The Seasons Are A Changin

Since the beginning of the year much has happened in our lives and in the church. Naty and I have had the opportunity to be directly involved in the work of serval charities in the city that are doing some wonderful work. One is called Light Into Europe. They are a Christian charity that focuses on helping those with severe handicaps; the blind, mute and deaf. We have been excited about helping them. This has also helped open an important door for outreach into the international community here in the city. There are approximately 400 individuals and families from the expat community that have directly been involved with their work. As we have helped, we have had the opportunity to build many bridges for outreach into many of their lives.

On Our Way To A Light Into Europe Event

We continue to work with another organization called the Refuge Center as well. They focus primarily on helping orphaned and abandoned children here in the city. We are excited about the work they are doing as well. We would ask you to pray for both organizations and ask that God will make them fruitful as they minister to each and their tangible needs. Also, pray that God will make them fruitful in light of eternity as well, as they have many opportunities to share the gospel with each.

In February we hosted our annual couples night out, February 14th. This is a night for the couples of the church to get together and celebrate God's faithfulness in their lives. This years event was a big success as well. We were most excited by the fact that several unbelievers attended this event this year as well. Pray that God will continue to keep doors for the gospel open to these who attended.

The Couples Night Out

In March we had our annual Weekend Away as a church in the Romanian Mountains. This once again was a great time of fellowship, encouragement and refreshment for all who attended. This year Jonathan Moore-Crispin who was the assistant pastor at the International Church a year or so ago, returned to give the morning message on Sunday morning while we were there. There were a few guests that did come and participate. We were excited by this because they were exposed to the gospel during our time there. Please pray for these that they might continue to seek Christ. Pray that God will bring them to the place where they trust Christ as well.

Having Fun At The Weekend Away pt. 1

Having Fun At The Weekend Away pt. 2

Jonathan Sharing The Morning Message

About the middle of March the Ladies of the church went away for their annual retreat. Many commented afterward that this was one of the best retreats they had ever had. There were women from many countries and different walks in life that came together simple to exalt Jesus Christ. I believe most said they wished the retreat could have lasted longer. Below are a few snapshots from this encouraging event to the women of the International Church.

The Ladies Growing Together In Prayer

During the Ladies Retreat Naty Lead Them In Worship

As a church we have been preparing for the Easter season for some time now. The middle of March we began a series called ID = Discovering Our Identity In Christ. If you would like to listen to one of our services, please click on the following link to watch and listen. (International Church - March 11, 2018) At the end of the service Naty and the worship band concluded the service by singing about the love of God. Finally, the first of April we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at the International Church. This years celebration was a bit different from others in the past. This year immediately after the service we hosted an Easter meal for all who attended. We were thrilled by the success of this event. Not only were there many who came to worship with us, but many of our guests also stayed and ate lunch with us as well. Please pray for those who heard the gospel for the first time. 

Sharing With The Congregation Easter Sunday

The Children Enjoyed Celebrating The Resurrection

The Easter Meal pt. 1

The Easter Meal, pt. 2

Finally, we want to thank each of you once again for your partnership in the work of ministry here in Romania and Moldova. We have been blessed tremendously by each of you through the years and we pray that God is rewarding you in the same rich way that you have blessed us and so many others here through the years. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

2017 Behind Us 2018 Ahead of Us

We have so much to catch you up on. As many of you know we have been through a tremendous time of transition over the past 24 months since Bill's heart attack. During this time we have seen God's faithfulness in extraordinary ways. We are going to attempt to catch you up on all that has happened. First, we want to thank each of you for your partnership in the gospel. Many of you have either given of your time through prayer or through tremendous financial sacrifices to assist the work here in Romania and Moldova. We want to begin by saying, "Thank You!" We wish each of you the Merriest of Christmas's and a very blessed and fruitful New Year!

This past July Bill was asked to come to Munich, Germany to participate in the initial ordination council meeting of a brother from Germany who is seeking to enter the ministry. While we were there we also had the joy of participating with friends in a pastoral transition in our sister church. It is great to see how our sister churches all around the globe are building up the Kingdom of God.

With Our Friends & Ministry Partners In Munich

This summer we were able to participate in the continuing work among children and young people in the Republic of Moldova. There were many children and almost 300 teenagers who attended the summer camps. Many heard the gospel for the first time and the indigenous leadership there continue to do a wonderful job leading the way.

Children's Bible School In Moldova

To begin the new school year the church had its annual picnic to welcome back all our families and individuals who had been traveling throughout the summer months. It was a real time of fellowship and encouragement for all who attended. It is always a good way to kick off the new school year.

Shortly after our welcome back picnic we were able to get away for a short vacation to Israel. This was a good time of rest and relaxation and a great opportunity to expose the family to land of the Bible. We are so grateful that we had this opportunity together.

At The Empty Tomb - He Is Risen!

In October our small group had an opportunity to serve our community. A local public school close to the church was in need of assistance in painting some of their classrooms. We volunteered to help them with this to show them and the children the love of Christ. Maybe the best part of this opportunity was the effect it had on those who served. Many said it was very encouraging to have the chance to let their lights shine in this way.

Painting The Classroom With Friends

The beginning of November the men of the church went away to the Romanian mountains for the church's annual men's retreat. This was an extraordinary time of fellowship and encouragement in our walks with Jesus Christ. Many of those who attended said this was the best retreat the church has ever had. We are so grateful for what God did during this time.

The Men Enjoying God's Creation Here In Romania

 

In the middle of the month we were asked to participate in the annual Scottish Caledonian Ball of Bucharest. This affair is an annual event to raise money for Light Into Europe. LIE is a local charity ministering to the needs of the disabled in Bucharest. It was not only an honor to attend, but it was useful to rub shoulders with approximately 400 other expats in the city of Bucharest. This was a great opportunity to develop relationships in our city.

The Scottish Caledonian Ball

As we moved to the end of the month we encouraged the church to gather for a time of Thanksgiving. This was a wonderful evening as many guests joined us for a time of giving thanks followed by a time of Scottish dancing. We were so grateful for all those who attended. It was a great time of worship, fellowship and thanksgiving.

There Was A Good Crowd for Thanksgiving

Scottish Dancing During Our Thanksgiving Celebration

The beginning of December was a joy as my brother and some close friends from my childhood stopped through while here in Europe. One of my friends is the pastor of a church just north of Louisville, Kentucky. While they were here, my friend who is a pastor shared the morning message in Sunday worship. His message was on point and challenging to all who were in attendance. It was very encouraging to see each of them.

My Friend From Kentucky Sharing In The Worship Service

Before many in our congregation got away to celebrate Christmas with their families, the church hosted it's annual Christmas Celebration. This was a great time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, as well as, to share the good news with those who have yet to believe.

Our Children Did A Great Job In This Year's Celebration

 

It has been an outstanding year. A good year of recovery and health restored, praise God! A good year of continued growth as a family; the girls cannot wait for the adoption to be legally completed. Finally, a good year in seeing God's continued faithfulness to us as a family and to the ministry. We thank you once again for your continued partnership in this work. We pray God blesses you and yours above measure throughout 2018.

Growing Through Times of Transition

As we reflect back over these last months much has happened. We want to update you on the comings and goings of the Tully's and the ministry here in Eastern Europe.Yet, before we do, we want to thank you for your perseverance and patience with us. As we have been readjusting to life after the heart attack we have had to learn how to better balance all our responsibilities. One of the things that has suffered a bit during this time of growth and transition is our ministry blog. So for those of you who may have been wondering what happened to us and how we are doing, we simply say thank you! Thank you for your patience throughout these past 18 months. Thank you for continuing to demonstrate your faithfulness to the work of ministry God is doing here and to our family. Finally, thank you for your continued friendship. During this past year we have been so blessed by the out pouring of love that we have felt in so many ways.

As we reflect back one thing we forgot to report to you about was our time of thanksgiving as a church in November. We have been doing this for several years and this year was extra special as many from the church participated. It was a wonderful evening to celebrate the blessings of God in each of our lives. All those who did participate seemed to be encouraged as we celebrated the goodness of God in our lives.

The Church's Time of Thanksgiving Together

As we entered into the New Year the church had its annual evening where it celebrated the love that God has given couples in the church for each other. We had our annual Couples Night Out! This was well attended as well. It was very encouraging to here husbands brag on their wives and wives share about how they admired their husbands. As is the case in all marriages, it is hard work to have a good one. Yet, it was encouraging for us to see how God has been working in the lives of the couples in the church. Seeing God teach the men how to love their wives as Christ loves the church and to see the women growing in their abilities to be that perfect helper for their husbands, was so encouraging. 

IBC Couples Night Out

As we entered the early part of the month of March we traveled with the church up to the Romanian Mountains for our Annual Weekend Away with the church. This year we took the church to a facilities up in the mountains that offered horseback riding, as well as, all the other outdoor activities that one would normally find in the mountains. We spent two wonderful days in the word and in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the church. This was a really encouraging time for each one who was able to participate this year.

 

The church's Annual Weekend Away

Later in the month of March we had the opportunity to go with the girls to Athens, Greece so that we could participate in the International Baptist Conventions Annual Leadership Conference. This was an encouraging time to be able to rub shoulders with other pastors from other international churches around the world. It is always helpful to spend time with your brothers and sisters who are on the front lines of the ministry in the international church movement. Since we drove to Athens from Bucharest this year, we also had an opportunity in transit to take in many of the ancient biblical sites as well. We had an opportunity to go to Mars Hill in Athens, to ancient Corinth, to the site that represents ancient Berea, to Thessaloniki and to ancient Philippi. What an encouraging time this was, not just in spending time with other pastors, but in being able to visit the same places where the Apostle Paul and his companions walked.

 Teaching at the IBC Leadership Conference

 Visiting Ancient Athens

Finally, just like other believers around the world we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior this past Easter at the church in Bucharest. We were encouraged by a good crowd that morning and by the presence of several visitors. We pray that God will bless the message that was proclaimed by causing those who attended who have never trusted Christ for salvation to turn to Him and find forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We would ask that you would pray along with us that God would increase the fruit of the church; that it would result in a great harvest of souls for the glory of God. A large portion of the Easter service was video taped for many of you around the world who were not able to participate with us as we celebrated Christ's resurrection in Bucharest this year. If you would like to watch and see all that happened that morning, please click on the following YouTube link. It will take you directly to the recording where you can worship and celebrate along with us. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh55tmMOLCs

 Easter at the church in Bucharest

Learning To Do Ministry Again

As we write today we trust that each of you have had a wonderful Merry Christmas and are experiencing a blessed New Year. We have had a very low key holiday season with the girls as the doctors encouraged us to do so. This has given us a bit of time to reflect back over this past fall as I have been able to reintroduce myself to the ministry here after a long season of health challenges. Since my return we would testify that we have seen the Lord bless as the church has continued to press forward for the glory of God and the furtherance of His kingdom here in Romania. Below we will try to get you caught up on all that God has done.

When we say, 'learning to ministry again', we mean that we are learning to do ministry in a way that satisfies the doctors and in a way that is still useful and beneficial to others. This has been a bit of a change as we have had to learn how to do things with less emphasis on the amount of time invested and more emphasis on improving the quality of the time invested. This has certainly stretched us and to some degree has caused us to have to learn to do things in a way we have never had to do before. During our time away many in the church stepped up and served in ways that they had never served in before just to help the church continue. Upon my return there was a temptation to return to my role as it was before. Yet I have had to learn to let the Lord use others in the ways that He was using them during my time away. This certainly has freed up a great deal of my time to focus more upon things like study, prayer and helping those in crisis. This was not an easy thing for me to learn, but it has certainly been beneficial to us as a family and beneficial to the church as well.

The end of October we had to return to the states for a short visit. During our visit I had a follow up visit with my cardiologist. We do praise God as we received a very positive report from the doctor. He gave me permission to go back to our work without any real limitations. In addition, while we were there Mina say her endocrinologist as well. They ran a new A1C test (which is the test to determine if one is diabetic) and Mina's results were almost perfect. This was a great encouragement to Naty and we praised God for what appears to be great progress with Mina's health as well.

Once we returned back to Romania we went back to work at the church. Soon after our return the men of the church went away for our annual retreat with the men of the church. It was a great few days as the men of the church were challenged to adopt the disciples of becoming a godly man. What was most encouraging for me personally was the involvement that many of the men had in personally helping and conducting the retreat. From my observation, many were blessed and challenged as we returned to our lives back in the city once the retreat came to a conclusion.

 The Men Enjoying Some Biblical Encouragement Around The Fire

 The Men Having A Good Biblical Discussion

As we entered into the month of December all the festivities for Christmas began. The second Saturday of the month we celebrated at the church our annual Christmas Celebration. Many visitors from the community came and joined us as we celebrated the birth of Christ. A few weeks later the church celebrated Christmas day as well. It was a wonderful month of remembering all that God has done for us in Christ.

This Is A Clip From One of Our Past Christmas Celebrations, Enjoy! 

During the Christmas season this year we challenged the church to do more to assist those less fortunate in our community than we had ever done before as a church. Therefore, we collected and distributed almost 100 gifts this year to children and families directly around us. We were thrilled that the church embraced this challenge and that so many were exposed to love of Christ and the good news during the Christmas season. We would ask you to pray for these families that they will soon respond to the message of the gospel that was shared with them.

Above Some Members of The Church Collecting Gifts

With the arrival of the New Year came an abundance of winter. Some are thrilled with all the white stuff, yet for me, I am thrilled at the safe return of many of our members as they make their ways back to Romania from their holiday travels. 

Our Recent Weather In Romania

As we enter this New Year we want to take a moment to thank you for your continued partnership and friendship in the work of ministry here in Romania and Moldova. We are thrilled that God has given us this opportunity, some might say a 2nd chance, and we trust that God will continue to bless the work He has given us to do. We pray that God will bless each of you with a New Year full of fruit that will last for all eternity to the glory of God. We thank you once again and trust that you will know the rich blessing of our God in 2017.

Getting Caught Up After A Difficult Season

It has been sometime, since we have had the opportunity to communicate in this fashion with many of you.  In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon tells us there is a time and season for everything.  The last few months have been a time for recovery and transition for us as a family.  It has been tough as we have been seeking to find new ways to do life after adjusting to some difficult news concerning different health challenges God has allowed to come our way.  Yet we have taken great hope in God's promises, "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)  This became very real to us the middle of May just before our scheduled departure to the United States to see a cardiologist there.  A few days before we were to travel the doctors discovered a blood clot in my heart.  They explained to us just how dangerous this was, especially since we would be traveling by plane to the states.  They put me on a high dose of anticoagulant drugs and we came trusting that God would keep me safe through the journey.  As things worked out, my dad was able to meet us half way in London and travel the rest of the way with us to America and praise God we arrived without incident.

 My dad traveling with us to the states in May

After our arrival we spent the next 6 weeks or so seeking the medical attention that I needed.  By the end of June we received the good news that the clot was gone and my recovery from the heart attack seemed to be on schedule.  Over the next few weeks we began to prepare to return to Romania, as well as, spend some time together as a family.  During this time period we were even able to spend some time with some friends that we had not seen for quite some time.  Some of which used to be part of the church back in Bucharest when they lived there.

 

Spending some time together as a family

 

It was good seeing some old friends from IBC in Bucharest

While we were still in the states a few very important things took place.  First, Naty finally finished all her requirements to become a citizen of the United States.  In July she was officially sworn in as a citizen.  We celebrated as a family and we praised God that He helped her accomplish this.  We are very grateful for his faithfulness in this way.  Next, for the first time since my heart attack, I was able to preach in a church in Indiana that had invited me to come and share before we returned to Romania.  This was an important event since I had not had the opportunity to serve in any fashion in ministry up till that day.  By God's grace, all went well, we had even more reason to give him glory.

 

Celebrating with Naty after being sworn in as a US citizen

 

Preaching for the first time since my heart attack

After we returned to Romania in August we slowly began to acclimate ourselves back to the ministry. Shortly after our arrival the church conducted its annual VBS.  There were few factors that made this such a special event this year.  First, it was our families first opportunity to participate in the church's ministry since our return.  Next, it was exciting to see the church press forward, not just in Sunday worship, but also in the work of ministry in the community even while we were unable to serve because of my health issues.  What a joy it was to see the church step up and do all that they did.  We pray that God will use the labor of love given by so many to continue to impact many around us in the community here in Bucharest.

 

Teaching the children this year at VBS in Bucharest

 

Those who attended VBS did many special projects

As we entered the month of September we began to put in place all the preparations that had been made for the new school year.  We began a new sermon series at the church where we are studying our way through the book of I Peter.  We also introduced the church to our theme for the year, "Growing In Godliness".  We have been excited to see how many have engaged in this and we have been very encouraged by several new individuals who have recently joined us as well.  To kick off the new school year we celebrated our annual barbecue / picnic as a church.  This year we did things a bit differently than before as we traveled together as a church to an adventure park about 30 minutes away.  It was a great time of encouragement and fellowship for all who attended.

 

Enjoying a wonderful meal together at this years picnic

 

A few of the church's members tried some additional challenges

As I conclude we would ask you to pray for my continued healing.  The doctors are pleased with the progress of the heart muscle, but they also have been clear, progress must continue.  Please pray that God would allow my heart to fully recover.  Next, please continue to pray for us as parents.  This parenting thing is still very new to us.  We know we have much to learn and we would ask you to pray with us that God would equip us in every way to teach and guide the girls.  Also pray that God would continue to go before us and open all the doors that are necessary to finish the adoption of the girls.  We are thrilled to have them in our home and hope, if God is willing, to make them a permanent part of our family soon.  Finally, please pray for God's continued financial provision to pay all our medical bills.  As I am sure you can appreciate, we have had several medical bills to pay during this season.  God has provided thus far for most of what we must pay.  Yet we still have a few medical bills to finish paying off.  Please pray with us that God would continue to meet every need. 

Finally, we want to thank each of you for your patience and continued prayers and support during this very difficult time for our family.  We are aware that God has been better to us than we deserve and each of you have certainly been a visual manifestation of the blessing of God in our lives and we thank you for this. We pray that God will bless each of you in a rich way for your kindness toward us.

 

 

Trusting The Lord On The Long Road To Recovery

Sunday, January 10th at approximately 8:00 am our lives changed rather dramatically.  Many of you have already heard, but for those who have not I had a very severe heart attack that morning.  Within moments I was being raced to the hospital where doctors within minutes of arrival raced me into the OR to place a stint in the central artery that runs through my aorta.  At the time I really did not know just how severe things were.  Since that time I have learned a great deal about what happened.  The cardiologist that have dealt with my case informed us that this was a very strange event for me.  The reason they said this was that my cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure were all within very normal ranges.  Often the cause of heart attack is the build up of plaque in an artery that cuts off the blood supply to the heart.  In my case the blood supply was cut off, but not by plaque, instead it was cut off by a blood clot.  This certainly got our attention and since they have done several tests to determine the cause of the blood clot.  We are still awaiting a definitive result to the many tests that have been done.

Here I am being loaded into the ambulance 

 

Here I am in the ICU soon after the procedure

After the procedure that morning I was taken to a large room with about 15 other patients.  ICU in a Romanian hospital is very different from an ICU in the states.  In Romania they place as many as they can possibly place into the same room.  The first night I was in the ICU the patient in the bed next to me was so close that he actually vomited onto me.  As I am sure you can imagine, this was quite an adventure itself.  The third day after the procedure the cardiologist released me from the ICU and allowed me to go to my own private room to continue my recovery. 

 

Here we are as a family in my private hospital room

I continued on in the hospital for the next week under the care of the cardiologist who was monitoring my recovery.  It was a blessing to be able to visit regularly with Naty and the girls as I was in a private room.  In addition, Naty was able to stay with me during this time night and day to be sure that there were no additional complications that were missed.  The 21st of January I was officially released from the hospital to return home.  From that time forward the cardiologist and the surgeon who preformed the procedure were very careful to be sure that I understood all that had happened.  They explained because of the severity of the heart attack that I would not be allowed to return to work for at least three to four months. They also explained that the heart muscle would take up to a year to achieve full recovery.  Therefore, the first few weeks after my dismissal from the hospital were spent simply resting at home.  About the middle of February I began a course of physical therapy appointments every other day for about three weeks.  Soon after I was allowed to begin to go out and do some small chores within specific limits (i.e. not lifting anything heavier than about 15 pounds).  

Here I am the day I was released from the hospital

This was one of my first shopping experiences after the heart attack

Since then I have continued along the road to recovery as prescribed by my cardiologist.  In April for the first time since the heart attack they allowed me to begin to attend church again.  It was a joy to be able to see those we have had the privilege of ministering alongside of after such a long period away.  That morning they asked if I would give the congregation a short update and it was very encouraging to hear about just how many had been praying for us so diligently during this time.  

 

Sharing with the church for the first time after the heart attack

Soon after the Lord brought us an additional challenge.  As you know we have been working on officially adopting Mina and Bella for almost 15 months now.  Saturday, April 9th after a rather disturbing blood test for Mina we took her to the children's hospital here in the city where after several hours of testing we learned that she is type 1 diabetic.  Immediately the medial staff checked her into the hospital which immediately began a second medical challenge in the last few months. Over the next ten days Naty had to stay in the hospital with Mina to learn how to care for her.  She had to learn to give insulin via injection.  She also had to learn how to prepare a proper diet for a child who would now be insulin dependent for the rest of her life.  April 18th they officially released her and since we have been making the necessary adjustments as a family.  

 

Mina being checked into the hospital

 

Mina in the children's hospital

As we write today we are hopeful soon to return to the states.  The reasons are two fold.  First, the cardiologist's here in Bucharest want me to meet with cardiologist's in the states to either approve of or to improve upon the care I have received thus far.  Second, we are hopeful to meet with doctors in the states to find better care for Mina as well. To be clear, we do believe we have received adequate care.  The doctors for Mina and the doctors who have cared for me have done very good work and we are very grateful for what they have done.  Personally, I am grateful for all that they have done through the skill that God has given them to keep me alive.  I will not forget how they have helped me throughout this ordeal.   

On the other hand, we have been advised to go to the states so that my medical condition can be verified by more advanced methods and for Mina so that she can have access to more advanced medicine and devices.  Therefore we would value your prayers during this time.  You might ask how you can pray specifically.  Below you will find a list:

1)  First, please pray that God will work out the details for the girls to travel with us to the states.  They will need to obtain visa's to travel and these can only be obtained through the cooperation of children's social services here.  Please pray that God will give them a cooperative heart.

2)  Second, please pray that God would provide all that we need financially during this time.  As I am sure you can imagine, we have had many medical bills over the last few months.  In addition, soon we will have some rather extensive travel expenses as well.  A few friends here locally within the church have begun a fund raising campaign to help us.  You can find it by clicking on the following (https://www.gofundme.com/pastorbilltully).

3)  Third, please pray for my continued recovery from the heart attack and for Mina's adjust to living with diabetes.  These certainly have slowed us both down.  Yet, we do believe that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28).  So please pray that God will help both of us throughout this time.

4)  Finally, please pray for Naty and her own personal physical strength to endure.  If there is anyone I feel very bad for throughout this ordeal it is my wife.  She has shouldered such a heavy load all throughout and done it admirably.  She has cared for me and Mina so well and done so without much assistance or sleep.  Therefore, please pray for her health and strength during this season as well.

Finally, we would like to thank each of you for your friendship and partnership.  During this season we have learned just how blessed we are.  This was evidenced by the many who reached out to us from literally all around the world during the initial days immediately after my heart attack.  We have known through the years that we have been blessed by each of you, but this season has specifically shown to what degree.  I am very grateful to be alive and in the days to come there may be some uncertainty, but I know the few things I am certain of include how blessed we are through each of you.  We pray God will continue to demonstrate his manifold blessings to you and your families in very rich ways in the days to come.