Let's go!
We had already been preparing for this for some time, now it is happening. After months of research and prayers, we know where God wants us to get involved. For nearly six months, we have joined a brethren assembly in the small town of Stará Túra. Over the course of these months, I have had the opportunity to serve these brothers and sisters through leading worship and sharing from the Word. This congregation has already been without a pastor for a long time, more than ten years, and without youth ministry for several years as well. We are very excited to help them in various ways, but especially to start working with their five teenagers (Myriam, Luba, Nikolaš, Slavic and Teo). Andrej, a mature Christian man, has already shared with me his interest in serving with the youth. Our plan is to have our first youth group on the 17th of September. Pray with us for God’s blessing and a great impact.
So, we will start from scratch with them and share everything we can. The goal, as it always is, is that the young people of this church, their friends, and many other teenagers, we hope, can learn, understand, how God loves them and cares for them. We want them to know what living relationship God desires to have with them and to discover His plan for their lives, how right now they can make a difference in this world for Him.
Serving here and there
Recently, we were also invited by another church to come and share our testimony and the Word, it was a joy to be able to encourage them and discuss several subjects and ministries.
We are, of course, not as often in Trenčín as we used to be. However, the last time we were there shopping, we met different teens from the youth. The contacts were warm, and we had the opportunity to discuss a little more in many cases. One of the girls we met even asked us when we were coming back to visit the youth. We are genuinely thankful to see that, even after months apart, the door is still wide open to have a spiritual impact in the lives of these teens.
Farewells
We are not talking about anyone, but about automobiles! For the sake of fuel economy and of extending the life of our van, a more expensive vehicle, we had a small car. It made sense because, in Slovakia, the annual costs for a second vehicle are, so to speak, non-existent. That said, with 22 years of age and nearly 500,000 km on the clock, this car could no longer serve us adequately, so we parted with it lately. We pray God would show us what is the best thing to do for the future, living in the countryside, our children growing, etc.
On the other hand, we never cease to be grateful to Him for the nine-passenger van we have had for the last three years. We thank Him for this wonderful and reliable vehicle, for our family transportation, but which also allows us to serve the people around us. Truck owners will know what I'm talking about ;).
Coming soon near you
This is not the first time we have written about it in the last two years, but this time, God willing, it will be the right one! If this turns out to be His plan, we will be visiting Canada in the spring of 2023. It will be our pleasure to have the opportunity to share about missions and Slovakia with all of you and to introduce this country and its needs to many others.
On this occasion, I will also be graduating from my Master's program. For the time being, I started this fall semester by studying counseling, something very useful for youth ministry. At the same time, I am also taking a course on systematic doctrine, the basis of the teachings we bring young people and which greatly helps us know how to answer young people's questions in the most faithful way to Scripture.
Our little family
Praise the Lord, we are all doing very well! God blessed us with the visit of Isabelle's parents in August. What a great end to our summer, it was!
Our big Ezekiel, he will soon surpass his mother, has just celebrated his 12th birthday, a military themed party. His medical follow-up continues to progress, with a specialist sending us to see another specialist. However, we see the whole thing in a good light, getting closer to a solution to its problems.
Isabelle and I are also doing well, she is working hard on school and teaching Slovak with the children. We are preparing for an autumn of cooking, seeing the pears and apples in our fruit trees. No matter how much work it is, we are grateful for the blessings it represents!
May the Lord bless you!
Philippe and Isabelle
phil_et_iza@yahoo.ca
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:15
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