June Update - Renewing Relationships

The month of May was spent traveling throughout Europe for three weeks and attending a ministry conference in Boston. The Lord enabled us to connect with many internationals on our journey:

• While traveling we befriended two people from Belarus. They plan to help us connect with a Belarus student they know at the U of M.

• A Maltese former exchange student to the U.S. shared her need to know Jesus.

• Nik and Lizzy shared their two-bedroom flat in Albania with us for five days. Mary Ann was invited to play the keyboard at their church for the 1st service. The former Communist leaders’ residence is now called “The Lincoln Center” which houses their church and ESL school where Lizzy teaches. Nik works for the Fed Bank. This country needs a lot of prayer.

• We were encouraged by an English couple from Southampton, England.

• God sent a Chinese couple in the Czech Republic to assist us in using the telephone.

• We met with B. a former U of M, PhD student from Turkey, and N. his new bride in Boston. After walking on the Atlantic coast, and sharing a meal together we had some great faith talks. They had a lot of questions about the meaning of life, world peace and how to achieve it. We were able to introduce them to Christians who’re interested in developing a relationship with them.

• Wiam, an Arab Christian student from Haifa, Israel, gave us a personal tour of Prague Castle and Wenceslas Square during a day of thunderstorms and heavy rain. Prior to meeting Wiam, Mary Ann breathed a quick prayer for an experienced tour guide. As we talked we discovered that Wiam’s father teaches at the same university where the first Russian professor we befriended 12 yrs. ago does. No coincidence!

• Their first night at the International Baptist Theological Seminary hostel (formerly Hitler’s residence) we met Luke from the Ivory Coast. Upon graduation he’ll be working with a dear friend from San Diego, Lyn, a linguist.