July 8 Update from David

Friday- Shannon shared with you all the nursing home experience and how blessed they all were with playing songs, doing crafts and just spending time loving on these older people. For some of them this was the first time they had ever met an American and the love in the eyes for us was incredible. As I mentioned in the last message, the stage project is really coming along! I finally got to spend some time working and it felt good to swing a hammer and enjoy some time together with the construction crews. And although I took a swing and hit the wrong nail a time or two, being there was a joy! Saturday- A new sport has been born in Sisak, Croatia! American football was taught and enjoyed by the Croatians! What a wonderful time and sight to watch them learn the game we love. If we would have had the equipment, helmets and shoulder pads, I am not sure they would have ever left the field. Mike and I ran the camp with 14 Croatians participating, ages 10 to 24. Watching them play a game we know so well and have access was a sight to see and a joy to coach. Who knows we may have a new club starting up soon! The Storks want to play football in the fall and baseball in the spring!  Before the camp I prayed and after the camp I gathered them together and had Mike give them his testimony. We had some other people who were there watching who came to join us for the devotional time. Mike scored a touchdown with the message he brought! He explained to them that his father had just passed away 8 days ago after a long battle with many illnesses and he wasn’t sure he would be able to make it. But his father knew he was planning  on coming and Mike knew he wanted to him to come and share his love for Christ. And boy did he share. After it was over I shared with them that is exactly why we have been coming for the past 7 years and that over 100 people have come during that time. I asked for Brandon to close in prayer! After we finished I walked up to Martin, one of the Storks captains, and looked him in the eye and reminded him that is why we have been coming all these years.  He said he knew that from the very first year! My prayer has always been that each and every Stork and cadet would come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ! After camp we went down to the river and ate some pizza and spent some quality time out of the sun just sharing with Elvis who came along with us. It has been a pleasure having Elvis with us and his help has been incredible. He has gone with me to every store to help us find supplies, he has been with us when we eat to make sure we order things we want and he even went into Zagreb with the ladies one day when they went sightseeing to help them get around. Shannon wanted to take him so he could go pick up some medicine for his mother. He would have taken the train or bus and the round trip would have taken him all day. Going with them he was able to spend time with them, go to the hospital and get the medicine and keep it cold on their way back to Sisak. His mother has a very bad skin condition and needs to stay out of the sun. She is home bound much of the time and we have met her only a couple of times. Elvis has been a huge help and it has been a pleasure getting to know him better.  All of the Storks have been a huge help and getting to spend time with each of them at different times has been very enjoyable for me. Many of them have been on the field with us helping us and getting the field ready for the tournament. I thank God for each of them and what they have meant to me over the years. Each year our bond gets stronger and stronger and I cannot wait until the Fields of Faith outreach event planned each night during the tournament. God is ready to reap a harvest and we have our baskets ready! This morning Shannon, Colin, Wyatt, Wrin and Robert went to Zagreb to help and English teacher do an English voice over of a book he wanted to get out. Shannon said it was a joy to have the opportunity to it but that they did not get to complete it. There was a construction crew that came in during the middle of it and no one could hear. Shannon was hoping he would be able to use what they did but was not sure he would be able to. After lunch we took some time to rest and then headed back to the field around 4. I forgot to mention that with the storm we had come through Thursday night the wind knocked down many trees along the river bank next to the field and tore down the power lines so we were without power for the tools we needed to work on the stage. Satan is having a real problem with that stage and has done a lot of different things to keep us from completing it. We all know why and that is motivation enough to keep us working all the harder! We WILL see that stage being used to Glorify our Lord and testify for His love for all! I am so excited to see how God is going to use it to change lives!  When we returned to the field the power was restored and I went and bought paint for the stage. Heidi and Grant  went with Coach and Elvis to buy paint for the dugouts and the locker rooms. Colin took a crew and finished steps and other items that needed to be completed and I got everyone a paint brush and roller and we painted the stage. That was a major project but with all the hands we were able to complete it in about 4 hours. It really looks good! I will have a few things left to do on it when I return from Split to make it complete and then we will have a stage ready for the Fields of Faith.  Colin, Wyatt, Erin, Marde, Rachel, Bethany and Robert will be leaving in the morning so their help today on everything was greatly appreciated. We did the most with all those hands and I am so thankful for each and everyone of them and the part they have played in this mission! I wish I could write about each of them and all they mean to me but that would be novel size and I am already long winded in describing all that is going on. However, they have all been used mightly for the cause of Christ and they each hold a very special place in my heart! God has blessed me with friends and workers for Christ in this ministry and I am so thankful for each! Remember Jesus loves you and so do I and thanks for your support! It is greatly appreciated and needed! Please continue to pray for safe travel for all those who are leaving to come home, for our travel to the coast today to conduct the football camps for the next several days in Split, for the shipment, for the finishing of the stage, painting of the locker rooms and dugouts,  for the Fields of Faith and for our health. Thanks so much for being a vital part of this ministry and may God bless you as richly as he has us!  Our steps leaving HIS PRINT, by loving them where they are and till they ask why!