Reaching the EAST

Since the beginning of our marriage we have always seen ourselves living abroad and serving God in the Eastern World.  During our travels to Asia and the Middle East in the past year,  God has put it on our hearts again to pursue moving in this direction.  While in places like Indonesia, China, and India we had a many great opportunities to share our faith while “Teaching English”.  We were able to see firsthand how effective and useful the English Language was to build relationship with so many people all over the world, especially in Asia.

The English Language is one of many ways to reach people with the Gospel. For example in China, because we were english speakers, people were drawn to us.  We would meet people everywhere we went.  On buses, Trains, at the Grocery stores….people would just come up to us so that they could practice their English.  Because we were from America they wanted to know everything about us.  This opened up many opportunities to share our faith in Jesus.

During the  weeks we were in China we invited everyone that we met who gave us contact info to a party.  One them was a young lady we met for only 5 min in transit on a bus.  Just in 5 mins she gave us her number and wanted to meet with us again.  We invited her to our apartment and she traveled across the city to hang out with us!  She wasn’t the only one.  Another twenty people showed up!  Twenty people from all over the area.

That  night we cooked a meal for them and share life.  Many of them asked us many questions and ten learned later that we were all Christians.  The girl we met on the bus went to church for the very first time with us the next day!  We were able to lead many of them to the Lord!  What an opportunity!

We know that God is leading us back to this part of the World and we are taking the next steps to get there.   Please keep us in your prayers while we move in that direction (EAST). One of the options we have talked and prayed about is “teaching English” in South Korea.  This would be a statigic place where we can accomplish all that God is calling us to.  Our plans are to love people where ever we are, build relationship with local churches in these countries, and building a network to countries like China, Japan, and various countries in Southeast Asia.

Reaching the World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glcfeAyBk1c

Pictures of Germany

72 hours of Hell

When traveling like we have there are many wonderful things that we get to experience and see but every once in a while we face some very lonely and hard moments. After ministering in Norway we made arrangements to meet a friend of ours in Germany. Traveling day for us are usually hard ones because it is sometimes a day full of various transits in order to travel cheaply(usually at least 3 different types, ex. discount trains, planes, buses).

During this particular travel day we were suppose to have a very light day but it end up being a nightmare. The day started by packing and walking, carrying our heavy packs to the bus station with Kelly. We said our goodbyes and got on the bus that took us 1.5 hours to the airport that we took that was 2 hours flight to Oslo, Norway. From there we were to jump on another fight with the inexpensive Ryanair company (we got a ticket for both of us for 50 bucks to Frankfurt Germany!). We gave ourselves a good amount of time to get from one airport to the other (4 hours) but there is always a risk that one of the transits will be late or delayed. Turns out the Ryanair airport was further away than we researched and the train that would take us there was at a later time then needed and we missed our flight. If you know anything about Ryanair, there is no refund. The next flight was not until the next evening. So not only did we have rebuy tickets for 200 buck we had to stay in a hotel which was another extra cost.

When you are traveling and ministering on such a low budget as we are this was very devastating. That night we were on the brink of giving up even though we knew we had four countries left to go. I felt so alone, tired, and kind of depressed. We got a good night sleep and spent the next day in the airport.  While waiting on the flight I had a chance to email and ask for advice from mentors about what we should do.  We had a 100% support to keep going.  Many of them said…we would regret it if we did not go on even though many of them wanted us back home.

After we taking the 2 hour fight to Frankfurt we had to take a 1 hour bus to the train station where we stayed over night in a nearby hostel. The next morning we bought our train ticket and rode the train four hours to our friends home town.

We spent four days with Dortje and her family. It was a great and restful time of board games and seeing Germany.  After that the three of us packed up and traveled on to our next adventures through the UK (England, Scottland, Ireland).

Beautiful Norway

While in Norway we were able to be apart of a University ministry lead by a team of wonderful people Courtney, Brett, and Kelly.  It was amazing to see a healthy and growing ministry started just a little over 2 years ago!  One of the team leaders we served, encouraged, and prayed with was Kelly Larson.  Kelly is very dear to our heart, being one our first youth leaders to serve with us while pioneering a new youth ministry in Duluth, MN.  We love Kelly so much.  It was so cool to see her lead and love people.  She has become and is a dynamic leader.   During the time there we particapated in two prayer meetings with students on two different campuses.  On both of those ocation God gave a some encouraging word to the leader and students.  We also particapated in a weekly bible study lead by Courtney and Brett.  The week we were there was a wonderful time of fellowship, laughter, and ministry.

WE LOVE YOU KELLY!

Stockholm, Sweden

After a wonderful ministry time in Italy working with Nigerian/Italian Kids and speaking at the International Church in Padova.  We went to the cold great north to work with University students and ministries in Sweden and Norway.  In Sweden we served with the Zarns Family and in Norway with Kelly Larson.  We were there for a few weeks working and praying with them.  Our time in both places were filled with prayer walks, small groups and dreaming with the two teams.  Please keep these two ministry in your prayers.  God has a heart for these two nations and we believe that these two ministries will be a huge part of raising up future leaders of these beautiful places!

Here is just a glimpse of our time in Sweden (Norway is to come):

In Stockholm we had a opportunity to preach in a finish youth group!  It was fun!  Jess and Sang and I Spoke.

Spent a lot of time with the Zarns family at IKEA (the very first one).  Don’t worry its grape juice.

We also had a chance to teach a class on how to start small groups in the church we ministered to.  It was great to share my experience in the area and help others build community!  The week was great and we love the Zarns family and all God is going to do through them.

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes

Here is Jessica teaching the Kids one of my favorite songs during our time teaching the after school program in Padova, Italy

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes…Knees and Toes

One of the ministry here in Padova is teaching Nigerian/Italian kids English.  You might be asking, Why are they doing that? Well, here is why:

There are many refugees from Africa who have come to Italy to live.  One of the problems that these families are facing is that the kids are being integrated into the Italian school system and for most of the day only hear Italian at school and on t.v. programs.  The Parents can’t keep up.  Most of the African Parents speak English and their kids only learned Italian…  making it very difficult for these families to communicate to each other.  Teaching these kids English is one step in helping create a way for these families to live and build a stronger home life and a healthy structure.

We also teaching the Bible stories, help them read, and of course love the heck out of them!

Our Day trips to the Venice, Florence, and Rome

From where we are in Italy…it is fairly inexpensive to pack your lunch and do day trips to the great sites like Venice (20 min by train from Padova), Florence (2 hours) and Rome (4 hours).  On our days off or free time we had we would wake up early in the morning and just go!  Out of the three Jess and I would agree that Rome was our favorate.

Venice

Florence

I have never take more picture of a naked man in my life

But here he is David in Full Monty (viewer discretion advised)

More naked people and weird artistic creatures (below)

Here I am after a long day in Florence…trains have become a natural place for sleep on these adventures through Italy

Rome

More Pictures of Rome

We arrived in Italy and have been working hard

For the last two weeks we have been serving and ministering in Italy with Steve and Patti Gray.  They have a church in Padova, Italy (about 20 mins, by train, from Venice).  It has been really cool to hear theirs stories from their 10 plus years of experience with international churches in Italy.  They have been apart of an international church movement in Europe that has helped pioneer three churches in Italy.

We arrived on a late Monday afternoon after traveling for the last few days by plane from Israel to Germany (slept in the airport) to Milan and a two hour train ride from Milan to Padova.  We were greeted with open arms.  We were picked up from the train station and then given a tour of the city that night by the Steve and Patti.  You could tell from the begining that loved Italy and their city.  The picture below is us enjoy a little Italian gelito:

Me, Jess, Steve, Patti, and Lyddia (intern)

Steve and Patti have a real gift for hospitality and loving people.  I have enjoyed learning and serving this ministry.  Steve has so much wisdom and I love his humor.  Patti is strong and fun women to be with.

Our normal day here in Italy  looks kind of like this:

• Wake up eat Breakfast and help clean up around the house
• Bike (Padova is a big biking community- Bikes everywhere) or walk to Church
• In the mornings we have been helping Pastor Steve organize his office
• Early afternoon Pastor Steve takes us out for a Cappuccino at his favorite spot near the church
• Then at about 2:30-3 we start getting ready for the afterschool program- teaching English to Nigerian/Italian kids (ages 5-12)  ITS WILD!
• Most evenings are filled with either small groups or prayer meetings
• Dinner is usually around 9pm when we get home

This last Sunday Pastor Steve and Patti were out of town for a conference so I had the opportunity to preach at their church!  It was Fun.  I spoke about the heart God has for Muslims.  In order for us to reach the Islamic world God must first soften our hearts to them.  I also share a message about prayer -Prayer sets things in motion was the title.

Here is some pictures from the afterschool program

WE ARE LOVING ITALY!

The Night we stayed in the Frankfurt Airport (Germany)

We flew into Germany on a late thursday evening and our next flight to Italy wasn’t until 6 am….so we “slept” in the airport…kind of….

10:57 PM

Just arrived at the airport

1:37 AM

Here is Jessica sleeping in a chair at the airport

2:15 AM

the cleaning crew arrives

2:45 AM

3:15 AM

Catch the shuttle to Ryanair – airport an hour away from main airport

6:50 AM

On the Airplane to Italy, flying over the Swiss Alps!