Hey everyone! I hope you are all well and finding yourself in daily prayer and scripture reading!
God is good and I have been the recipient of great blessings! I was told by the pastor of a church in Rochester that he would help me with the ministry I am planning on starting when I come back, I have had several people tell me how they are doing this in their countries, and now there is a man in NJ that wants to support me in any way he can with this ministry! He is working with the Turks in NJ very close to NYC and I will get to meet him in a few months in Istanbul. Can't wait to see how God works everything out. Praising Him!
Kenan is doing phenomenally well! It is almost as if he was never in an accident! He is still going to have a scar on his head and face for the rest of his life, but he is otherwise pretty much back to normal. Last week he told his family that he is now a Christian and that he will always be a Christian until the day he dies. Please keep him in your prayers as his family can react in a number of ways. They may kick him out of their family and never speak to him again, they may beat him, or they may hire hit-men to kill him. E is in more danger than Kenan because he is the one who "Stole their son away." Please pray that they will be safe and that the family will come to Christ!
J and E have been working here together for eight years now and they say they have not seen much going on in the way of people on fire for Christ and trying to serve the church, but people more trying to see how the church can help them in their problems. But just the other day J was talking to some young believers and they are on fire for Christ and trying to serve the church without asking for anything in return and a few showed an interest in working with the Kurds! Please pray that this country would be filled with national Christians who have this kind of fire!
Next month J and E are heading to the US for a few weeks to talk at a few churches about the work taking place here. Please pray for a productive trip and safe travels.
Our students are learning English very quickly and we are very happy to have the opportunity to share with them. They now know that all of us are Christians and not just the Westerner. They asked a lot of questions about why E was a Christian even though he was Turkish and he had read the Qur'an. Much discussion followed. Pray that we will be able to witness to them more and that God will lead them to the Truth.
Thanks for praying everyone! I have now been in Turkey for four months! Praise God I have had this opportunity to serve Him here! Stay in the world and keep serving the King wherever you are!
I love this Quote from Tales of the Kingdom:
"How goes the world?"
"The world goes not well, but the Kingdom comes!"
Isn't that the truth! Look around at this world and you will see how corrupt and poisonous it is, but we know that the final battle has already been won and we have a home- a kingdom- that we will be spending eternity in! All because we are children and servants of the King of kings! Amen?
Here is how you can pray specifically the work in Turkey:
· Pray that God would raise good godly leaders in His churches here.
· Pray for Kenan and E's safety with their family.
· Pray that God will use the English class as a platform for sharing the Gospel.
· Pray for much discernment for me as well as the other workers here for many decisions that need to be made.
· Pray that I will be accepted into the college I applied to and will get into the right pre-med classes.
· Pray that the Lord would open my mind to learn what He would have me to learn and to give me a humble and obedient Heart
· Please pray that God would reach His lost sheep here and bring them out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Light.
· And always remember to pray for your brothers and sisters who are in prison and who are suffering. (Heb 13:3)
Thanks for all the prayers everyone! They truly are a blessing!
____________________________________________________________
If you feel led to support the work here or wish to help Kenan in his time of need, please contact J of GES for more info on donating.
The money given to Kenan will be a loan that he has to pay off, not a gift, thus making him lazy. The money will then be used for someone else in need, and so on.
You can now see more constant updates and pictures on my Facebook account: Zurafa Turk
--
It is well with my soul,
Is it well with yours?
~Zurafa Turk
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
News from Ron and Vicki Letts
January 2010
Christmas came quickly for us this year and I bet it did the same to you as well. Today's date is December 28, 2009.....a lot has happened this past year. One of those was that the Lord has given us the privilege of caring for my mother all the way through to her departure to her heavenly home. She died this month at the age of 83...a week ago last Saturday we had her memorial service so it's complete. She is enjoying her heavenly home. Just before she died, the nurses found her kneeling beside her bed praying. They put her back in her bed and ten minutes later she was in Glory.
We knew it would not be long, so a year ago, we started preparations to return to our ministry in Australia. This month we picked up 4 new churches that have partnered with us to reach Australians for Christ, what a great Christmas gift. That puts us closer to that 60% mark during a time that America is struggling. I praise the Lord that He has given us this booster shot in the arm to keep on keeping on.
Christmas time is the most busy time of the year when many of us wished that we could share our faith with someone that is listening, all the while we know that the Lord's Word never returns void. So we go on with hope that lives will change because of what the Lord will do as He brings forth His truth. We hope that Christmas was a great time of reflection for you and your family and we want to wish you a very God fearing and loving year...through all the trials this new year will bring and all the joy the Lord will over flow your cup with. Don't quit what is right and God promises we will reap.
Serving in Christ's Love,
Ron and Vicki Letts
Down Under
Christmas came quickly for us this year and I bet it did the same to you as well. Today's date is December 28, 2009.....a lot has happened this past year. One of those was that the Lord has given us the privilege of caring for my mother all the way through to her departure to her heavenly home. She died this month at the age of 83...a week ago last Saturday we had her memorial service so it's complete. She is enjoying her heavenly home. Just before she died, the nurses found her kneeling beside her bed praying. They put her back in her bed and ten minutes later she was in Glory.
We knew it would not be long, so a year ago, we started preparations to return to our ministry in Australia. This month we picked up 4 new churches that have partnered with us to reach Australians for Christ, what a great Christmas gift. That puts us closer to that 60% mark during a time that America is struggling. I praise the Lord that He has given us this booster shot in the arm to keep on keeping on.
Christmas time is the most busy time of the year when many of us wished that we could share our faith with someone that is listening, all the while we know that the Lord's Word never returns void. So we go on with hope that lives will change because of what the Lord will do as He brings forth His truth. We hope that Christmas was a great time of reflection for you and your family and we want to wish you a very God fearing and loving year...through all the trials this new year will bring and all the joy the Lord will over flow your cup with. Don't quit what is right and God promises we will reap.
Serving in Christ's Love,
Ron and Vicki Letts
Down Under
Dear Friends,
The other day I woke up early and thought to myself, “The house is so quiet; I am going to take extra time to read scripture and pray today.” However, within two minutes the kids were up and my aspirations vanished like a dream. The only thing I took from my quiet time that day was Hebrews 10:14 (above). As I look to a new decade, I can rest in the fact that even with my insufficiencies (not enough time to read, pray, parent, be a good husband, win the world to Christ...), God has already declared us perfect in His sight. Furthermore, He is in the process of making us more like Him each day.
When God is in it...
Most churches in Austria grow from living room Bible studies into small congregations that meet in a storefront or a house. If the body grows, they might knock out a few walls to form a bigger meeting room. The first church we worked with in Graz has grown from 130 to around 280 people. Their building is situated in a residential area, and their prayer has been for God to allow the neighboring houses to go for sale. In the last years God has answered their prayers. Two properties right next to the church have been purchased! The last one had a man living in an old house who was very antagonistic toward the church. God took him. His son inherited the house and sold it to the church for €120,000. The church only had half the funding, but by faith they bought the house. Once they began to rummage through the old things left behind, they
found GOLD COINS worth exactly €60,000 to pay for the rest!!
When God is in it….
This FALL I had the chance to take a group of Americans to Graz to help with the building project. The first phase was to renovate the old house into an apartment for their janitor, and use several of the rooms as meeting rooms for youth, elders and children’s ministries. Next year the plan is then to reconstruct the existing church building to a 450 seat auditorium that is expandable to 600!! Please pray for the church in Graz during this challenging phase. As in the times of Nehemiah, these projects rarely go without opposition and conflict. On our final day in Graz, I had the chance to preach in church. Three people indicated making a decision to trust Christ as Savior. One lady (Lydia), whom I spoke with afterwards, is still wrestling with the idea that Jesus is the only way. Please pray for her salvation.
Building into the Future…!!
Please remember to pray for the annual nationwide youth convention coming up in May of 2010 (http://2010.pfiju.at/). I will be the speaker, and we plan to bring a group from the USA to help with set up for this. There will be young people from all over Austria challenged with the topic: Born to Burn! The committee is already working on all the preliminary planning. Please pray for young people to come to know Christ and for believers to recognize their true purpose in life: to be vessels, available for God’s use in His Kingdom. Please also pray for me to be “on fire” for God, the way He wants me to be, so that I can challenge young people to “burn” for God.
Wishing you God’s best for 2010
Bobby, Jen and Kids Parschauer
News from Mexico
South O¹ Border
DR. & MRS LONNIE C. SMITH Sr.
Missionaries to Mexico
January 2010
Dear Friends in Christ,
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
Phil: 4:19. God has supplied all our needs. Since May 1956 we have had many friends and churches contribute to our ministry. Some have continued until today, but most supported for only a short time or on a special project. If you are receiving this letter (hard copy) it means that our records show you have contributed. There is no way we can ever thank you.
During economical hard time some have suspended their help, BUT GOD has supplied. We made a promise to God we would never cease to serve because of financial needs and He has always supplied and we believe He will. We would like to mention a brief resume of what God has done in our ministry. All because YOU helped:
*I preached my first sermon in Spanish within 30 days of arriving on the field and am still at it.
*With the help of our 2 sons Lonnie Jr. and Ronnie, we have established 130 self-supporting churches and missions, most with their own property and Mexican pastor.
*I have taught in 3 Bible Institutes and been director of one. We have seen over 400 graduates enter full time service.
*For over 40 years we directed a youth camp near Monterrey. Thousands were saved as a result of this ministry. Hundreds surrendered their life to full time service at this camp. Thousands of N Ts and tracts have been distributed in Spanish.
*For over 40 years we published a monthly paper ³South O¹ Border² that sent to each pastor of the BBFI free of charge and we have sent a monthly prayer and praise letter to each of our supporting church.
*I have written, translated and published over 65 textbooks for the Spanish ministry.
*I have translated over 50 songs into Spanish. I have published a hymnal with over 250 songs for the churches. Copies with music and without music.
*I have had an active printing ministry for these and other Spanish literature.
*Each year we have furnished material for over 70 DVBS in the churches.
Reaching over 10,000 boys and girls with the gospel. Between 3000-6000 saved each year.
*In Evangelism we have seen thousands of souls saved through the years.
· I have translated all courses for Anchor Theological Seminary into
Spanish and under my supervision we have seen over 300 nationals and missionaries receive degrees of higher learning in Theology. (Personal: ThG, Sp., BA PCBBC, Ca., PhD LBU, La. ThD, Anchor, and a honorary DD.)
·
Yes, our partnership has produced some very good results for which we are thankful. We will continue until God calls us home or we go to be with Him.
Yours for souls in Mexico.
Lonnie & Margie
P. S. The word "I" is used several times. However this has been a family effort. As in most cases Margie the wife has borne the burdens and made all this possible. Thanks Honey!
DR. & MRS LONNIE C. SMITH Sr.
Missionaries to Mexico
January 2010
Dear Friends in Christ,
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
Phil: 4:19. God has supplied all our needs. Since May 1956 we have had many friends and churches contribute to our ministry. Some have continued until today, but most supported for only a short time or on a special project. If you are receiving this letter (hard copy) it means that our records show you have contributed. There is no way we can ever thank you.
During economical hard time some have suspended their help, BUT GOD has supplied. We made a promise to God we would never cease to serve because of financial needs and He has always supplied and we believe He will. We would like to mention a brief resume of what God has done in our ministry. All because YOU helped:
*I preached my first sermon in Spanish within 30 days of arriving on the field and am still at it.
*With the help of our 2 sons Lonnie Jr. and Ronnie, we have established 130 self-supporting churches and missions, most with their own property and Mexican pastor.
*I have taught in 3 Bible Institutes and been director of one. We have seen over 400 graduates enter full time service.
*For over 40 years we directed a youth camp near Monterrey. Thousands were saved as a result of this ministry. Hundreds surrendered their life to full time service at this camp. Thousands of N Ts and tracts have been distributed in Spanish.
*For over 40 years we published a monthly paper ³South O¹ Border² that sent to each pastor of the BBFI free of charge and we have sent a monthly prayer and praise letter to each of our supporting church.
*I have written, translated and published over 65 textbooks for the Spanish ministry.
*I have translated over 50 songs into Spanish. I have published a hymnal with over 250 songs for the churches. Copies with music and without music.
*I have had an active printing ministry for these and other Spanish literature.
*Each year we have furnished material for over 70 DVBS in the churches.
Reaching over 10,000 boys and girls with the gospel. Between 3000-6000 saved each year.
*In Evangelism we have seen thousands of souls saved through the years.
· I have translated all courses for Anchor Theological Seminary into
Spanish and under my supervision we have seen over 300 nationals and missionaries receive degrees of higher learning in Theology. (Personal: ThG, Sp., BA PCBBC, Ca., PhD LBU, La. ThD, Anchor, and a honorary DD.)
·
Yes, our partnership has produced some very good results for which we are thankful. We will continue until God calls us home or we go to be with Him.
Yours for souls in Mexico.
Lonnie & Margie
P. S. The word "I" is used several times. However this has been a family effort. As in most cases Margie the wife has borne the burdens and made all this possible. Thanks Honey!
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