Weekly Update 23 Jan

Here's some things to pray about this week:
1. Decisions for next year.
2. Sokolov
3. Jessica

Thanks for praying.

Weekly Update 16 Jan

Hope everyone is well. I have a few items for us to focus on this week.
1. Spiritual Warfare. It seems to me that Satan is turning up the heat. Pray for discernment, for protection, for God's light to pierce the dark places.
2. I have been in horrible pain the last few weeks and it is affecting my teaching. Please pray for the pain to stop and for healing.
3. Please continue praying for Karolina. She has decided that Christianity isn't for her after 7 months. Pray that God's word will stay planted in her heart and that Satan can't steal it.
4. Also, I know people are making their decisions for next year. Pray that everyone will truly seek His will for their lives.
5. Recruitment is slow. Pray that God will lead the right people to the Czech Republic next year and that they will be obedient to His call.

Please feel free to add your own requests.
Blessings,
Jess

Thanks from Abi

In case some of you were wondering who Abi is, she taught in Hungary with ESI from 2003- 2005.

Hey all you ESIers,
I'm in Singapore, isn't that cool?! I think so. I haven't been to a tropical place in a while, and there's a certain something about it that I really like. Unfortunately, I am currently having to stay at my hotel at the whim of the internet and phone... I think I'll be getting my visa to Indonesia today or tomorrow, I'm not sure. The cool thing is that they have visa runners here, you hire them to do it for you. They even come right to your hotel, which is handy. The only thing I don't like is handing over my passport.... but my visa handler came recommended so it should be fine.(here's hoping!)
If anyone has to choose a city to hang out in while processing visa's, choose Singapore. It's great, people are really nice,and everyone speaks English which is also really handy.

So, thanks for praying. I'm not so stressed out now. I had a good (long!! 20 1/2 hours from SFrancisco!) trip here, and I've been in direct contact with those I need to be. So, now I'm just waiting.
I'm going to try to have some adventures, interesting observations, or if that fails, I'll just make up some interesting stories... check them out on my blog that I really am going to update more frequently! Here it is:
http://www.acellingson.blogspot.com/
I'm even going to try to figure out how to post pictures... but don't hold your breath! :-)
thanks again, and write me sometime!
Abi Ellingson

Request from Tammy

Please pray for Karolina. Karolina accepted Christ this last summer at an English Camp. She is one of Jessica's students. I also meet with her every Wednesday for a conversation class at a Christian center. Karolina has so many questions about the Bible. She has been meeting with someone from church to discuss the Bible. I just received word last night that she thinks that christianity isn't for her. She thinks that the Bible has too many commandments. She wants to be free. She has also been thinking about witchcraft. Please pray for her and pray against Satan's strong holds.

Thanks,
Tammy

I would have to add that Karolina has changed a lot since she accepted Christ. She has a joy and spark that wasn't present before. She has openly proclaimed Christ in the classroom on several occasions. I really feel that Satan is trying to steal the WORD of God that was planted in her heart this summer. She doesn't have any Christian friends at school which could be part of the problem. Pray that the Holy Spirit would speak through Tammy and me.
Jess

Prayer for a Czech Family

Hi.
Two of my closest Czech friends, the Kohouts, have recently given birth to twins. The babies were three months premature. I don't have any details yet, but according to Michal (the father) there are some problems and the twins and Nad'a (the mother) will need to remain in hospital for a few months. Michal runs a butchery in a town just outside of Kralupy and already has one daughter, Adela, to take care of. Please pray for the Kohouts, that they would be comforted during this time; that Michal would be able care for his wife and children as a good husband and father, as well as a diligent manager.
Thanks.
Mike

From Katie Ammerman

Hi Friends!!
I just wanted to give a quick update on Abi Ellingson's adventures and to ask you to pray today and for next few days, specifically.

For those who don't know, Abi has taken a job as ESL Coordinator for a special relief team for Tsunami refugees in Indonesia with Food for the Hungry (I can't recall exactly the town) for the next 6 months. Anyway, this will be a HUGE adventure and challenge I am sure. There was a lot involved in the way of immunizations and trying to get the visa, etc. leading up to her leaving. I talked with her briefly last evening. She was so stressed out. She had not yet received her visa, which means she cannot get into the country, even on a tourist visa. Her flight was this morning at 7am, Pacific Time. As I write this, she is en route to SINGAPORE, where she will be until she can get her visa there, so she can continue onto Indonesia.
Please pray!!

Pray that all of her flights go smoothly and safely.
Pray that Singaporean officials will be kind and she will get the visa easily and with little stress.
Pray that her hotel will be nice and quiet and that she will meet kind people there :)!!

I know she is not one for asking for help, so I am asking on her behalf for you to pray.

Thanks!!
Katie Ammerman

Update 9 Jan

I hope your first week back to school wasn't too nerve-racking. I am glad to get the first week over. Now I feel like things are back to normal.

I've heard lots of folks talking about making their decisions for next year. Let's keep that as our main prayer focus this month. Pray that we all will seek God's will, even if it's the hard thing to do. Let's pray for a renewed focus on God.

Also, plesy are starting. So let's pray for safety and that we would be good examples to our students and fellow teachers during this crazy time. Let me know if you think of other things we can/should be praying about.

Blessings,
Jess

From Christie

Please pray for my brother who is here visiting this week. He is not a Christian, but I have been praying steadily for him and my family for years. Anyway, he lives in Boston and has been 'searching' for God for nearly two years now. Unfortunately satan has been attacking his thoughts pretty thoroughly and frequently, and I can tell from our conversations and his demeanor. Mental illness runs in our family, and I pray strongly against this. Please pray that my brother would hear God's voice, see his face, and take a step of faith to believe in Him. He is here until Friday morning, and is staying at Nad Aleje tonight...then out to Sokolov for two days with Beth, Joel and I. I just know that if he becomes a Christian, then it will be SUCH a change from his current depair.

Thank you.

Love,
Christie