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Hello friends and happy summer!
We wanted to give you a brief picture update on our family and the ministry opportunities we have before us over the next few months.
As always, thank you for our continued support and prayers. They truly sustain us! In the coming months we hope to share more about some exciting ministry opportunities on the horizon. Stay tuned and please pray for wisdom as we begin to transition away from full-time language study to the next phase of ministry the Lord has for us.
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We moved a few weeks ago. Buying furniture, scheduling workers, and the overall process of setting up a household was tiring but also really great language practice. We now live close to our church and many of our friends. The lack of a commute to this neighborhood has already been a huge blessing for us!
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We had quite a few pieces of furniture to put together setting up the house so we put our kiddos to work! This is why you have kids, right?
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Summer has officially arrived and we have already slipped into a more Albanian schedule of retreating inside the afternoon to avoid the heat and heading out in the later evening to enjoy the cooler weather followed by a late dinner. It’s also watermelon season and we have some eager helpers!
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The kids have finished school and Meredith has started doing some supplemental homeschooling this summer to brush up on English skills and some reading skills. This is how our kids always behave and is not at all a staged picture...
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You might be raising your kids outside of America if they can’t come up with more US money options (see exercise number 10) but can come up with “Euro” and “Lek.” (One of Olivia’s homeschool assignments)
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We’ve been busy preparing for a team from our home church, Crossway Milwaukee, to arrive at the end of June to help put on a VBS with the kids in our neighborhood.
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Jeff and our pastor, Erlind, handing out out flyers after school. The VBS will be from July 2nd through July 6th. Please pray as final preparations are being made on both sides of the Atlantic and please pray for the children who will be attending. Our hope is to have about fifty kids.
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Please pray for kids like Xhesi who have been attending our Sunday morning outreach all year and are excited to come to VBS. Please pray for the precious seeds being planted and watered! This week she came to class and gave us this sign she painted. “English, Crafts, Bible, Painting, Disciples Evangelical Church I love you!”
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Several days after the Crossway Milwaukee team leaves, another team from a different supporting church (Crossway Bristol) will arrive and work with CRU to put on an English camp in the nearby coastal city of Durres.
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CRU will be bringing about 25 Macedonian Albanians to Durres for a week of English lessons, games, and opportunities to share the Gospel. As some of you may recall, there are more ethnic Albanians outside the borders of modern day Albania than actually in Albania, with a large Albanian population living in neighboring Macedonia. There are only a handful of known Christians among the Albanians in Macedonia and efforts to reach them with the Gospel have been difficult. Please pray for these youth and that they would be receptive to the Good News of the Gospel!
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The day after we get back from the English camp we head out with our church for a four day spiritual retreat. (The above picture is from last year’s retreat.) Several of us couples will take turns teaching on a topic. Please pray for us as we ask the Lord what we should talk about and pray that we can communicate and teach effectively in Albanian.
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We also look forward to lots of fellowship, games and amazing Albanian cuisine with our church family!
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That pretty much brings us through July. Life comes to a standstill here in August and I’m sure we’ll be thankful for the opportunity to catch our breath! Please pray for endurance in the coming weeks and for our children as they tag along on our adventures. We head out of country tomorrow for a week of R&R ahead of a busy summer. Please pray for spiritual, physical, and emotional refreshment during our time away. Thanks in advance for your prayers!
Bekime
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HOW TO SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY: If you would like to make a contribution to our ministry, you can do so by:
- Visiting this website.
- Phoning in your donation to WorldVenture's Receipting Department at 1-800-487-4224.
- Emailing WorldVenture's donation inbox at giving@worldventure.com.
HOW TO KEEP IN TOUCH:
- Email us at jeffandmeredith@gmail.com
- Follow our "Barretts in the Balkans" Facebook group. It's a private group, so email us for an invite.
- Interested in sending us mail the old fashioned way? Our mailing address here is:
K.P. 119, AEP
Jeff and Meredith Barrett, Box 66
Tirana, Albania
ZIP 1057
IMPORTANT UPDATE TO OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS:
Our mission organization, WorldVenture, has moved locations. If your monthly gifts are submitted by credit/debit card NO ACTION IS NEEDED.
If you send your gifts by check, please begin sending future gifts to the address listed below for WorldVenture. Thank you!
WorldVenture
20 Inverness Pl E
Englewood, CO
80112-5622
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