Next Steps - Aways Forward

It is almost over. My head is full of acronyms, things to do, not to do, personality traits, spiritual warfare, right vs. wrong=just different; how to be part of a team, what I need to do to learn a language, interpersonal skills and facilitating a church planting movement. Yes, ”IT IS WORTH IT!” as the UWM logo says.

One of the deepest things I am learning is that the heart of the Christian WILL suffer. The greatest movements are those where persecution and suffering precede it. All of us have our own disappointments and shattered dreams. Mine seems to come in the form of rejection within my own family. Although it hurts deeply, I know that God is still working in me (that is good for it tells me I am still here).

I also know that He is getting me ready for something else or He wouldn’t even bother (that is good too for I want to be ready in and out of season, whether here or there). Most of all, I am learning what He must have gone through for me—even if only a small part of His suffering. (This is wonderful for if my hurt is only part of what HE suffered for me, then His love for me is more wonderful than I ever imagined). It IS a privilege to suffer for Him, but to be honest; I don’t really like it; even though it is exciting to know that He is at work in me.

When I return home I must finish raising my needed support—approximately $700.00/month. I will be taking a class called Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), visiting friends and family, packing and preparing to go on July 22, to Central Asia.

Would you pray for me? I covet your prayers for all of the above. You are an integral part of my life, for without your prayers and God’s grace, I cannot go. Thanks for being so special.

Delighting in Him,
Mickey

The RICHES of my time at The Center for Intercultural Training

Oh, it isn’t Rich because of the surroundings—in fact the place is a group of red brick buildings set in the center of what is left of a little town, lots of cemeteries and churches and trees.

But RICH it is to me; for my time here has included building RELATIONSHIPS with others who are called to a foreign land; who have stories to bless our hearts and like me, need only a little more support to go.

It has been a time to REFLECT on God’s call, His Sonship and how to live out the Gospel in the lives of others-here or there.

There has been some dross to REMOVE as I, like others, have endured some heat in order to understand what suffering can mean for us who desire to be conformed to His will.

I have been REMINDED that I am not an orphan, but a beloved child of God with all the riches found in Jesus as His child.

The power of the RESURRECTION is ours. Do you realize what that means? Wow, He doesn’t need anything from me to accomplish His will here on earth. I want to experience that power!

It has been a time of REST as I’ve enjoyed Him and others and the quiet surroundings.

REFILLING has been the RESULT as I take the next step in going where He is leading.
Delighting in Him,
Mickey

CIT Web Site

Belgium Newspaper Article on Religious Belief

Le Jour, a newspaper, published a poll about religion in the French-speaking part of Belgium. The afterlife was polled, and the results are interesting.

37% said there was something after death, but don't know what
23% said there was nothing at all
9.7% said there was the judgment according to deeds
8.4% said it was the reincarnation on earth, but in a different life
7.3% said it was heaven
5.7% said it was the resurrection of the dead
4.6% said they weren't sure
4.3% said it was something else than what has been stated above

Team Belgium

Well, here we all are. (back row l-r) Brent, Rich, Lindsey, me, (front row l-r) Kevin, Keith (our X237 director), Daisy (Brent's wife), and April (we are missing Daniel, our team leader, but he wasn't with us the day we took this). We had an amazing week together as we traveled around Belgium to meet with pastors and leaders to get a sense of their vision here. I think I learned more about Belgian culture in a week than I have in sixteen months. Rather maybe, what I understood about the culture was confirmed or modified as I evaluated what I have experienced and what I was hearing. All good stuff. If you would like to read more about our adventure together, I gave a day-by-day summary of our week at www.amycgreene.blogspot.com.

Russian English Camps

Our English camps are June 28-July 12 ($1450 plus airfare) and July 27th-August 10 ($1400 plus airfare). We'd love to have you come and meet the 'Ksenias' and adults of Moscow and show them the love of Christ. Qualifications: Speak English, have fun, make new friends, age 16 and up. (WAY up.) E-mail us to sign up or if you have any questions. (photo of a Winter camp class end of this message)

Sonnet, do you think there is hope for us in Russia? Can we be successful and hold onto our values and not become vulgar? If we swim with those who are vulgar do we not become as they are if we want to be successful? My friend said he would become like the vulgar ones if it means to be successful.

These questions come from a 22 year old bright, beautiful, young woman named Ksenia.

To a Russian, you must have money to be defined as successful. And they also believe that if you have money, it was probably gained by being vulgar, (without morals, ethics, or values). For most Russians, there can be no connection of success and values. Their role models of the 'New Russian,' have made their money by questionable means. For most Americans, even with all the Enron and Anderson scandals, we still believe that it is possible to be financially successful and hold onto your values and not become 'vulgar.'

So, what was my answer to Ksenia? Yes, I have hope for you in Russia. Yes, I believe you can develop values, hold onto them and be successful in Russia.

But to you dear Americans, I really don't know if it is possible for this generation of young Russians. It may take a generation modeling a desire for change, for their children to truly bring about change.

Ksenia is one of the young women invited to attend a student house church plant being started by our intern, David Young. David and 2 interns from a partner ministry built relationships with Russian students at our Winter English Exchange Camp in January and these relationships are the nucleus of this group. They will meet every Sunday afternoon - Moscow time -- so please remember them in your prayers. (*see photo at end)

Jon and I thank you for the opportunity to share Christ in Moscow Russia.

When we reach out
We are His hands
When we speak a kind word
We are His voice
When we cry for them
We shed His tears
When we laugh with them
We show His joy.

Jon and Sonnet Barr
The English Exchange
United World Mission

Passion Conference 2007

The first four days of the New Year for me were spent at Passion 07 in Atlanta, Georgia. There were some 20,000 college age students in attendance that worshiped together and heard great messages about spending their lives for global impact to make Christ’s name renown among the nations. There were also about 100 of us from different mission agencies who were available to help coach people toward mission’s opportunities. In one since that’s my job. Helping people who desire to play a role in the great commission. But in reality it’s my passion, my hobby, and my heartbeat. Along with two other people also with UWM I got to talk to people like Andrew who graduated last year with a degree in finance and is working at a bank. But every time he hears about people in East Asia his heart breaks with the thought that they have absolutely no access to the Gospel that he’s surrounded by every day here in the south. He’s praying about what steps he needs to take next. We also talked with Summer who desires to be the finger prints of Christ to a broken world, anyplace in the world, doing whatever, for however long… She just wants to do something. We had a blast connecting with people who understand deeply what God has done and continues to do for them and want to see that Gospel bear fruit all over the world.

We also talked to people like Tiffany and Laura. Tiffany’s an advertising major and Laura is an art major. Both will graduate in May. I asked them if they were interested in serving cross-culturally. Both said yes, but that they weren’t sure how. I told them to look around the room at all the banners and signs that were advertising missions. Who do you think did these signs? Advertising majors! What about Belgium? Who do you think can best relate to all the artistic students there who don’t go to church? Art majors can!

What passions and skills has God gifted you with? Maybe you’re still figuring that out. We’d love to help you as you process through where and how God could use you and together we can discover where, what and how. Look at the pictures of where we are and keep an open heart. Read the about the different opportunities and imagine yourself as a part of the story. Then, prayerfully check out the steps in the journey and ask God what steps you need to take.

Short Term Missions... touching lives in Russia

The Exchange has created a unique ministry that bridges the gap between the Russian student the business professional, and the gospel. Our method is to use conversational English as the tool for building relationships of trust and respect. And ultimately share Jesus with those who have had l little or no contact with Christians or a local church.

Because of baggage carried over from the former communist system, and poor evangelistic efforts in the 1990s, recent demographic studies of Moscow paint a dismal picture of the spiritual awareness of its people. As a result, most Russians avoid church and spiritual matters.

On any given Sunday morning less than 2% of Russia’s post-communist generation attends church. This means only one out of every 200,000 people is in church on Sunday. Instead, most have fixed their eyes on the materialistic model of the West. The Exchange opens doors into their lives and builds bridges to the Gospel. But we cannot do it without your help!

Jon & Sonnet Barr
Moscow, Russia
TheExchangeRu@cs.co

St. Nicholas at Grand’ Place Belgium

Hey Friends...

St. Nicholas went really well this year. The newspapers announced that there were no major problems, no deaths, and only one arrest-due to slashed tires. As you can see from the pictures, the seniors were "herded" on the Grand’ Place to protect them, as well as those who had business there. They weren't forced to stay there, but that was where the music, food, drinks, and medical aid were. You can also see just how dirty the kids got and how dirty it got around the city. However, they enjoyed themselves and the city was pretty much cleaned up by the next day. It was really interesting to hear the traditions around this holiday. Eggs, flour, water, beer, meat pâté, etc. ends up in your hair, on your face and clothes. And get this, it is considered sacrilege if you wash your white coat. Some people still have theirs in their closets. I'm not sure what is done with the coats if they stink.

It truly is beginning to look like Christmas around here. There are Santas hanging out of windows, houses starting to light up at night, and the ice outdoor skating rink is back in Huy. My own tree is up, but not decorated yet.

Girls Night Out was lots of fun. My town had a small Christmas Market, and so we took a little walk to go see it. It was good to catch up with Julie and Stephanie, to hear what was going on in their lives. Stephanie told me that her life is better because I'm in it. She touched my heart. Just remembering makes me smile.

Thank you for praying this past month with me about the language. I don't feel as though I'm struggling with it as much as I was. I still get tongue-tied, or so it seems to me, but I'm not frustrated as I was before. And this is a good thing because last Friday, I was the one doing all the talking during Club Parasol. No meditation, but rather talking about a subject God put on my heart early in the week. I talked about suicide and my own experience walking that road as a teenager. We had a good discussion time afterwards, as the youth were talkative and had lots of questions. Afterwards, Christine told me that she was glad I talked about that particular subject because it had been on her heart to talk about for some time.

This Friday is the Ladies Christmas Dinner. We're planning around 70-80 ladies. The dinner is a great tool to invite people to hear the Gospel and to invite people back to church-those who have stopped coming. I'm excited to say that those I have invited are coming. Yippeee!!! Please pray that these ladies' hearts, minds, and ears are open to hear what God's message of love.

I give thanks to God for you often because of your faithfulness.

Blessings...Amy
www.expedition237.org

Lindsey – Western Europe

Andrew Murray is quoted as saying "We have a God who delights in impossibilities." That couldn't be truer of my life. From early on in my life I have seen God take the impossible and turn it into His glorification and honor. I sit surrounded by some of the most Godly men and women who have been gracious enough to never let me settle for my own personal expectations and what world has for me. If I had settled I would be sitting in a graduate school classroom drowning in my art studies instead I chose the narrow road and what God has in store for me is more than I could have imagined. It has been hard, rough and at times painful, but it is faith, faith that God knows the unknown and in complete control.

It was never an issue as to whether or not I was going it was just an issue of when. Before my senior year in college I loss a really close childhood friend and from that moment on a sense of urgency fell upon my life. I didn't want to end up later in life wishing I did something now, when I know I can. It has been a process of truly laying down my agenda for His ultimate plan. Right now it is hard imagine life in Belgium much different than my life in the US. The only big worry that seems to baffles me is the cold winters. I am a Texas girl and my idea of cold is in the 50s and idea of it beginning below freezing is something hard for me to grasp. Snow, what is that?

Check out more of what I am going to do – better yet, why don’t you join our team!

Northern Europe Update: Kevin Mason

Northern Europe Update: Kevin Mason

1. WENDY’S PRAYER FOR NEW MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES has resulted in four specific opportunities.

A. First is a chance to share the Christmas story (Jesus!) three times during the advent season at our Harku kindergarten (50 kids, 12 staff). Her first part of the story went perfectly this past Monday. Said the school director, “This is just what we need!”
B. This past summer Wendy noticed a number of single gals in our church who have no Christian woman in their lives to help them learn what it means to be a godly woman. Wendy responded to this opportunity by offering to lead a girls-only small group at church. Triin responded with tears that Wendy would think of her enough to offer this! There are about 15 girls who have become believers in the last two years and now Wendy is helping disciple and train them. See Titus 2:4-5.
C. Third is the chance to train kids. Connected with ALPHA Wendy ran a Scripture memory challenge for the kids. Why? Because the Word is a light and lamp and we live in a dark place. The Word helps to stay away from sin and Jesus used it against the enemy; therefore the Word is our weapon. This was a first for these children and their families. Four children memorized enough Scripture to win a Bible of their own and have a pizza party to celebrate. Thanks to Lois Guild at Calvary Independent Church in New Castle, PA for sponsoring the pizza party!
D. Life Transformation Group with Maria, Eveliin and Helena. These three teenagers are begging for spiritual leadership and have become fast friends with our family. Wendy meets with them weekly to share their lives together.

2. ALPHA CONCLUDES with new people coming into the church. Though we did not get new contacts immediately, a few adults have now become a part of Mustamäe Linnakogudus. We’re praising God for this and for the way several children responded to a new “higher bar” of Scripture memory.

3. THE ORGANIC CHURCH CONFERENCE revolutionized my relationship with Kostja. Kostja is one of the church planting pastors I am coaching. He and I have begun our own Life Transformation Group. We read lots of Scripture each week, then come together to confess sin to one another, pray for one another and those outside of a relationship with Jesus. We believe this will be the building block for an organic (natural) church of some kind.

We are excited about what God is doing here in Northern Europe. Want to know morethen check out both www.expedition237.org and our parent organization www.unitedworldmission.org. Also don;t forget our Smugmug picture page.

Kasetsart University – Dorm 15

The students in Dorm 15 continue to be our main target at Kasetsart University. We have used teaching conversational English with these students as our entry point into the dorms. Last semester we taught 4 nights a week for 4 weeks. We targeted 2 groups. Two nights we would teach a group of sophomores that we knew from the previous year and the other 2 nights we would focus on a new group of freshmen. We would teach from 9:00pm until 10:00pm each night because this time is when most students are available. As we look back over last semester, God used this time to give opportunities to deepen our friendships with the freshmen as well as share the gospel message with some of the sophomores.

This semester, we have continued our English classes but we only teach 2 nights per week. We have decided to focus only on this freshmen group. We still have opportunities to meet the sophomore guys at the dorm but this freshmen group really seems to have taken to us. So please pray for them. Freshmen guys: Go, Thong, Ball, Ball, Chan, Nat. Sophomore guys: Nat, Nong, Boss, Thong, San, Golf. Also a couple of senior guys that have been coming around. Mai and Jak.

We have been inviting these guys to a free dinner at my house every Thursday night and it has created some momentum for us. We also are inviting several of these guys to the mountain house this next weekend so please pray for that time. Also pray for us in that we are trusting God for 3 guys in Dorm 15 to come to know Jesus soon. God is able.

Do you have a desire to help us teach English and disciple new people into a life of faith? We need both men and women (8 to 10 each) to come to Bangkok Thailand for 24 to 36 months. You can stay longer if you like but we’ll let you make that decision after you fall in love with this land and its people. Email info@expedition237.org to connect to us.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sites on the throne, and to the Lamb!” - Revelation 7:9-10

Imagine a story so powerful, so life-changing, that those who hear it can never be the same. A story that changes lives, families, communities, and even the world. A story that transcends time and culture. God’s story. Now imagine trying to communicate that story with people who have never heard it before. The Tibetan people we are working with are some of those who have never heard God’s story. They haven’t had the opportunity to be transformed by the greatest story ever told. And God has given us the blessing and opportunity to be some of the first to share this message of grace with these Tibetans that God so loves.

While we feel so blessed that God has allowed us to be His messengers, we also know that the task that lies ahead of us is not going to be easy. The Tibetans we are working with speak a language that is not written, and they do not have any concept of God, sin, or grace.

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