Summer MiLO Blog 3

 

Loving Them Where They Are and 'Till They Ask Why What a blur this past weekend has been. It’s like the old TV show Flash; you could see him and then there was this blur and he was off running so fast you couldn’t see him until he stopped. Then he was in a different location in a matter of seconds taking care of something else that needed his attention. FLASH, it’s been a week and God has moved amongst our team and with those around us. Problem is my mind has trouble capturing all those amazing moments God created, but I’ll try and capture a few, to hopefully help you feel and see what God has allowed us to feel and see! First of all, our prayers have been on our families and the people of Houston with the difficulties of the hurricane Beryl. It is tough to be overseas when your families are going through what they are back home.    Football Our football coaches returned Friday after a series of practices on the coast with the Split Sea Wolves and having the opportunity to spend some quality time of teaching, sharing and loving on those there that we have developed deep and meaningful relationships with over the past 12 years.

Baseball They drove in on Friday afternoon just in time for our baseball Olympics at camp. What a wonderful time we always have on the last day of camp and the competition of the Olympics. To see the thrill of victory and the smiles that creates, as well as the agony of defeat and the message we teach of how one should handle that, is always a highlight of camp. This year being the 18th year we have hosted camp, was no different that the previous years. In fact, this year it came down to 3 points separating the top two teams. Every year it is close, but this year was the closest with the Eagles over taking the Pringles on some great defensive play during home run derby. To capture those emotions on film or in a photo can’t be done, so you will have to come and see it for yourself in future years.

Prayer & Food Delivery We had an opportunity to have a return visit to a women who is home bound and I’ve had the pleasure to have met over 10 years ago. She is my Sister! Branca is always such a joy to visit and she is always blessed “By her visit from her family in Texas and across America!” We spent a couple of hours in her home having fellowship and prayer. She recently lost her caretaker who died of a heart attack this past winter. She is now on her own but is able to get around the house enough to accomplish what is needed. Her joy is still so infectious and she bubbles over with the love of the Lord. As our visit came to an end and we prayed for her she asked if she could pray for us! Not sure there was a dry eye between the seven of us. Branca is always touched by our visit and everyone of us has been touched in our souls after our visit with her.

Speaking of visits, earlier in the week on one of our team's house visits we met Darko, the gentleman that had a swimming accident and now is a quadriplegic for the past 20 years. He was so moved by our visit that he asked Desa, the organizer of the food pantry, if she would give us his contact information. That he would love to remain in contact with us. What a blessing to hear that our time with him meant so much and how the willingness to sit and listen and talk with someone could mean so much. That’s why we look for ways to be His hands and feet, however small and insignificant it may be. Blessed beyond measure.  Our friends from Kosovo, the Three Amigos, left on Saturday to head back home. They really would have liked to stay but a couple of them had to get back for work and none of them were looking forward to their 12 hour bus ride home. We received some really nice thank you’s from them while they were on that bus ride home and I’ll let them speak for themselves on what their time here at HiS House meant.  Note from Elvir:   "We just arrived home! Thank you again for everything. God bless you all! ❤️" Note from Islam:  "I just arrived home, I just wanna thank each one of you, for all this and having a spot open for us to participate in the baseball camp & as well as sleep at “his house”.   Thank you @⁨David Moss (Mossman)⁩ for the food, the kind words, the lessons, the prayers, rides and just everything in general.  I also wanna thank @⁨Joe Page⁩ for also being really nice and even taking his time to take us on rides and just show us around sisak, & buying us ice creams, teaching us new techniques how to hold the bat and when to react and so on, @⁨Michael Johnstone⁩ last but not least for making all this happend and we are really grateful and thankful for having this opportunity to meet such nice people, getting to spend time together w/ them, seeing Croatia, and just everything was better than anyone could have ever imagined. Hoping to see you guys soon again, may god bless you all! 🫶 Islam"

School Camp As is usual on a MiLO, you get thrown curveballs that you didn’t expect and you have to be ready to keep your eye on the ball or you will miss out on an open door that God creates with that curveball. We were asked on Tuesday on whether we could put on a small camp for a group of kids in summer school program on Wednesday and Thursday. I was busy with other activities so I asked Joe and Robert to go and put it on. So on Wednesday and Thursday morning, they went to the field and the rest of our team went to the library and on home visits. Divide and accomplish what’s been put before us and although I don’t want to speak for Joe or Robert, the experience they had was a blessing. As you can see from the pictures the kids had a ball as well, learning about baseball from a couple of Americans who came 6,000 miles to do a baseball camp.

Texas Carnival Friday we finished camp and the other relationship opportunities we had come for and now it was all focus on the Texas Carnival on Saturday evening. We had spent most afternoons between events during the week organizing what needed to be done so prep on Saturday was minimal and boy was I ever thankful for that. Making some final adjustments and then packing the van full of the carnival games, prizes and candy; we headed off for the River Park in downtown Sisak Saturday afternoon to begin setting up the booths and games. The city has blessed us by donating table booths, stage, sound system and electricity for this event every year and this year was no different. With a small HiS Print team this year, we didn’t offer as many games, but those that came didn’t seem to care and enjoyed every minute of it. Including the booth where we make s’mores, which is quickly becoming a very popular stop for everyone who comes to enjoy the carnival.

I asked one of our team members from the states, Sam, to join Lordan, our HiS Print Croatia team leader, on stage to play music for the carnival and what an amazing pair they made. Lordan on keyboard and Sam on guitar and they made amazing music together.

One of the features of the carnival is we always find a way to share God’s love through a testimony and this year I asked Judy, one of our newest team members to stand on stage and share her story. And share her story she did! It was such a moving testimony of God’s love shining through family and individual tragedies that it touched her translator to the point of tears. I asked Barbara, the former children’s librarian we met years ago; who at time was not a believer, but has since turned her life over to Christ, to stand with Judy and translate. She agreed and to have those two women standing before the crowd declaring their love of Jesus was a huge impactful moment for the Kingdom.

Sunday was take a deep breath, go to worship with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and prepare the house for our new guests. We condensed the team from using many of the rooms down to three rooms so that we could make room for the 15U Croatia National team who would be staying at HiS House for the next two weeks practicing and then participating in the European qualifier going to held on The Nest, the following week. That meant pulling of sheets and gathering dirty towels so they could be washed and ready. We finished off the evening with a beautiful event at Coach Daniel's house where his wonderful bride Marina prepared a 4-course lunch, which she has done for us every year! Huge blessing and time of fellowship, not to mention a fully stuffed and satisfied stomach.

God has again showed up through every open opportunity He creates and the relationships built in the past deepen and new ones begin. Please continue to support by praying for the team members traveling back home and the next phase of ministry happening here with what God opens for us. We will be here through the European championship and the blessing of living on the team and coaches here at HiS House as well as with 5 other countries coming to the baseball field, The Nest, and our opportunity to interact with them.

God will create ways we just have to be patient and be ready for the curveballs.  God bless and have a wonderful God filled day! We are!! HE DID IT! David