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From: RiPBarnds@aol.com [mailto:RiPBarnds@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 2:50 PM To: bussm@olatheberean.org Subject: Monday Morning Report - March 14, 2005
Greetings everyone,
I know that you are not getting this on Monday morning, in fact it is Wednesday evening here in Croatia as I write. I did not forget; we had an Internet problem and our computer was blocked from accessing the Internet for three days. It seems as if the local phone company changed our password and user name, plus the phone number we dial without telling us. This is the first step in the process of upgrading our service. We had two different technicians come to our house and a computer specialist before it was finally discovered what had happened.
This past week was one of preparation for the TEFL program that started on March 15. Also. Wileen has her piano students busy learning and preparing for their recitals on April 15.
On Sunday, Pastor Vladimir's mother, Maria, passed away. She was 88 years old and is now with the Lord. We ask that you pray for the family as they go through a period of grief.
We want to PRAISE THE LORD that we have 3 of our 4 TEFL teams for this summer tentatively filled. I say "tentatively" because things can always happen. We still need to complete the staffing for the Petrinja team which Wileen will lead in June.
JD is still seeking two people to help him coach at the baseball camps which are scheduled for this summer. Ellen is in the process of updating our Website which really needs to be brought current.
Please pray for the Bible study that I am starting in our house on Monday, March 21. We will be studying the book of Galatians.
Our van is still not repaired, so we ask that you continue to pray for that.
We thank you for your prayers and support,
In His love & ours,
Rich, for the entire Declare team. From: RiPBarnds@aol.com [mailto:RiPBarnds@aol.com]
Greetings everyone,
Spring has sprung here in Croatia after the "deep freeze" type weather we experienced in February and the first part of March. So the birds are chirping and the flowers are beginning to blossom.
This past Tuesday, we started another TEFL program. We are excited about this opportunity as we have 32 students with a nice blend of new students and former students. We see some real opportunities for sharing the Gospel.
Paula has begun a discipleship program with two new women. She is also building a relationship with a woman that is "almost persuaded." She attended church this morning and heard the Gospel as I preached.
She will be working with them for the next 5 weeks. Wileen is building a relationship with one young lady who is open to come to her but comes from a very Catholic family and community. This will take a long time and much prayer. The young lady has accepted Christ, the hard job will be to slowly peel off that Catholic baggage. This will be delicate because we feel as though she must honor her parents at the same time.
Prayer requests: Wileen and the young lady that she is meeting with.
Paula and her discipleship time. This lady that is "almost persuaded". Wileen as she prepare her piano students for their first recital. The people who are invited to The Brzaj Bible Center to hear them play. That they will also have open ears to hear the Gospel.
The Ford Van - we have been without it for 5 weeks now. The repair bill is going to be very large. Ministry is hampered without the van.
Praises:
For the opportunity to share Christ through TEFL.
For all of those who have decided to come this summer to teach English. We still need 4 more teachers and 2 baseball coaches. Please continue to pray for this.
That next week we can remember what Jesus Christ did for us so that we might have eternal life.
That we have the freedom to Declare Him.
Thank you for your prayers and support,
In His love and ours,
Rich, for the entire Declare team
From: RiPBarnds@aol.com [mailto:RiPBarnds@aol.com]
Greetings Everyone,
We pray that all had a wonderful Easter, remembering the resurrection of our Lord. For us here it was a great day. I preached in Brzaj "Come see where our Lord lay". We had a very good crowd at Brzaj, we were blessed that the spring rains that we are having stopped for the morning, PTL!!. We had the change to "daylight savings time" and had a few miss because they forgot. We also took the poem, "One Solitary Life" by Dr. James Allan Francis, translated it into Croatian, printed it on some nice paper, rolled it up, tied the roll with a pretty ribbon, and gave one to everyone who came. I will attach a copy in English for those who have not heard it.
We capped off the day by driving to Mackovec, Croatia to hear their Easter Concert. Mackovac is 2.5 hours from Sisak. We took Mira, a new believer whom we are discipling along with us. We praise Him for a great day.
The entire team had a busy week last week. We had TEFL classes on Tuesday & Thursday evenings. Some of the students are responding to spiritual things. Wileen has one young man in her class that believes so much about Jesus, but has not, as yet, trusted Him as Savior. In Paula's class, there are three people who seem to be searching for the truth.
Last Monday evening, we started our Monday night Bible study in our home. We had 7 people come out, a few less than we would like, but we are not looking for a big crowd. We are studying the Book of Galatians.
Paula now has two women with whom she has a commitment for discipleship. They both seem excited to come and learn. Wileen has a young lady whom she is discipling every Wednesday evening. This young lady lives in a village about 30 minutes from her house, so it is a commitment on her part to come. Please pray for her, her village is very, very Catholic and she still lives with her parents there as she goes to college. She sees the inconsistencies, but must honor her parents.
Wileen continues with her piano lessons and is working her students toward a recital on April 15. I restarted the Friday Youth Baseball meetings. Being that it was Good Friday, we had a good turnout. I was especially encouraged to get an e-mail the next morning from one of the boys, thanking me for the evening.
Stateside, Ellen has been working with the TEFL team she and JD are bringing in June. The are training and team building. She has been doing this while battling Pneumonia. We want her to rest, take her meds and get well. JD is still trying to recruit coaches for the Baseball Camps here in June. This is an urgent prayer request.
We have some things which we can truly praise God for:
We have our van back from the mechanic after almost 6 weeks. It is running great now.
We have only two slots to be filled for our summer TEFL outreach. PTL
The Lord is keeping us healthy and able to keep our strenuous schedules.
Our coworkers here in Croatia who really make all that we do possible. What a great group of people God has given us.
Prayer requests: Baseball coaches -- for baseball camps June 21-July2. A person doesn't need to be a baseball coach. Only have a familiarity with the game, like working with boys and want to see them come to Christ.
2-TEFL teachers -- for our June TEFL team which Wileen will lead. The dates are June 18 - July 4.
For those who have committed to come for our TEFL outreaches this summer. For their travel arrangements, their training, their health, their overall preparation.
We thank you for your prayers, we can really feel them. We thank you for supporting the work here that God has given us to do.
In His love and ours,
Rich, for the entire Declare team
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