One more link...

This photo illustrates what the GSCC short term mission in Slovenia is. Yep...we're just one more link in the chain, helping Slovene students have a relationship with Christ. Or for another illustration, try 1 Corinthians 3: 6-9 Don't know where we are in the chain, but each link is important!

Coming Home!

Here is a last picture of our camp - we also had a followup reunion and most of the campers showed up! Our major goal of connecting them with the church has been met! Thank you all for praying for us - God has been at work and we have lots of stories to tell when we get back. Leaving in a couple of hours.

Gene, for the Team

On our way home....

Camp theme song & dance: Never going back to ok.
So true: changed people, changed lives....and soon to be changed location.
We fly out of Slovenia in a few hours, arrive in PDX about midnight 7/7/10 (or 7/8/10, depending how you look @ it), so our location changes soon...but hearts stay here. Pray for travel mercies!
Not likely going back to the way it was. (It will be interesting to ask our team how their lives changed---all are still processing) Campers are changed & have made great connections.
Speaking of campers: Reunion event on Monday night brought 21 of the 28 campers...plus the Slovene helpers...to the Jacksons house. Hallelujah for good weather to do things outdoors...
Continue to pray for the Jacksons & Pattys as they continue their work here. Pattys are at another camp this week, same location as our site,---with Cornerstone Church!

Facebook

For good or bad, Facebook has changed the world....
Yes, even the Slovene kids have it: instant connection with kids sitting next to you---or clear across the world. Despite it's necessity to only write short pithy clever statements, kids are using it for longer conversations as well. They were doing "friend requests" by the middle of camp. Will be nice to use FB for stronger connections (OK Mike: Get a FB page).
So, thanks to FB, many of our team will be off to a spontaneous group activity around 1pm (SLO Time) with many of the Slovenes, invited by IMing through FB:) Hoping for good purposeful conversations. Please pray...
So, as much as I hate the addictive nature of FB & the need for few words (Never have been one for few words), we're gunna redeem FB:)
BTW, Slovene keyboard: The @ symbol is "alt-v" Quotation marks are on the 2 key. Z and Y are reversed. Extra keys for Š Č Ć Ž Đ but there actually is a $ sign!!!!
Rainy for the team

Last day at camp

We leave camp in an hour - sad to go but with great stories! This was one of the best we have been on and I can't say enough about how great the team worked together (both Slovenes and Americans). Two nights ago, we experienced a break-through with the entire camp going through a Labyrinth where at several stations they reflected on messages from the week. We had expected only a few to participate but all did! The week has been a positive experience for all and spiritual progress is measured in different ways - most obvious is by the connections and relationships made between the church here and individual campers. We leave for a bit of down time in the city and then some follow-up activities with the campers. Everybody is doing really well if not tired!

Gene, for the team.

Lake Bled

Hi!
Sorry--haven't had photos up for 2 days. Gene is the photo-meister & his back is not doing well--after the Slovene boys took on the American guys in basketball. Final score: something like 100-7, US. Yeah, not so into defense in Slovenia....
So, pray for the aching bodies. The team is all putting in great effort...
Update:
Activities: Had Mexican night, Star Wars night & now (as I speak), Star Wars movie playing. Also, today was a hike to Lake Bled, through the villages, past the cow pastures & caged turkeys. Hike & photo scavenger hunt designed to allow for more conversations & bonding. Yep-- a great time of videoing the camp dance, class cheer, etc. And then swimming in Lake Bled. Always an eye opener for our Americans to see beer bellied European men in speedoes:)
Evening sessions: Mike spoke tonight about 2nd chances--and the talks have helped with discussions. Very excited to see some junior high kids asking challenging questions. Even more excited to be facilitating relationships between the Slovene Christians & students who they will continue to meet with during the school year.
Hope to get photos up soon--
Rainy

The mountains, the weather....

"Lift thine eyes. Oh lift thine eyes. To the mountains, where my help comes..."
Have always loved that psalm....and it's more true here, as we work in the Alps. Oddly enough, apparently the Slovenes don't appreciate those mountains as much--until maybe now. Those Alps are on the northern part of the country, and they feel closed in, clostrophobic...sort of oppressed....as they used to represent feeling trapped here (North is Austria...where there was a little more freedom...). So, when you see any mountains, pray for the Slovenes who still feel a bit trapped spiritually... Pray for their freedom through Christ!
Meanwhile, someone is praying for weather conducive for conversations: No rain, no humidity, blue skies. Lori Jackson says it's normally very humid & thunderstorms in the evenings. Hasn't happened. And if it did? Not so many sports for these boys. No evening activities outside. Thank you prayer warriors. Keep it up on the weather/conversation prayers!!!!
In 1 1/2 hours, Lori speaks about Ruth--and leaving old beliefs behind to seek truth. Pray for good conversations!
Sorry to my GHS friends: The popular t-shirt here is from Barlow. It was hard to convince girls that gophers were "mighty" :)
Rainy

Discussion Groups and Pirate Night!!

Here are some examples of our team connecting with the Slovene students. We had a very full day of English classes, discussion groups, sports, and a late night Pirate Night! The team is awesome! They are servants to the core and are going above our expectations to reach this culture. I am very proud of how they are relating to these young people and helping with the nationals. We will have another full day tomorrow and end with a Mexican Theme night! Keep praying for our health and the ability to bridge the language barrier. Also, pray that the Good News will penetrate their hearts and minds.
Gene for the Team

Here's the English classes!

The weather is holding out, classes have started, junior high boys are the same the world over! Keep praying!

The Slovenes are coming!

Campers arrive in 3 hours (about noon) and we're getting ready! Apparently, you are praying: We've got boys! In fact, we have 2/1 boys to girls! Yep--lots of Blake Patty's friends:) Getting those light sabers ready---Polona, Barbara, & Maja are in charge of evening fun ativities:)

Our energetic interns: Kari Swiridoff & Heather Canby

We were jetlagged on the 1st day, but loved the Bled castle. Now, the fun relationships begin!!! Pray for great connections!

Bags are in!

Yes, that sounds hip but really, our bags arrived around midnight. They had been routed to San Francisco for some reason. All is well now - we have our camp supplies and toiletries! It's a beautiful morning with the sun coming up. I've been awake since 2:30am! Gunna be a great day! Gene for the Team.

We Made it to Slovenia!

We are here! Safe and sound, if not tired! We have been getting to know the Slovene Christian Leaders here and spent the day at Lake Bled. The camp is wonderful and the setting very good for ministry. Please pray for our luggage to be delivered soon. We are missing 6 bags (Takalo's, and Grubbs). Spirits are high but we could use a little sleep!

Tomorrow is the day!

We're leaving on a jet plane tomorrow am:) Likely to be on "radio silence" for most of the camp, but we will TRY to update if we get access.
Here's our "likely" schedule, so while you're at red lights, or eating chicken, or watching World Cup soccer, or whatever, please pray for us (Slovenia is 9 hrs ahead of PST. If you pray for us in your morning, you'll probably hit it just right)
Campers arrive on Saturday, 6/26/10
0730--Team meeting
0800--Breakfast
0845-teaching video
0900-1200--English class
1200-1300--Lunch (main meal--like our dinner)
1300--1600--Crazy outdoor games
1700--Supper
1900--Evening program
2030--Discussion
2100 ish--Crazy evening activities (We're the entertainment!)
2300--lights out (in theory)
Camp goes til 7/3/10.....
7/4/10--Church, follow-ups
7/5/10--More connections
Hvala for your many prayers!!

Graduates!

Two of our team members graduated from highschool this week. Congrats to Madison & Melanie!

Why Slovenia?

Why do we go to Slovenia? Our church sends teams to this small Eastern European country to do English language camps because:

1) It is active evangelism. Less than 1% of the Slovenes are evangelical Christians. It is a post-Christian culture and most students have few opportunites to hear about a relationship with Jesus--except through these camps.

2) We are helping missionaries we already support with their ministry. English camps are a big boost to youth ministry.

3) It helps train our own students to share their faith & possibly prepare for a future work.
4) It helps our church broaden it's view of the Church.

So that's why:)

Wish we'd taken a picture.....

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day in Portland--the 1st one after 40 days of rain. It has felt like Noah & the ark.
Providentially, our team had a fund-raising garage sale yesterday--and it was a tremendous success. Lots of donated items, lots of customers, and we raised at least $850!
Wish you could have seen the stuff coming & going!
Thank you all who donated your treasures and all who bought and all who prayed!

Garage Sale--- June 5th

Come one, come all--to the SLO team's garage sale!
Help us pay for our plane tickets back to Oregon, since we're @ 51% support:)
June 5th: 0800--til ?
Location: 1678 NE LaMesa Place, Gresham
(off 17th, across from MHCC baseball & football fields)
Furniture, household, clothing.....
BUT we're still taking donations!!!
(Call Matt & Lindy @ 503-438-5254 to donate)

Commissioning!

May 15 & 16th, Good Shepherd's congregation brought all the summer short term teams up on the platform to pray & send us out. Thank you Good Shepherd for going with us in prayer!

Practicing that camp "dance" in our "Slovenija" t-shirts by our Slovene flag in the church foyer.

Prayer requests

As we prepare to share Christ's love with Slovene students, please pray for:
1) Slovene students who will hear God's word, that their hearts will be softened to understand the Gospel.
2) Slovene youth workers, that they will grow in their faith
3) Team unity
4) Encourage & grow new missionaries
5) Gather the right supplies to be the most effective