Croatia Mission 2013 - Day 6

Up front I want to apologize for the length of this update, but really wanted to share with all what is happening and all that God is doing here! It was incredible to witness and each of you are as big a part of this as we are, because of your prayers and support. So please take the time to read and see how God is using you to change lives here in Croatia.

Man did God provide the perfect day today and we had the luxury to be involved in it! First off the weather could not be any more perfect than it was today. It was sunny with a slight cool breeze and 78 degrees. I know that is hard to imagine but it is like October in Texas! Sorry to those who are reading this in Texas! We love you and miss Texas but can’t say we are missing the heat of June, July and August. Knowing we have the potential to have this kind of temperature should make more of you have the desire to come and join us one year here in Croatia!

Second, the camp has incredible attendance and the kids are so anxious to learn. We had over 30 and had a great time sharing with them and playing the game of baseball. 

After the camp I brought them together behind the stage and asked them if they knew what the words meant on the back of the stage…..FIELD OF WEEDS……TO DREAMS…..TO FAITH. I asked them if they knew what that meant or why it was written there, one of the young players answered to inspire them every time they came to the field. I was impressed at his answer and was glad they looked at it that way. I asked them, if any had seen what this field looked like prior to their being a baseball field there? A couple of them raised their hands. I shared with them that the reason we come every year is to share the joy of having a relationship with Christ. I explained the hard work and dedication the senior Storks had to build this field. That we had been praying for this field since 2008 and they had a dream of this field ever since they had started playing. This Field of Weeds was their dream and became their Field of Dreams and it is now a Field of Faith, where we come to share the love of Christ! We prayed and then we headed to find Shannon and the others to take them out to Martin’s for dinner.

Shannon took a group this morning to the library and we heard it was a smash. They had over 20 kids show up to the program and Shannon shared about school spirit.  They then took the kids for ice cream afterward and that was a real treat for them. 

The group also went to the Adult Center for Injuries and had a great and blessed time. They were so happy to see our group and the second day was even better the first and they definitely want us to come back next year. The group that went did the gospel key chains and had the opportunity to share the gospel through that and the other activity was making any kind of sign with the iron beads that melt when you iron them. This was a great opportunity to love on these people and to share Christ’s love. Shannon is the back bone of this ministry. She is the organizer of the community projects and keeps us feed by heading to the market each day to buy bread and supplies. This ministry would not what it is today without her dedication and servant's attitude!

Last night we were invited to Martin’s house for dinner and had a wonderful time of sharing and spending time with the Storks off the field. I had a wonderful discussion with Marco, the new vice mayor of Sisak and former player of the Storks. He and I spent time talking about the future of the Storks and how the city will now be able to help them because Marco will place them in the budget. We then discussed faith and our coming here for the past 8 years. He told me that when he heard that I had gone into ministry full time that he was not shocked. He knew that God had called me into the ministry and that was where I belonged. He then shared with me an incredible story of something that happened to him this past Monday. Darko, a blind man who is the president of the blind association in Sisak had a meeting with Marko to discuss what the needs of his organization and after the meeting Darko came up to him and handed him a Bible and shook his hand, telling Marko he knew where he was coming from and where he was going. Marko said he was shocked that someone knew about his search for faith and that it took a person who was blind to express that. He said that he had only shared his thoughts about faith and religion with me, his girlfriend and his mom and dad. He wasn’t sure how this man knew that but that he felt a comfort and peace in knowing there he was not alone and that there was another who knew. (Darko is a member of the church in Moscenica and heard my story that I told last Sunday about my relationship with him and his asking about my relationship with Christ) God is really working on his heart and he is growing toward Christ every time I see him. Our prayer is that Marko will come to Christ and turn the political scene upside down! As we finished I asked him to read the book of Esther and allow the words of that book touch his heart! He promised he would and I have never known Marko to go back on a promise. Please join me in praying God’s truth and love shine through the reading of his word and that Marko may see his real purpose revealed! And when the time is right and he feels God’s calling, he will be able to go to the persons of authority and say, “ I will go to the King and if I perish, I perish!” Esther 4:18

Rusty had the chance to spend the afternoon with Johnny and Lorden and help them design their business plan further and to help them discover how they can develop business relationships. Rusty has really helped these young men in maturing in their faith by helping them in their business desires. He has been strict yet loving in helping them down this path they desire to take and his opportunities to connect them with business associated here in Croatia is incredible to witness.

Thanks for reading this long email and sorry for its length, but I wanted to share these developments with you and let you know the depth of God’s love and the open doors he is creating through this ministry. HE DID IT, Let’s Do IT! Our steps, leaving HiS PRINT, by loving them where they are and loving them till they ask why! Thanks for your support!

David