June 25, 2011

Dear Croatia Prayer Team:

Thank you Debbie for a great summary for all that is happening in Croatia!

Prayer Team:  So many things to give thanks to God for and so many petitions to lift up to Him.  Please read carefully all that David and Debbie have said below, and take each one of these things to the Lord.  He is Mighty and He is Able, and He can take care of all things.  Please pray for strength and good health for our missionaries.  Pray that God will be recognized and praised in all the solutions and that He will be glorified and our missionaries will be blessed.

Thank you for praying!

Earl

Earl, David called today. Here is a report on all that is going on so far. Please forward this to everyone. The baseball field is in really bad shape. The city of Sisak doesn't respect the Storks baseball team as a club and they don't have the leadership and direction they need to keep the field maintained. The dissapointment is that you can see the potential. Since our team left last summer, very little has been done and they don't have the resources and the equipment needed to keep up the field. David is looking into a lawnmower for the field and some proper rakes, etc. the Storks need to maintain it themselves. So pray that these things might be available and with in budget for our mission. Also pray that if these things are provided that they take ownership of this field and will work to keep it up. The team had the opportunity to go to Leo's first birthday party. Leo is Neven (Storks captain) and Maja's son that was born last year when the team was there.They were excited the team could share this special time with them. Maja made a "Leo the Lion" cake and lots of other delights. David said they all ate way to much. After the party they went to see Luka (Vladimir and Stana's son). They had a chance to share and pray with him before he left to go back to college in Tennessee. He was very thankful for that opportunity and said everyone was in tears. It was a real blessing for all. They went to see "Mouse Man", that is "Rat Man's" son. Rat Man has the best ice cream shop in Sisak. We don't know their real names but everyone knows them by these nick names they have acquired. David got a chance to share with Mouse Man. He asked David why they keep coming back to Sisak and he had the opportunity to share with him and let him know we loved him and he was one of the many reasons they keep coming back. He would not let them pay for the ice cream, said Rat Man said it was on the house for them! Heidi and Shannon got to spend the day with Svjetlana, Stefan's mom, and they had an enjoyable time. Svjetlana doesn't always understand why they can't spend time with her when they are there because they are doing other things with the mission, so today was a great day for sharing with her. Sunday they will go to two churches. They will go to Mocineta (sp) which is the Baptist church near town and after that they will go to the mountains to a new small village church near Ziravach (the little church in the bombed out school) that Vladimir and Stana have started that is similar to Ziravach. Stana told them not to eat because they are having a BBQ for them. I am sure there will be many blessings there. Monday, David was planning to go to the SOS orphane village to make some contacts, but cannot go now because there is to much work to do on the field to get it ready for the opening ceremony and camp. Instead Shannon will go with Martina (her father runs it) and meet everyone and make plans for the team coming next week that will go there to minister to the children. So pray that they make the right contacts and that everyone is receptive and has open hearts and minds. David said the weather was really nice and comfortable, so that is a blessing since they will be working hard on the field. He also mentioned that Janko told him he was suppose to get airconditioning next week. That would be a nice addition as well! David will be moving to Ivan's house for a couple of days. His parents invited him last year to come staywith them when he came back, so pray they have the opportunity to share while he is there. Ivan is a believer, but I don't think his parents are. Things to pray for: Pray that they get the field in playable shape, otherwise they will not be able to have the camp and play ball on it. Also that the city will come mow the field and around the field. The area around the field is where they had the Texas Carnival last year and if that area is not mowed, there is not a good place to do that either. There was a good turn out to the Carnival last year and they want the team to have it again, so pray that it will be successful in that area, or they find an alternate area to have it. Pray for the mower and equipment that is needed. Also pray for Vladimir and Stana (the missionaries who started the new church in the mountain village). Pray that they have the opportunity to reach more people with this new church and that the team will give them the encouragement they need in their ministry. Pray for the right contacts and the children at the SOS orphane village. Continue to pray for all these things and for save travel for the other 2 groups that will be coming to Sisak next week. Also pray everyone gets the rest they need and that all stay healthy. In Christ, David thru Debbie