Update from Julia Schatz - Jan '23

Dear Pastor Mike,          

​'I love you' in Russian (я люблю тебя) roughly sounds like Yellow Blue Bus. We end our weekly zoom meetings with our Ukrainian/Russian speaking friends with 'Yellow Blue Bus' and make heart signals with our hands. We all find the gesture endearing. One of their children drew this delightful picture for us. I hope it has touched your heart, too!  

     We met our Ukrainian friends while in Poland in October. We meet with them weekly on Zoom.  Soon we will be with them again when we travel to Poland next week. Their life has been a great inspiration to me. Their home is in Ukraine but God has them to Poland. They asked that we NOT think of them as War Refugees. They are missionaries!  Yes, they left Ukraine because of the war but they are in Poland and are serving the Lord with passion and purpose. Is this what was in their 5 year plan for life? Not at all! Was it easy? It was NOT!  We witnessed in their tears just how hard it has been. They miss are are deeply concerned for family members who are still in Ukraine and are not safe. 

But God!...  They have the joy of the Lord and His purpose in their pain.   

Next week our team of 4 are leaving for Poland and we are excited that we will get to see and fellowship with our friends again. We will be training them for Trauma Healing and for the ministry of Church Planting.  

In Poland we will be doing some follow-up trainings/meetings and have several new opportunities to train:

• Polish Church #1-2nd touch of Gospel Conversations training and Trauma Healing Training
• Polish Church #2-1st Gospel Conversations training
• Christian School Youth-Gospel Conversations
• Youth Group-Gospel Conversations
• House Church Brunch-Testimonies and Gospel sharing with invited guests
• Ukrainian Seminary Students-Gospel Conversations
• Ukrainian refugees-2nd touch training, Trauma Healing sessions
• Street ministry-Julia and Steffoni
• Follow-up meetings in Poznan and Glogow-Mike and Phillip

Remember 'Ed', the Turkish student who came to Christ? Mike and Phillip will be having dinner with him to hear how God is moving in his life and growing him in the faith.

 Thank you for your support and prayers that make it possible for me to be a light in a dark place in the world; a place where hurting people need the hope that Jesus gives!  Please pray God uses us as in Ephesians 4:12 - to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.   

Thank you, friend!  Blessings!!
Julia

• MINISTRY OF COMFORT: 2 Cor 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  AND, 
• AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST IN THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION:  2 Cor 5:20  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God is making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 

Community, faith and purpose is the healing platform!