Welcome Home

We received some welcome words from Missionary Todd Dick:

Hey Welcome Back!

First, I want to say again how thankful we are that you came. It was a fantastic experience and we believe that we will see fruit from your efforts in the future!

I certainly cannot say what God’s purpose was in your coming exactly. But one reason is the solidification of our decision to move to Mursko Sredisce. We are firm in our decision and we already see God working in that direction. You guys are a VERY big part of that decision. Also, we have literally received over 15 calls about the house and some people looked at it yesterday on behalf of their sister who lives and works in Germany for the police. She is a Croatian and wants to live in Durmanec! I sent her about 25 pictures this morning and she will call me next weekend when we get back from our vacation. Then she will drive here and perhaps buy the house! Who knows what will happen, but please pray about it.

Thanks again for your tireless service,

Todd

Reunion part 2

We had a camp reunion on Friday night up in Cokovic (chalk-o-vits). In a lovely little cabin we gathered and watched a 20 minute video recap of camp that was edited from all the footage that Keith shot. The kids loved it. We were joined by the Heatons, who where not able to attend camp this year. Tracy gave her testimony and Boris (Croatian youth pastor) gave a gospel presentation and we sang lots of camp songs. Bethany, Emily and two of the Zabok girls beautifully sang "It Is Well With My Soul." It was a great time reconnecting with the students that we had ministered to the week before. Please pray for these students and the seed of the Gospel that has been planted.

Friday Night Reunion

Maya came to camp as a Catholic and was taken by surprise by our preaching. She said that she was used to her priest mechanically droning through material that he didn't seem to care about much less believe. After she heard some preaching at camp she said, "I was like Whoa. The way he talked about Jesus and God I have never heard before. He really believes what he is talking about." After one message at camp she spent about an hour and a half questioning the youth pastor that she came with. Many team members were able to spend a few more hours over the course of camp with Maya answering questions and encouraging and explaining the gospel to her. When we saw her at the Camp Reunion Friday night she hadn't yet talked with her parents about what she had learned. She was still scared. We encouraged her and she said that she would email us. Please pray for Maya. She needs prayer and encouragement. Pray God would open her eyes to her sin and respond to the gospel.

Croatian Church

We arrived home from camp yesterday after a beautiful drive through the Croatian countryside and unpacked. This morning half our team met with the church in Krapina while the other half joined Todd Dick's church in Mursko Sredisce where Mark preached. Here in Krapina, Kieth and Tracy Anderson shared their testimonies. There were many tears as Tracy shared about the amazing work that God has done in her life. Tom preached from Romans 1 about Paul's passion for preaching the gospel and identified four motivations that can enable us to have the same passion.
1. The gospel itself is the power of God for salvation.
2. The wrath of God is being revealed.
3. God is already declaring the knowledge of himself to all men
4. God is not receiving the glory He deserves because of the ingratitude of people.

After the message Emily and Bethany sang Amazing Grace together. We then shared communion with our Croatian believers. It was exciting to know that though language separates us our common salvation unites us and we can share communion together.

This afternoon we are enjoying our Sunday afternoon with local and missionary families who are hosting us for lunch before the craziness of our second week begins here. Please pray for our kids club this week that many Croatians children will attend and hear the love of Christ for them.

Kamp coming to an end

Today is the last full day of camp. We will be packing up tommorow morning after Mark preaches his last message. We will head back to krapina for a week of VBS and helping around the church. Today we have had many talks with the students chalanging them to embrace Christ for their salvation. Tom will preach tonight from Titus 3:4-7. Please pray that many will know the love of Christ and will repent. Pray also for two Catholic girls with whom we have had many talks, Mya and Barbara, that they will trust Christ and repent of their sins.

Baptisms

Pastor Misko came to camp yesterday with many of the people from church. They came to camp to witness two of the students get baptized. Marta and AnnaMaria are two girls that have expressed that the summer camps have played a huge part in helping them to understand that they were lost sinners in need of salvation. We all gathered on the shore while Pastor Misko preached a message. After singing worship songs together, Kris Brackett walked with the girls into the water with their white robes and with all the tourists looking on they were baptized. Many interested by-standers came after askig questions. It was a wonderful day. We finished the night with a vist to a nearby town called Zadar. It is a beautiful 3000 year old city. We had a great time walking and talking with the students.

Called to Prayer

Sunday morning found Mark Hassler in the pulpit preaching about prayer. After church we divided up to head to different homes for lunch and had a wonderful time of fellow. Mark, Yetta and I spent time with Misko and Mira at their home with two church member women from Zabok. We listened to their wonderful testimonies, how the Lord saved them. One woman, an atheist, was sent inadvertently by her husband to a Christian camping facility on the coast. While walking past the meeting hall she overheard what was being taught. The Lord opened her eyes and she had an "a-ha" moment where it all made sense. She said that she was asking the people outside, "Are you listening to what they are saying? I have never heard anything like this before. This is true." She inquired to see if there was anyone around Krapina who believed like they did. She was given the number of Mira who had only recently arrived in Krapina with Misko. Mira answered the phone to hear a woman say, "Hello Mira, I am your sister. I am Christian. I believe like you do." Thus began a relationship that has since brought a sister-in-law, and four daughters to Christ. I love getting to hear how the Lord has saved people.

Mark, Emily, and Rich left this afternoon with the early team to get Camp set up. All of the rest of the campers will be leaving in the morning. Please pray that we take all the opportunities that the Lord gives us to bring the Gospel to the lost.

We love and miss Doug

On Thursday morning I was trying to find out what time Doug was going to get to work so that we could cash the STM advance check for our trip on Friday. I called and called but got no answer. After I talked with Doug's wife, Cindi, I learned that he had left for work hours before but had not yet made it to work. Doug finally returned my call to let me know that he had been hit by a car while riding into work on his motorcycle. The broken foot and three fractured ribs were not going to slow this warrior down. However, news of a punctured lung brought an end to Doug's Croatia dream for 2007. We already miss his ministry giftedness and his humor greatly. Please pray for his recovery while God has grounded our dear ministry partner and friend.

iSupport.stm

For those of you who moved away and left no forwarding address the digitally reproduced support letter as been provided. You may copy this thing into any size or shape you so desire to put up on any wall or freezer or window to spur you to pray for us this summer. You can also tear off the lower portion (you will have to print it and create your own perferation) fill it out and mail it to the chrch indicating your support. We would love and appreciate your support. We will not turn away even the shortest prayer.

Croatia Ministry Team

The Croatia STM team will work with Kris Bracket and the other missionaries to reach those held captive to the chains of Roman Catholicism with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will be utilizing VBS to introduce the true Savior to children and have an inroad to their whole families. We will also be building into the lives of sr. and jr. high students while camping outdoors (yes we will be roughin it). There will likely be various other projects as well (including open air and tract/bible distribution). Tentative dates: July 27 - August 12