The end (of the year) is coming!
We had a blessed autumn! Praise the Lord, our core youth group remains dedicated. After studying the life of David for seven weeks, we are now exploring what the Bible says about homosexuality. Topics like this tend to be avoided, yet it is important to know what the Bible says and to be able to discuss them, both for ourselves and for the youth. From a biblical perspective, we can love those who are victims of Satan's lies and have become slaves to sin. They need the Gospel and God just as much as we do.
In mid-November, we had the opportunity to attend a youth conference with our entire youth group. We were so happy that even Veronika could come with us! The theme was "A Courageous Heart." It was about living courageously cross-culture and also about sharing one's faith with courage. It was very interesting, especially with our upcoming series on homosexuality, to hear the testimony of a young man who had once been suicidal and homosexual, whom God had set free and who was now living and serving Him joyfully. After hearing the gospel, what was key for him was to start from the Word to establish his principles for living, rather than seeking to validate his ideas through the Word. A good lesson for everyone!
On December 20, we will have our Christmas youth group, where I will address the topic of God's gifts. We will begin 2026 with a study on salvation. As for personal devotionals, we are currently meditating on the letters to Timothy.
A white cane
No, this isn't about visually impaired people. You might not know this, but originally, candy canes were completely white and straight! In the 1800s in America, a confectioner, wanting to use them as a tool to share the Gospel, added red stripes and curved them. We recently shared about their origins during a children's evangelism activity. We then learned Luke 2:10-11 by setting it to the tune of a classic Christmas carol. Setting Scripture to music is a great way to help children—and adults—remember it. Games and snacks were also part of the fun. There were several young people from the church, but also many from outside. We were very surprised to see Veronika's mother with her five-year-old sister. It was Veronika who had told her about the activity! Silvia had a wonderful time with her, and it seems God is working in her heart. Please continue to pray for Veronika's parents, that they may understand the Gospel, be saved, and that God may reunite their family.
A cane at school
In early December, at the invitation of a sister who teaches English, I also had the opportunity to share the story of the candy cane at a public elementary school! I spent an hour with a third-grade class and another hour with fourth-grade students. With Isabelle's help, we were able to combine games, stories, crafts, and songs about the true meaning of Christmas. All of this was done under the guise of helping them practice their English. We even gave them candy canes as gifts, something quite rare here. English may not be our first language, but praise the Lord for the open door! Our visit was very much appreciated by the teachers, and we hope to repeat the experience if the Lord so guides us.
Fulfilled
All of this makes for very busy weeks and weekends! But what a joy it is to be able to serve our Lord! Our schedule isn't the only thing God fills, however. As every year, we are still grateful to Him for providing for us through our brothers and sisters across the ocean—that is, you! Your prayers and generous donations are a blessing and the reason we are still here after 10 years! This December, we are $6,000 away from having our full support for the year. We praise the Lord for His provision throughout the year and pray that the current year will end 100%.
New projects
Yes, God fills our days well, but the opportunity to do more still presents itself. Our project to start a youth group at the orphanage seems to be taking shape; another missionary couple would work as a team with us and could continue while we are in Quebec. Please pray that we can have a meeting soon with the leaders; we are currently waiting for their call.
Things are also continuing to go well with Samko and the bass guitar. We've already had some practice sessions, and everything looks very promising. He doesn't feel ready to play in an official setting yet, but I think it's only a matter of time.
Soon in a church near you!
It's always a very strange feeling, looking forward to visiting our families and our Christian brothers and sisters in Canada and the United States, but being sad to leave our other brothers, sisters, and youth group’s teens behind in Slovakia. But, as Ecclesiastes so aptly puts it, there is a time for everything under the sun!
We thank the pastors, elders, deacons, and youth leaders of each church and congregation for their openness to welcome us in the coming months. Thank you also to those who put us in touch. We still have some space in our schedule, so please don't hesitate to contact us; it would be a pleasure to arrange a visit!
Now that we have our plane tickets and accommodations booked, all we need is a vehicle. We pray that God will help us find one that can transport at least six passengers and luggage for the five months of our visit. God willing, we will arrive in Quebec City on February 1st and depart at the end of June. Between these two dates, we will travel over 8000 km! Please pray with us for this need, and if you have a lead on an answer, even a small one, please do not hesitate to contact us.
A family, a treasure!
We are grateful for the holiday season, which is fast approaching. It's a chance to slow down a bit and enjoy more family time without school, and we intend to make the most of it! We wish you the same! May the Lord grant us the wisdom to invest this free time in the things that truly matter to Him!
From each of us, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. May the coming weeks allow you to spend time with your families, both biological and spiritual. Let us not forget the brothers and sisters who are alone this season. And let us not forget that at Christmas we celebrate God's coming among us, but we should also look forward to His second coming! Maranatha!
Fifteen years, eleven years—that's how far Ezekiel and Laurianne have come! After learning a little piano, Laurianne dreamed of trying the violin. Thank you, Lord! Lena, the Ukrainian woman who lives at the church, is a violin teacher! As for Isabelle and me, our wedding anniversary was 18 years old at the beginning of October! Time flies, and we pray that we will use it fully and wisely.
God bless you, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Philippe and Isabelle Bélanger
Our support comes only through churches and individuals that God puts at heart to encourage us financially.
We do not receive any support from other organizations or missionary groups.
If God puts it on your heart, you may send your donation using the link below.
