail.com - www.facebook.com/bulgarianlefevres - www.lefevrestoeurope.org

 

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“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

[I posted some of this on our Facebook page, but for those of you who don't Facebook, I thought I'd send it in an email as well. It's an answer to prayer, a testimony of God's goodness, His care, and provision. What a blessing to see His handiwork, and to know that He does things just for us!]

We begin our visas for another year. While the whole process takes about a month, from application to finally picking up our visas/id cards, we begin making preparations mid Spring. It's one of the more stressful things we have to deal with to live and work here.

This year we hit a bit of a snag early on. It came to my attention that Christian and my passports were due to expire, and that we would need new ones prior to applying for visas. Normally that's not a problem, new passports are fairly easy and quickly obtained. However, and unbeknownst to us, we learned from direct communication with our embassy, America is experiencing difficulty and delays in processing passport applications worldwide. We were advised to apply as early as possible, which we then did.

After a month had elapsed, with no word from the embassy, our lawyer phoned us this past Friday to ask for our updated information. When I mentioned we had not received our passports, he asked when had we applied. Mid July was my answer. He informed me, that on average it's taking at least four months from the date of application, and that's with constant communication with the embassy. We discussed various scenarios and options should our passports not arrive before our visa renewal in a couple of weeks. We decided to wait on it, and see what, if anything would develop over the weekend. We ended the conversation on a general note of anxiety and despair.

Yesterday morning, at the breakfast table, after rehashing the lawyers conversation, and fed up with worry, we committed the matter to God, trusting him for whatever the outcome. A few minutes later, national pastor Alish called me to say, our meetings had been canceled for the day, and that I was free to do whatever. A few minutes after that, Hannah came down from upstairs, having just heard from the embassy that our new passports were ready and waiting, and that if our schedule permitted, we could come that day for pick up. I grabbed my hat, wallet, and keys, and with my old passports in hand, headed to Sofia. I returned, twelve hours later, exhausted but rejoicing.

My text for today's meetings was, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6 Thank God, The Lord knows what we have need of before we ask, and when we ask he can sure get it done in a hurry.

More paperwork to get done this week, and then we reapply the second of September. However, knowing the Lord is on your side makes things a lot easier. Pray for us.

On a personal note, we're doing well. Carrick will begin first grade in a few weeks. He's our top student at LeFevre Home-School Academy. For the last two years he's been our only student. However, this year he will be joined by new enrollee, Christian. I would say that Christian is excited to start school, but I think that would be an exaggeration. I think Christian is intrigued by the concept of school, it's the mandatory attendance and participation he might find difficult. We'll see.

As many of you had heard, Carrick suffered a fractured ankle mid July, an unfortunate accident on a trampoline. He has now been officially cleared to resume life as he knew it. After the doctor's pronouncement, he was so excited to show me he was better, he jumped off a high porch nearly sending us all into cardiac arrest. He landed safe and sound and all smiles, until he saw our terrified expressions. We gently urged him to reconsider jumping from heights for the immediate future, to which he responded positively.

Dixie Joy is ten days away from turning one. She can say Daddy, and that's it, but that's enough for me. She is on the verge of walking, like she is on the verge of saying Momma, almost, but not quite. She is petite for her age, still in nine month clothing. She has white blond hair, bright blue eyes, and an infectious smile. She prefers the company of anyone who will promptly put her on the floor to crawl around.

Hannah is well, and more than anyone else, ready for school to begin. The temperature has dropped into the low seventies here, the sky is gray, and portending rain, and Hannah is in her element. She loves this time of year. Very soon the house will be decked in all the glories of Fall. I haven't the heart to tell her the weatherman is giving Summer another few weeks to do its worst.

The meetings I attend to are all doing well. A couple of weeks ago, my brother Zachary attended with me. It made me very happy to be in church with him, just to lead singing and listen to him preach. All of the churches were blessed, and entreated his soon return. With the break in the weather, services will be a little easier. It's a shade difficult trying to sing and preach when it's ninety-five outside and no breeze inside. By the second meeting you look and feel like you've been to a baptism and fell in. Alish had started packing extra shirts on days with multiple meetings.

Whatever the weather, I'm thankful to be here. These Gypsy-Turks are a despised people, oft neglected of men, sometimes rightly so. Still, the Lord of Glory is a frequent guest in their hovels, and I'm blessed to be there when He is. Yesterday, at our little house church in Krivnia, fourteen souls gathered to worship God, and He came to accept it.

Moses was a man “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians”, “mighty in words and in deeds”, but one day it came to his heart to visit his brethren. I reckon after that visit, he was never the same. He refused a place in Pharaoh's home, the pleasures of sin, and Egypt's treasures to bear the burdens of the people of God. Moses chose his crowd, knowing the cost, but confident in the blessings. One day it came into my heart to visit God's people, and like Moses, things were different after that. I'm not as smart as he was, and certainly lack the education, but you don't have to have exceptional intelligence to choose right or good, just enough to know the difference. Like Moses, I made the people of God my choice, and haven't regretted it. I'd rather be in the little unknown unheralded gypsy meeting, singing the praises of our great Redeemer, and testifying of His grace, than anyplace else on earth. And I think the Lord would too.


Pray earnestly for us. We love and miss you all. May God continue to richly bless you for Jesus' sake.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

 

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“Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart:  for consider how great things he hath done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:24
 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord, July 2015

“The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” (Psalms 126:3) We have just returned from our Missionary Camp Meeting. As many of you know, we gather three times a year with the other missionary families cooperating together in this work, for the exaltation of the Savior and edification of the saints. Our Spring and Fall meetings last from Wednesday until Sunday. However, in the summer, we meet for ten days. This last meeting was perhaps one of the best we've been in since our arrival on the field. One night in particular, the Lord's presence was especially strong, and by the end of the night seven souls had been saved. The service spilled over from the church room to the dining room and continued well into the night. Over the course of the week, many prayers were answered. Indeed it seemed that whatever we asked, the Lord answered. The meeting was completed with a baptism at the Black Sea. It was then with a bitter sweetness we departed Sunday afternoon. I sympathize with the Apostle Peter, who on the Mount of Transfiguration expressed a desire to build tabernacles and tarry where they had witnessed the Lord in his glory. And yet, glory to God! We found the Lord awaiting us as we returned to the little village church and our regular meetings. In the village of Shkorpilovtsi this last Friday, closing prayer felt like we were more in heaven than on earth. If you'd like to partake of some of our services, you can join us on our YouTube channel: Brookside East Baptist Church.

The last few months us missionary men have been taking a few days out of our schedule every week to work on our Bible printing facility in the village of Avren. Bro. Cheatwood purchased the house and property two years ago. It used to be a cheese factory before it fell into disuse and disrepair. It was Bro. Cheatwood's burden to “do what we can and believe God to do what we can't.” So, by faith, we have been slowly tearing away the old failing substructure in preparation for new construction. Our aim is to have a room for the church, an area for the printing and assembling of Bibles and hymnbooks, and finally a living area for a facility caretaker. We trust the Lord will provide; help us pray it in.

Summer is on us. Many of our believers are busied with seasonal work. Church attendance is down because of this, but the Spirit of God is still rich unto all that call upon Him. Every week, in almost every meeting, someone stands and testifies of God's protection or provision. This week alone, a number of our elderly women testified of God's grace, how the Lord had given them strength equal to the day. In the village of Staro Oryahovo, a young lady testified recently: “I don't know what we are. The Bulgarians wont claim us because they say we are Turks. The Turks don't want us because they say we're Gypsies. The Gypsies say we can't speak their language, so we don't belong to them. The Muslims don't want us because we've turned to Jesus. The Orthodox say we're not Christians because we don't cross ourselves. I guess we're just Believers.” What a glorious privilege, to be rejected by men and yet accepted in the beloved, all by faith in the Lord Jesus.

Pray earnestly for us. We love and miss you all. Our every need is known to the Lord, and we marvel at his provision.

Because of a living Saviour, The William LeFevre Family

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“For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth;
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” Isaiah 61:11

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,       April 2015

Spring has arrived in Bulgaria. A revival is taking place. The deadness of Winter is giving way to new life. Flowers are appearing, sometimes springing up in the most unlikely of places. The birds have regained their song. The fields, sown when everything was gray and dreary, are now green and lush. In every village the conversation centers itself upon what has been planted, how it is progressing, how to maintain it, and what remains to be done, all in earnest expectation of harvest. So too goes the work of God.

Since late Winter I have been attending meetings with Alish the younger. We traveled together four years ago, when I first arrived, and it is good to return to his meetings. Presently Alish is pastoring fourteen churches. A couple of years ago I wrote about his church in Staro Oryahovo; about how they needed to build an additional room due to increased attendance. Well, wherever the Lord is blessing the enemy is sure to fight. The family in whose house the church met, assumed preeminence over the pastor, and consequently splintered the church. Alish was devastated, naturally. He went from having a thriving church, with the need for additional meetings to accommodate people's hunger, to not even having a home for the faithful handful to meet in. One of his number volunteered to open a room to make due for the next service. At that service another member volunteered their home for a service. And so it continues to this day, except, it is no longer just meeting a necessity, believers are clamoring to have the church meet in their home. The woman of the house we met in last week, stood, testifying with tears in her eyes, how thankful she was that the church had come to her house. So thankful are the hosts and hostesses, that in many cases, to show their appreciation they fix a meal. What the enemy had thought would be their ruin, God turned into their blessing.

On Sundays, Bro. Cheatwood, our senior missionary, travels with us, and preaches at the meetings. He is 76 years old. Years ago, when the work began here, Bro. Ralph said it was his desire to take the right word in the right spirit to the people of Bulgaria. Bro. Ralph's advice for missionaries? Love the people and learn their language. He has given his life to the translation of the bible into Turkish. He works day and night, pouring himself into this labor of love. It is therefore both a blessing and privilege to watch him at work in the meetings, to hear him preach, to see his love. A few weeks back, after the last service of the day in Goren Chiflik, a woman who had attended the meeting invited us back to her house. There she confessed she wanted to be a believer but was fearful. For an hour Bro. Ralph addressed her fears, and witnessed to her one on one of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. At the conclusion of his efforts, he told her we'd have prayer for her, and invited her to give her fears to God. We all knelt and prayed, and watched as a woman found a comforter.

Thank God for faithful words and a loving witness.

Pray earnestly for us. We love and miss you all. May God continue to richly bless you for Jesus' sake.

Because of a living Saviour,The William LeFevre Family

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“There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” Psalms 46:4

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                             February 2015

The Kamchia River starts high in the Balkan mountains, flowing eastward, eventually emptying into the Black Sea just south of Varna. It flows near many of the villages where we hold meetings and, in some instances, directly through the village. In fact, every summer for the past several years, we have baptized in the Kamchia where it flows nearest our central church in the village of Dabravino. Recently, due to a mild winter and prodigious rains, the Kamchia river basin has flooded. At one point, many houses adjacent to the river had to be evacuated, and many of the surrounding fields, planted in cold-weather crops, resembled vast lakes. Driving by the flooded areas with a car load of believers headed to a meeting, we couldn't help but marvel at the scope and the effects of the flooding. I was reminded of the river Ezekiel notes in chapter 47, proceeding from the sanctuary, growing ever deeper the farther it travels. Unlike the Kamchia, this “River of God” brought healing and life wherever it flowed. While Ezekiel's river is physical, I couldn't help but draw certain spiritual parallels between it and the rivers our Lord mentions in John 7:38: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” This “river of the Spirit” proceeds from God out of the sanctuary, through believers, to bring life and healing to a world devastated by Satan and sin. Just as we witnessed the damage and loss the Kamchia's overflowing wrought, at the meeting we marveled at the scope and effects, equally as literal, the River of God has produced here among the Gypsy-Turks. While we pray for those effected by the weather, and thank God for the Kamchia's subsiding, we rejoice we have another river and pray it floods often. Like Daniel Whittle wrote, “Mercy drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead.” Pray for another heavenly deluge here in Bulgaria.

For the last two years, as many of you know, we have resided in a small apartment in Varna. We don't take for granted the Lord providing this place for us. It was what we needed and where we needed to be. With the addition of Dixie Joy and all the accoutrements a new baby requires, not to mention the increasing energy growing boys need to expend, our apartment has shrunk. We have been praying the Lord would open up something a little more suited to our expanding family for some time, but all searches and inquiries led nowhere. Just recently, however, in answer to many prayers, we found a house for rent. It is located in the village of Levski, 30 minutes to the east of where we live now. It has everything we had been looking for: a walled in yard for the boys, another bedroom for the baby, and more than double the space we have now. The icing on the cake? It's only 50 leva more a month than what we're paying now. You can't tell me our God isn't interested in details. He knows our needs better than we do. So, by the next prayer letter, Lord willing, we will be country folks again, living in a new village in a new place. Please pray for us as we make this transition.

Since late September of last year, I have been attending my brother Zachary's meetings. I welcomed the opportunity to return to these meetings. It has been good seeing his people again, especially since my ability to communicate has improved since the last time I had been in their homes. In the village of Sekulovo, the man of the house fell desperately ill. His wife, distraught by thoughts of life without him, was the very definition of importunity. She pursued us by every means at her disposal, at one point offering to come to Varna to get me; she would not be denied. When finally we returned to the village, we found the man unable to rise from his bed. We prayed for him, committing his recovery to God, and paid his way to the hospital. At the hospital, he was denied admittance due to his lack of insurance. He returned home, where we prayed for him again the following week. Returning this week, a crowd had gathered. We found him up and about, in good health and spirits. His wife testified that whatever his illness was, it was gone, and that the Lord had done what the doctors refused to do.

The Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting. His blessings are ever new and exceeding abundant. He not only knows us, he loves us and delights to help us. We thank God for every one of you. You are often in our prayers, that the Lord who has blessed us bless you more. We miss you all. Please keep us on your hearts and in your prayers. Our needs and the needs of this work are many, and every one known to God, and we rest in the promise that He will meet them all for His glory. We love you all.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. ” 1 Chronicles 16:7
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                 November 2014

We've just returned from our final missionary camp meeting of 2014. It was a privilege to spend our time in adoration of our Lord and in fellowship with our fellow laborers. The two verses above represent a command and exhortation, a cause and effect. Obeying the caveats of the first verse will produce the sincere declarations of the second. We saw this illustrated in our meeting and see it fulfilled time and again. In song and in testimony, we gave thanks unto the Lord; before and during our services, we called upon His name; His deeds were made known in preaching, morning and evening. In such an atmosphere, it didn't take long for our hearts to express His goodness, thankful for His eternal mercies. I can't think of a better way to return to regular meetings and head into Thanksgiving than fresh out of a good camp meeting.

The weekend prior to our American meeting, a Turkish meeting was held in Romania. Many testimonies were given of God's guiding hand. National Pastor Ali told of his recent stay in the hospital. He was admitted due to heart problems but was determined not to spend the time in fear or worry. He took his New Testament and was comforted out of the eleventh chapter of John, where Jesus said, “This sickness is not unto death.” Believing he would soon be better, he considered why he was in there to begin with. It didn't take him long to understand he was there to help others. The other men in the room began to inquire about what he was reading. By the end of his stay, he was able to witness to everyone he shared a room with, praying with some, receiving invitations for meetings from others. During the course of our meeting, several others gave similar testimonies. It's a joy to see the workings of the Spirit of God in the maturing of our believers' faith.

One of the themes that came out of our English camp meeting was “rejoicing regardless.” A theme or a topic is never set, and all the singers and preachers have license to preach as the Lord leads. It is a marvel, then, to see how songs and sermons issuing from many different but sincere sources deliver the same message. Senior missionary Ralph Cheatwood had the song “It Is I” on his heart at the outset. The last line of the chorus reads, “You can't go under, for I'll take you over, don't be afraid, 'It is I.'” We might not rejoice for the storm, but we can rejoice in the storm. In the world, we are at present in days of unavoidable tumult, but we are not left alone, and the tumult works for the child of God, not against. This is the day of the Muslim, the day of Islam, but the day of the Lord advances fast. Thanks be to God.

Our needs are many, and every one known to God, and we rest in the promise that He will meet them all for His glory. Keep us in your prayers, as you all are in ours. We love you all.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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                                                       September 2014 Prayer Letter                       “Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.” Psalm 90:16

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

On Sunday, August 31, at 9:45 in the evening, Dixie Joy LeFevre made her entrance into this world. She weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and was 19 1/2” long. Hannah did marvelously throughout the delivery. We had our trepidations about giving birth in Bulgaria, and when we arrived at the hospital at the time of delivery, some of the equipment and nursing methods increased our concerns. But in the end, by the grace, mercy, and help of our God, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. As of the writing of this letter, both mother and baby are doing fine, healthy and enjoying home life with us boys.

We write also to praise the Lord for supplying another year's visas. Our visa renewal applications were due the same time as the baby. We talked to the Department of Immigration, which told us the baby can come whenever she wants to, but your paperwork cannot; it must be turned in on time. The Lord assisted us, and our paperwork was completed and turned in just a few days before Dixie arrived. As of this week, we payed for our fourth-year visas and are now awaiting our new identity cards. The Lord is good.

I'd like to inform everyone of our new Facebook page, The LeFevres in Bulgaria (www.facebook.com/Bulgarian LeFevres). Hannah and I have individual pages as a means of communication to keep up with family and friends here and abroad. The new page is exclusively related to the work and will be used to give real-time updates as to what's happening in the ministry in Bulgaria and Romania. Please, if you have access to the internet, give us a visit, view our photos and videos, and help us spread the word concerning the Lord's work here.

Finally, brethren, pray for us. Very soon we'll have to travel across country with our newborn and apply for her passport and American birth certificate at the embassy, and then returning, apply for her visa. Please keep Dixie Joy in your prayers for her health, growth and safety. Also, our little family has an unspoken request that we would appreciate you all remembering; the Lord knows, and we thank Him for his eventual supply. We love you all. God bless you.

Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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June 2014

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:19

Our praying friends and family in the Lord, 

Our time in America is drawing to a close. While we complete our scheduled visits, regretting those we missed this furlough, missing those we've met, we are beginning the preparations for our return to the work. We have been gone only a few short months, but as our treasure remains in Bulgaria our hearts are ever pulled in that direction. We have heard good reports in our absence and are anxious to rejoin our fellow missionaries and resume our small part in reaching the gypsy Turks with the gospel.

As many of you know, Hannah is expecting our third child in September. The Lord granted us the desires of our heart, and we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our first little girl, Dixie Joy. As our flight draws near, please be in prayer for Hannah's health, as well as the baby's. At present we are planning on being overseas for the baby's birth. Obviously, should anything arise putting either Hannah or the baby at risk, our plans would change. Should we make it safely back, keep Hannah in your prayers for peace of mind and a healthy delivery.

A few days ago a fellow missionary contacted me. He is leaving the field, returning to the States permanently. He is selling his house in preparation for his return. He called in order to offer it to me first before he put it on the market. He had it appraised at €39,000 or $45,000. As I had no ready capital, I told him I'd pray and see what the Lord would do. We know that, because of a new arrival, when we return we will have to find a place bigger than our current apartment in Varna. A house in the village would be a great blessing, and, by faith, an eventuality. Whether the Lord's timing is now or later, I don't know. I do know where I deserve to live, and thank God for mercy that delivered me from it. Regardless of where we wind up, I am just happy and blessed he included me in His work, in this work. So long as God is with us, whenever, wherever, we're happy. Please remember these special concerns of ours, that the Lord would both show us his will, and provide what we need.

I preached the other day from the text prefacing this letter, Matthew 18:19. It is the verse God sent us out with on deputation. It is the verse God sustained and sustains us with on the mission field. I have seen it fulfilled time and again in our lives and in the lives of those to whom we minister. The key to the verse is the word “agree,” meaning to come under the weight of the same burden. Though the participants are plural, the cause is singular; that is, we both earnestly desire the same thing – the will of God being done – for the same reason: to bring glory to Jesus Christ. The Lord knows the needs of this work and its workmen. Please, please agree with us in prayer that all would be met to the glory of Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. If you will agree with us, we have the assurance that “it shall be done”. May the Lord richly bless you. We love you all.

Because of a living Saviour, The William LeFevre Family

PS - Please pray for our church in Asparuhovo, a subdivision of Varna.  On the 19th of this month this area received torrential rains and experienced major flooding.  Twelve people lost their lives.  Thankfully none of our church members died, however, a few lost their homes in the catastrophe.  Please pray all the souls affected by the flood, and for our church members, that the Lord might restore all they lost.  A few of our missionaries are assisting in their relief, pray for them as well.

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Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                                                                                          April 2014

“Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.”  2nd John 1:12

We have returned.  Actually we've been in the states for a month now but haven't been "up" to traveling. Our flights over were excellent. We departed Sofia, Bulgaria, early on the morning of the 4th of March. All of our flights passed smoothly, our layovers minimal.  We arrived in Nashville, Tenn., greeted at our gate by a Delta employee saying there had been an accident and that the person sent to meet us had fallen on ice outside and was consequently rushed to the nearest emergency room.  Though exhausted, we fetched our luggage, entered the awaiting vehicle, and made our way to the emergency room of Summit Medical Center.  There we found my mother, laid out wearing a neck brace, suffering from the effects of a concussion.  We waited with her until they admitted her and then headed home.  All in all, the last few hours of our journey seemed to eclipse the whole both in time passed and stresses endured.  My mother stayed an additional two days at the hospital, returning to us better, but still suffering residual effects of the concussion.

As my mother convalesced, we waited to appropriate a vehicle.  Our mission board has use of a Nissan Quest, graciously provided by New River Baptist Temple of Radford, Va., and Pastor Gary Stike. After having a low- mileage motor installed, we were informed the vehicle's readiness would coincide with the Tri-State Baptist Camp Meeting at our home church.  While waiting at Mom's, we were blessed to attend our home-away-from-home church, Calvary Baptist of McMinnville, TN.  To be honest, the preaching of Pastor Fittis and the fellowship of the saints there so refreshed us, we were in no hurry to obtain our ride.

Finally, though, Hannah's brother Matthew came over from Bristol and drove us back to East Tennessee toward the end of March.  The days spent in camp meeting there were worth the time spent waiting. It was refreshing renewing old acquaintances, preaching and being preached to.  From the camp meeting services of Brookside Baptist Church, in our new transportation, we headed back to Middle Tennessee and to the 2nd annual missions conference at Calvary Baptist. 

The missions conference passed too quickly; had it been a month of meetings, it would have been over too soon. How can missionaries recount the works of God witnessed over years in a few days?  Like the beloved apostle expressed in John 21:25, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”  In the recounting of testimonies and rekindling the fires of our hearts; in the reminding of the blessings behind us and the challenges before us; in the preaching, singing, praying and fellowship our hearts were stirred again.  Were I not a missionary presently, I would surrender anew.
 
Having now obtained a means of transportation, if you would like to set up a definite time for us to present the work, my American cell # is (931) 252-1614.  I can also be reached at (615) 215-1211 or at the email address listed under contact information.  Pray for us. We love you and pray God blesses you all richly. 
Because of a living Saviour, The William LeFevre Family

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Dear praying friends,                                                                                                                                     August 2013

Please help us pray.  As I wrote in our last prayer letter, over the last two and half years we've been here, we have always applied for our visas in October.  Our attorney prepares the paperwork well ahead of time, usually in mid-Summer so that it's ready when necessary.  This also helps stagger our payments, as we pay his fee earlier.  This year there has been a change in the law, and anyone seeking visas are required to submit their applications 45 days in advance, a fact our attorney failed to mention to us when he contacted us to begin this years visa application.  That means our application is due next week.  Presently we lack the funds requisite for our visas.  The Lord knows our need.  Please help us pray and believe to see it met.  The Lord bless you.

Sincerely for Him, William LeFevre

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“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4
 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

The last two months have been busy but blessed. Since our last letter, we have had two more Turkish meetings and our American camp meeting. The first of these meetings saw close to 300 souls coming out to worship the Lord, of whom 30 came to publicly confess their faith in Christ by following the Lord in baptism. Three hundred souls singing their hearts out on an early July evening in a room built for half that many made things almost unbearably hot, but we cheerfully carried on. As one brother remarked, “Think of how many preachers and missionaries would love to have our problems - too many people!” At the start of the service, several men came through with newly printed hymn books and New Testaments. Immediately people began clamoring for a hymn book. When they discovered we were giving away Bibles as well, they began to surge forward almost to the point of trampling others to obtain a copy of God's word. Again a fellow missionary remarked, “Years ago they acted this way when we gave out bread. Now they're hungry for the word of God.”

We decided to scale our second meeting back some, and we were able to proceed more effectively. In this meeting, another 19 souls who had trusted the Lord during the year came to be baptized. These baptismal services are some of the most blessed. Family members rejoice to see loved ones follow the Lord. During this last meeting the Alishes, Pastor Alish the elder from Zlatna Niva and Pastor Alish the younger from Dabravino, were brought to tears as both were able to baptize family. Several of our longtime believers, as well, came to be baptized. Their faith in the Lord grew to master their fear of the water.

Earlier this month, a group of Americans visited the work in Romania on a medical missions trip. Not only did they aid the people with medicines and rudimentary health care, but they were also able to assist in some much-needed work around the children's home. While conducting a clinic in a nearby village, a boy was brought in with a severely abscessed tooth. Half the child's face was swollen to near bursting. The doctor, upon seeing him enter, remarked the boy needed to be hospitalized immediately, that his life was in jeopardy from the infection. This was translated to his mother, who declined not only to take him, but also for an ambulance to be called. Several frustrating minutes passed trying to reason with this woman to no avail. At the last, they obtained permission to at least pray with the boy. Everyone present, inside and out, felt the urgency of the situation, and with one heart and mind called on the Lord to intervene. Within moments of finishing the prayer, an ambulance pulled up outside, asking if anyone there had called them. When they saw the boy and heard the explanation, they immediately conducted him to the hospital. We heard later in the week that the boy was much improved.

Pastor Ismael received bad news this last week. After a trip to a specialist in the capitol of Sofia, he was told he has a cancerous tumor in his head. He has started chemotherapy. In spite of this setback, he attended our big meeting in Dabravino and has remained faithful to go to his meetings. When I mentioned it might be better for him to rest at home for awhile, he said, “I don't know how many more days I have. I want to go as long as I can.”

Please keep us in your prayers. We submit our paperwork for our third-year visas soon, and as yet lack the funds for their payment. But my Lord is faithful and will see to all our supply. God is so good.

Because of a living Saviour, The William LeFevre Family
 

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“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  Psalm 118:23

 

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,                                                                                                  June 25, 2013

We have begun our series of summer Turkish meetings.  This month's meeting took place in Dabravino, Bulgaria.  More than 200 souls came out to sing, pray, testify and listen to preaching.  Last month, in Romania, was our first big gathering of believers for the year.  We met for three days and two nights at facilities belonging to our children's home.  The property is the former residence of the mayor of Constanta, who was no friend of the gypsies.  It is a blessing to behold the handiwork of the Lord and to witness these poor, despised, and most neglected members of his constituency worshipping God in the former mayor's living room.  We were able to bring more than 40 souls up from Bulgaria, each missionary making two trips.  It was a long day of driving, fetching people to the meeting, but the joy that filled their souls that weekend repaid any toil on our part.

One of the believers that rode with me to the meeting was a middle-aged woman named Ihtsaniye.  Though faithful in church attendance, Ihtsaniye had never, ever testified or indeed said much of anything in church other than “hello”.  On our way home from the meeting, I couldn't believe the change the Lord had made in her.  She was freely praising the Lord, singing for joy without a care in the world.  Since returning from Romania, she has testified at every meeting we attend and often begs to carry our bags to and from the services.

During a break between services, at this first meeting, I was conversing with a small group of people.  A couple of them remarked at my progress in the language and said they had been praying for me.  One woman in particular, Narchis by name, said she prays night and day that I learn good Turkish.  She is a Romanian-Turkish believer.  She said that several years ago, before Zachary moved down to Bulgaria, she overheard him listening to a sermon of an American preacher.  She said she couldn't understand a word of English, but something moved her heart at the preaching.  She asked who it was, and Zachary replied, “My brother.” She said from that day on she began to pray that God would bring me to the mission field.  And now she prays I learn Turkish that I might preach to her.

The last two months we have been engaged in mission work of another kind.  Once a week, as many men who are free meet together with Bro.  Ralph to proofread the New Testament.  We have only the gospels remaining to proof, and then we'll begin putting together New Testaments and gospel portions for distribution.  In addition to proofreading, we have been hand-making hymnals.  A few days before our most recent meeting, we gathered to put together and hand-sew more than 150 hymnals.  We hope that, by the end of summer, every believer in every church will have his or her own hymnal and, soon, his or her own Bible.

Remember to keep us in your prayers.  Hannah and I recently celebrated five years of wedded bliss.  Pray that God gives us many, many more.  Remember us also as we begin again the task of renewing our visas.  Our attorney has already contacted us to begin paperwork to be filed in October.  I suppose it takes that long to navigate the halls of bureaucracy, obtaining the same permissions from new government officials.  The Lord knows all about it; he certainly knows more than anyone else in Bulgaria about visas, and we trust he will see to their supply.  God is so good.

 

Because of a living Saviour, The William LeFevre Family

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“This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”  Psalm 118:23

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

It may sound strange, but one of the hardest tasks a missionary obligates himself to is the writing of prayer letters, particularly in this work.  Where does one begin?  I feel, as John wrote, that there are so many things the Lord has done, that I have heard or witnessed, “...the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books”.

Since my brother’s return from America I have been at liberty to attend the meetings of some of our other nationals.  For three weeks or more, I opted to go with Pastor Ahmet.  Ahmet is perhaps the hardest working national I know.  He looks after 17 house churches, and maintains at least two big gardens to help feed his family and pay his way.  His churches are also the farthest away from where he lives.  On Mondays he heads up the Black Sea coast to Balchik, while Thursday through Saturday finds him in the Balkan Mountains, about two and half hours from his home.  And he treats each church with the same care, as if they were his only church, dedicating to each one the same amount of time and attention to detail.  Ahmet is by no means a loud or overly dramatic preacher, but his messages ring with the confidence that if you believe God he’ll do the same for you.  And all his meetings reflect the same hospitality and generosity he shows.  In some meetings he has to cut the testimonies short to allow time for preaching, the result of his contagious faith.  In Varbitsa he has a Gypsy meeting.  While all our Turkish gypsies love to sing, pray and testify, the gypsies of Varbitsa do it with reckless abandon.  In the short time I’ve been here, I haven’t heard a more exuberant or joyful bunch of singers as reside in Varbitsa.  Their joy is made all the more poignant, because the house where we meet is less than fifty feet from the village mosque.  And while the call to prayer does little to move the ritualistic Muslim, the songs of Zion raise the roof of the shack next door.  Several years ago, on our honeymoon, we were able to visit the great Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, the jewel of Ottoman Islam.  A little ways away stood the famed Saint Sophia church, a religious marvel of Eastern Roman antiquity.  But neither of them hold a candle to the little dilapidated house on the hill in the mountain village of Varbitsa, where God comes down and visits with his people.

Bro.  Larry Leach has returned to America for furlough.  In his absence I’ll be going to his meetings with national Pastor Ismael.  All of Bro.  Larry’s churches were sad to see him go.  My first visits in his stead, they all told how they cried the hour they knew Larry and his family were in the air.  Pastor Ismael said, “It was like my own son was leaving me.” One woman, a little vague on international travel, assumed Larry would be taking a balloon to America, and asked how many days it would take.  Still, all of his churches have received me graciously.  On the way to the first meeting I asked Bro. Ismael who normally did the preaching.  He replied, “Sometimes it was me, sometimes it was Larry, but now it’s you – all you!” I said, “But I don’t even know Turkish!”  He replied, “Öğrenmek lazım” – you’ll have to learn.  Please pray then, that my Turkish is not only understandable but edifying.

Recently I was able to accompany Bro. Ahmet in the flour distribution.  As he's been doing this a number of years now, he had it down to a science.  Four of us, myself, Ahmet and two other nationals, followed the flour truck in a separate vehicle as we made our way to the villages.  In the village, Ahmet instructed the driver which house to go to, and how many bags of flour would be offloaded.  At the house, Ahmet inquired as to the best place to store the bags while we began the offloading.  Let me say here, that it was a stroke of genius on the part of whichever missionary ordered the flour in 25 kilogram bags as opposed to the customary 50 kilogram bags; it was twice the work, but less wear and tear on us.  It was softly raining on this particular day, so that by the time we finished the day, we looked as though we had collapsed in concrete, rather than having carried flour.  Typically, as we worked a crowd would gather, eyes wide, as bag after bag of flour was taken into usually the poorest house in the village.  It was a blessing to know, that truly, “the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.”  What a testimony!

For the last few months, Bulgaria has been in turmoil.  What started as a protest against sky-rocketing energy costs, quickly turned into a rage against the entire Bulgarian political system.  So rapidly did things escalate, that the prime minister's entire cabinet resigned soon after the protests began.  And a few weeks ago, less than a mile from where we live, on the steps of the state capitol, a man set himself afire – dying in protest of a failing government.  In the villages, the topic of conversation revolves around the amount of money they receive in pensions verses what they have to pay for medicine and utilities.  As Bulgaria is the poorest country in the EU, the average worker making 540 lev a month ($360), and the average pensioner receiving less than half of that, they can't do both.  It's either buying medicine and defaulting on utilities or vice versa.  Regarding the unbelievers, it is easy to see the magnitude of their predicament, and sympathize with their feelings of hopelessness, frustration and resentment.  And yet, faced with the same difficulties, our believers maintain their hope in God who hears and answers their prayers.  In the village of Mirovsti, a woman testified that her pension was far less than the medicine her doctor prescribed for a life-long affliction.  She got tired of always borrowing to make ends meet.  One day, in her frustration, she complained to the Lord that he was going to have to do something about it, because she couldn't live like that anymore.  She went for her regularly scheduled checkup, and after all her tests came back, the doctor said she no longer had to take the medicine; she was cured.  She returned home, and in few months had paid off all her creditors.

Given the state of affairs presently existing in Bulgaria, it is easy to see and understand the joy that accompanies receiving a couple bags of flour and bottle of oil.  It means that amidst all of their present uncertainties, they don't have to worry about eating.  It also means, as Bro. Zach recently preached to them from the life of Elijah, that while everything around them is drying up, God still takes care to provide for his own.  We are still in the process of buying and distributing flour and oil if anyone else is interested in getting in on the blessing.

 Pray for our family.   The Lord knows all our needs and sees, and will see, to their supply.   God is so good.

 We love you all.   God bless you.

 Because of a living Saviour,  The William LeFevre Family

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"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

Our praying friends and family in the Lord,

Happy New Year from Bulgaria! We pray your holiday season was a blessed one. Every season with the Lord Jesus is blessed, and every place sacred. We thank the Lord for the blessings of 2012 and look forward with expectant hearts for the blessings of 2013.

This month my brother Zachary returns from America. The last few months we have concerned ourselves with finding a place to move into as we depart his house. Thankfully, we have found an apartment in Varna and will occupy it for the foreseeable future. While we are overjoyed to have the LeFevres back, we are saddened to relinquish this part of the work. The believers in Zlatna Niva and the churches under Zach's care have endeared themselves to us. In every home, in every service we are made to feel like family.

In mid-December we received our first snowfalls. After the first snowfall we made our way as usual to our northernmost meetings. While the roads were relatively clear in our village, farther north they were treacherous. At our first really rough patch of snow, all the believers, including Alish the national pastor, said to turn back. I persevered and made it through, albeit slowly. The roads cleared for a bit and then again turned bad. To me, this section looked worse than the last, and I offered to turn us homeward. Alish encouraged me to go on, as he thought he spied a track of shallow snow. We went on easily enough and soon passed through with no problem. Time and again en route to church that day, these scenarios repeated themselves: one fearing it couldn't be done, the other encouraging the attempt. Eventually we arrived at our meeting. The Lord blessed our perseverance and taught us all the value of fellow believers.

A week later we received our second snowfall. A foot of snow fell in less than 24 hours. However, due to fierce winds, we awoke to six- and eight-foot drifts across all the major roads into and out of the village. On our own little street a drift had covered Zach's minivan. I spent the better part of an afternoon shoveling a way to the main road to Shumen, only to discover it had been closed. While we weren't able to get to the meetings for several days, here and there believers gathered, sang and prayed and thanked God they were safe and sound.

2012 witnessed an abundance of answered prayers, both personally and for the work's sake. We saw whole families become believers. We saw errant children return home and turn to God. We witnessed more than 160 newly saved souls follow the Lord in baptism. We saw babies born and dedicated. And we watched saints depart this life for their eternal reward whispering the name Jesus as they passed. Please continue to pray for the work. Pray for more souls to be saved, for more men to be called to preach, and for the churches to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. And pray for our family. The Lord knows all our needs and sees, and will see, to their supply. God is so good.

We love you all. God bless you.

Because of a living Saviour, The William LeFevre Family

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