2022 Summer MLO Blog 2

 

Summer MLO Blog 2 What a blessing it is to host the Ambassador’s For Christ mission team here at HiS House. There are 18 members of the ministry team and they are doing camp at a soccer club on the other side of the city of Sisak. Camp goes from 10:00 am - 9:00 pm, and they have over 100 children participating (ages 6-14.) The day starts with soccer camp, followed by lunch, some form of activity, then rest, English class, afternoon camp, then a form of gospel presentation. The Ambassador team, which is from all over Scandinavia, are utilizing local organizations and ministries to help them in conducting the camp. One group is responsible for the afternoon activities, another group for the English classes, the soccer club handles the lunch and rest and the Ambassador Team does the soccer camps.   It has been a blessing and pleasure to witness this cooperation and unity first hand between all of the organizations and to see many of the children and parents we have had in our baseball camps through the years! Being here in a supporting role and not responsible for putting the program or activity together has been a real blessing for me, and backing them publicly has been an example to the community that we are all together and walking in cooperation. Some of the parents asked if we were coming back and how much they had missed us these past 3 years. We assured them we were, but that we would be supporting other organizations and ministries who were sharing Christ as well.

Ambassadors for Christ dancing at camp

I have been asked to be a part of the Ambassador team while they are here at HiS House. I have joined them for breakfast and devotions every morning and have been asked to share about HiS Print and the growth of what God has done here at HiS House and in Sisak. Have also helped them with logistics for meals in the evenings prior to their evening camp workout, and although that has been a challenge, it has been a blessing to see it pull together. Could not have done it with out Lordan and Martina, our hands and feet on the ground here in Sisak. They have numerous times over the years, dropped everything they are doing to help us accomplish something on a moments notice. What an absolute blessing to have them a part of the team and on the ground here in full time.

Breakfast buffet in the HiS House cafe

Morning devo

A huge blessing I have witnessed is to see Emily Winters involved in the camp and teaching English classes during one of the sessions. Emily was a part of our HiS Print team starting back in 2017 when she came with her parents and sister. She came for three years and led our dance and drama camp in camp 2019.  At the end of that MLO, she felt called to come and serve the youth of Croatia full time. She spent the next year preparing and going to language school and is now here in Sisak full time. Emily is involved in a women’s study as well as working with youth in Sisak. She is dedicated and you can see the passion and God’s calling on her heart through her actions and sacrifice. It is such a blessing to witness and to see the growth of a person’s heart when they surrender and get in proper alignment with God. Hupotasso is the Greek word Paul uses in the New Testament many times to emphasize the importance of submitting, and it’s only then that you can get in proper alignment with God.

Emily Winters and me

God has given me confirmation that it is good that we have come and that our place here is to encourage and to walk alongside those who are doing, while I cannot physically Do IT! I will admit it has been tough and at times frustrating with this hip recovery. I feel I should be so much further along than I am and that the pain should be completely gone, but it is not. I know I am getting stronger from doing my exercises and being able to handle more, but when it comes to the simplicity of just walking, I cannot accomplish it for very far or very long. God is teaching me a very valuable lesson, that I often preach to others, but don’t apply it to myself:  We all must travel at His Pace and not our own. The quicker I learn this lesson, maybe the sooner I will be free of pain and able to walk long distances. I will get busy learning and not just saying! Have a wonderful God filled day!  HE DID IT!  David