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| Ljubljana, Slovenia; PC: John Stevens |
Almost immediately, she heard from Alaska . . . but it wasn't Grandpa. "Hey! I'm sorry, but you reached the wrong number. I'm a 20 year old girl from Alaska. Does this happen to be a missions trip?"
Bethie read me the text in awe. She texted, "Yes! I'm going to Slovenia where my uncle is a missionary."
The girl replied, "That's awesome! Are you partnering with an organization? I went to Czech with Josiah Venture a couple of years ago . . . ." Bethie and I grew wide-eyed with delight.
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| Julian Alps, Slovenia; PC: John Stevens |
Texts now flew back and forth and quickly turned into Facebook and Instagram connections. We soon learned that we had mutual friends with this girl, and crazy friends-of-friends connections that only the Lord could orchestrate. (He was on your Czech team? I was in youth group with his mother!) It was like playing six degrees of Kevin Bacon . . . or perhaps more appropriately, six degrees of Josiah Venture. I marveled at the way the Lord keeps his people together.
I also marveled at the way the Lord encourages His people. Having recently finished up a very fun but very exhausting week of Vacation Bible Camp, I felt weary and ill-equipped to switch gears and focus on an overseas trip. Jamie and I are taking this fantastic team of six young adults to Slovenia in August, where we will partner with Johnny and Brooke (yes, with Josiah Venture!) to lead an English camp for middle school students in their hometown, Celje.
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| Overlooking Celje, Slovenia; PC: John Stevens |
As exciting as it is, such an undertaking is also a bit overwhelming for the introvert in me (especially the introvert who has just spent a week with highly lovable yet highly energetic preschoolers). The text from our new friend in Alaska proved to be a sweet, timely smile from God, a reminder that His ways are so much higher than my ways, His goodness so much bigger than I can fathom, His purposes so much more far-reaching, intricate, and perfect than man could ever orchestrate.
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| Lake Bled, Slovenia; PC: John Stevens |
Drew, Bethie and their teammates have all stuffed, stamped, and addressed their envelopes. In just a few weeks, they will be stuffing bags, stamping passports, and addressing a group of middle school teens! We covet your prayers as we join Josiah Venture (JV) in reaching out to the teens of Celje. As you are led, would you pray for our team? Please pray that we will prepare well, whether it's for the more formal English instruction that will take place each morning during camp, or for the lively group games, workshops, and activities that will fill each afternoon.
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| JV Team |
And please pray that students will come! Even now, Johnny, Brooke, and their JV team are reaching out to their community, inviting middle schoolers to camp, where they will be introduced -- perhaps for the first time -- to Jesus. We feel both the weight and privilege of this appointment and pray that the Holy Spirit would use our small work for His kingdom. For we do know that God uses our small, imperfect work . . . even something as small as a misdialed text.
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If you'd like your very own stuffed, stamped, and addressed envelope, we'd be
delighted to send financial support info your way! All proceeds will benefit the entire
Glenwood Community Church GoTeam to Slovenia 2018. Please reach out to me at julianna.c.lawson@gmail.com for more info.
