It has been an exciting year in which we have been challenged by the Lord to return to our roots of simple love, simple truth and simple obedience to our loving King.
We started out the year continuing to invest in Central America with John traveling to Costa Rica to teach in the YWAM School of Worship. His teaching on "Humility", was very well received and we are so glad to see a new generation rising up to lead the body of Christ forward in worship in Central America.
As we came into the second quarter we felt challenged by the Lord to seek him for direction and provision and return to a simple trust in Him. (Sometimes it seems so easy to lose the simplicity of friendship with the Lord even while in ministry.) We felt him calling us back to that simple love and obedience and away from sophistication and independence.
As we took time to seek out his will, he began to open doors through connections with some friends and colleagues serving with YWAM family ministries in Latvia. These friends of ours have been reaching out to families in this Baltic nation seeking to see the hearts of "...fathers turned toward the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers." Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:7
As these doors began to open, we started a prayerful planning process and are so thankful for many of you standing with us in prayer and giving. In the end we were able to come alongside YWAM Family ministries in Latvia for the summer.
We worked with youth in what we called a 360 youth camp. We had teaching, small groups, breakout sessions where we taught photography and videography, sports and even took the youth on an outreach to neighboring Lithuania to share their faith and serve.
We had a wonderful time serving with family ministries and thank God for the very real impact they are having on the nation one family at a time. We have put together a Web album to give you a window into the time. Please check it out!
After our time in Latvia we traveled across Scandanavia where John would teach for the opening two weeks of the Bible School for the Nations (BSN) in the Kristiansand Norway. His classes were very well received as he communicated an introduction to Bible Study and World View.
After Returning from Europe we taught in the Discipleship School (DTS) in Texas and in the BSN in Mexico.
In the last quarter we took time here in Madison to equip outreach teams now serving in Latvia, Thailand and Nepal
During our time in Europe we were very aware of the desperate situation of the refugees coming out of Syria. While we did not have to opportunity to respond directly to this pressing need while in the Baltics, as we returned to the states, we continued seeking the Lord in prayer wanting to connect with his heart and his purposes in this key time. As we continued to pray and communicate with friends who were on the ground particularly in Greece, an opportunity arose to be involved at the first line of response working with the refugees as they arrive and transition into refugee camps in Greece.
Beca will be joining a team at the end of this month to serve Refugees for three weeks from Jan 29-Feb 22 in Lesvos, Greece. Please be praying for her and the team she will be joining during this time. Stay up to date with this outreach on our facebook group .
Thank you for continuing to stand with us in prayer and friendship. We are honored to partner with you in the mission.
In Him,
The Stensons
