I want to share with you the stories of two women with whom I have been meeting for the past seven weeks. In order to protect their privacy, I won't name them. Both are middle-aged women of faith who have been through more than their share of trials, yet God is working in their lives in very different ways.
The first has suffered the tragedies of first losing a young child, then later suddenly losing her husband. These losses were difficult for her, as they would be for anyone. They led her to ask the oft-repeated question, "Why is this happening to me?" However, she was eventually able to accept that she doesn't know the answer, but that she must trust God.
She initially came to our Information Meeting with a friend, not expecting that she would participate in the program. However, she had a good feeling about the meeting and decided to sign up. She has thoroughly enjoyed our discussions, as have I. She has even invited several of her friends to participate. Several times, she has commented about how she has been thinking about what we've been discussing, and a few days ago, she began to realize how little she knew about the Bible. It is easy to see how God is using our conversations to speak to her and to help her to grow in her faith.
The other woman is in the midst of a stormy period in her life. She is divorced, and her job as a waitress provides barely enough income for her and her daughter to live on. The hours she must work are often physically demanding. She recently lost a brother. Her mother and her sister have serious health problems. Her grand-nephew nearly drowned recently and faces the prospect of partial paralysis. What makes these challenges especially difficult is that she has no one to turn to for help.
It has been much more difficult for me to see how God is working in her life, but I believe that he is. I suspect that he wants to use this church to help her. While she has a strong belief in God, she does not have what I would call a church family. In fact, in view of her church experiences, I doubt if she feels a need for one. She does, however, see many needs in her life. I have seen how God has used this church to help with many such needs of other people. It is my prayer that he will do so with her needs as well.
The end of this project is coming quickly. Morris left at the beginning of this week, and I have been working alone (well, not exactly alone - I've been studying with 14 different people, and God has been present throughout). Next weekend, the first follow-up team, Linda and Sandra, will arrive. I will be able to spend a couple of days helping them get settled before I leave them to continue the work. Please pray for them as they prepare to continue this work.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Last night was such an encouraging evening that another posting is in order while it is still fresh in my 6o year old mind. Rod and I shared the evening with the family of one of the original children I taught 7 years ago during a one week tent camping church camp on the island of Krk. Petra was only 9 years old, but she was a great helper and an eager to learn student as well. We became good friends and even at that young age she was already thinking on a spiritual level that was very noticeable. We have worked together during other visits to Varazdin and 2 years ago Petra was one of my regular LST readers.
There were several encouraging moments in her home last night. First was her continual interest in spiritual topics. Moving into her teen years has increased her interest in the church. There are far too many stories of the opposite being true for young people her age. Secondly, her questions often centered around others. She wanted to know how her friends in America were doing and how several adults that we both know were doing that she had not seen for awhile. Of course there was small talk about the weather, soccer and such, but the conversations always came back to people. What a blessing I received thinking back 7 years ago, teaching a 9 year old a little about faith in Jesus. She still has the handouts that Michelle sent with me as visual aids to the stories. Not all investment in the lives of people have a positive ending, but this one did and is certainly worth sharing and giving thanks to the Spirit for his work.
There were several encouraging moments in her home last night. First was her continual interest in spiritual topics. Moving into her teen years has increased her interest in the church. There are far too many stories of the opposite being true for young people her age. Secondly, her questions often centered around others. She wanted to know how her friends in America were doing and how several adults that we both know were doing that she had not seen for awhile. Of course there was small talk about the weather, soccer and such, but the conversations always came back to people. What a blessing I received thinking back 7 years ago, teaching a 9 year old a little about faith in Jesus. She still has the handouts that Michelle sent with me as visual aids to the stories. Not all investment in the lives of people have a positive ending, but this one did and is certainly worth sharing and giving thanks to the Spirit for his work.
Friday, June 15, 2012
After several unsuccessful attempts to reach this blog site, I will finally share a few thoughts and observations. As of yesterday I have completed two out of the three weeks of reading with my readers. Most of you know I am following up with Nick Brown's initial readers. Nick worked the first 3 weeks and I am working the second 3 weeks. Even though it was Nick's first LST mission, he did an excellent job of establishing friendships and connections to each of his readers. Thanks Nick, as a result of your work, it was a smooth transition for me to make. Each of your readers were very complimentary of your work.
The first week started the morning after my arrivial, with 6 readers. I would share my initial reading experiences, but honestly I was fighting jet lag so strongly, I don't remember most of the conversations that took place. Fortunately all the readers signed up for additional reading times, so that was a good sign. I am blessed to have 11 regular readers ranging in age from 19 to 56. Several have read with other workers through LST and through other church connections. This is a great testamony to those who lay foundations of friendship and trust for other to build upon. Those returning readers are comfortable and have a higher level of openess that is often evident early on in our conversations. I have one returning reader who I read with 2 years ago, who is in his first year of college. He is not a believer but is open to challenging conversations. His English conversation and reading levels are high enough that we are reading directly out of the gospel of John. As he reads each chapter, I'm the defense attorney calling my witnesses to testify what they know about Jesus and he is the prosecuting attorney countering their claims. It has been blessed. As LST says, "The Word is the Teacher". Other readers include high school students, a pharmaceutical sales rep, a bank director who is also an organic gardener, a jail security guard, a factory worker, an unemployed accounting teacher, a social worker, and an unemployed bio tech engineer. They all come with a variety of Biblical faith and knowledge. We have had blessed moments of conversation that challenge both sides of the table. It will be hard to think that our friendships will be put on hold at the end of just one more week. Several readers have life challenges that embarrass me to think of what I consider a challenge in my life. One of the lessons we read is the account of the wise and foolish builder. One of the questions that is asked routinely during that study is, "Do you have floods in your life?" Believe me there are many floods in the lives of our readers. In spite of their floods, their positive out look continues to amaze me.
Our time has also included a vist to the church member who cooked our LST lunches for 6 weeks in 2010 and never served the same meal twice. Nadica was suffering from ALS even then, but insitsed on cooking as her contribution to our work. This year, we visited her in a hospital that was once a castle. It was like stepping back in time. Michelle had made Nadica a small quilt which she was very thankful for and was going to use it as an example to the hospital staff of Christian kindness.
Laura and family will arrive tomorrow and be here one week presenting programs for neighborhood children at two locations. There are a number of children who play in the backyard of the church because it has playground equipment, the only sets in the neighborhood. I have interacted with the kids enough that they know I definitely do not know the Croatian language. They just laugh as I try to say a few words in Croatian. Laughter is still a great unspoken language.
The longer I am here to more I see and feel God's presence. It was a slower transition for me this trip, but there are definitely reasons for us to be here and I really sense that it is a season of progress and positive growth for the work here in Varazdin. There is so much optimism and a sense of God's leading with many options for future developments in the month's ahead. So thanks to all who have and are suppporting this valueable work. It is time and finances that are well worth the investments.
The first week started the morning after my arrivial, with 6 readers. I would share my initial reading experiences, but honestly I was fighting jet lag so strongly, I don't remember most of the conversations that took place. Fortunately all the readers signed up for additional reading times, so that was a good sign. I am blessed to have 11 regular readers ranging in age from 19 to 56. Several have read with other workers through LST and through other church connections. This is a great testamony to those who lay foundations of friendship and trust for other to build upon. Those returning readers are comfortable and have a higher level of openess that is often evident early on in our conversations. I have one returning reader who I read with 2 years ago, who is in his first year of college. He is not a believer but is open to challenging conversations. His English conversation and reading levels are high enough that we are reading directly out of the gospel of John. As he reads each chapter, I'm the defense attorney calling my witnesses to testify what they know about Jesus and he is the prosecuting attorney countering their claims. It has been blessed. As LST says, "The Word is the Teacher". Other readers include high school students, a pharmaceutical sales rep, a bank director who is also an organic gardener, a jail security guard, a factory worker, an unemployed accounting teacher, a social worker, and an unemployed bio tech engineer. They all come with a variety of Biblical faith and knowledge. We have had blessed moments of conversation that challenge both sides of the table. It will be hard to think that our friendships will be put on hold at the end of just one more week. Several readers have life challenges that embarrass me to think of what I consider a challenge in my life. One of the lessons we read is the account of the wise and foolish builder. One of the questions that is asked routinely during that study is, "Do you have floods in your life?" Believe me there are many floods in the lives of our readers. In spite of their floods, their positive out look continues to amaze me.
Our time has also included a vist to the church member who cooked our LST lunches for 6 weeks in 2010 and never served the same meal twice. Nadica was suffering from ALS even then, but insitsed on cooking as her contribution to our work. This year, we visited her in a hospital that was once a castle. It was like stepping back in time. Michelle had made Nadica a small quilt which she was very thankful for and was going to use it as an example to the hospital staff of Christian kindness.
Laura and family will arrive tomorrow and be here one week presenting programs for neighborhood children at two locations. There are a number of children who play in the backyard of the church because it has playground equipment, the only sets in the neighborhood. I have interacted with the kids enough that they know I definitely do not know the Croatian language. They just laugh as I try to say a few words in Croatian. Laughter is still a great unspoken language.
The longer I am here to more I see and feel God's presence. It was a slower transition for me this trip, but there are definitely reasons for us to be here and I really sense that it is a season of progress and positive growth for the work here in Varazdin. There is so much optimism and a sense of God's leading with many options for future developments in the month's ahead. So thanks to all who have and are suppporting this valueable work. It is time and finances that are well worth the investments.
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