If you did not already know, we are expecting our fourth child. With pregnancy comes many side effects. One of them that Aimee always has is heartburn. It doesn't matter what she eats. She always has it. It gets the worst as the time of arrival nears. At that point, even water causes it.
We recently returned from two weeks in the Czech Republic. And the best way to describe our thoughts and hearts is heartburn. Our hearts burn to be there day after day to learn the language and culture. Our hearts burn to continue relationships that we have made over the last several years. Our hearts burn to build new relationships with people we do not yet know. This heartburn has come from God birthing something in us that we never expected.
July of 2001 was our first trip to the Czech Republic. And we fell in love with it immediately. Over the years our love has grown and deepened. We know that it is not a perfect place to live. We know we face the uphill task to learn a new language. We know that we bring any baggage we hold on to with us. But we long to be there nonetheless.
So we are praying and waiting on God. And in time, the heartburn will turn to something new. For Aimee, the heartburn will go away after the baby is born. And then comes the joy of raising this child. For us, the heartburn will go away after we move. And then will come the joy of investing our lives for the sake of building His Kingdom.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
When we will go...
Timing is everything. I learned that about humor several years ago. Two people can say the exact same thing. One will get a laugh and the other won't. It's all in the timing.
We have been on a journey towards the Czech Republic for the last couple of years. We continue on in that. What we are coming to realize more and more each day is that our arrival there will be in God's timing.
This has been very difficult for us to learn. We are impatient people and we want things now. We want to be there now. We want the funds to be raised now. We want it all to happen now. The problem is that God is not ready for us. I don't mean that God is not ready, but that He is not ready for us to be there. It could be us. It could be something else that we need to learn before we go. It could be something there. We just don't know.
So in the meantime, here we are. We continue to do the same thing week after week. We travel to churches and share our story. We know that is what we are supposed to be doing so we are acting in obedience. We call pastors and churches each week because that is what we are to do right now. We do what we know to be doing.
We don't know when though. But we do know that it has been by the hand of God that we are this far. And it will be by His provision that we get the rest of our necessary funding. It will be when He makes it happen. So we will continue to do our part. And we wait on God to do His part.
We have been on a journey towards the Czech Republic for the last couple of years. We continue on in that. What we are coming to realize more and more each day is that our arrival there will be in God's timing.
This has been very difficult for us to learn. We are impatient people and we want things now. We want to be there now. We want the funds to be raised now. We want it all to happen now. The problem is that God is not ready for us. I don't mean that God is not ready, but that He is not ready for us to be there. It could be us. It could be something else that we need to learn before we go. It could be something there. We just don't know.
So in the meantime, here we are. We continue to do the same thing week after week. We travel to churches and share our story. We know that is what we are supposed to be doing so we are acting in obedience. We call pastors and churches each week because that is what we are to do right now. We do what we know to be doing.
We don't know when though. But we do know that it has been by the hand of God that we are this far. And it will be by His provision that we get the rest of our necessary funding. It will be when He makes it happen. So we will continue to do our part. And we wait on God to do His part.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Interdependence
Many of you may have heard us speak from I Corinthians 12:12-27. It's that passage that talks about the different parts of the body. We understand it to mean that God has us all, His church, working together to accomplish His purpose.
Only trouble is that we have to work together. Don't get me wrong. That is one of the wonderful lessons that God has been teaching us in recent years. It is important to work together. But we are quickly realizing that we depend on other's obedience to accomplish all that God has for us.
This is a challenging truth for us to work through. Have we kept others from accomplishing all that God had for them through our disobedience? Have others kept us from accomplishing all that God wants to do through us?
In the end we have to work together. In the end we have to trust that others are being obedient. In the end others have to trust that we are walking obediently. And I guess all of these things require faith. We have to have faith in God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. So these days find us having to work on living by faith every day. And each day God proves to be faithful. I just hope we are holding up our end of the deal.
Only trouble is that we have to work together. Don't get me wrong. That is one of the wonderful lessons that God has been teaching us in recent years. It is important to work together. But we are quickly realizing that we depend on other's obedience to accomplish all that God has for us.
This is a challenging truth for us to work through. Have we kept others from accomplishing all that God had for them through our disobedience? Have others kept us from accomplishing all that God wants to do through us?
In the end we have to work together. In the end we have to trust that others are being obedient. In the end others have to trust that we are walking obediently. And I guess all of these things require faith. We have to have faith in God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. So these days find us having to work on living by faith every day. And each day God proves to be faithful. I just hope we are holding up our end of the deal.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Happy New Year!
While God’s mercies are new every morning, changing our calendar is a great time to reflect on his love and provisions during the last twelve months and to look forward to his guidance and grace during the year that stretches out before us. Our family has been blessed in a special way during 2007. We were appointed career missionaries to the Czech Republic in February and embarked on a team building journey that has taken us to twenty churches in seven states and has put more than 12,000 miles on our odometer. More importantly, this journey has led us to many, many new friends and team members. God has shown himself strong and able to provide for the calling he gave us.2007 highlights
What a busy year this was! At the very beginning of 2007, Alan and Aimee attended the pastor’s conference called The Gathering in Orlando, Florida. It was a treat to catch up with many old friends. In February, we received official confirmation that we were appointed career missionaries with Global Partners (the Wesleyan Church). Our dream of serving God full-time in the Czech Republic was a very important step closer to being realized. At the end of February, we attended Missonary Orientation in Indianapolis. During this week we were welcomed into the Wesleyan missionary family and were briefed on the important aspects of team building.
In May, we participated in the missions conference at our home church, Heritage Wesleyan. This was our first activity at a church as official representatives of Global Partners. We enjoyed sharing with our friends and church family about the vision God has given us for ministry in the Czech Republic. Our summer was filled with similar engagements. God blessed us with many opportunities to share at district conferences, missions days, and church mission emphasis weekends.
In July, our whole family participated in EuroCamp 2007 in the Czech Republic. It isn’t easy traveling internationally on a short-term trip with three children, but it was invaluable for our kids to visit what will be their new home. It was wonderful to be able to tell our Czech friends that we will be moving there.
Alan finished up his seven-year service at Heritage Wesleyan Church at the end of September. We are grateful for the time that we spent as part of the staff at Heritage, and it was bittersweet to say goodbye. In October, we took a three-week trip to Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Canada, and Michigan. We visited several churches and were able to spend some time resting and playing together as a family. By the second week of November, we had reached 50% of our needed pledged funds. This was a great encouragement to us.
What a busy year this was! At the very beginning of 2007, Alan and Aimee attended the pastor’s conference called The Gathering in Orlando, Florida. It was a treat to catch up with many old friends. In February, we received official confirmation that we were appointed career missionaries with Global Partners (the Wesleyan Church). Our dream of serving God full-time in the Czech Republic was a very important step closer to being realized. At the end of February, we attended Missonary Orientation in Indianapolis. During this week we were welcomed into the Wesleyan missionary family and were briefed on the important aspects of team building.
In May, we participated in the missions conference at our home church, Heritage Wesleyan. This was our first activity at a church as official representatives of Global Partners. We enjoyed sharing with our friends and church family about the vision God has given us for ministry in the Czech Republic. Our summer was filled with similar engagements. God blessed us with many opportunities to share at district conferences, missions days, and church mission emphasis weekends.
In July, our whole family participated in EuroCamp 2007 in the Czech Republic. It isn’t easy traveling internationally on a short-term trip with three children, but it was invaluable for our kids to visit what will be their new home. It was wonderful to be able to tell our Czech friends that we will be moving there.
Alan finished up his seven-year service at Heritage Wesleyan Church at the end of September. We are grateful for the time that we spent as part of the staff at Heritage, and it was bittersweet to say goodbye. In October, we took a three-week trip to Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Canada, and Michigan. We visited several churches and were able to spend some time resting and playing together as a family. By the second week of November, we had reached 50% of our needed pledged funds. This was a great encouragement to us.
We spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s with our families this year, knowing that we may not get to do that next year. We give thanks for the heritage that God has given us through our families.
Reflecting on this year
In order to begin our full-time ministry in the Czech Republic, we must build a prayer and financial support team. This team building process absorbed much of our time and attention in 2007. During the many hours we spent in our van, we frequently talked about what a joyful season this has been in the life of our family. It isn’t all easy or fun, but what an adventure it has been to step out in faith and follow God’s calling. It has truly been a privilege to spend time with many dedicated pastors and lay people, getting to know them and learning about their vision for their local churches and for the body of Christ worldwide. God has expanded our understanding of “ministry,” and we are so grateful.
God’s mercies have indeed been new every morning. Our health has been fairly good during this year, even through all our travel. We had no vehicle accidents, and the one mechanical problem we experienced “mysteriously” disappeared after we prayed. Financially, God has moved on the hearts of many we’ve spoken to, and at the writing of this letter, we are 68% funded! Hallelujah! All three of our children are doing well. Toby, 7, is a curious, energetic boy. He loves school, and thanks to a caring and flexible teacher, Toby has been able to keep up with his second grade class even though he’s missed several days of school. Benjamin, 5, is enjoying his second year of preschool. He is good at puzzles and is an affectionate guy, but he’s always ready to wrestle with his big brother. Katie will be two the first week of February. She is working on learning her brothers’ names right now, as she began to believe their collective name was “guys.” All three children have adapted well to traveling and to being in a different church nearly every weekend. This has been a significant benefit to Mom and Dad!
In order to begin our full-time ministry in the Czech Republic, we must build a prayer and financial support team. This team building process absorbed much of our time and attention in 2007. During the many hours we spent in our van, we frequently talked about what a joyful season this has been in the life of our family. It isn’t all easy or fun, but what an adventure it has been to step out in faith and follow God’s calling. It has truly been a privilege to spend time with many dedicated pastors and lay people, getting to know them and learning about their vision for their local churches and for the body of Christ worldwide. God has expanded our understanding of “ministry,” and we are so grateful.
God’s mercies have indeed been new every morning. Our health has been fairly good during this year, even through all our travel. We had no vehicle accidents, and the one mechanical problem we experienced “mysteriously” disappeared after we prayed. Financially, God has moved on the hearts of many we’ve spoken to, and at the writing of this letter, we are 68% funded! Hallelujah! All three of our children are doing well. Toby, 7, is a curious, energetic boy. He loves school, and thanks to a caring and flexible teacher, Toby has been able to keep up with his second grade class even though he’s missed several days of school. Benjamin, 5, is enjoying his second year of preschool. He is good at puzzles and is an affectionate guy, but he’s always ready to wrestle with his big brother. Katie will be two the first week of February. She is working on learning her brothers’ names right now, as she began to believe their collective name was “guys.” All three children have adapted well to traveling and to being in a different church nearly every weekend. This has been a significant benefit to Mom and Dad!
Looking forward to 2008
This year promises to be an unforgettable one for our family, as we anticipate moving to the Czech Republic during 2008. Several churches are already on our schedule for this winter and spring, and we are waiting for word from several more so that we can plan a visit. We are signed up to participate in Missionary Training Institute in June and July, and we then plan by faith to move during the middle of July.
Moving to Europe can be a complicated process, of course, and so we covet your prayers every day. We must continue building our prayer and financial support team, we must prepare our house and belongings for the transition, and we must secure the necessary legal documents to live in the Czech Republic. Please pray for wisdom, guidance, submission, and grace.
Please help us praise God for the way he is gathering a team around us. Please help us pray that our team would be completed so that we can move to the next stage of ministry.
This year promises to be an unforgettable one for our family, as we anticipate moving to the Czech Republic during 2008. Several churches are already on our schedule for this winter and spring, and we are waiting for word from several more so that we can plan a visit. We are signed up to participate in Missionary Training Institute in June and July, and we then plan by faith to move during the middle of July.
Moving to Europe can be a complicated process, of course, and so we covet your prayers every day. We must continue building our prayer and financial support team, we must prepare our house and belongings for the transition, and we must secure the necessary legal documents to live in the Czech Republic. Please pray for wisdom, guidance, submission, and grace.
Please help us praise God for the way he is gathering a team around us. Please help us pray that our team would be completed so that we can move to the next stage of ministry.
Thanks to you!
We are so grateful for your commitment to lift our family up in prayer. God has shown us more and more the importance of prayer as we travel this road. We need financial support, to be sure, but all the money in the world matters little if we do not have God’s hand guiding us. Thank you for interceding for us and for the Czech people.
We are so grateful for your commitment to lift our family up in prayer. God has shown us more and more the importance of prayer as we travel this road. We need financial support, to be sure, but all the money in the world matters little if we do not have God’s hand guiding us. Thank you for interceding for us and for the Czech people.
Giving:
If you feel God prompting you to give, you can visit www.praygivego.com. Click on "Give," then on "Become a Financial Partner."
If you feel God prompting you to give, you can visit www.praygivego.com. Click on "Give," then on "Become a Financial Partner."
Schedule:
January 27 Fall Creek Wesleyan Church, Fishers, IN
February 3 Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, Marion, IN (p.m. service)
January 27 Fall Creek Wesleyan Church, Fishers, IN
February 3 Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, Marion, IN (p.m. service)
Photos:
To see more photos, click on http://picasaweb.google.com/alanaimee/Holiday2007.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
We are OFFICIALLY at the 50% point in our support raising! God has been answering your prayers!
We are celebrating reaching the 50% mark for several reasons...
We are celebrating because God is showing himself faithful yet again! God called us to minister in the Czech Republic and he will make a way for that to happen. He has given us the strength to work toward our goal. He has provided opportunities for us to share our vision for the church in the Czech Republic. He has caused us to find favor with churches, districts, and individuals.
We are celebrating because this represents churches and individuals who believe in global outreach, and who are obeying God's call. The body of Christ has a mandate to make disciples of all nations. Our family has been called to GO (and we are giving, and we are praying). But we cannot reach all of the Czech Republic by ourselves. We need all of you who are GIVING and PRAYING. Thank you for responding to God's call!
We are celebrating because this will ease financial stress. Global Partners allows us to draw one-half of our salary once we reach the 50% mark. In order to concentrate his energies on raising our support team, Alan stepped down from his position at Heritage Wesleyan Church at the end of September. We haven't been unemployed, but we have been "between paychecks." Receiving half-salary will help us meet our financial obligations each month. (Let me also praise God that he has provided for our needs daily. He has been our Shepherd, and we have not been in want.)
We are OFFICIALLY at the 50% point in our support raising! God has been answering your prayers!
We are celebrating reaching the 50% mark for several reasons...
We are celebrating because God is showing himself faithful yet again! God called us to minister in the Czech Republic and he will make a way for that to happen. He has given us the strength to work toward our goal. He has provided opportunities for us to share our vision for the church in the Czech Republic. He has caused us to find favor with churches, districts, and individuals.
We are celebrating because this represents churches and individuals who believe in global outreach, and who are obeying God's call. The body of Christ has a mandate to make disciples of all nations. Our family has been called to GO (and we are giving, and we are praying). But we cannot reach all of the Czech Republic by ourselves. We need all of you who are GIVING and PRAYING. Thank you for responding to God's call!
We are celebrating because this will ease financial stress. Global Partners allows us to draw one-half of our salary once we reach the 50% mark. In order to concentrate his energies on raising our support team, Alan stepped down from his position at Heritage Wesleyan Church at the end of September. We haven't been unemployed, but we have been "between paychecks." Receiving half-salary will help us meet our financial obligations each month. (Let me also praise God that he has provided for our needs daily. He has been our Shepherd, and we have not been in want.)
October Trip out East
What's Been Going On?
In October, we packed up and headed out on a three-week trip to visit churches in Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan. First, we had a great time at Coleville Wesleyan Church in Bellefont, PA. Pastor and Mrs. Ron and Blanche Kilgus were fun hosts. We loved how the church faithfully sets aside time during each Sunday service to pray for missionaries.
We then headed up to Vermont for a week with Alan's family. Vermont is beautiful in the fall, and we enjoyed relaxing and visiting family and friends.
After Vermont, we drove back to Pennsylvania for a weekend with Pastor and Mrs. Ken and Arlene Stephens at the Summit Hill Wesleyan Church in Howard, PA. We are usually the ones doing all the talking about missions, so it was a treat to hear Pastor and Mrs. Stephens and Annie Crissinger share about their recent trip to Swaziland. God is working around the world!
We drove to Clearfield, PA, where our friend Scott Muirhead lives. Scott led the EuroCamp team with Alan for several years. That evening, we visited the Hyde Wesleyan Church. We really enjoyed meeting Scott's family and catching up with him.
Next was Cuba, New York! Our friends, Jon and Ashley Ward, pastor the W
esleyan church in Cuba. They allowed us to stay in the church's mission house for over a week. This was a restful break for us. Toby and Benjamin loved the park right across the street from the house. We loved that it was a small, safe community and we could let the boys go play by themselves. While we were in Cuba, we visited Houghton College and our friends, Kevin and Cindy Austin, former missionaries to Germany and the Czech Republic.
The next weekend, we traveled up to Buffalo, New York, for a missions conference at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church. We stayed in the home of John and Faith Fisk (thanks, guys!) and enjoyed connecting with the people of Eastern Hills as well as the other missionaries that participate in the conference. About half of our team to Czech this summer were from Eastern Hills, and we loved seeing them again.
We traveled b
ack to Cuba for a few more days, before heading to Dryden, Michigan. It's (theoretically) shorter to drive through Ontario, Canada from where we were to where we wanted to go. Plus, the kids have never seen Niagara Falls. So, we visited Niagara Falls! The boys' reactions were so fun to watch. While we were in Niagara, we were shocked to run into Jason and Kerensa McFrederick, who are also missionaries to the Czech Republic. We had a great impromptu visit. Then, on across Canada!
Our last weekend away from home we spent at the Dryden Wesleyan Church in Dryden, Michigan. Pastor and Mrs. Dan and Carla Wilson welcomed us, and Jerry and Linda Pakkala welcomed us so much, they moved out of their house for the weekend so we could stay there! We shared with everyone from the children to the youth to the Best Years Fellowship group!
What's Next for November and December?
Since we've been back home in Rock Island, we visited the Hoyne Avenue church in Chicago. We stayed with Pastor and Mrs. Joe and Donna Blasczyk. This weekend, we'll visit the DeKalb Wesleyan Church in DeKalb, Illinois. Next, we are at Broadview Wesleyan Church, again in the Chicago area. We'll take a break for Thanksgiving!
The first weekend in December, we will participate in Heritage's missions emphasis weekend and travel to Hope Wesleyan in Galesburg, Illinois. December 9 we will visit Lawrenceville Wesleyan Church in southern Illinois.
Praises
We cannot adequately tell you how grateful we are for your support. Some of you provide prayer support, some financial support, and some are able to do both. We know that God is hearing your prayers and honoring your contributions. Thank you for caring about taking the gospel to the Czech Republic.
If you feel God prompting you to give, you can visit http://www.praygivego.com/. Click on "Give," then on "Become a Financial Partner."
For photos of our October trip, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/alanaimee/OctoberTrip?authkey=uPUMqHCIPCM.
In October, we packed up and headed out on a three-week trip to visit churches in Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan. First, we had a great time at Coleville Wesleyan Church in Bellefont, PA. Pastor and Mrs. Ron and Blanche Kilgus were fun hosts. We loved how the church faithfully sets aside time during each Sunday service to pray for missionaries.
We then headed up to Vermont for a week with Alan's family. Vermont is beautiful in the fall, and we enjoyed relaxing and visiting family and friends.
After Vermont, we drove back to Pennsylvania for a weekend with Pastor and Mrs. Ken and Arlene Stephens at the Summit Hill Wesleyan Church in Howard, PA. We are usually the ones doing all the talking about missions, so it was a treat to hear Pastor and Mrs. Stephens and Annie Crissinger share about their recent trip to Swaziland. God is working around the world!
We drove to Clearfield, PA, where our friend Scott Muirhead lives. Scott led the EuroCamp team with Alan for several years. That evening, we visited the Hyde Wesleyan Church. We really enjoyed meeting Scott's family and catching up with him.
Next was Cuba, New York! Our friends, Jon and Ashley Ward, pastor the W
esleyan church in Cuba. They allowed us to stay in the church's mission house for over a week. This was a restful break for us. Toby and Benjamin loved the park right across the street from the house. We loved that it was a small, safe community and we could let the boys go play by themselves. While we were in Cuba, we visited Houghton College and our friends, Kevin and Cindy Austin, former missionaries to Germany and the Czech Republic.The next weekend, we traveled up to Buffalo, New York, for a missions conference at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church. We stayed in the home of John and Faith Fisk (thanks, guys!) and enjoyed connecting with the people of Eastern Hills as well as the other missionaries that participate in the conference. About half of our team to Czech this summer were from Eastern Hills, and we loved seeing them again.
We traveled b
ack to Cuba for a few more days, before heading to Dryden, Michigan. It's (theoretically) shorter to drive through Ontario, Canada from where we were to where we wanted to go. Plus, the kids have never seen Niagara Falls. So, we visited Niagara Falls! The boys' reactions were so fun to watch. While we were in Niagara, we were shocked to run into Jason and Kerensa McFrederick, who are also missionaries to the Czech Republic. We had a great impromptu visit. Then, on across Canada!Our last weekend away from home we spent at the Dryden Wesleyan Church in Dryden, Michigan. Pastor and Mrs. Dan and Carla Wilson welcomed us, and Jerry and Linda Pakkala welcomed us so much, they moved out of their house for the weekend so we could stay there! We shared with everyone from the children to the youth to the Best Years Fellowship group!
What's Next for November and December?
Since we've been back home in Rock Island, we visited the Hoyne Avenue church in Chicago. We stayed with Pastor and Mrs. Joe and Donna Blasczyk. This weekend, we'll visit the DeKalb Wesleyan Church in DeKalb, Illinois. Next, we are at Broadview Wesleyan Church, again in the Chicago area. We'll take a break for Thanksgiving!
The first weekend in December, we will participate in Heritage's missions emphasis weekend and travel to Hope Wesleyan in Galesburg, Illinois. December 9 we will visit Lawrenceville Wesleyan Church in southern Illinois.
Praises
- We've reached 50%!!!!!
- Safety and provision during our long 3-week trip
- Time with family and friends
- Good fellowship with pastors and churches
- God's flawless timing
Prayer Requests
- For continued favor with churches and individuals, that we may push on to the 100% goal so we can move to the Czech Republic!
- Safety as we travel many miles in the van
- For physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being for our family members
- For the team of missionaries and Czech believers that is already working hard in the Czech Republic.
- For those Czechs who do not yet know Christ. May their hearts be softened and their ears opened to hear the gospel.
We cannot adequately tell you how grateful we are for your support. Some of you provide prayer support, some financial support, and some are able to do both. We know that God is hearing your prayers and honoring your contributions. Thank you for caring about taking the gospel to the Czech Republic.
If you feel God prompting you to give, you can visit http://www.praygivego.com/. Click on "Give," then on "Become a Financial Partner."
For photos of our October trip, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/alanaimee/OctoberTrip?authkey=uPUMqHCIPCM.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Reflections from Camp 2007
EuroCamp 2007!!
We believe that they will enjoy living in the Czech Republic. Toby has asked some insightful questions about his part in our ministry, and we have encouraged him that he is a part of the team. Thank you for your prayers!
See photos from this trip by clicking on the link under "Other Sites."
Thanks for your prayers during EuroCamp 2007. God granted our team safety as we traveled to the Czech Republic and participated in Majak's English and Sports Camp 2007: "Pirates of the Caribbean." It was fun to get to know our teammates from Oregon, Michigan, New York, South Dakota, and Canada. God amazes us every year by uniting former strangers together to do his will.
Camp Activities
Every day, campers met for morning assembly where they sang silly camp songs to wake up. Campers would then go to English class or a sports clinic. After lunch, teams met for competitive games. These games always include physical, mental, and teamwork components. After dinner, campers gathered for an evening rally of fun songs and goofy skits, capped off by a testimony or a spiritually meaningful skit. Afterglows included talent night, team game night, and a campfire night, at which we had the opportunity to just sit and talk to campers.
Answers to Prayer
We were able to renew relationships with missionaries and with Czech friends. God also allowed us to forge new relationships. Please pray with us that these friendships would continue and grow as we return to the Czech Republic.
Aimee was able to visit some of the missionary homes to get a sense for what our home will look like. This will help a great deal as we plan for the future.
Our top-priority prayer request was that our boys would sense a call of their own to Czech. Many have asked us if we believe this prayer was answered. At this point, we can report that the prayer seems to have been answered in a round-about way. While Toby and Benjamin still say they don't want to move away from Rock Island, we saw that they adapted quickly to life at camp. The boys had the time of their lives playing all day long around the campgrounds. They ran and jumped and played and sweated and got dirty all day, everyday. Toby and Benjamin made lots of friends, both American and Czech. They were not shy about talking to the Czech campers and asking them to play ping-pong. Both boys were willing to learn Czech words and to practice using them. We only had one homesick episode, and it passed quickly.
Aimee was able to visit some of the missionary homes to get a sense for what our home will look like. This will help a great deal as we plan for the future.
Our top-priority prayer request was that our boys would sense a call of their own to Czech. Many have asked us if we believe this prayer was answered. At this point, we can report that the prayer seems to have been answered in a round-about way. While Toby and Benjamin still say they don't want to move away from Rock Island, we saw that they adapted quickly to life at camp. The boys had the time of their lives playing all day long around the campgrounds. They ran and jumped and played and sweated and got dirty all day, everyday. Toby and Benjamin made lots of friends, both American and Czech. They were not shy about talking to the Czech campers and asking them to play ping-pong. Both boys were willing to learn Czech words and to practice using them. We only had one homesick episode, and it passed quickly.
We believe that they will enjoy living in the Czech Republic. Toby has asked some insightful questions about his part in our ministry, and we have encouraged him that he is a part of the team. Thank you for your prayers!Looking Ahead...
We have lot of traveling on our schedule. Here is our schedule for the rest of August and September:
- August 26 Rockford, IL
- September 9 Fairfield and Bridgeport, IL
- September 16 Whiteford, Michigan
- September 21-23 Urbana, IL Missions Conference
- September 30 Robinson, IL and Zone Meeting
How You can Pray
- Safety as we travel many miles
- For God to raise up team members for our family and for the Czech Republic
- For the team already in place in the Czech Republic
- For our transition and for provisions, as Alan closes out his ministry at our church and commits his time fully to team building
Thank you for lifting our family up in prayer!
EuroCamp 2007 was a great opportunity for us to confirm God's call on our lives. We are more eager than ever to join the team in the Czech Republic! As of this writing, we are funded at 38.4%. We are grateful for those who have joined our team, and we are praying for God to bring the rest of our team together.
Global Partners has made giving online simple. If God asks you to join our team, you can follow these easy steps:
- Visit http://www.praygivego.com/
- Choose "Give" from the choices on your left
- Click on "Become a Financial Partner." This takes you to a simple form.
- To ensure your pledge is credited to us, in the first field, "Name of Missionary," you just type "Alan & Aimee Williams, WM04-0325."
If you would like to join our prayer team, just drop us an e-mail at alanaimee@gmail.com.
See photos from this trip by clicking on the link under "Other Sites."
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