August Letter

Hello Friends, trust you have had or will have some times of relaxing, refreshing and renewal over these summer months.  Marilyn and I were blessed to have all of our family together these last three weeks for the first time in five years.  With Amber & David living in Netherlands getting together does have some challenges.  We are wealthy with three children, their spouses and six grandchildren and being able to be together for my 60th birthday on July 30 was an added bonus.

We also have wealth and  joy in friends in many nations and Jesus continues to multiply His Kingdom through them.  Below are some simple stories that are a very small sample of the stories that are being multiplied around the world where ever followers of Jesus simply believe and obey.  If you are praying for revival or  a move of God, please stop.  Such prayers are an expression of unbelief in what Jesus has done in the cross.  We need the attitude of William Booth  who said, "I am not looking for a move of God.  I am a move of God."    Need another quote?  "Prayer will become effective when it ceases to be a substitute for obedience."  A W Tozier.

Over the past few months in Tajikistan 6 girls were rescued from prostitution, given housing, food, vocational training and are now self- supporting.  This is not a specialized ministry of the friends there but simply a part of what they are doing in serving Jesus.  With your help 4 of them have also been given identity papers.  An additional $400 is needed to secure proper identity papers for the remaining two of these new sisters and for two new brothers.  

Due to the desperate need for housing for those coming out of prison or off the streets and out of addictions both the team in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have "Houses of Mercy" which are small  communities (I have been told that in some parts of Central Asia more than 80% of young men between 18 and 25 are addicted).  These are not rehab centres with a time limited program that the folks go through and then leave.  Most would have literally no place to go except back to the streets.  These are homes where they can live as long as they so desire.  For some it is the only home they have ever known.  The goal is to multiply these homes.  In both countries the teams are planning to open two more Houses of Mercy in this season.  We do not  fund these houses.  They must multiply with local faith, leaders and resources.  We have helped with things like gifts of  power tools to encourage business development.   Would you pray with us that there is grace and provision for the multiplication of similar Houses of Mercy through out Central Asia?  

From the south of Kyrgyzstan- a note of praise for nine more being baptized and a prayer request  for houses of peace in two new villages.  

From Kazakhstan- also a note of praise for more friends being baptized and that one of those doing the baptizing was once a leading imam plus a prayer request as they send out two couples to new villages to begin working there.

From Kyrgyzstan- a prayer request for safety and provision for a trip to Uzbekistan to encourage some followers of Jesus in that nation.

From Tajikistan- please pray for Taer who has become a disciple and is now going back to his home village and pray that we could go there soon to encourage him.  They also ask prayer to be able to visit another area deep in the Pamir Mountains with no known followers of Jesus where they have sent another new disciple.  They also request grace and renewed faith after one new disciple went back to drugs and died of an overdose.  They loved him and had great hopes for him.

From Bulgaria- Assen, a Roma follower of Jesus asks for prayer as he serves to catalyze house churches in 25 villages around his city as well as in Turkey, Greece and Cypress.  We communicate through Face Book and Google translator.  He speaks Bulgarian, Turkish and Roma and is a wonderful ambassador of the King.

From Burma- Gin asks for prayer as he translates "The Luke 10 Manual" into Burmese and seeks to catalyze a disciple making movement in his nation.   

From Holland- Dancho,  a Bulgarian brother who has started several house churches around Rotterdam, asks for grace and wisdom as he also encourages a disciple making, house church movement  in north eastern Bulgaria with shoots into Serbia.

From Bulgaria- Victor & Elena are seeing house churches begun from those who have become followers of Jesus through their network of relationships and a Thursday night meeting in a cafe in Sophia.    

Your partnership in prayer and finances is multiplying the generations of Jesus  Christ

Every blessing

Steve & Marilyn