Keith Holmes and Mary van Rheenen, CBF missionaries to Romany in Europe,
live in Holland with their two daughters Ellen and Rebecca.
Keith is from Baton Rouge, and his home church is University Baptist.

See video of Keith and Mary click below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ysdCkjrpjw

Weekly updates by our CBF Romany Team can be found at
http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com

July 2010

Dear Friends,

Truly, it is better to give than to receive . . . but from time to time it's
pretty nice to receive, too. That was my experience on this recent trip to
Moldova. Erika Oosterkamp and Alina Ivan joined me to coordinate an
afternoon children's program and an outreach to women in the village of
Vulcanesti. Before we even arrived, we received enough seed packets to give
to women with their invitations for the women's event + enough stickers to
reward every child many times over.

Once there, we received daily help from the Bethlehem Baptist Church in
Vulcanesti. Several young men and women were always there to help translate
from Romanian to Usari Romani, to keep order, to write children's names on
name tags, to assit (and participate) in the craft time, to help lead
singing, to clean up afterwards and prepare for the following day. Members
of the church, all Romany, also helped prepare the invitations for the women
and to deliver them. They donated flour, eggs, butter, and milk to make
refreshments (also firewood, but we decided against the outdoor oven). Their
sister church in Nisporeni provided prayer support and a volunteer.

No one but the pastor, though, walked with us through the mud, drizzle, and
55 degree (F) weather on Friday to deliver them. The locals thought we were
crazy, but this is normal weather for people who have lived in Holland. We
put on rubber boots and trudged. And were very well rewarded by the warm
reception women--and children--gave us.

We also received encouraging words from our economic development partner,
Operation Mobilisation. The coordinator was very impressed with the way the
two who had received loans had so promptly repaid them. We received a
promise that he and the pastor would arrange meetings with additional
entrepreuners in Vulcanesti.

We were also given a peek at the chicks in a homemade incubator. The woman
who shared with us lives in nicely painted two-room shack with three of her
children--and the chicks. She has the walls, doors, and windows for a
reasonably-sized stone house, but no roof. We prayed for her in the yard
between the laundry, the chickens, the children, and the two houses. The
next day, we were given a tour of the mini-palace of the richest man in the
village. He showed us a photo of his eldest son, in prison somewhere in
Scandinavia, and said he'd give away all his wealth, including the house,
just too have that one child back.

We were also given a mini-miracle. A sister who had led a children's program
in church for people who are growing into current leadership had become
"disappointed with the church." When we visited her with the invitation to
the women's program, she seemed depressed. Small wonder--she had been caring
for five of her brother's seven children, one severely handicapped. She had
passed the responsibility back to the children's mother, but they all still
seemed to live in her house. This sister did come to the women's program on
Saturday. She sat behind a pillar, and didn't seem to participate much. But
when we drove up to church on Sunday, she was standing outside, waiting for
the gates to be unlocked. "A miracle!" the people in the car exclaimed,
"she's smiling!"

Consider coming with us sometime. I'll bet you will also receive--even as
you give.

Thankfully,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise and Thanksgiving:
*For your prayer support during these recent trips;
*For the Moldovan team: Alina Ivan, who truly has a gift when it comes to
children, and Erika Oosterkamp, who truly knows how to relate to people with
or without a common language;
*For the children who came to the children's program and for the local
volunteers who helped;
*That over 80 women came to the women's program--the church was packed;
*That Keith, Ellen, and Rebecca managed rather well without the household
manager (i.e. mom);
*That Ellen and Rebecca are finally through with school.

Prayer Requests:
*For the Holy Spirit to continue working in the lives of Romany women,
particularly the sister who had been "disappointed with the church";
*For the establishment of strong businesses in Moldova which will give 10%
of their profits to support local ministry;
*For the establishment of a community center in Nisporeni which could serve
as a model for this (fitness center, pizza place, Internet cafe, hair salon
in building would pay for feeding program for children & elderly + local
church);
*For the recording of the newly completed New Testament in the Sinti Romany
language;
*For wisdom in leading and new leadership among Christian Romany in Moldova.

Photos from this recent trip can be seen at
http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media, #80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822; Romany Education, Moldova, #80827; Romany Microeconomic Development, Moldova, #80823).
Donations may also be made through CBF's gift catalog:
http://thefellowship.info/Give/Gift-Catalog/Church-Starting/Faith-Sharing.

June 2010

Dear friends,

How are you with numbers? 3 = the number of weeks until Ellen and Rebecca
are through school. 1 = the time the whole school let out this afternoon. 2
= the reason why. The Netherlands played Denmark in the World Cup soccer
championships, and beat them, 2-0. My high school never got out to watch a
soccer game on TV--did yours?

Here are some more numbers. 80 = the minimum number of children looking
forward to vacation Bible school in Vulcanesti, Moldova, next week. 70 = the
number of women in the village we will be inviting to special women's
celebrations. 42 = the number of seed packets members of our Dutch Baptist
church donated for this women's outreach (theme: growing in faith). 15 = the
number of women likely to attend a similar event in Chisenau. 14 = the hours
Alina Ivan will spend traveling by train across Romania to join us in
Moldova. 3 = the number of women organizing this week (me, Erika Oosterkamp,
+ Alina). Way more than 3 = the number of people praying for this week.
Impossible to count = positive effects for the Kingdom of Christ.

And now to tally up Keith's trip to France. 2 = the Sinti believers who went
along. What an answer to prayer they were! They struck up conversations,
made contacts, spontaneously began singing and playing the guitar, and had
long, fruitful conversations with Keith and Armin, the Wycliffe Bible
translator, during the two-day drive to and from the south of France. 1 =
the page of Scripture Armin showed to a Sinti Christian leader at the tent
meeting. 0 = the amount of Scripture this Sinti had in his own language but
Unmeasureable = his desire to have the whole New Testament. 12 = the number
of years we've known Armin and his wife Ursula. They have been working on
the Sinti New Testament even longer than that. It is now finished, and one
of the discussions during the drive was how to distribute it, since (unlike
the man at the tent meeting) many Sinti are opposed to having their language
written down. The advantages of having a recorded version was also
discussed. God only knows  = the number of hearts touched, encouraged,
challenged by the Scripture media that is being distributed and the ultimate
results of the conversations and contacts those Sinti believers made.

Some final numbers. 4 = colors of nail polish some of the girls' classmates
wore to school today: orange nails on one hand (Dutch national color),
horizontal red-white-blue on the other hand (Dutch national flag). 13 =
faith heroes featured in vacation Bible school program. What are you
counting on?

Yours in Christ,
Mary van Rheenen, Ellen, Rebecca, & Keith Holmes

Praise and Thanksgiving:
*For Keith's safe travel to Skopje, Macedonia, in May, and a fruitful time
with workers there.
*For the two Sinti believers who traveled with Keith and the Wycliffe Bible
translator to France; they were truly an answer to prayer.
*For safe travel and open doors to the pilgrimage and the tent meeting in
France last month.
*That Keith's frozen shoulder (a big problem last year) is almost totally
"thawed."
*For the completion of the New Testament in Sinti Romani.

Prayer Requests:
*For Erika Oosterkamp and Alina Ivan who will travel with Mary to Moldova
(June 19-28).
*For the Holy Spirit to be active in the lives of the Romany children and
women they will meet.
*For Keith, who will remain at home (Mr. Mom is one of his more challenging
roles).
*For Ellen and Rebecca's last weeks of school (report cards July 16).
*For the distribution and planned recording of the Sinti New Testament.

Weekly updates by our CBF Romany Team can be found at
http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media, #80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822; Romany Education, Moldova, #80827; Romany Microeconomic Development, Moldova, #80823).

Donations may also be made through CBF's gift catalog:
http://thefellowship.info/Give/Gift-Catalog/Church-Starting/Faith-Sharing.

May 2010

Dear Friends,

Keith is on the road again. This weekend he plans to fly to Skopje,
Macedonia. He will speak about reaching people from oral cultures at a small
conference of other mission workers. I grew up in a literary culture--we
got, stored, and shared information primarily through writing. I'm not quite
sure what sort of culture our children are growing up in--computer culture?
Romany, like most peoples before the invention of moveable type, learn and
remember primarily through hearing. I've always wondered why Peter and Paul
had such strange sermons (Acts 2, for instance). Their hearers also came
from oral cultures. They latched onto stories, not three points and a poem.

This is one of the reasons that non-print media works so well with Romany.
May 22, Keith heads to France to distribute media materials, mainly among
Sinti Romany. First he and his travelling companions will go to an annual
pilgrimage (Catholic), then to a huge tent meeting (charismatic). He will be
busy cooperating as well as fellowshipping.

He likes to travel, and he is good at arranging travel. Teun van de Leer,
our friend and former pastor, agreed to teach a session of the Gypsy Smith
School in Bucharest, Romania, this fall with one of his colleagues from the
Dutch Baptist Seminary. When I suggested it to him, I mentioned that Keith
could make the travel arrangements. Which he did, to the satisfaction of all
involved. Hopefully the arrangement will prove so satisfactory that
professors and students from the seminary will go teach a session every
fall. I don't know whether Keith will continue to make their travel
arrangements, though . . . .

I am hoping, before he starts travelling, that he will make some
arrangements for me. It's time to go to Moldova again, where we've been
asked to organize another women's outreach. This time, Eugenia Podoleanu,
who coordinates the women's ministry for the Moldovan Baptist Union, will be
helping us. Since otherwise it looks like one other woman from the
Netherlands, one from Romania, and me, we could use all the help we can get.
We need 5-10 prayer volunteers who will pray with us as we prepare and
while we are in Moldova.

Keith also needs prayer volunteers, specifically to pray for this trip to
France. Though his traveling partner has written (in French) to the mayor
and organizers of the pilgrimage, he has not yet received official
permission to distribute media there. Keith and the Wycliffe Bible
translator hope to show the Jesus DVD at some point during the weekend.
Someone who was very enthusiastic about their being there before has offered
to let them use the side of a white caravan as a screen. Keith has also
volunteered to show children's DVDs during the afternoons, when the children
tend to be running around with nothing to do. The organizers were very
cautious about this, stating that only about half of the children understood
Romani. Keith requests prayer for wisdom, flexibility, and openness--for
himself as well as all others involved.

If you feel led to pray for either or both of these trips, please send us an
e-mail. We will attempt to send specific requests and updates during the
trip(s) themselves. We pray, as my parents always did, for "traveling
mercies." We also pray for much grace, flowing abundantly, all around.

Traveling mercies to you, as well,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, and Rebecca Holmes

Praise and Thanksgiving:

 *  For workers among the thousands of Romany in Macedonia.
 *  For Erika Oosterkamp and Alina Ivan who will travel with Mary to Moldova
       (June 21-29).
 *  For a good Romany Team meeting in Hungary, April 15-20.
 *  For two businesses (scrap metal & greenhouses) started by Romany believers
       in Vulcanesti.

Prayer Requests:

 *  For Keith's safe travel to & from Skopje, Macedonia, May 14-16, and a
       fruitful time meeting with others there.
 *  For a Sinti believer to travel with Keith and co. to France; several have
       been asked, but are (praise God) working; another won't know until May 15.
 *  For safe travel and open doors to the pilgrimage, Les Saintes Maries de la
       Mer, France, May 22-25.
 *  For safe travel & open doors to tent meeting in Nevoy, France, May 26-28.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media, #80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822; Romany Education, Moldova, #80827; Romany Microeconomic Development, Moldova, #80823).

April 2010

Dear Friends,

When April with his showers sweet with fruit
The drought of March has pierced unto the root
Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage . . .
And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,
To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.

I usually do not begin a prayer letter by quoting Chaucer, but Keith's
preoccupation with pilgrimage brought it to mind. At the end of May, he
hopes to return to the annual Romany pilgrimage in Saintes Maries de la Mer,
France. According to Romany tradition, when Mary Jacobe and Mary Salome,
both mothers of apostles, were exiled from Palestine they were welcomed on
the French shore by "Sara-la-Kâli" (Black Sara), a Gypsy who was already
living there.* Sara became the patron saint of the Romany, and each year
thousands gather to celebrate her saint's day on May 24. Keith, a Wycliffe
Bible translator, and a Sinti Romany believer hope to among the crowd.

More than that, they hope to be able to distribute Scripture media like the
Jesus video/DVD during this pilgrimage. They went some years ago and were
well received. They hope to be better organized this time and actually show
some of the DVD's in the Sinti Romany language. After W.W. II, many Sinti in
France stopped speaking their language. Now, many wish to revive it. What
better word to hear in your own language than the Word of God?

That same week, the Gypsy Light and Life church will be holding a huge tent
meeting in central France. I went several years ago and witnessed a great
hunger for Scripture materials in the Sinti language. Keith and co. are
hoping to attend this sort of pilgrimage, too. Please join him in praying
that door will be opened, proper arrangements will be made, and that the
Holy Spirit will work through these Romany gatherings to bring more Romany
closer to their Creator.

I have been thinking about my own annual trek . . . to Moldova. We have been
asked to return to do outreach among women again. This almost always
includes an afternoon Bible club for the children. Right now, two really
wonderful women have volunteered to help. Is this enough? Truthfully, the
idea makes me nervous. Pastor Petru Ciochina recently sent photos from
Easter celebrations in the village of Vulcanesti, Moldova. They seem to have
hosted foreign as well as local pilgrims (cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com).
Perhaps the bagpiper could be persuaded to return again with me in June?

I am also nervous about another yearly journey we're about to take. Our CBF
Romany Team will be meeting in Pecs, Hungary this weekend. Keith and I leave
Thursday, April 15, and return the following Tuesday. The meeting, as
always, will probably be great (we have a fantastic team). The woman from
our church here who will come to stay with Ellen and Rebecca is also great.
So what am I nervous about? It'll all be great, right?

Which reminds me of another quote, this time from songwriter Richard
Gillard:
"We are travellers on a journey, fellow pilgrims on the road;
"We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load."

Thank you, once again, for helping bear the load.
Fellow pilgrims,

Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise and Thanksgiving:
*For the multi-lingual Jesus DVD. Of the 3,000 ordered in January, almost
half have already been distributed.
*For Petru & Olesea Ciochina, Moldovan home missionary to the Romany,
churches in Scotland who partner with churches in Nisporeni and Vulcanesti,
and the response to outreaches planned over Easter weekend.
*That the New Testament in the Sinti Romany language is in the final
checking stage.
*For providing a sponsoring organization for dubbing media materials in
Farsi.
*For Puck de Jonge, woman from our church who will be staying with Ellen &
Rebecca during the team meeting.

Prayer Requests:
*For safe travel and openness to the Spirit's leading during the Romany Team
meeting, April 15-20.
*That everything necessary for attending the pilgrimage and tent meeting in
May will be provided.
*That P. would make healthy choices.
*For three on-going successful outcomes to micro-economic development
projects in Moldova; this builds hope.
*Volunteers for women's outreach in Moldova, week of June 20.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media,#80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822).
Donations may also be made through CBF's gift catalog:
http://thefellowship.info/Give/Gift-Catalog/Church-Starting/Faith-Sharing.
Weekly updates by our CBF Romany Team can be found at
http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com.

*Note that, contrary to recently published fiction, the local legends do not
have Mary Magdalene settling in France.
http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/saintes-maries-de-la-mer/gypsy-pilgrimage/saintes-maries-mer.htm

March 2010
Dear friends,

Good citizenship is something we all want to teach the next generation. This
week, Keith and I have tried to teach by example. We voted, for the first
time, in local Dutch elections. (People who have legally lived in a city for
five years may vote in the elections there, even if they are not Dutch
citizens.) This was an experience. The Dutch parliamentary form of
government lends itself to the rise of multiple parties. We could choose
between a Christian democratic, labor, green, right of center, and a
centrist anything-that-occurs-to-us party. One may vote for party or for
individual, but the party campaigns, and the top names on the party list end
up on city council. We voted--one red mark on the paper ballot in a private
voting booth, ballot then carefully refolded and dropped, in full sight of
the four election officials, into a big metal container with a slot on top
of the padlocked-lid. The polling station was not busy. We were the only
ones there, exercising the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Perhaps a lull in the rush?

This week I also started the Micah Course which focuses on the "Micah
Challenge" (6:8) to live out our Christianity in all phases of our lives,
globally as well as locally. This combines world citizenship with Kingdom
citizenship. What are my rights as a child of the King? What are my
responsibilities as a steward of His creation? as a neighbor? How many of my
possessions should I sell to give to the poor (Luke 12:33)?

When I suggested this as a Lenten activity, one of our daughters responded,
"Can't we just give to the poor?" Ironically, we are rich enough to do just
that. For example, we support two children a month. We never miss the money
that, for their families, is practially unmissable. A young Romany in
Moldova needed $100 to complete his Bible school training; I and one of the
girls spent that much on a one-day painting workshop while Keith and the
other girl spent the equivalent of half of Petru Ciochina's monthly salary
on a train trip to Paris. Were these luxuries good citizenship? For us, at
this time, the answer was yes. So is giving generously, living simply,
seeking justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. And every
now and then, voting.

Your fellow citizens,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith Holmes, Ellen & Rebecca

Praise God for:
• Fruitful meetings on February 9. Keith and I met here in Arnhem with
  representatives from Wycliffe's Romany team and the Unitied Bible Society's translation consultant for Romany projects. We discussed making sample Scripture booklets in Lovari/Western Kalderash to test several different translations available in that language.Petru & Olesea Ciochina, Moldovan home missionaries to the Romany, and their creative plans for outreach and discipleship.
• Ion/John Malaireu, Romany young man encouraged by Petru to attend the Moldovan Bible College.
• Partner church which donated funds in a timely way for the Ciochina's salary (through April) and Ion/John's schooling.
• G., a Sinti Romany evangelist who stopped by twice in the past month to pick up media materials in several different Romani languages. He witnesses to fellow Sinti as well as making regular trips to Romany in Romania, Hungary, and Czech Republic. His stories of how the Lord opened doors, provided local churches for follow-up to evangelism,
  and the use of and desire for additional media materials were encouraging. His comments and suggestions were insightful and encouraging as well.
  
  
Prayer Requests:
• For P., who is wrestling with choices that will bring him closer to faith
  or push him further away.
• International Women's Day, March 8. An outreach has been planned for the women in the Romany village of Vulcanesti, Moldova.
• Outreach planned over Easter weekend in the village of Vulcanesti, that
  many will come to Christ or renew their commitment to follow Him.
• For three on-going successful outcomes to micro-economic
  development projects in Moldova; this builds hope.
• Volunteers for women's outreach in Moldova, May or early June.
• Continued distribution of available Scripture media.
• Finding sponsoring organization for dubbing media materials in Farsi;
  our local church has many Farsi-speaking members who are actively engaged in evangelizing and discipling other Farsi-speakers (mostly Iranians).
• Continued distribution of existing media materials.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.

Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media,#80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822; Bethlehem Baptist Church Building, #80820).

Donations may also be made through CBF's gift catalog:
http://www.thefellowship.info/Give/Gift-Catalog/Church-Starting/Faith-Sharing.
Weekly updates by our CBF Romany Team can be found at
http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com




 

February 2010
Dear friends,

Carnival--the shops here are full of silly costumes for the event. While
this isn't New Orleans, Carnival is celebrated to some extent. We have done
some celebrating of our own recently. Last Friday Keith picked up 3,000
copies of the Jesus DVD, 8 language options, from the company in German who
reproduced them. He has already mailed 50 to a Sinti Romany evangelist in
Germany and 200 to a Kalderash-speaking church in London. The new version is
in a cardboard sleeve. This saves immensely on shipping (and storage). We
anticipate having many go to Romania soon.

We received two DVDs in the mail that prompted another celebration: Ruth,
with three language options (Czech, Slovakian, and Slovak Romani). The
project turned out well. The next project may be dubbing Ruth into Western
Kalderash. This coming Tuesday we meet with representatives from Wycliffe
Bible Translators and the United Bible Societies to discuss this as well as
other future media projects in Romany languages.

Yet another "day-brightener" came in the mail this week: 31 hand-made cards
on bright yellow paper from a girls' mission group in Raleigh, NC, complete
with sunny drawings and jokes. Despite our recent causes for celebration, we
sorely needed this lift. Personal problems within the family circle and
weather forecasts that actually say "dreary" conspired to get us down. I can
see why our semi-pagan ancestors started Carnival and why our semi-pagan
neighbors continue it. I can also see why Jesus told His disciples, "In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33b, NIV)

But it's easy, isn't it, to lose heart. Distress in Haiti on the daily news.
So much racism against Romany that a new journal has started focusing on it
(www.romaniejournal.com). Our teacher friend in Romania has 20 Romany
children in kindergarten, and only 11 chairs. Corruption high up and further
down keeps funding for furniture and everyday materials from making it into
her classroom. Finding a dead mouse on the floor first thing in the morning
(thank you--Not!--for bringing that inside, cats). But Jesus has overcome
the world. True celebration does not stem from the excesses of Carnival but
the miracle of Easter.

Wishing you all many resurrections,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, Rebecca Holmes (+ two cats)

Praise God for:
 * New life;
 * Continued healing in Keith's shoulder;
 * Partners who pray (and even sometimes send jokes);
 * Partners in Moldova Petru & Olesea Ciochina & the Moldovan Baptist Union;

Requests:
 * Outreach in Moldova planned for March 8, April 2-4;
 * Volunteers for women's outreach in Moldova, preferrably in May;
 * Fruitful meetings Tuesday, Feb. 9;
 * Wisdom in choosing future media projects.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media,#80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822; Bethlehem Baptist Church Building, #80820).
Donations may also be made through CBF's gift catalog:
http://www.thefellowship.info/Give/Gift-Catalog/Church-Starting/Faith-Sharing.
Weekly updates by our CBF Romany Team can be found at
http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com




January 2010
Dear friends,

Beste wensen! Meaning, best wishes for the New Year! Ours came in with a
literal bang. Fireworks are only legal in the Netherlands for New Year's Eve
(not that we didn't hear and see quite a bit ahead of time). About 11:30 PM the
incidental pop, bang, or spray of light stops. Then, at the stroke of
midnight, the sky over our town turns into the 4th of July. We enjoyed the
show for over half an hour, walking along the street, shaking hands, and
saying "Beste wensen" to friends and neighbors. Our two cats, though, were
not as charmed by the spectacle. They hid upstairs, under things.

In the Netherlands, New Year's is called "Old and New." We're looking back
at some old wishes and forward to some new ones. Keith's right shoulder,
praise God, is much better. The constant pain is gone and movement has
improved. No bowling yet, but a lot of other things are possible once again.
Red tape around the Jesus DVD has untangled itself. We will soon be able to
fill requests like the one from London (just today) asking for 200 or so. In
all, 3,000 will be made. The tri-lingual Ruth DVD (Slovakian, Czech, Slovak
Romani) has been recorded, screened, and corrected. It is "in production."
Our partners in Moldova continue in outreach to Romany there.

New wishes, to some extent, build on the old ones. Another DVD with the
Slovak Bible Society is somewhere in the future. In the meantime, Keith
would like to dub the Ruth DVD into Western Kalderash, a Romani language
widely used in Western Europe and North America, with believers here in the
Netherlands and/or London. Sinti believers here have requested a short film
on DVD with songs & personal testimony or short sermon. An evangelist who
has often visited travelers and Romany in the US requested the Jesus video
in Sinti, with English subtitles. Hosannah plans to record the New Testament
in Hungarian (many Romany there no longer speak their own language) and
Arlij (widely used in Bulgaria and other Balkan countries). Wycliffe
collegues in Romania will be recording stories in Usari Romani from Genesis
and requested songs to go with the stories. These have been requested from
believers in Vulcanesti, Moldova. Our partners in Moldova are planning an
all-Moldova Christian Romany conference in October. Keith plans to attend.
They have requested volunteers for another women's project/children's daily
Bible club in May. Mary is looking into this. In the meantime, they are
planning special programs on Women's Day (March 8) and Easter weekend
(April 2-4).

January can be a lot like our neighborhood streets after the holiday
celebrations--cold, grey, and littered with the blackened papers and empty
shells of last year's celebration. Our neighbors start the month by sweeping
the sidewalks and streets clear of this debris. They remember the lights of
Old Year's Night, but we are all looking forward to the new. Hopefully it
will have a sparkle all its own.

Wishing you His blessings in the coming months,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith Holmes, Ellen & Rebecca

Praise God for old and new:
 *Healing in Keith's shoulder;
 *Completion of Ruth DVD with Slovak Bible Society;
 *Partners in Moldova Petru & Olesea Ciochina and the Moldovan Baptist Union;
 *Re-ordering of the Jesus DVD with 8 language choices (5 Romani versions; 3
   European languages).

Requests for the new year:
 *Good spirits and adequate sleep during the dark days of winter. Light is
   coming, slowly;
 *Outreach in Moldova planned for March 8, April 2-4, and volunteers for a
   week in May;
 *Recording projects by partners (Wycliffe; Hosannah);
 *Translation of Ruth script in Western Kalderash (first step in process);
 *Sinti projects--music/testimony DVD; USA Jesus video with English
   subtitles.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Gifts to specific projects can be sent to the same address. Please include
project # on memo line (Romany Scripture Media,#80821; Romany Outreach,
Moldova, #85822; Bethlehem Baptist Church Building, #80820).
Donations may also be made through CBF's gift catalog:
http://www.thefellowship.info/Give/Gift-Catalog/Church-Starting/Faith-Sharing.


November 2009

Dear friends,

In America, this is the season to count our blessings. We are very grateful for a
safe trip to and from Moldova. We are also grateful for the translators God provided (more details at http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com). And after a week in Moldova, we--especially Ellen and Rebecca--have a deeper sense of gratitude for indoor plumbing. Other blessings we have been counting:

1. The dedication of the Bethlehem Baptist Church building in Vulcanesti,
Moldova. The service on October 25 was standing room only. Many Moldovans
got to taste Romany music and hospitality first hand, with positive results. The building still needs some finishing like the gutters and roof ridge to pass final inspection, but (thanks to many of you) the congregation is worshipping there.

2. The music group there. They add a lot to worship. Sylvia, the female
lead, agreed to write six more songs in exchange for help in making a solo
CD.

3. Petru & Olesea Ciochina, pastor of the church, who add consistent
leadership (she's also a great cook--and they are just plain fun to visit
with).

4. Vanea, the first young man from the church to start studying at the
Moldovan Bible College.

5. Willem Jan Oosterkamp, from our "home" church in Arnhem, who came along
and was able to shed light on technical problems with the Teach a Man to
Fish project and get Petru started with an eco-toilet project.

6. Marina, Dana, Dr. Chirdeachin, Virgil, Denis, and Eugen who translated
for us.

7. Staff at Operation Mobilisation who have been overseeing micro-economic
development in Vulcanesti; who are sympathetic to Romany and willing to come
to the village for workshops.

8. John Miron, Missions Secretary of the Moldovan Baptist Union who has a
vision for using Vulcanesti as a mother church to reach all the Romany in
Moldova, and who started plans for a conference of all Romany believers in
Moldova next November.

9. Keith's decision to return next November for this conference.

10. The Kalderash Romany brothers in Chisenau (the capital) who had an
evening of fellowship with Keith and Petru; their enthusiasm for this Romany
conference.

11. Fresh grapes, homemade grape juice, real tomatoes, organic everything
(people can't afford to buy chemicals!).

12. Members of our Dutch Baptist church who prayed for individual women in
Vulcanesti and sent back signed cards so that the women there could pray for
them in return.

13. The many other gifts of prayer, time, and funding which made that trip
and this work possible.

Thank you and thank God.
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Pray request for the coming month:
*God's work in Moldova;
*Dubbing of the Ruth video into Slovak, Czech, and Slovak Romani; Keith is
  heading back to Slovakia November 8-12, and possibly again later in the
  month;
*Reordering the Jesus video/DVD; the originial order of 3,000 have been
  almost entirely distributed;
*Printing Scripture booklets for use in several Romani languages.


October 2009

Dear Friends,

The times, they are a changin'. October is the month we change back to
regular time. I'll be glad. If it is at all overcast in the morning, the
windows downstairs look out on darkness when I turn on the kitchen light at 7 AM. Our downstairs, like most middleclass Dutch homes, is one large room. I light a candle or two in the front windows, not only to cheer us while we eat breakfast in the dining corner across from those windows, but also those passing by on the sidewalk or the street just outside. Those little candles make a bright spot of hope.

We've had other bright spots this past month. Keith's shoulder is many times better. He has some more movement (yeah!) and much less pain (double yeah!). He continues to see the physical therapist twice a week and do exercises at home.

He's also been away from home to dub the 30-minute Ruth video with our CBF
Romany team member Shane McNary. Shane worked out a partnership with the
Slovak Bible Society for this. The final DVD will have three languages on
it: Slovak, Czech, and Slovak Romany (spoken widely in Slovakia as well as
the Czech Republic). In only five days of recording, they have done all of
the Slovak except for the narrator, all of the Czech except for two or three very small parts, and just the narrator in Slovak Romany. Working like this has been a real moral booster for Keith (besides which he gets to travel, always a plus for him). He will return to Slovakia in November to record the rest of the Slovak Romany and, hopefully, these few additional parts in the other languages.

We will all be travelling to Moldova the end of this month (24-31)—because
the Bethlehem Baptist Church building in the village of Vulcanesti will be
dedicated on Sunday, October 25. This is a real cause for rejoicing! There
are still a few hitches. Pastor Petru Ciochina e-mailed on October 2, "Our
joy is that we installed the boiler and radiators for heat. We just need gas and electricity to start heat." They also need money to install electricity and paint the interior walls. If Petru were willing to take money that he knows has shady origins, funds would be no problem. But there might be other problems. Some advise that the devil has had that money long enough; let it do the Lord's work now. Others ask whether dirty money can ever do the Lord's work. This dilemma remains.

And that's one of the reasons we're glad Willem Jan Oosterkamp from our
Dutch Baptist Church will be going with us to Moldova. He will try to figure out why the fish in the hydroponic Teach a Man to Fish project keep dying. While we're there, we will also meet with economic development partners Operation Mobilisation to discuss other ways to start businesses or generate honest employment. What we really need is a business person in Moldova or committed to living in Moldova for at least 2-5 years who can help start two or three viable, employment-generating businesses. Capital, we think, could be provided. Any volunteers??

Other bright spots this past month include all of you who helped make
Keith's 50th birthday a very special day indeed. Belated greetings continue to arrive, like the delightful one ending with, "oh, to be 50 again . . . ." A week after his birthday, Keith arranged to have shell scripture booklets printed. Shell books have the colored illustrations professionally printed. Then Keith can print the words to the illustrations of, for instance, the Good Samaritan story, in Sinti Romani (Netherlands and Germany) or Usari Romani (used in Vulcanesti) or any Kalderash version (Romania; Western Europe) or Slovak Romani or . . . . He is going to look into getting text for the Woman at the Well in Usari while we are in Moldova.

These are some of our current candles. What are some of yours?

Sincerely,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Join us in thanking God for:
*Dedication of the Bethlehem Baptist Church building, October 25;
*Petru/Peter & Olesea Ciochina and the leadership they bring to that
     church;
*Drastic improvement for Keith's shoulder;
*Our local Dutch church and their support of Romany work.

Please continue praying for:
*Our trip to Moldova, October 24-31, with Ellen and Rebecca;
*Local funds for the completion of the church building in Vulcanesti;
*On-going media projects--Scripture booklets, dubbing the Ruth video/DVD,
     reproducing the Jesus DVD.
*Micro-economic development in Moldova, so that more may stay home and
     work honorably rather than going abroad. Going abroad separates
     families and interrupts children's schooling.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards specific projects, clearly mark check for: Romany
Scripture Media, Project #80821; Romany Outreach Moldova, #85822; Romany
Micro-economic Development, Moldova, #80823; Bethlehem Baptist Church
Building, Moldova,  #80820.

For more frequent updates, check out http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com

September 2009

Dear friends,

Communication is wrought with all sorts of possible problems. This morning
one of our daughters phoned (via cell phone) about 20 minutes after she'd
left for her 40 minute bike ride to school. Her first full day of school.
The chain had come off her bike, and she didn't know how to fix it. I jumped
in the car to pick her up. But I neglected to ask her precisely where she
was. And she neglected to keep her cell phone on. We finally connected, and
she finally arrived at school--but 30 minutes late. We've both learned a few
lessons from this miscommunication!

Another example: yesterday I started to write our September prayer letter by
copying the prayer requests from August. That way, I could share how they
had been answered and what needed additional prayer. Keith didn't notice
this and sent it on as is (see below). Another lesson learned from
miscommunication!

So, let me try to communicate more clearly. Ellen & Rebecca have started
school again. Ellen is in the 5th year of the Dutch 6-year high school & jr.
high program; Rebecca in the 4th. This looks like a challenging year for
each of them. We believe they will handle it well, but moral support is
appreciated.

Keith went to the specialist this past Monday for his shoulder. It turned
out to be a wasted trip (more communication problems). The doctor had been
called away on an emergency, and they were unable to cancel all his
appointments in a timely manner. This was a blow to Keith's morale. His
right shoulder remains painful, though he has more movement in it. His
appointment is rescheduled for September 15.

Communication with Moldova has greatly improved. Peter Ciochina recently sent a report of summer activities (see http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com for an excerpt). Many of the Roma have been forced to go abroad to seek work, but those who remain have been coming to church in greater numbers. The music group helps. The church has started a children's program. We are all looking forward to visiting Moldova during the girls' Autumn school vacation, October 24-31 when (Praise God!)the Bethlehem Baptist Church will be formally dedicated!!

Communication re. media projects is not going quite so smoothly. Keith is in
the midst of a dispute with a local company and would appreciate prayers for
a timely resolution. Keith had also hoped to have illustrated Scripture
booklets available to be printed in various Romani languages, but
communication with the printer has stalled. His shoulder problems have
limited his time at the computer. However, he hopes to begin recording the
Testament series in Slovak Romani sometime this autumn/winter. This would
involve travel to Slovakia at a not-so-nice-time-of-year, but seeing team
members Shane & Dianne McNary there is always a sunny experience.

We have a chance to share with our local Dutch church about Romany work Sunday, September 20. A special service focuses on People, Places, and the Planet. We were invited to sell Fair Trade Romany work. We will have the music CDs from Moldova, embroidery work by a sister (not Romany) there, cards reproduced from embroidery work by a Romany sister, and coloring books featuring the Dom Gypsies of the Middle East/North Africa. An English version of this coloring book can be downloaded from http://dom.gypsyministries.com/. Ellen & Rebecca drew the illustrations. We're quite proud of them.

I hope this communicates more clearly than our earlier e-mail. And when the
girls get home from their first day of school, I hope we will communicate
more clearly with them about clearly communicating, too.

Blessings,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Join us in thanking God for:
*Good schools and the health to bike to them;
*Dedication of the Bethlehem Baptist Church building, October 25;
*Petru/Peter & Olesea Ciochina and the leadership they bring to that church;
*Our local Dutch church and their support of Romany work.

Please continue praying for:
*Ellen & Rebecca's new school year; one has concluded that Greek is hopeless
& has dropped it (good choice, considering the circumstances), the other is
still trying to catch up on sleep!
*Keith's right shoulder & his appointment with the specialist on September 15;
*Resolution of problems with media projects--disputed bill, printing Scripture booklets.
*Micro-economic development in Moldova, so that more may stay home and work honorably rather than going abroad. Going abroad separates families and
interrupts children's schooling.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards Romany Scripture Media, clearly mark check for
Project #80821; for Romany Outreach Moldova, clearly mark check for Project
#85822.


August 2009

Dear friends,

Somehow July escaped me. Does that ever happen to you? I went to America
for my niece's wedding and a family gathering. We had a minor crisis at the girls' school (last day, July 18; both Ellen & Rebecca ended up ending respectably). First the European Baptist Federation and then the Baptist World Alliance met in the Netherlands (400 years ago the Baptist movement began in Amsterdam). And then, somehow, it was August.

In the meantime, Keith developed a painful condition in his right shoulder called frozen shoulder syndrome. He was spending too much time at the computer. Now he has retrained himself to use the mouse with his left hand, is getting physical therapy twice a week, but generally feels too lousy to do much of anything. He would really like to finish putting animated versions of the Joseph stories in Sinti Romani on YouTube, though (www.Youtube.com/sikepaskro). He's about half done.

He is almost all done distributing the Jesus DVD with 5 different Romani
languages on it--not because it's been seen and sent everywhere possible but
because the initial 3000 ordered in 2007 are almost all gone. Requests keep
coming in. However, funds in the media project were almost all used up.
However, this project was recently featured in CBF's Fellowship Today,
and a friend unexpectedly donated 300 Euros. This is about a third of what
would be needed to duplicate more Jesus DVDs or print any Sinti scripture booklets. If your church or church group is interested in a hands-on way to participate in this project, please let us know. People are hungry to see,
read, and hear the Word!

In other news, the Romany church in Moldova seems to be growing.
We hope to visit for the building dedication in October. The fish in the
Teach-a-Man-to-fish field trial died, though the tomatoes are doing well.
We hope a better tank can soon be found. Pastors Petru & Olesea
Ciochina have had a busy summer helping with children's and youth camps
in the area. I suspect July sort of got away from them, too.

Before too much of August slips away, too, we would like to thank you for your continued support. I could tell, somehow, that we had not asked for specific prayer during the month of July. Your partnership with us makes a significant difference!

Yours in Christ,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Thank God for:
* Partners like yourselves and partners like the Moldovan Baptist Union.
* Use and distribution of scripture media like the Acts DVD (Sinti Romani)
and Jesus DVD.
* Keith learning that the sinus operation schedule for June was NOT
necessary.
* Alina Ivan, Romanian woman from our Dutch church who has returned to
Romania to work with Romany children.

Please pray for:
* Scripture media projects--Joseph stories on YouTube; illustrated Scripture
booklets, Sinti Romani; Acts DVD, Sinti Romani; re-issuing 4 Testament
videos, Sinti Romani; recording these in Slovak Romani.
* Keith's right shoulder--for healing and for coping with the pain during the
healing process (unless, of course, God sees fit to miraculously heal him in
his sleep tonight).
* Ellen & Rebecca's school vacation--one is catching up on Greek; the other
is catching up on sleep.
* Micro-economic development among Christian Romany in Moldova, particularly
Petru, Radj, Anatolie, Virginia & George.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, www.thefellowship.info PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. To contribute towards Romany Scripture Media, clearly mark check for Project #80821; for Romany Outreach Moldova, clearly mark check for Project #85822.

 

June 2009

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for your prayers and support during our recent trip to
Moldova. Without you, it would not have been possible. With God, all things
are possible. Here is a brief summary of the things He made possible.

* Alina Ivan was not able to get a visa or to cross the Romanian-Moldovan
border. Because she was in Romania, however, she was able to visit the Ruth
School, learn about the Gypsy Smith School, visit the village of Tinca where
she will soon begin working with an early childhood intervention project
among Romany, and visit home where some interpersonal things were clarified.

* Without Alina, we didn't have a translator. God provided Dana Heri, a young
woman who gave the children's Bible stories in Romanian, and volunteers from
the church (mainly Vanea en Oleg) translated them into Usari Romani. These
young men plus Sister Minadora, Walter , Jenya, and Radik made the
children's program possible. They kept order, added to the fun, and
generally helped out.

* Erika Oosterkamp, from our Dutch church, took over the direction of the
children's program. Her warm spirit and willingness to testify from her own
experiences (growing up under Communism in Eastern Germany, among other
things) made a bond between her and the women of the village.

* Between 50-75 children came each day. The day we studied The Good Shepherd, we had xeroxed off 70 copies of a coloring sheet with the Good Shepherd on one side and a maze to find the lost sheep on the other. Even though some of us counted more than 70 children, we had just enough sheets for every child present. A little girl who came in late was given a blank sheet of paper.
But then one of the helpers walked by--with the last xeroxed sheet.

* American volunteer Jean Taff led first aid workshops with a spiritual
twist. She established good contact by offering to measure blood pressure,
answer medical questions, and give advise. And who knows how God will use
the head massage she gave the woman with the head ache--a woman who had
effectively kept her husband from being baptized and joining the church!
Sisters Virginia and Ibrianna provided prayer support and recruited
participants.

* American volunteer Bernadette FitzPatrick had thought she would not have
much to offer, "but I can wash dishes." In addition to washing dishes, she
began collecting recipes for a Moldovan cookbook. Watch for further
developments on this. very importantly, she was good "glue" for the
different temperments and nationalities on the team.

* We spent one night in a Romany home in Vulcanesti (no indoor plumbing,
great food and hospitality). This opened many doors. Women whom we had not
seen or spoken with stopped by to chat. We enjoyed fellowship and the
exchange of information. Our hostess had married at age 13 (!). One of her
guests had been quite a bit older--18--"because we were Christians."

* We were also able to visit the village school the next morning. At first
the director was unwilling, but when he heard we would be spending the night
in Vulcanesti, he was eager to have us come. We learned about the school,
the difficulties in getting children to attend, hopes for future
improvements. We also passed out small thank-you gifts to each of the
teachers to encourage them in their work.

* Saturday afternoon we had a party for the women of the village. Inside the
church was decorated with the children's drawings, coloring, and paper
chains plus balloons supplied by the volunteers. Far more women came (25+)
than the pastor's wife Olesea had expected. Together, we laughed, had fun
playing a few games, ate all 150 cinnamon rolls Erika had baked, drank all
the ice tea punch Bernadette had made, and were clearly touched by the
Erika's testimony and Jean's dramatization of Mary Magdalene. We definitely
feel women were brought closer to God.

Back home, Keith and the girls did not have such an inspiring time. Keith
did, however, get 50 copies of the Acts DVD in the Sinti Romani language. A
bit of it can be seen at http://cbfgypsyministries.blogspot.com/.  He has
been working on this project for at least 2 years, so it was really
satisfying to go to the annual Sinti Penecost tent meeting here in the
Netherlands.

We didn't manage to show the DVD, but we did distribute
several, including one as a gift to each of the 8 newly ordained
lay-preachers. The time there was fruitful in other ways. These believers
will be holding joint meetings with the Sinti church in Cologne, Germany,
June 13.

The people in Cologne participated in recording this DVD and may
be open to a partial showing of it. Also, Keith would like to have a
discussion with these Sinti church leaders about what media materials they
have used and what media materials they would like to see produced in the
future.

We see God moving here in broad sweeps. Day-to-day, though, can seem like
awfully ordinary life with awfully ordinary misunderstandings, short
tempers, mundane temptations (just one more computer game?), and thankless
tasks (vaccuuming--does anyone really care?). We thank you for your
prayers--and truly need your continued support.

Yours in Christ,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Join us in thanking God for:
*all the crayons, pencils, and markers donated by our Dutch church for
children's work in Vulcanesti;
*all the tea donated by our Dutch church for the women's outreach. We shared
tea with three churches, the teachers, and our hosts!
*outreach to the women; unity among our team; safety for Alina travelling in
Romania.
*successful completion of the Acts DVD in Sinti Romani.

Please also pray for:
*future media plans in Sinti Romani and the meeting on June 13
*the Holy Spirit to work through the Acts DVDs already distributed.
*Keith's sinus operation (outpatient basis) on June 18.
*seeds sown by women's work in Vulcanesti to bear fruit.
*wisdom and health for Pastor Petru & Olesea Ciochina, Bethlehem Baptist
Church, Vulcanesti.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards Romany Scripture Media, clearly mark check for
Project #80821. You may also give at www.thefellowship.info.

MAY 2009

Dear Friends,

God has a sense of humor. That was the note by my Scripture reading for
Friday, Acts 6:1-15. When the Sanhedrin accuse Stephan of going against the
laws of Moses, Stephan's face begins to shine as Moses' did when he
delivered those laws to the people (Exodus 34:29-35). I'd been treated to a
dose of that humor in much milder circumstances earlier this week. After a
sleepless night caused by senseless worry, the daily Scripture reading
closed with "I will lie down and sleep in peace" (Psalm 4:8a). I burst out
laughing! And then, about 10 AM, I went to sleep. Of course, the real laugh
came later in the day when the very thing I'd worried about resolved itself.

Things that have been keeping me up lately have been preparations for a trip
with four female volunteers in Moldova. We begin our work there on May 9
with, we hope, a Mother/Daughter gathering with the Roma women in Chisenau.
We hope to focus on the living water Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman at
the well (John 4). Igor Drentha, who has been working on a Cyrillic version
of Kalderash Romani, has printed shell books in this language. Then we hope
to go to the village of Vulcanesti on May 10 and have a time during the
worship service of honoring women. During the following week, we will hold a
sort of vacation Bible school for the kids in the afternoon (they only have
school in the mornings) and visit the women of the village in their homes to
encourage them, listen to them, and pray with them. On Saturday, one of the
volunteers will lead a workshop for women on first aid--for body and soul.
In between times, I hope to meet with economic development and education
partners. I confess that the details (like the visa that the leader of the
children's program still needs to get) worry me.

Keith, on the other hand, was up until 4:30 AM Thursday night due to zeal,
not worry. An organization that provides materials for missionaries
(www.handstoserve.co.uk)  had given us a super-sized printer that he can
print Scripture booklets with. Keith, who focuses on the present,
immediately set the thing up and began working with it. By 6 PM Friday
afternoon, he proudly showed me how the printer could print the
black-and-white Romani text onto shell booklets of The Good Samaritan. The
color illustrations will be printed onto the big sheets of paper by a
printing company. But now Keith can put any language under those
illustrations. Ten copies in Sinti Romani, twenty in Kalderash, fifty in
Usari Romani or simply in Hungarian--this is now possible. (The art work in
this clip, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veU8Ndg3P1Y, is from such a shell book.) Technically speaking.

Practically speaking, the Romany Scripture Media pot is about empty. We are
not worrying about this, though. We are sleeping in peace, waiting to see
what God will do.

He (God, not Keith, though Keith did have a significant role to play) has
provided for the Acts DVD to be completed, the master made, and sent off to
be reproduced. He (see above) also provided for a renewal of the license to
produce more DVDs in the Testament series. In addition to replenishing the
supply of these 30-minute children's videos in the Sinti Romani language,
Keith also hopes to begin dubbing one into Western Kalderash and Slovak
Romani within the coming months. Again, we will see what God will do to make
this possible. And we will keep our eyes out for His sense of humor!

Smiling,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith Holmes, Ellen & Rebecca

Praise and Thanksgiving:

* For Hands to Serve, the organization that provided our printer + two
laptops for ministry partners in Moldova and Romania. (They are looking for
computer technicians, auto mechanics, carpenters, or cleaning persons who
are willing to spend some time in beautiful South Holland fixing things up
for missionaries.)
* For completion of the Acts DVD.
*For the support of our Dutch Baptist church and their generous
contributions of crayons, stickers, tea bags, and funding for this
short-term mission trip to Moldova.
*For Dave Nonnemacher and the Teach a Man to Fish project; we will be
meeting Dave in Moldova and passing on a water pump to him.

Prayer requests:

*For funding for further Scripture media projects--booklets and DVDs.
*For safe travel, unity, and openness to the Spirit during this trip to
Moldova, May 8-18.
*For the specific events planned during that time.
*For Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca who will be taking care of the home front
during that time.
*For Alina Ivan, a Romanian national, who will be going to Bucharest Sunday
to get her visa so that she can join us in Moldova (we sincerely hope, since
she is leading the children's program).

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards Romany Scripture Media, clearly mark check for
Project #80821.



MARCH 2009

Dear Friends,

"I am faced with a serious problem," Peter/Petru Ciochina e-mailed today. He
discovered that since 2005 no construction permits had been requested for
the on-going construction on the Bethlehem Baptist Church building. Since
most Moldovans view Baptists as a suspicious sect, the authorities are
unlikely to be lenient on this matter. The church must pay a fine. And, if
all the many required documents (with accompanying fees) are not in place by
the end of May, the church building may be demolished.

Petru closed by saying that it was "sad and shocking for all of us; we must
pray. Pray for me that God give me wisdom to use time efficiently."

We have recently seen the power of prayer when the car we had been trying to
sell for six months sold last week. Additionally, Keith's hearing continues to improve, and he has taken steps for further improvement (sinus treatment, used hearing aids from Dutch church member).

Keith was also able to preview the Acts video/DVD with Sinti in Germany this
past Monday. He has already recorded a few corrections and hopes to finish
the rest by next week. He is also making progress on renewing the contract
to make more copies of existing Scripture DVDs in this language (Ruth, David
& Saul, Jonah, Noah/Creation).

Writing this makes progress sound steady and good. Living through the month
day-by-day, that progress is not as obvious. Please pray with us that God
will give us wisdom to use time efficiently, too.

Peace be with you,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise God for answered prayer!

Join us in praying for:
 *meeting with RAM, Sinti-scripture organization in Germany, March 24.
 *completion of corrections for Acts video.
 *Petru & Olesea Ciochina as they provide leadership to Bethlehem Baptist  
    Church, Vulcanesti, Moldova.
 *necessary paperwork completed for this church building.
 *plans for Mary's trip to Moldova, May 8-18, with volunteers to do a women's
    outreach. Additional volunteers welcome; contact Mary for more information
   at holmes@thefellowship.info

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, www.thefellowship.info
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.


FEBRUARY 2009

Dear Friends,

At our recent Romany missions team meeting, another team member asked me,
"Do you think things will ever really change for the Roma?" Where she lived,
Romany were uneasy about riding public transportation or attending public
schools. They are shown every day and in every way that they are second- or
third-class citizens--if they are considered citizens at all! I did not know
what to say.

But now I do. In America, February is Black History Month, and in America we
have just seen the historic inauguration of our first African-American
president. Things can change. Things have changed. Jesus started a social as
well as a spiritual revolution. In His kingdom, there are no distinctions
between male or female, black or white, Romany or Gadje, first world or
third. We can all be full citizens . . . if we dare!

Signs of change:

• Adee and Alex Ophof began an evangelical outreach and Bible study in Arnhem aimed at Romany and Travelers. Over fifty attended the
  first meeting. Please pray for additional meeting dates: Feb. 6 & 20, March
  6 & 20, April 3 & 17, May 1, 15, & 29, June 12 & 26.
• The Sinti family of "N". "N" is getting seriously needed professional help. Family members have been in positive contact with Alex Ophof.
• Keith's hearing is improving! Please continue to pray for complete healing.
  
  
• The Acts video in Sinti Romany will be previewed sometime this month. Pray for the positive impact among Sinti of hearing God's word in their own
  language. Also, praise God for the Sinti who have been distributing existing
  Scripture DVDs--and requested more.
• You have donated enough to provide Petru & Olesea Ciochina's salary for full year. They are building up the Romany in the village of Vulcanesti.
  Long-range plans for outreach include leadership training, improved
  education, and additional economic development.
• TransWorld Radio is working on a big push for Romany in 2009.
  
  
• During our recent meeting, the Romany Team added social justice to our core strategies priorities. The European Roma Information Office
  (www.erionet.org) is one source of information for these issues.
• Thank you for continuing to contribute to core strategy #1, prayer.

Yours in Christ,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards Romany Scripture Media, clearly mark check for
Project #80821; Romany Education, Moldova--#80827.

 

JANUARY 2009

Dear Friends,

"Pray for me, sister." I assured the Sinti man on the other end of the line
that we prayed for him every day. He often called, often at odd times,
always to ask for prayer. Sinti don't usually phone us. But then, again,
they don't usually walk into Christian bookstores and ask for a Bible in
their language, either. This man (identified as "N" in last month's letter)
was an exception--with an exceptionally dysfunctional family background and
exceptional personal problems. As I hung up the phone, my daughter commented on the strange people who contacted us.

"They that are well have no need of a physician," I quoted to her. "And
we're sort of physician's assistants." As far as "N" is concerned, this
assisting has primarily been in the form of prayer and in connecting him,
his brother, and his mother to a local church. Prayers for "N" to get the
help he needs have been partially answered. He was just admitted to a mental
health facility two days ago. We hope the Great Physician will continue to bring healing into that entire family (brothers J & R; mother A).

We also pray that the Great Physician will heal Keith's hearing. In
September, he had a minor operation to repair a hole in his right eardrum.
Since that time, his right ear has continually been filled with fluid. He
cannot hear any better than before the operation. Although he can hear well
enough to do his recording work, the situation remains very frustrating. If
he turns the TV up loud enough to understand it, our neighbors on the other
side of our townhouse wall can hear the program, too! Ordinary conversations
in a household of 3 soft-spoken females can be a trial as well.

The ACTS video in the Sinti Romany language, narrated by Luke, the
physician, is ready for preview and final correction. We are eager to have
this finished and distributed to that many others can learn more about the
healing power of our risen Lord.

We are still looking for people/churches willing to help support the
Moldovan home missionary for the Romany. His total support is $440 per
month. If you want more detailed information, please write us.

Peace be with you,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise God for:
 *Adee and Alex Ophof, who are beginning an evangelical outreach and Bible
   study in Arnhem aimed at Romany and Travelers. Meeting dates: Jan. 23, Feb.
   6 & 20, March 6 & 20, April 3 & 17, May 1, 15, & 29, June 12 & 26.
*Positive response to booklets and Bible stories on YouTube in Sinti Romany
   language.
*Acts video in Sinti Romany ready to be previewed.
*Help for "N" and his family.

Please join us in praying for:
*Continued healing for "N" and his family.
*Healing for Keith's ear.
*Romany team meeting, January 24-25, in Spain.
*Wisdom for Petru & Olesea Ciochina, leaders of outreach to Romany in
   Moldova.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards Romany Outreach, Moldova, clearly mark check for
"Project #85822".

 

DECEMBER 2008

Dear Friends,

Christmas--celebrating Good News! We'd like to share some good news with you. Last month Keith attended a meeting to discuss Sinti media plans. He came home and promptly put together two illustrated Bible booklets (Good Samaritan and Prodigal Son), animated them with a previously recorded reading of the stories, and put them on the Internet (YouTube.com/user/Sikepaskro). Plans are being made to print and distribute the booklets. Response so far has been enthusiastic.

The Sinti seeker, "N," was glad to get them, too, as was his younger brother, "J". We wanted to pick up "N" for church Sunday and tried calling him. Keith got his brother "J" on the line instead. "J" was in a drug rehabilitation center and asked for prayer and visitors. We weren't able to take "N" to a local church he'd visited before, but went ourselves. There we met a couple who do outreach among Romany and Travelers and exchanged contact information. This was an answer to our prayers, especially the news that they were planning to offfer Bible study/fellowship times specifically targeted for this group beginning in January.

When we visited "N" later that evening, his mother, "J", and "J"'s girlfriend arrived. They seemed to think our presence was an answer to their prayers. "J" had just been released from the rehabilitation center, but his girlfriend was afraid the cure was not going to take. "N" is also a (former) addict and seems to have some mental health issues. A third brother, "R", is in a local psychiatric hospital. The mother did not know how much more of all of this she could take. They asked for serious prayer, rides to church, and pastoral visits. The next day, the outreach worker and pastor of the church were prayfully making plans to minister to this family.



Good news that definitely echoes Christmas: the birth of a healthy baby boy to Petru & Olesea Ciochina (see photo). The Ciochinas serve as Roma Outreach workers in Moldova. Unlike the family described above, they are happy and healthy, mentally, spiritually, and physically. Our continued prayer support helps keep them that way. Financial support is also appreciated. If 30 of us give just $4.50/month and 25 give $9/month, their salary will be secure for the coming year (details below).

We wish you all a blessed Christmas season full of your own Good News!
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise God for:
*Alex Ophof's ministry to Romany and Travelers in the Arnhem area; please
            pray for the Bible studies starting in January.
*Positive contact with the Sinti seeker; please pray specifically for mental
            healing for brother "N", "J", and "R" as they struggle with addictions and
            mental health issues.
*Scripture media in the Sinti Romany language; pray for the Holy Spirit to
            work through both printed booklets and pieces on YouTube.
*Petru & Olesea Ciochina; Bethlehem Baptist Church in Vulcanesti, Moldova;
            and on-going economic development projects there.

Please continue to pray for:
*Keith's right ear; it is still not even 50%, let alone 100% better.
*Heat for Bethlehem Baptist Church, Moldova, this winter.
*Armin & Ursula Peter as they continue to check and revise the New Testament
            in the Sinti Romani language.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
To contribute towards Romany Outreach, Moldova, clearly mark check for
"Project #80822".  To "give a gift that makes a difference," see:
http://www.thefellowship.info/documents/0809GiftCatalog.pdf



NOVEMBER 2008

Dear friends,

Dull grey clouds fill the sky outside our third-floor office window. I face a choice we all make in some form: will I focus on them or on the bright bronzed maple leaves right in front of them? For instance, Keith found a number of errors in the Sinti version of the video of Acts. However, he is finished mixing this 4-hour video--and he can record or re-record the problem spots within a week.

Here's another example: though the church building in Vulcanesti, Moldova, is finished, the people cannot meet there this winter. Due to inflation available funds will no longer cover installing a furnice. However, they have received permission to continue meeting in the empty house they had been using, and the price of the furnice ($1,000) is only 100 CD's.(CBF-Louisiana still has Gypsy Worship music for sale: http://www.cbfla.org/Gypsy%20CD.html; $10 suggested donation.)

Ion and Vera Matveev, former Romany outreach coordinators in Moldova, have immigrated to California. However, Petru & Olesea Ciochina, their
successors, have been in regular e-mail contact with us about situations like the heater

Initial enthusiasm over putting Christian Sinti-language materials on
YouTube has hit snags. However, Keith, members of the Wycliffe Romany team,and several Sinti believers will be meeting next week to discuss this and make appropriate plans.

The Sinti believer/seeker who asked for a Bible in his language seems barely literate. However, he has contacted Keith several times to ask for prayer. The Lord seems to be working in his situation.

Other bright spots: Igor Drenza, Cyrillic Kalderash translation project, is ready to put together two trial illustrated booklets. Dr. John Elwode of the United Bible Socieities, is available to assist in checking the text before publication. Dr. Elwolde is also pursuing projects related to the Kalderash Bible in Latin script (the script I'm writing in).

Two women from our Dutch Baptist church have expressed an interest in
helping with a women's outreach this spring in the village of Vulcanesti, Moldova. Plans to translate a shell (comic) book, Jesus Messiah, in several Romani languages are taking shape as are plans to do the Testament videos in one or two additional Romani languages.

The multi-lingual Jesus DVD continues to be distributed . . . and used.
And your continued interest and concern is also a very bright spot.

Thankfully,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith Holmes, Ellen & Rebecca

Thank God for: See above.

Please continue to pray for:
*Keith's right ear, that it would stop collecting fluid so that he could hear better again.
*The Sinti seeker & the meeting (November 19-21) to discuss Sinti media
plans.
*Heat for Bethlehem Baptist Church, Moldova, this winter; current leadership Petru & Olesea Ciochina.
*Armin & Ursula Peter as they check and revise the New Testament in the
Sinti Romani language.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.
Contributions towards specific projects (Romany Outreach, Moldova, #80822; Romany Scripture Media, #80821) are also welcome.

 

SEPTEMBER 2008

Dear friends,

September usually brings changes: schools starting; summer ending. Changes bring mixed feelings, especially a big change in Romany work in Moldova. For the past several years we have partnered brother Ion Matveev and his wife Vera. They serve through the Moldovan Baptist Union as home missionaries to the Romany. This October they will immigrate to the United States. Everyone is sad to see them go.

However, they are so dedicated to Romany work, that they have pledged, as soon as they are financially able, to contribute $100/month towards the support of the next home missionary. This would be nearly a quarter of the estimated $440/month needed to support their replacement. Their commitment impresses me. Who will join them in seeing that this work continues?

Another change that has brought mixed feelings in our household is the start of a new school year. Ellen and Rebecca are not enthusiastic about their 5-mile bike ride (one way) each morning. Keith, on the other hand, is glad that there are no daughters clamoring to use his computer. He has been focusing on the Acts video in the Sinti Romani language. As of this writing, he has done the mixing for 3 of the 4 one-hour "reels." As he mixes, he notes missing parts and messed-up parts. This will lead to a new round of recording. Ideally, the video will be ready for previewing sometime in October.

Yet another change is that Jim and Becky Smith, fellow CBF’ers living in
Berlin, have an altered role in CBF and will be moving to Atlanta. We will
still be seeing them at meetings, etc., but that's not quite the same as a
(distant) neighbor. On the plus side, we celebrate their continued work with
CBF (and we're inheriting their smaller, less-expensive-to-use car).

A final change will be cause for unmixed rejoicing. It looks like Bethlehem
Baptist Church building in Vulcanesti, Moldova, will be finished in time for
an October dedication. Your gifts, prayers, and (in some instances) sweat
have helped make this possible. CBF-Louisiana has a slide show of the
building's development on their website, www.cbfla.org. The background music
is from a CD by the church's music group. This is available for a $10
donation. Any funds not needed for the building itself will go towards sound
equipment for the music group. They use their music to evangelize in other
Romany areas.

Peace be with (through whatever changes),
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praises:
*Good trip to and from America; good time with family
and good time visiting churches.
*Gifts from churches that have made completion of
Bethlehm Baptist Church building possible.       
*Our home churches, in the Netherlands and in America.

Prayer requests:
*Keith's ear operation, Monday, September 8, to repair
a hole in his ear drum. Outpatient surgery.
*Acts video, Sinti Romani language. Keith is almost finished
mixing the entire 4 hours. The next step is recording
missed parts (which he finds as he mixes) and
re-recording difficult to understand parts.
*Economic development projects in Moldova: Radj's used car
business; Anatolie's shoe business;
Teach-a-Man to Fish project.
*Completion of Bethlehem Baptist Church building.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. Contributions towards specific projects (Romany Outreach, Moldova, #80822;Romany Scripture Media, #80821) are also welcome.


JUNE 2008

Dear friends,

Thank you for your prayers during my trip to Moldova. Keith and the girls seem to have survived relatively well, though there was one trip to the doctor while I was gone. There is encouraging news from Moldova:

Tanya Potinga and Yurii Sider, the Moldovan Bible College students have who been leading a Romany Bible study, feel called to work with Roma children. Tanya told me that 5 out of 10 do not attend school. They would like to start a "Project Ruth" sort of club to do something about this, in one village to begin with. They request prayer: for God to show them which village to begin in; "for people who really love the Roma nation and care about them" to pledge spiritual as well as financial support. If this touches you or your Sunday school class or other group, please contact us.

Igor Drentha agreed to help put together a small test booklet of one illustrated story in Kalderash, Cyrillic, probably the story of the Samaritan woman in John. This is a praise but also an on-going prayer request.

In Vulcanesti, the Bethlehem Baptist Church is nearing completion. Praise the Lord! We hope to have updated photos on www.Gypsyministries.com soon. The beautiful exterior will be a good witness to all who pass by. Unfortunately, the budget to finish the interior & exterior did not include finishing the roof--a design problem created by earlier leadership. The Moldovan Baptist Union has agreed, on faith, to pay a quarter of this cost. Purchasing a CD of the church's music group or an outright gift will help towards the other three-quarters (see below). Keith plans to attend the building's dedication in September. You would be welcome to join him.

The Lord also connected us with two new economic development partners. Operation Mobilization in Moldova has a relief and development department which has agreed to oversee low-interest loans and offer training seminars. This seems a good fit for the people in Vulcanesti. The first two loan recipients: Radj (used cars) and Anatolie (new shoes) should receive their funds next week. We are looking for at least three prayer partners who will pledge to pray for these men for the next two years. They will need that support. If you feel called, please contact us. We will send you photos of these brothers + additional information and occassional updates.

The other partner is an old friend: Northwestern College in Iowa where Keith and I taught in the sociology/anthropology department. As part of providing real-world connections for both faculty and students, the college has started "Teach a Man to Fish." This aquaculture system combines raising fish for food with raising vegetables for food or sale. It has a lot of potential in places like Moldova. I was very pleased to connect our NWC partners with CAMED/Invest Credit, another partner in Moldova with sound experience and many potential fish farmers.

Now it's Keith's turn to prepare for a trip and my turn to mind the home front. Keith leaves Tuesday, June 17, for CBF's General Assembly in Memphis. After that, he will be speaking in several places in Louisiana. The girls and I fly to America on July 9. For our complete speaking schedule, see below. We would love to see or hear from you when (if) we are in your general area. We would appreciate your prayers while we travel.

Peace be with you,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, and Rebecca Holmes

To contribute towards a roof window, give to project #80820, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Moldova; to order a music CD ($5.00 + shipping), contact Louisiana CBF at www.cbfla.org after June 24, or catch Keith at one of his speaking engagements.

Contributions towards other projects (Romany Education, Moldova, #80827; Romany Microeconomic Development, Moldova, #80823) are welcome. Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible.

Keith's summer speaking schedule:
June 22, Sunday morning worship, 10:30 AM, Haynes Ave. Baptist Church, Shreveport, Louisiana
June 29, mission moment in Sunday morning worship, Broadmoor Baptist, Baton Rouge, LA
July 6, Sunday morning worship, University Baptist, Baton Rouge, LA
July 13, Sunday morning worship, Bridgewater Church, Mandeville, LA
July 14, guest missionary, Broadmoor Baptist Church vacation Bible school, Baton Rouge, LA

Joint summer speaking schedule:
July 20, Sunday morning worship, First Baptist Church, Conway, South Carolina. August 10, Sunday morning worship, First Baptist Church, Columbia, Missouri
August 10, Sunday evening worship, Memorial Baptist Church, Columbia, MO August 13, Supper + program, 6 PM, Kirkwood Baptist Church, Kirkwood, MO
August 14, meeting with members of Bosnian Ministry, greater St. Louis area.


May 7, 2008

Dear friends,

I have the privilege of serving on the board of the Dom Research Center (DRC), a non-profit organization for promoting the culture and well-being of Dom, Gypsies in the Middle East. An elderly relative recently joked that she knew more people in the cemetery than in town. This was a reality rather than a joke for a community of Dom in Nablus, on the Palestinian West Bank who literally lived in a cemetery. The DRC has since help them move to a shanty town with at least safe water and sewer facilities. Now they have an opportunity to move into real housing. The hitch is that each of the seventy families must be registered ($300 fee) with the local government first.

You can assist the Dom of Nablus in their attempt -- join the project! Learn more at: www.domresearchcenter.com Please take the time to at least look.

Thank you,
Mary van Rheenen



Keith Holmes, right, works to create Christian films in Romany languages.

Field personnel share gospel through recordings

By Laurie Entrekin
Wednesday, April 09, 2008

For many Romany people living throughout Europe, the former Soviet Union, North and South America, and even South Africa and Australia, the Bible is unapproachable. With an oral rather than a written culture, Roma often must rely on what they hear about Jesus.

Keith Holmes and Mary van Rheenen, a husband and wife team living in the Netherlands, create Christian films, children’s cartoons, and audio recordings of the Bible in major Romany languages. Through their work as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel, Romany adults and children are learning, many for the first time, about Bible characters such as David, Paul, Luke and Peter.
"Faith takes the long view," said van Rheenen, a native of Fulton, Ill. "We sometimes don’t know the impact our work is having. [But] we establish relationships, see what projects are appropriate, and work with our partners – Wycliffe Bible Translators, our partnering Romany churches and our CBF team members – to make them aware of possibilities."

The Romany people, often referred to as gypsies, have more than 20 different languages and dialects. As a minority, they face discrimination not only socially but by government systems as well. The discrimination extends even into churches. Hoping to stimulate evangelism and discipleship among the Romany people, Holmes and van Rheenen feel called to minister as Paul did.

"Paul asked, ‘How can people believe without hearing?’," said van Rheenen, referring to Romans 10:14. "How can they grow in their faith? Romany Christians grow in their faith by praying, but many have no idea who Cornelius in Acts was. I think they, like us, have a lot to learn from scripture. This is one way they can hear."

One of their recent projects was helping to create versions of the film "Jesus" into two Romany languages – Sinti Romani, spoken in Germany, France, the Netherlands and parts of Italy; and Western Kalderash, spoken in Russia, Western Europe and North America. Holmes also facilitated the creation of a master DVD, which includes the film in five Romany languages, plus Russian, Romanian and French. More than 3,000 copies of the multi-lingual DVD have been distributed in the past year.

"Hundreds were sent to London, Paris, Romania," said Holmes, a native of Baton Rouge, La. "A hundred were sent to Yugoslavia. I took 150 to a church in Germany in February. They had heard of it but not seen it. They were very eager to have it."

Another project involves recording voices for a Sinti Romani version of the 1973 film "Acts," starring Dean Jones as the great physician Luke. The film, narrated by the character of Luke, follows the New International Version of Acts verse by verse. Holmes will soon start work on a children’s video, "David and Saul," creating a version in Kalderash with a church in London.

The recording phase of projects can be tedious, and often only 10 minutes of audio are completed in one day. Text is first spoken by a translator, and then a native speaker repeats it for the recording.

"I play a bit of an acting coach," said Holmes, who is trained as a linguistic anthropologist and certified as a vernacular media specialist. "As I watch the film, I may ask if we can say something a different way to make the intonation match the scene – loud, quiet, angry, excited. And sometimes we have to change the structure or the length of the sentence to match the lip movements."

There are also translation challenges. While recording "Acts," they realized that the Sinti phrase for "he drew some people after him" means "a lot of people were on his back." In instances such as these, the native speaker is able to help the translator rewrite the phrase with more appropriate words.

Holmes and van Rheenen encourage Fellowship Baptists to pray for their ministry and to give to the CBF Offering for Global Missions, which funds their work. While the finished media projects are sold, the sales do not cover the production costs.

To learn about partnership opportunities with Holmes and van Rheenen, contact Chris Boltin at cboltin@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741. To financially support their work, give to the CBF Offering for Global Missions at www.thefellowship.info/give.


APRIL 2008

Dear Friends,

"God owes me a resurrection," Helen Keller's teacher Annie Sullivan says in "The Miracle Worker." I don't know whether God owes any of us a resurrection, but I am certainly glad that He provided one for us all, free of charge!

We are also rejoicing that recording for the book of Acts video has been completed. Well, the first phase of recording, anyway. Keith and his partner Armin Peter were able to find "voices" in the Sinti Romany church in Cologne, Germany. This is only about an hour and twenty minute drive from home, so it worked out quite well.

Now Keith is busy mixing the individually recorded voices into the entire video sound track. So far, he has gotten to chapter 5. He has noticed three pieces that are either entirely missing or really need to be redone. He will find more as he goes along. Sometimes he also notices that sound effects are missing from the Sinti sound track. For instance, he's had to create background crowd noises from his "music and effects" bag of tricks.

While this is going well, the Romany church in Vulcanesti, Moldova, seems to be stumbling along a very rocky path. Last summer's drought has driven prices up. Church members have gone off here and there in search of money-generating activities. Others have become discouraged. Pastor Ion is not certain that, given rising prices and the falling dollar, there are enough funds to complete the church building. For example, last year $7400 was worth 93980 Moldovan lei. Now $7400 only equals 74000 lei. Last year 93980 lei could buy 1305 bags of cement; now for 74000 lei only buys 822 bags. Please pray with us for both the church building and the church body there.

Finally, we are excited about a trip to Athens next week for our semi-annual Gypsy Cluster meeting. Ellen and Rebecca are going along. We hope they will see, learn, and enjoy much. He is risen! There is much reason for joy.

Yours in Christ, Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes
How you can help:

Pray with us --

*Praise that the initial recording of Acts is completed; pray for mixing phase of this project.

*Praise for Pastor Ion Matveev's leadership in Moldova; pray for completion of the church building in Vulcanesti and for the building up of church members themselves.

*Continue to pray for potential media projects with the Kalderash-speaking church in London.

*Praise for great teammates in CBF's Gypsy Cluster; pray for discussions and decisions during the up-coming meeting, April 6-10.

*Pray for the completion of a coloring book about the Dom (Gypsies) in the Middle East; Ellen & Rebecca are doing the illustrations.

Do--

*The music group in Vulcanesti has recorded a CD of their own Christian songs; we are looking for someone or some group who could distribute these in the U.S. They would like to raise some funds for their church building themselves.

Learn--

*Attend CBF's General Assembley in Memphis, June 18-20. Keith will be there as well as other members of the Gypsy Cluster.

*Visit www.Gypsyministries.com.

*Invite us to share with you or with a local group during our time in the States this summer, June 22-July 17 in Louisiana; August 2-19, in Iowa/Missouri.

Give--

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. To give to specific projects, please include project name & number: Romany Scripture Media, #80821; Romany Outreach, Moldovan Baptist Union, #85822; Bethlehem Baptist Building, #80820.


FEBRUARY 2008

Dear Friends,

The last time we visited the Romany village of Vulcanesti, the church there was doing well. The building was being, finally, finished. But more importantly, the people of the church were growing. A lively music group led worship. Teens were coming to services as well as youth meetings. Some who had fallen away returned to the church. New people were being baptized. The church began to be involved in outreach to other villages and other groups of Romany.

"Teens were coming," Pastor Ion Matveev told us. "Then . . . blooph! . . . everything is blown up." Two of the musicians married non-believers and stopped attending. One of the singers, disappointed in her efforts to find a husband in the church, told Ion she was tired of being a Christian. After the severe drought this summer, many left to find work--or to beg--in other countries.

"Every time if God's work starts to go and to grow, the devil starts to attack. I think this is the problem at Vulcanesti," Pastor Ion concluded. We asked if there were any way we could help. "Pray," Brother Ion immediately replied. "Pray, and ask other people to pray." He added, "I believe this hard time will go. And it will be history."

Praise:

*That the church building in Vulcanesti will be completed this spring;

*For two students at the Moldovan Bible College who have begun working
with Romany teens in the capital of Chisenau;

*For faculty and staff at Northwestern College, Iowa, who are working on economic development in this region;

*For the positive response to the Jesus DVD in Serbia and the beginnings of a Bible translation project there;

*For Christian Kalderash Romany in London who have been distributing the Jesus DVD among many different Romany groups there and who have asked to begin another recording project.

Prayer requests:

*For honest employment for the people of Vulcanesti;

*For Moldova, where the drought has driven prices up, sometimes nearly 30%;

*For Christians spouses for Christian Romany;

*For completion of recording and mixing of the Book of Acts in Sinti Romani; only a few parts remain to be recorded;

*For scheduling recording in London (this will also involve Keith directing translation &/or translation checking).

Still praying,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, Rebecca Holmes

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. For more information, see www.thefellowship.info.


JANUARY 2008

Dear Friends,

I said to myself, "I'm completely worn out; my time has been wasted. But I did it for the Lord God, and he will reward me." Sound like part of your own life? When I read this last week (Isaiah 49:4, CEV), it certainly spoke to me! The Romanian immigrant we had been helping remained unemployed and deeply in debt. Keith's current recording project ran into snags. Kids were sick or cranky. Even the Wycliffe partners we visited seemed discouraged.The weather, gloomy and wet, did nothing to help. Isaiah's words resonated with us all.

But Isaiah is not speaking about himself. These are, prophetically, the words of Christ, the Lord's Servant, looking at his own task of redeeming Israel. The Lord replies that not only will the servant's time be well spent, but he will accomplish something even grander than he originally set out to do. "I have placed you here as a light for other nations; you must take my saving power to everyone on earth. (Isaiah 49:6b)" That encouraged me. We light bulbs just show up; His power illuminates further than we dreamed.

Praise:

*For the space heater Keith could bring with him for recording sessions at Sylvano's house. Sylvano is the "voice" of Luke, the narrator of the Acts video. For about two days every week Keith drives the 2 hours to Sylvano's house in Germany, records, spends the night, records some more, and then drives back. The little quiet room they record in is not heated because Sylvano cannot pay for central heating. He heats the living room by the fireplace, but the little gas heater for his office does not work.

*For prayer partners like yourselves who help plug us into the power source.

Prayer Requests:

*For Armin & Ursula Peter, Wycliffe translators, who are preparing the New Testament in the Sinti Romani language for publication.

*For Keith who must attempt further recording Acts in the Sinti language without the help of Armin.

*For the health of those involved in recording Acts.

*For unemployed or underemployed Romany across Europe who still struggle through winter weather.

Your fellow light bulbs, Keith, Mary, Ellen, & Rebecca

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. For more information, see www.thefellowship.info.


DECEMBER 2007

Dear friends, Last month we were cleaning out our arts-and-crafts cupboard. I really hoped our packrat daughter would part with a lot of the stuff in there. We started with an egg carton of animal-shaped markers. Did she want to keep them anymore? "What will happen to them if I don't?" she wanted to know. I told her they would go to a Romany preschool in Romania. She approved. In fact, she was willing to put quite a few things into the Romania box. I was proud of her.

Last year we celebrated Christmas at home. When Keith's father and step-mother opened their gift--a certificate showing a donation had been made in their name for food packets for Romany families in Serbia, she exclaimed in delight, "Oh, you can do all our gifts that way!"

Giving. It's what keeps our days merry and bright.

Wishing you all blessed holy-days,
Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise:
*For Hanneke vander Spoel, Dutch woman who works as a nurse in Romania to support her calling among Romany there. Pray for safe travel as she drives to and from Romania.
*For people like yourselves who give time, prayer, and resources, throughout the year.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. For more information, see www.thefellowship.info

P.S. The Dutch word for a letter is "brief." This was written in that spirit.


OCTOBER 2007

Dear Friends,

Yes, I did send you a blank prayer letter yesterday. I confess I have been distracted lately. My father went into hospice care earlier this week and is not likely to return home--not to his earthly home, at least. We would appreciate prayer for my parents, Rev. Ralph & Esther Van Rheenen, as well as for my brothers and sisters: Connie, Gary, Paul, Bonnie, and Cathy. Providentially I had already planned to spend a week with my parents, beginning this Friday.

On a different note, Keith recently phoned our Kalderash Romany friends in London to ask how distribution of the Jesus DVD was going. This church helped dub this condensed version of Luke into the Romani language most widely used in Western Europe and North America. It is one of five Romani language choices on this multi-lingual DVD. Keith brought them 500 copies this past summer. They have been having a great time handing out the Jesus DVD. They only have about 50 copies left. And, since Keith visited them, this one Kalderash church has grown into three. "I didn't know there were so many Romany in London!" exclaimed one of the church members. We don't know what role distributing and viewing the Jesus DVD has had in this, but we rejoice with them over so many rebirths.

May His peace be with you, Mary van Rheenen, Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca Holmes

Praise: *For the use and distribution of the Jesus video throughout Europe, particularly in London. *That the Jesus DVD in Western Kalderash is now available in North American format, too. A Romany church in Dallas is enthusiastically duplicating and distributing it. *For progress in Moldovan business development plans.

Prayer: *For Mary as she travels (October 19-28); for Keith, Ellen, & Rebecca as they stay home; for Mary's extended family. *For the Holy Spirit to continue to work through Christian media like this DVD. *For the Romany from Romania and Bulgaria whom we meet on the streets here--that they might find work and be able to return to their families.

SEPTEMBER 2007

Dear Friends,

Keith is on the road again. This time, it is not as far as Moldova. He and Armin Peter have started recording the video version of the Book of Acts again. They are doing a Sinti Romani version for use in Bible studies. Keith will be making one-and-two-day trips to Germany for the next several weeks. One of the girls wondered why he didn't just make one long trip. "It would save on energy." Keith replied that he didnt' like to be gone from home that long--and that the people he was recording would want a break, too. This video was made by Dean Jones, Walt Disney star from the 1960's (including the orginial Love Bug film). He is a Christian and made several Scripture films. In Acts, he plays the part of an aged Luke who narrates the book. This past week Keith and Armin were recording the Sinti "Luke." That trip only took Keith two-hours' drive from home, but others will be longer.

In other media news, Armin Peter and his Sinti friend only distributed forty-five Jesus DVDs at the huge tent meeting in France. But the Lord works in mysterious ways . . . during the meeting, a French Sinti who works as a missionary to Romany in Serbia came up to talk with them. This man wants to take 500 copies of the DVD, distribute them throughout Sinti churches and communities in France, and use the proceeds to fund his work in Serbia. Since it would only cost him about $1.35 per DVD to reimburse us for the cost of producing them, this is a very feasible idea for him. And since he will have contacts and opportunities which we and our German or Dutch Sinti friends do not, many more people will have access to this abbreviated version of the Gospel of Luke in their own language.

Keith did stay home for at least a week after returing from Moldova. He reported that the church building in Vulcanesti was full for worship services, that the ceiling was in, and that the funds he brought from generous givers in the U.S. would be enough to finish the building. We hope to return for the dedication which might be as soon as the Christmas holidays, but will more probably take place in the spring. The music group at the church is ready to evangelize in other Romany communities. Keith was also able to attend the baptism of two Romany believers from the capital, Chisenau. The Romany there speak a different language and, rather than having their own church, attend two well-established churches. They are exploring the pros and cons of forming their own church.

All of these things were encouraging, as was the participation of volunteer Ben Lindsay from Hondo, Texas, in church construction. What was less encouraging was the severe drought in this corner of Europe. The well at Pastor Ion Matveev's home was dry. Crops had withered in the fields. The price of bread had doubled. If so many people live on money families members send back from their jobs in other countries--Italy, Germany, the U.S.--the situation would be dire indeed. The brothers in Vulcanesti had more small business ideas, and we are looking into ways for making these become reality. Most reality of this sort starts out as a dream.

Still dreaming, Mary van Rheenen, Ellen, Rebecca, and Keith Holmes

Please join us in praying for: *Safety during travel, for Keith to Germany; for Ellen and Rebecca on their daily bike ride to school; and for Mary, who plans a trip in October to her parents in Iowa; *For the Sinti "voices" in Acts, many of whom suffer from health problems, and for smooth recording sessions; *For the Holy Spirit to work through the distribution and viewing of the Jesus DVD in Europe; also for the completion of the DVD compatible with North American DVD machines; *Continued growth among the believers in Moldova--spiritual and financial.

Contributions to the Offering for Global Missions, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, PO Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392-1699 make this work possible. To contribute specifically to a particular project, write the name and # on the memo line: #85822, Roma Outreach, Moldova; #80821, Romany Scripture Media. For more information, see www.thefellowship.info