March & April Update ~ Contentment

Over the past two months much has occurred and changed for us here in Europe. For me, the winter break progressed steadily at first. Work on the building continued, relationships within the church developed further, and ministries within the body of Christ flourished. We had our ups and downs with Covid cases among those we know and quarantines due to close contact, but for the most part it was a time of settling into routine. God has continued to open up many opportunities for ministry on a personal level as I get to know individuals in the church and community better.

CCBC Spring 2022 Semester

As we drew closer to March, preparations for our spring semester at the Bible College began. Mid-March they arrived: five students in total. It is a small group, but we are grounded on the biblical understanding that God works mightily through the things that may seem small or insignificant.

Zechariah 4:6 – “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (ESV).

Just as Jonathan and his armor bearer were able to defeat many Philistines (1 Samuel 14), so our students have the ability to grow and accomplish much this semester because it is the Lord that is working. We are praying for incredible opportunities for them to minister to the community while they are here. As they go on outreaches and serve those around them, they have the ability by the power of the Holy Spirit to have a great and beautiful impact.

One incredible thing that God has already been doing this semester is highlighting the importance of prayer. This past week it came up in three classes within two days. In conversation with the students, they have expressed how much they desire to grow in this area. He is revealing much about the importance of intercessory prayer for one another. We all have need to grow in this area continually. I certainly do and am excited to work on this alongside them this semester.

Ukraine

Many of you may already know from the faithful posts of my mom that I had the opportunity to go to Vajta, Hungary, last week with a team from our church here in Montebelluna. We were the second team to go out from our church with a van load of supplies for the Ukrainian refugees who are passing through the Calvary Chapel Conference Center. While there, we served alongside the Hungarian staff to clean the conference center and flip the rooms in preparation for the next group of refugees.

At meal times and in the afternoons we got the opportunity to talk with the families that were currently staying there and waiting for a place to open up for them into which they could transition. We brought balls, stuffed animals, and coloring books for the children, so we were able to give them those and play with them for a while the first day. It is such a small thing, but we pray that even the smallest gestures communicate God’s love and care for them. The second day we played ball, painted, made bracelets, and did finger nails. Again, it felt like such an insignificant thing, but it prayerfully brought joy and a sense of comfort and safety to them. I felt so blessed to have been able to be there and learn better how to pray for the situation.

Prayer Requests

· Students – Please be praying for the students as they are taking a trip the first week of April to the conference center to help serve the refugees. They will have the opportunity to run the kids’ program in the afternoons. Please be covering their travels and ministry opportunities in prayer. You can also be praying for their spiritual growth and what God will do in their hearts through this opportunity. They will also be going to Syracuse at the end of the month for their Footsteps of Paul trip. They will be spending some time with the Calvary Chapel Siracusa-Sicilia and some of the kids who attend the English School they run.

· College Ministry – The Lord has been opening up some exciting new opportunities to do more ministry with the girls who attend the college group. The whole group meets only every other week, so we have been praying over how to get the people who attend more connected. Please be praying for me and Roberta as we seek the Lord in how to best start and lead this new part of the ministry. Pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen the community in the church within this age group.

· The Conference Center in Vajta – Please continue to cover in prayer the whole situation with Ukraine. Be praying that the ministry that God is doing through the conference center in Vajta will not only provide physically for those passing through but also spiritually. We pray for the salvation of all those who pass through. Please also pray for more volunteers who speak Ukrainian and Hungarian to be able to join in the ministry there. The need is great for people who can communicate with the refugees. God is working incredibly despite the language barriers, but this is a very specific need that we can cover in prayer. Also please pray for the sustainment of those who are there attempting to serve more full-time. This is also a great need, but it is very difficult. Pray that God would provide financially, physically, and spiritually for those there to be able to continue to serve there.

· Myself – I do ask for prayer for myself that I would continue to grow in the ministry that God has placed me in here. Some of it is growing and exciting, and some of it is actually that of waiting and having patience. However, I ask for prayer for continual contentment in how God desires my ministry to look. It is all His. God has also been opening up many new friendships for me to invest in, so please pray that I would be able to continue to pour out into them and balance everything well.