Costa Rica Trip

Gifts for the Stilwells (bring them to the office on or before July 3):

1. Dark chocolate

2. Raisin Bran

3. Sea monkeys and food

4. Yuban coffee

5. Jolly Ranchers

6. Lotion (fruity/vanilla)

7. Work gloves

8. State boards

9. Got to be glued (yellow tube)

10. Edd roll wrappers

Cassie, Steven Kain, and Jonathan Gainer will be leaving July 6th. please pray as they share the gospel, encourage, and have servants’ hearts. pray for traveling mercies, unity, worship, and changed lives.

Hello-Goodbye

Rachel here, just back from a family road trip with blow pops. these happen to be flavored pink lemonade.

I have really enjoyed my time back in Indiana. I returned from Brasil right before Christmas, mostly because my Dad’s health was poor, and my sister got married. Or that is what i said. truly, i came back because some things needed to change in me and different situations, and i didn’t know how to do it. But God has done it.

My father had a heart attack during my time at home, but is doing much better with a stint in his heart. My sister celebrated her wedding with a reception that couldn’t have gone better, and things that needed to change have. I am returning to Brasil next week with a new desire and outlook.

While i have loved teaching English at the International school, i am now going to be focusing on working with the Living Stones program–a program to serve the poorest children in the community, working with the church and government. I am going to learn and watch and love and play and learn some more. And then maybe i will know the next step.

I will (Lord willing) be returning this Christmas, and then praying about direction from there. During my stay in Brasil, i will be working with Living stones from 7am-4pm for four days a week, and then teaching English at the school the other day. Evenings from 6-10 i attend class at a local university. Because of this busy schedule, you probably won’t see many posts from me until next year.

I have enjoyed writing/posting for Servant Senders, mostly because it has been a good excuse to get to know the other missionaries. I encourage you to do the same (mostly through facebook).

And one last note…thank you, everyone from Horizon Central. A couple years ago i was in Brasil and received a phone call that our pastor had left our church. While no one was at fault, i felt orphaned. Coming home to the USA without a church wasn’t coming home to the same home at all. My family struggled in the “church search” mode for awhile, and then i received another phone call while in Brasil, saying they found it…they found home. While i was only in the USA a couple months last year, you guys adopted me and accepted me. And i will never forget that. I have enjoyed getting to know you all better this year, and will miss you while i am gone.

I have found, through experience, that you cannot truely leave until you truely belong. now that i have somewhere i really belong, i feel ready and equipped to leave. and that is a great gift: thank you.

God bless you all, and feel free to check out my weblog: www.xanga.com/rwinzeler

Vanessa’s pictures

Vanessa McElroy, in Ukraine, has some great pictures at these links:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Bahecca106/VanguardUniversityOutreach?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ78_rjdmpXxLg&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bahecca106/JamminSpring09?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Wcj6dk6T18YORr9aJ_YKFg?authkey=Gv1sRgCOO7kKrqou6lQg&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bahecca106/MillersOutreachChildrenSFestivalJune09?authkey=Gv1sRgCMzPpcPRza7uYA&feat=directlink

Also add her on facebook–she posts different prayer requests and you can write her a quick note of encouragement!

Babushka Pictures

Peterson update

(Krystiana Kosobucki graciously wrote this–a BIG thanks to her!)

In 2002, Dan and Andrea Petersen felt God calling them to be missionaries in Scotland. In June of that year, they left Indianapolis with their three children, Lydia, Otto, and Jack-Lewis, to settle in Glasgow, Scotland. Dan works with UCCF, University and Colleges Christian Fellowship, which is the British  “InterVarsity.” The organization work with the Christian Unions in reaching out to students on college campuses. Dan currently works with seven different colleges around Glasgow. Please pray that another staff worker can be found for next year, as the work load is rather hard on him. To learn more about UCCF, go to their website at http://www.uccf.org.uk/

          Andrea is mostly busy with things around the home, especially since their family was joined by a baby boy, Hugo, in 2005. However, all four of the children are now in school, giving Andrea more time for other things. She has especially enjoyed being able to spend time with other mothers from the school, and is happy to find that several of them are quite open to the gospel. This year, Andrea has started an online store, where she sells handmade dolls and other things. Check out her shop at flanneryo.etsy.com.

          The four Petersen children all attend the Scottish schools. Lydia, now age thirteen, is in the local high school and loves it, especially her art class. Otto and Jack-Lewis, ages twelve and ten, attend the elementary or “primary” school in their town. Otto is interested in computers, and Jack-Lewis in art. Hugo, age three, started nursery school this year. Despite small faults such as dumping water on computers, Hugo’s primary purpose in life seems to be to make his family laugh. All of them have learned Gaelic fluently, but Otto has especially excelled in this.

          The family currently attends Woodhill Evangelical Church. In general, Scotland is not an especially easy place to do missions type work, so please pray for the Petersens. They can always use prayer for finances, and also just that they would be continually encouraged in their work and lives.