Dear Faithful Praying Friends!

It is spring in Slovakia with the smell of lilacs, flowers blooming, and the sun shining for days in a row, what a reminder of the gift of new life. Easter brought celebrations and traditions of the Slovak culture.  One unique tradition is for young ladies to carry a "scarecrow" type old lady on a stick around and sing.  She (the old lady on the stick)represents that winter is leaving and that spring is coming, and the young ladies sing in spring.  Ana had the opportunity to participate in this tradition during our annual Easter House at the school.  She and her classmates were dressed in traditional clothing walking around the school with the old lady on the stick singing Slovak folk songs.

Another very special Easter celebration in our household is the passover meal, sedar.  This year our pastor asked Vic to lead the sedar meal for our church congregation.  It was a very special time, preparing our hearts for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and each year we learn something new about how the Word of God fits together so perfectly.

We are at the end of another school year entering into our last 9 weeks of school.  We are looking back with thankfulness for God's hand under us during this unusual and not easy year.

Please rejoice with us!  Phillipians 4 beginning at verse 4  says Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!. . . . Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,  (the NLT says thanking God for what he has already done) present your requests to God. 

This has been my verse this past month because my eyes have been opened to the truth that if we focus on, and thank God for what He has already done for us, then we can present our requests with a confident heart leaving no room for anxiety.

We are thankful for:

• Lucy's growth in her new relationship with Christ!  She is faithfully attending our small church each Sunday and receiving the Word in her heart. 

• The opportunity to present the Gospel to Maja (Lucy's friend) right before Easter.

• A great response at the womens retreat in March.  God amazingly fit together the message of the  4 speakers.  I was encouraged by the women who came to share their hearts with me after my session. 

• Our new church where we have been able to participate and be nourished.

• The opportunity to go to a missionary retreat center this weekend (April 24&25) to receive ministry.

• Ana's special adaptation to the Slovak culture (she is truly our Slovak girl, more and more everyday!)

• A healthy baby for Brano & Kvetka

• The Moms that are committed to grow closer to Jesus through the Moms Bible Study and the Moms prayer group.

• Majka's progressive recovery.  God is pulling her family together and they are growing closer to Him and to each other. The doctor has lowered her medication and she is continuing school at home through a special individual study plan.

• Our bicycles which have been a great benefit to our emotional and physical health this spring as well as providing ministry opportunities, especially with Lucy and Maja.

• A team of supporters who are committed to continue the work with us through finances and prayers for the next school year.

• Our family time away at a missionary retreat center this weekend.  We are thankful that they made the room for our family and we are looking forward to receiving prayer and ministry.
• Majka's continued recovery, especially pray God would give her the ability to learn her school material and pass this school year.
• Moms Bible Study to stay focused on the Word of God and that women would desire to come and be fed spiritually.
• Pray for Maja as the Message of Christ sinks into her heart and soul.  She wrote me a short note after we met and I shared the Gospel with her:

  
  

  Thank you for the nice words it really means a lot to me that you care so much and I am grateful for that.  I was really thinking about everything we were talking about and . . . . I am trying but it's still the same.  Right now I can't. I hope one day I will be able to believe just  as it happened to you.

  
  

Love