Prayer-Walking day in Wieliczka! An Old Synagogue; Destroyed during WWII.
Taking a lunch break. We usually walk for about four hours, around the town, praying for anything God brings to mind!We (I am the Prayer-Walking Coordniator),have divided the city into sections, each team has two large areas in which we pray for the city and the people of Krakow and all of Poland.
Greetings, In the name of the Lord Jesus,
I finally decided to just take the day off to write a newsletter. Today is Mother’s Day, and I will be spending most of the day alone. Allan is making his bi-monthly trip to a Roma village about two hours away.
I want to wish all of you mothers a very Happy Mother’s day! If you are not a mother, then as Chuck Swindoll has said recently on 99.7 Family Life Radio: You make a wonderful contribution just being a Godly Christian woman, aunt, sister, etc., so happy day to you, also! May God bless you all in your raising Godly children, because they are HIS! We are only His stewards of these precious little ones!
I am expecting a call from Michael today. He wants to call me on Skype, and I am hoping that he will be able to get through. There are usually about 9 million people on Skype on a slow day! I was able to talk to him for a little while yesterday, so if I can’t today, then I will soon, again, Lord willing!
Michael seems to really love his new team. He is very busy every day, and that is what he wants. God has met his need for a national translator, who is also a believer! He is so amazing! To GOD be the glory! Thank you all for your faithful prayers for him in this.
You know, Allan and I have been doing our personal Bible study online. We found the most wonderful program. It’s called Audio Bible. The narrator is very dynamic in his readings. We have gone through: Jeremiah and Lamentations, recently. We are now in Ezekiel. The thing that really brings me to tears is how very much God loves His people, and how His chosen people (which includes us!) continue to reject, turn from, and refuse to walk in HIS ways and obey Him, trust Him, and listen to Him. Listening to Ezekiel (and all of the Bible), in this way, reveals a heartbroken, loving, ever forgiving, just and Holy God, Who gives and gives, blesses and blesses, and loves us so endlessly, yet as in one of Michael's favorite songs, "Come Thou Fount", we are all so 'prone to leave the God I love". It makes me wonder why are we so prone to lean on man and our own ways, than to lean on the Maker of heaven and earth and all that is in it! He is always so ready to forgive us out of that deep, never failing love! Why do we ever grieve Him (Eph. 4:30)?
I am so awed by His faithfulness, forgiveness, and willingness to take us back, when we stray from His ways.
As we read in Ezekiel, I said to Allan; “Aren’t you so thankful that we live in the period of Grace?” I am so thankful that we have the Holy Spirit, to lead us, guide us, and teach us! I am so thankful for the written Word and the Living Word!
Now, if I can do such a task, I’ll try to catch up on the news! I just read my last newsletter, written in February! I am so very sorry that it’s been so long!
I am thankful to Linda Adrian, who has graciously shared some of my letters with you. I feel as if I’m back in Paul’s day, when the letters were shared among the churches! Thank you, Linda.
I thank my God for all of you. I thank you for your prayers, and for your letters. I think about all of you and pray for you and for our church family, the body of Christ.
As I recall the past couple of months, my mind is a jumble of many things happening. I’ll do my best to tell you all that’s going on here in Krakow.
We have had some pretty terrible weather, but like a birth, when it’s over, you tend to forget what it was like, and only remember the best of things about it. The weather is now much warmer, sunny, and the days are getting longer.
The early morning sun awakens me about five a.m. I awaken with God in my heart and mind, always. I lie there for a time, praying for my family, and just worshipping Him, and praising Him for Who He is, and for His many blessings. I am so thankful for the sunshine because it has brought many beautiful flowers and budding tress to life!
The dismal black, and very dark days are a distant memory. The city is bustling with thousands and thousands of tourists. The sidewalks are filled with cafes. The streets are lined with art, music, and people selling their wares.
Balconies are open to diners, and there are horses and carriages to take you on the many tours of the city.
I suggest to anyone who wants to come here, make it summer! The lilacs are in full bloom, and the parks filled with tulips and flowering shrubs and trees. It is a far more enjoyable sight than the long cold winter!
God so blessed me in March! I was able to make a very quick trip back to the states. It was for the purpose of doing our taxes for 2007. The best thing was that I was able to see my precious grandsons, Lora, and Jim. I enjoyed every moment with them. I could not get over how they’ve grown in the past six months! They are all taller than I. I had tried to surprise the boys, but Ian found out when the tax accountant called their house to verify my appointment! So much for secrets! I am the one who was surprised at the airport. I didn’t think Ryan would be there because he had a swim meet, but when he found out I was coming, he wanted to be there to surprise me!
We each had a day together, plus several days with us all together. I was blessed with the opportunity to see two of my dear friends and sisters in Christ, during my visit. I had coffee with Ellen at our favorite coffee hang out, The Chocolate Mousse, in Portland. I had tea with Lora and Cathy, one of my friends from the hospital, where I worked in Michigan. Cathy has been a faithful supporter and prayer warrior from Michigan. Ellen, if you remember from my letters, was my prayer -walking partner, during my time in Michigan. She is still one of my most faithful supporters from the Michigan area. My time with my family there was such an awesome blessing, and I thank God for the time we had together!
Our Strategy Associate, Mark and his wife, Susie, and their children are in America right now. They have 'company' summits and meetings to attend. They will return here soon.
The regional leader, based in Prague,(Rodney) will be leaving the region soon. It seems as if Mark will be taking on those responsibilities, as well as his own, for a time. What will that mean in terms of my work? I am praying for him to have a truly qualified secretary! As you know, I am a Registered Nurse, and although I have been assisting Mark with several things here in Krakow, I believe he needs someone who is more qualified to help him more in office management, and all the details of his ever-increasing responsibilities!
Please pray about this with me!
I am interested in helping Allan and Jerry with the Roma ministry more than I have been able to do in the past. I ask you to please pray about this also.
We have had several teams come help with the various ministries. There was a team of eight football coaches, who helped with the Sports Ministry. They also had a camera guy along with them. They were a real blessing to our team here!
We presently have seven here, and a team who are sharing His Word through drama, coming soon.
There will be a team of two coming on the 16th of this month. In June and July, we will have two large groups, one of them being International World Changers. They will help with the Roma Day Camp. Please pray for us during the AGM in Finland in June-July. Pray for our Prayer-Walking Seminar!! Please also be praying for the Jewish festival here in Krakow in July. I am not sure if Jews for Jesus will be bringing a team, but pray for their work throughout the world! If I hear more about a team coming for the festival, I will let you know, of course.
There have been a couple of small groups also. They do prayer walking, help with the coffee house ministry, and they participate in helping in the ministry at the International Fellowship, among other things.
Ryan, our oldest grandson, is trying to raise money for a mission trip to New York, this summer with the First Baptist Church in Portland, Mi. He is supposed to send out ‘mission letters’ to family, friends, churches, etc. This is part of his responsibility to raise the money himself. Please pray for Ryan, his trip, and his fund-raising efforts, and most of all, that he will be a shining witness for Christ!
Ryan, Ian, and Zane will be attending church camp at Lake Ann, Michigan, again this year. I am so thankful for the opportunity for them! Camp, to me, is priceless for these young children! I can still remember my own camp days!!! A long time ago, indeed! My grandsons have become very good friends with the Johnson boys, and love to get together when they can. They are hoping to share the same rooms at camp again this year. I hope they can! I love those boys!!! (And their entire family, of course!) They are all such beautiful children. Karlene and John are very blessed, as are Jim and Lora!
Sarah, one of our team members, recently had an emergency room experience. One that could be written about! We learned; that we need to put together an emergency kit. I am planning to see if I can locate, or have sent to us, some scrubs, a couple of hospital gowns, and a few other things. We discovered that they do not supply drinking water for the patients! She had no gown, no soap, toothbrush, toothpaste; she was given absolutely nothing! If you want something to drink, you must go to the nearest store to buy it! I wondered why I had seen patients walking down the streets! Well, now I know.
They don’t give antibiotics often, even with infections, they rarely give pain meds, you have a small curtain that only goes about half the length of your bed, for privacy, and you may have men and women in the same room, we are told. Sarah had nausea, but had no emesis basin, in case she needed it.
I prepared a small bag for her and took it to the hospital. They only kept her overnight. Thank God that she didn’t stay longer!! The staff was friendly, and tried to answer questions as best they could. It's just very different than in the states...which is ok, once the surprise is gone.
Allan, Janik, (a Roma believer) and Eva, our Polish Baptist translator, and I, went to Charnow’ on Thursday. We met another Roma family there. We visited with them for about two hours and shared the gospel. They say they are believers, already. They do seem to know about the Bible. They also offered to help with a plan to show the Jesus Film to a large (hopefully!!) group of Roma this month.
We have another team coming at the end of May, so we plan to rent a facility to show the film to anyone who will come. We plan to pass out flyers a few days before the film showing. Please pray that there will be many seekers, and that they will come to know who Jesus is and desire to follow Him!
I will close for now. I hope that my next letter will not be so far apart from this one! I appreciate your patience with me. If you don’t get mail often, please forgive me, and just know that you are all still in my heart, mind, and prayers!
I thank my wonderful God, always for you!
Please let us know how we can pray for you! I Th. 5:16-17-Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing!
In Christ Alone, Our Hope is Found!
The Fishermensline
Krakow, Poland
P.S.
Shelby, if you read this, please send your e-mail address! Thank you for your comments! My address is: fishermensline@yahoo.com OR you can send to: allwea@everyheart.net
