Dearest Friends,
Tomorrow we leave for India! Our hearts are so full of joy for what we saw the Lord do in Slovakia and we pray that we will see the same blessing in India.
We left one set of equipment with our friends in Kosice. They have been doing puppets for several years and will take this set of equipment and plant a new ministry in another Eastern Euorpean nation. Pray for their work!
With all joy, we recommend to you the work of The Father’s Heart in Kosice where our team works from. Please contact Bevan Stein, bevan_d_stein@msn.com , if you are interested in helping with one of their summer camps. They do a wonderful job of sharing Christ with children, especially those who are at risk.
Our second set of equipment was given to a very dear lady named Katka Bencova. She has been working for a long time with children in Slovakia, mostly in the other part of the country. She has a real heart for children! Below are parts of 2 thank you notes that she sent me since we came home. Rightfully, they belong to all of you who prayed and gave!
********************************************************************************************************
THANKS
I want to tell you again that I am really happy and overwhelmed for the gift which I could receive through you for this mission among children. You are big blessing for us!
PUPPET TRAINING
This gift already brought a big blessing. After our tour I could train 7 young gypsy people to work with puppets. They are believers who want to serve the Lord and this is one way how they can develop their skills. We had a training with puppets. They had a big joy, they tried different sentences and we had lot of fun during training. Than we prepared a performance which we played for children from the private school. Some from young people are very creative and the performance was really good, alive and children were drawn into the story.
I am looking forward for other opportunities to expand this mission and share Gospel also with puppets.
******************************************************************************************************
Then, I received this second note, detailing her ministry plan. I was so blessed and challenged by this lady to love Jesus more! Please read her dear words.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Some from puppets now have a special place. I took them to the flat where I live. I have them in living room and every time I look at them I send blessings towards you and thank God for special tools you left here for work with children.
I remember how nice it was to hear children scream and whoop from cheerfulness when they saw different animal’s puppets jumping on the scene or on the air.
Puppets which I have in living room I placed here for a purpose. When I look at them I am thinking how to use them. I am creating a plan for TRAINING youth to work with puppets.
I want to do four main things on these trainings:
At first – to study Bible with them and to build these young people to know God more and love him.
Second & to understand that they can be his instrument to serve others.
Third & unroll and develop their creativity in writing stories for puppets
Fourth – learn practical work with puppets.
I know that this plan is for a long term but it is worthy to try it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRAISE and PRAYER REQUESTS!!!!!
Praise God for 2 opportunities to share here at home since we came back from Slovakia. I am thankful for my home church, Highlands PCA, where I gave a report on the trip. Also, we made new friends when we traveled to The Church in the Cove in Sevierville, TN last Wednesday night. These people really encouraged all of us with the interest that they had in the work with the children. Please pray about us coming to your church and sharing.
Please pray for The Father’s heart , Katka, and our team as we go to India. We have had a very difficult time securing visas, locating 3 lost passports (Document services lost 2 of them), and packing. Please pray that we will have no problem at customs. This is critical! We need to have all of our bags arrive with us and we need to pass through customs without opening anything. Please PRAY!!!!
Please continue to pray for my Mother. After I came home, I went to Atlanta and brought her home with me. We had 4 great days together. She was very touched by all of you who sent me emails telling me that you were praying for her after her stroke that she had while I was in Slovakia. I gave her a copy and she wanted me to thank all of you.
A few days after I took her home, she had a very bad fall and spent 5 days in the hospital. Sam, our Assistant Director, flew in from Ireland on Thursday , preparing to leave for India. We went to the hospital and took her home. She is very tired and sore, but still confident that the Father has a plan. Please continue to pray for her! It is hard leaving her to go to India, but I am at peace and so is she that I must go.
I beg you to to be faithful in your prayers!
In Jesus,Linda for the India Team