Borrowed update

This is an update, with really great quotes, from Mark and Corrinne Wilson that came through when I was still on the go in Berlin... They added certain pictures, I might add some more just so that you can see more. I hope it works... If it does, it will be done after I resize them. Resizing them will be done automatically when I upload them to share with friends on Facebook. That will happen soonish, but not tonight, because this is Prayer Chat night on AIM for me. ;) ~L. (Written Aug. 14th)


June 15, 2007
Dear friends and family,
It has been an exciting month since we last wrote to you!

On May 30, young people with an interest in European missions began arriving from the U.S.
for Kontaktmission’s first annual Short Internship Ministry (SIM) program. Here in Wüstenrot
they met with KM leaders, church planters and European short-term workers for a 4-day crash
course on the desperate need for evangelism in Europe and Kontaktmission’s vision for having
Americans work directly with European church planters to bring this about. Afterward we spent
several days traveling to various locations and learned on-location about some of the works in
progress:


Steinheim: German church planters Karsten and Doris Maul – "We constantly keep our goals in mind … Reach out to make contact … lead people to a decision …draw them to a sense of elonging… guide them to maturity…involve them in service."


Prüm: German church planters Dirk and Annette Staudinger— "People’s identities are strongly bound to religion based on superstition and tradition. They are not open to change….Darkness rules. The church planter must cling to Jesus or go under!"

Peine: American church planters Randy and Katy Smelser—"The Great Commission flows out of the greatest commandment. We are love-oriented rather than project-oriented— committed to keep loving those who reject Christ. That is what has kept us here for 23 years."

Hanover: German church planters Eide and Helga Schwing--
"We depend on God to open doors … In small groups we promote the worship service. In the worship service we promote small groups … We have high standards. Everything must be of top
quality and never boring."

Wattenscheid: Brazilian church planters Kiko and Geisy Antunes—"It is especially hard for our children. They are used to a big church in Brazil with a busy youth program. Here sometimes
it is just our family on Sunday mornings." Monthly Saturday night international services in Portugese, English and German draw up to 60 participants.

The patient dedication of the church planters, warm hospitality of our host families and the
enthusiastic interest of the young visitors made these some of the most informative and
invigorating days of our lives! Please pray for God’s strength, encouragement and provision for
these and many other church planters working throughout Europe. Pray for the young people
who visited, some of whom are still traveling and working in internships. Pray for God’s
guidance concerning how and where they may use their unique gifts for spreading the good news of the Kingdom!

We will be in the U.S. June 21-July 10 for our daughter’s wedding. (Thank you to those who
encouraged us in this and are helping to make it possible!) Where we plan to be:
June 24 a.m.-
Calvary Christian to hear John Curry, SIM participant; 5-6:30 p.m. Capitol City Mission Supper;
July 1, Wildewood;
July 4, NACC, Kansas City;
July 9, 6:30 p.m. Mission Meeting, Stonebridge.

We look forward to seeing many of you in these events! Please pray that our minds
and words will be clear whenever we talk about the needs and opportunities for outreach in
Europe! (Being able to speak English the whole time will help immensely!) Pray that we will
have the energy needed to help with wedding preparations and to watch Blake a lot!

Gratefully and gladly in his service,
Mark and Corinne

(That last bit is a picture how peaceful it is for missionaries to come "home" and do support raising so they can get back out to their passion- the mission field. I'm interested in raising my own support, but we are praying for Mark and Corrinne, who have ended up spending extra time here in the states so that they can raise the support to live longer in Germany!)