May Updates

Viorel and Daria Pop have quietly and faithfully been working to expand Bethesda Foundation’s ministry to elderly widows in Romania. Old people in this Latin nation, who do not have relatives to care for them, often freeze to death in their homes because their tiny government pension is insufficient to pay for the heat necessary to survive a grueling Romanian winter, where temperatures frequently dive into single digit Fahrenheit. Bethesda Foundation is the life-saving answer to this dilemma for 17 widows, 11 of whom are bed-ridden.

On December 1, 2005, after much toil, the Lord allowed them to open a new house, and take in a few more widows. This expansion presented the Pops with the need for two more nurses to help care for these dear women. However, they lacked the funds to pay them. Meantime, ITMI (unaware of this situation) had sent a generous gift to the Pops at the end of the year. The Pops were not aware of this due to the inconsistent Romanian communication network. Then God, in His perfect timing, allowed Viorel to discover the $4,000 from ITMI, sitting in his bank account. This would cover the nurses’ salaries for 8 months! Praise the Lord that He allowed us to be used by Him to “…defend the cause of the fatherless and widows.” Deuteronomy 10:18

We’re grateful to God for the work that He is doing through the youth ministry of Leszek and Ania Wakula in Antoniew, Poland. He has provided Ania with several new and wonderful opportunities to disciple and mentor women and girls in their ministry. She is seeing the fruit of her labor as young girls and staff members become enthusiastic about Jesus and eagerly share their faith with those around them. He has really used Ania in the life of a Polish girl who was raised in an alcoholic home with no positive role models. Ania and Leszek rejoice as they watch Jesus change the shape of this girl’s life to conform to His image, and also exercise His role as “a father to the fatherless.” Psalm 68:5

Darek Banicki, Assistant Pastor of Gniezno Baptist Church, has three children, two of whom are suffering from Niemann Pick ‘type C’ disease. New research has developed a drug that has had positive results in stopping the progress of this disease. They are praying that his children are allowed to participate in the second stage of the research for this medication. Please join ITMI in praying for the Banicki family.

Compiled and written by Summer Kelley