And The Rocks Cry Out!

This is a letter from Colleen (another friend from Moscow)
who is stationed in Iraq...

To see pictures of her life as a missionary and the people
she ministers to, go to this link:
www.flickr.com/photos/abundantblessing



Greetings,

It is hard to pull this week together because
it has been so different from my average weeks.
Last Tuesday was our last day of classes, so we
have been off for a week now. I have done a dozen
different things.



I spent time wandering around the bazaar looking
for things like chalk,paint, paint brushes, a
white t-shirt, flowers, fabric, a squeegee, a light
bulb, jewelry, and a bedspread.
We didn't find the chalk, the light bulb, or the
bedspread. So, with a majority success, Laura and
I felt we did pretty well and decided to go hide where
no one could see us. But it was very fun going to
the bazaar with another American and the American
method of shopping (not looking at things we don't
want to buy).Of all those locations, the flower shop
was definitely  a high point, a haven of peace and
tranquility hidden away from the swarms of staring
men in the bazaar.



I have also spent time out in the great wide
wilderness of Northern Iraq. I saw mountains and
trees and rocks and best of it all, we found a
mountain stream. And while the rocks don't speak to
me like they speak to my teammate Jeremiah
(to him they say, "I am your rock; conquer
me."), I thoroughly enjoyed the time. The scenery was
partially trash free and full of new things.
The air was fresh and clean. I am still sore,
being the out of shape person that I am.
I even dreamt I was hiking last night
and woke to find my war wounds looking like I had been
attacked by a cat. I had no idea how often I use my
right had until I bruised it.But it was fun
and very challenging.



I have to admit, I haven't accomplished everything I
wanted to in the last week. I have written a little,
painted a little, read a little, and cleaned a little,
and planned one class activity for after break. But
this next week should see some more of all of these,
and hopefully more accomplished in the end.
There are several visits on the schedule so
hopefully my Kurdish won't have rusted already.
The ladies book club will not be meeting this week as
Friday is the biggest Kurdish holiday of
the year, but I have enjoyed the ladies and our
little group has grown by one.



This coming Saturday, the day before Easter,
we are having a filming of The Passion of the Christ,
with some of our national and international
friends. Pray that hearts would be touched and
that God would bring those of our friends that need
to be there.  This is the same group that is seeking
permission for an international English speaking church.
Please pray that the permission would come soon so that
we can begin to find a location and reach out to the
people in this city in a new way.



I miss my students this week. I feel already that
the time is too short and that the end of the school
year is already bearing down upon me.

Please pray with me that I would be keen to hear
God's voice and that I would follow it in every
detail.
Pray that I would use my time  wisely
(especially during the break when it is so
easy to become lazy)and that I would be bold in my
conversations with people here.
Pray for my team teacher Sh. Pray that her heart
would be softened over this next few weeks before
we begin reading "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe".
I deeply desire to spend more time with her on this book
and that we can have heart touching conversations
about the gospel through it.
Thanks so much for your prayers! God answers
in such obvious ways: we are all healthy and the city
hasn't erupted into violence. I am so thankful for
your support and all the e-mails I receive back from you.
I love to hear how you are doing as well; it keeps me
from feeling quite so isolated sometimes.



Blessings,

Colleen

From Romania

This is a note from Bekah Rust, a friend of mine from Moscow.



Maria is 8 years old, and today she made me feel huge. She did this simply by holding her hand up to mine. Maria has grown up in a crib, she has a disease that has kept her there. This disease has prevented her from growing very big, or learning to speak. Yes, Maria held her little hand up to mine, perched upon a wrist no wider than 1 inch. She looked up at me with large eyes, and slowly a lopsided grin came across her face. She lay in my arms, she can not sit up, and as I searched for ways to make her smile again, I realized that just being there holding her was enough.


I have been in Bucuresti (the i is silent as in sock :) for about two weeks, and already I am overwhelmed by the work there is to do here. I am starting to think that my two month stay is not going to be enough! One lifetime would not be enough to minister to all the children here who don?t have families. I have been to four orphanages so far. One was the rehab orphanage where Maria lives. The thing that I have noticed the most is that the kids are so hungry for love that they will come straight up to the team of missionaries with their arms open. They fight to be near us, and are content just to sit in our laps or even right next to us. As we approach the orphanages we can hear kids yelling ?the Americans! The Americans are coming! There is a flurry of excitement while kids pile into the room. It is not long before the team is mobbed from all sides by hungry kids. It is so awesome to be able to give them love and know that God is using me to reach these abandoned children.


Most of the children from the orphanages have living parents who are not able to, or choose not to care for them. Many of the kids were just left at the hospital when they were born. Still others come to the orphanages later, because their parents are too poor to provide for them. One thing that is common among all the kids however is their need for guidance and love.

I was discovered the other day, I told one of the Children to Love (CTL) staff that I majored in art in college. He asked if I could draw, and when I answered yes, he asked me to paint murals on the walls of a couple of the orphanages. I am excited to get started with this project, hopefully it will brighten up the rooms which are all a very serious shade of white. I hope also to be able to add some color to the ceiling of the rehab orphanage. There are some children there, like Maria, who barely ever leave their crib.


Please keep CTL in your prayers. They are a missionary organization with so much work to do here, and they are really making a difference in the lives of many of these kids. Pray also for the children, that they would grow up knowing God, and His love. God is so good, and I have really been experiencing the great depths of His love!


Thank you for your prayers.


Bekah Rust

For you are all Sons of God

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."
Galatians 3:26 NKJV

The Leidenfrosts are members of our church here in Moscow and are very involved in mission work in Bakwe, Ivory Coast West Africa. The most resent achievement has been the translation of Galatians into the Bakwe language. This is a huge answer to prayer because these people are hungry for the Word and this translation is a great encouragement to them. The Leidenfrosts have asked all of us to pray for our Christian brothers in Bakwe and specifically for 1) God to help them faithfully translate the Scriptures into Bakwe; 2) that He would call out more Bakwe men to faithfully preach and teach these Scriptures; and 3) that He would cause many more Bakwe people to become sons of God through the gift of faith in Jesus Christ. Please include these in your daily prayers. Also, Csaba (Mr. Leidenfrost) will make another trip to Africa this June. Please pray for his safety and the work he accomplishes.

Thank you and God Bless!!