Prayer Update - 10/22/07

Wow! I am in Cluj, Romania today and just finished a great day of staff training with the new staff team here. I shared some leadership training materials on the subjects of Caring For Ministry Leaders, Effective Teamwork in Ministry and Being an "Equipper" Rather Than a "Doer." The team really responded well and I really feel God will use their unique set of gifts and abilities in amazing ways.

The weekend was incredible, too. On Sunday, I got to share with a group of around 200school age children in a large Pentecostal church here in Cluj. Afterward, we observed a teacher of 5th graders who was using the materials our EGM partners have produced here. She is a direct product of the training and mentoring she's received through the Romanian staff here and the American summer ministry teams that have come to her church. What a joy to see her effectiveness in sharing God's Word with the kids and to know you and I had a small part in that!

In the afternoon, I was invited to share at the Hungarian Baptist Church. It seems strange to be in a Hungarian service while in Romania, but there is actually quite a large community of Hungarians in Romania and the Hungarian Baptist Union has a large number of churches. It was great to share with them and thank them for their part in the ministry of reaching the children (this is the church of one of our staff members). Following the service, we enjoyed an AMAZING Hungarian dinner! MMMMMMMM!

Tomorrow morning, I'm off to Kiev, Ukraine and am counting on your continued prayers for me. Igor Fridrikh and I will be sharing with denominational and church leaders about the launch of our minstry in this country. It's my first time there.

I spoke to Julie via the computer for a brief moment a few moments ago and things are going well at home. She even had our grandson, Noah, at the house for the weekend! (I'm jealous!) She thanks you for your prayers, as well. She's busy coordinating the trip I will make with the team going to Oaxaca in the south of Mexico (a children's workers training event) November 12-17. It's so great to have her there, seeing to the details of the ongoing work of EGM and coordinating communications. I'm so thankful for her.

God bless you for your ministry of prayer!

Joe
Ps. 25:4,5

Prayer Update - 10/19/07

Dear Praying Friends,

You have been so faithful to follow us and cover us with your prayers. Please don't stop! I can't tell you how important it is!! We feel God's provision, protection and encouragement so often and KNOW we can link it DIRECTLY to the prayer support we receive!

EGYPT
Julie and I felt God working in significant ways during our trip to Egypt last month. It was obvious that He had gone before us to prepare the way and we were able to encourage our staff and board team there. I enjoyed sharing Bible studies from the life of Elisha and God moved in hearts as a result. We both saw the Lord opening doors for informal strategic conversations as well as good results from the board meetings. We felt our time there was well spent on a number of levels. We even got to put our toes in the Red Sea - amazing! Praise the Lord for our team of prayer partners and financial supporters who made this trip possible.

MOVING
We are all moved into our new place (see new address and phone below). We love it and are so thankful that our son, Joe, was able to come out from Missouri to help us move! Things went fairly smoothly and we're thankful!! Believe it or not, I was called for jury duty in the midst of all the move, and was assigned to a case lasting a full month! God miraculously moved in the heart of the very "by the book" judge and, though not excused from serving, I WAS able to postpone my service to February. Whew!

JULIE'S NEW JOB
Now that our EGM president has a new full-time assistant, Julie is, once again, able to focus her time and energy on the plethora of special projects that continue to surface in the very quickly growing EGM ministry. Right now, she's putting the final touches on an international staff member's manual with loads of policies and procedures that will make our work stronger around the world. It's been tedious and complicated but the result is pure beauty!! She's also editing some training materials and other resources that will help US churches as they participate in short term ministry partnering with churches in EGM countries.

ROMANIA, UKRAINE, POLAND & HUNGARY
Sunday, October 15, I will once again board an airplane headed for Eastern Europe. Here's the itinerary, so you can follow me with your prayers…

Sun, Oct 14 - Leave San Diego at 7:40am headed for Budapest, Hungary

Mon, Oct 15 - Drive with our team to Cluj, Romania

Tues, Oct 16 - Meet with the Romanian staff team for conference planning and new staff training

Oct 17-20 - National Children's Worker Conference in Vlahita, Romania

Sun, Oct 21 - Hungarian Baptist Church in Cluj

Mon, Oct 22 - New staff training for Romanian team

Oct 23-26 - Meet with denominational leaders and board candidates in Kiev, Ukraine

Fri, Oct 26 - Fly from Kiev, Ukraine to Krakow, Poland

Oct 27-29 - Meet with our regional staff and EGM Poland staff and board

Mon, Oct 29 - Overnight train from Krakow to Budapest, Hungary

Tues, Oct 30 - Meet with EGM Hungary staff and board

Wed, Oct 31 - Fly home and arrive 9:45pm in San Diego

Of course, as always, remember to pray for Julie and Jonathan and for our US staff while I'm away. My special prayer requests this time is for physical ENDURANCE and for WISDOM as I meet with each team. Complex ministry consultations and decisions are a daily event on these trips and I'm hopeless and helpless without Divine help!

Your brief return email, reminding me of your commitment to pray is always a welcome sight in my email inbox and is often just the encouragement I need.

Thanking God for you,

Joe Cox

New home address:
41710 Monterey Place
Temecula, CA 92591

New phone number:
951-506-4868