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.

D...

What's it all about?

01 December 2006

First post: If you're wondering what we are all about check out www.expedition237.org. We are a group of 20-to-30's living out our relationship with God all over the world. We care about people and the conditions the live in. We want to bring change by fusing our faith and obedience together with our gifts and passions. So if you're one of those who doesn't want to settle for the status quo, check us out and get connected.