Scott's Euro Missions Journal #5

Hello Everyone,

We finished the last lap of the 21 day marathon today. Many of our team is glad to reach the line, as about 7 of our 20 student and staff have come down with nasty colds. Our meetings have turned into coughing/sniffling festivals, with the speaker being constantly interrupted by someone's uncontrollable outburst.

It is part of the cost of ministering at such a steady pace for three straight weeks. We sleep in different beds, eat new foods, have a different schedule every day, and share everything with 19 other people, plus all the people we invite into our life during this time.

However, it is definitely worth the cost...we have all been powerfully touched by God's Spirit on this trip, and we know God moved in the hearts of many believers, seekers, and cynics as well. Many of the "results" of this trip will not be known for quite a few years, but i believe the effects will be noticeable by the people in the churches here shortly.

The last three days we have worked in a university town here called "banska bystrica". The Evangelical Church here just started renting a new building that used to be a school. It was very dirty and had tons of junk strewn everywhere. In a few short hours our team of 20 "ants" had taken all the junk out of every room, filled about 3 dumpsters worth of garbage and completely swept the building.

We then divided into two teams...one team stayed and began prepping and painting the walls of the room that will become their new sanctuary. My team walked to a centrum near the church to do some street evangelism. We played music, invited people to an outreach Saturday night, and passed out Slovak "Books of Hope". (a compilation of all four gospels)

The first day of this centrum ministry was very gray and rainy, but the second day the sun broke out of the clouds and there were lots of people coming and going in the Centrum. We passed out about 120 copies of the Book of Hope and about 200 invitations to the outreach.

Lots and lots of children and teens showed up Saturday night, many of them hanging around all day, because they wanted to play with "the American's" so bad. For about one hour we had Football, Soccer, Basketball, Hackey Sack and Volleyball going on...with the team spread out making connections with people.

Next we did a program of songs, testimonies, a drama, and then I shared a short message about God. I shared about how we often have a wrong perception of who God is and the way He feels about us. I told them about how God tries to show us who he is through different pictures in Scripture. He is like candy...like a chicken....like a party host...like a lover...and like a good Father. (You will have to order the sermon tapes to hear the verses...maybe you can figure them out on your own :)))))

I really had the kid's and adult's attention, which is quite a miracle since they had been playing sports and it was such a beautiful day. During the prayer time at the end it was so quiet you could hardly hear anyone. I think many seeds were planted in the people's hearts.

An older couple even approached the pastor of the church and said they just heard about this outreach and they needed prayer, as the man was starting to suffer from Alzheimer's. They prayed for his healing...and were able to counsel the woman on some things she was wondering about. Hopefully they will start coming to the church here.

We finished today attending a regional service. It was a beautiful scene as the stage had two Slovakian pastors, next to an African man (the pastor of the church here), Curtis our American leader, and an Indian pastor who was preaching at the service. It was a great way to finish the trip getting a little taste of heaven, where "every tribe and tongue" will surround the throne worshipping!!!!!! I loved it.

Well now the team will head back to the States tomorrow. I will be staying one extra week. My plan is to head back to Krakow to spend some time with some friends that i have met up there...then i will travel on Sunday back down to Slovakia. I will connect again with Vlado a young man leading a great college group in Bratislava (slovakia's capital). We have been talking about trying to form something like Chi Alpha in Slovakia. An outreach that prioritizes reaching University students.

Then I will fly out on Tuesday of next week...and head back to a Summer of activity. We will run a huge fireworks stand...I will marry my first Chi Alpha couple...I will speak at a Summer Teen Camp...as well as do some fundraising. And then of course there is another incredible year of Chi Alpha at UM to plan for. But God has some great plans for Missoula, and I think some of the things I have learned on this trip will be very useful as we try to reach more students with the good news about Jesus.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I hope you found it enjoyable to come along for the ride through this email journal...

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who was a financial partner with me for this trip...remember you have a stake in any of the fruit we gathered on this trip. God has good dividends!!!! Thank you for believing in me and the ministry of Chi Alpha

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, at mealtime and devotion time, before bed and in the shower...in the Spirit and with deep intercession. You mean a great deal to me and your sacrifice of time and compassion will be rewarded!!!!

I love you...Please continue to pray for Poland and Slovakia...and especially for Anka, Tomas, Mayo and Igor. These four people have a very special place in my heart!!!!!!

Scott