Summer Outreach in Slovenia

Last Sunday, the 2019 Slovenia Team reported out on their Fusion Camp in Starše, Slovenia this summer. It was an encouraging time together, hearing the numerous ways the Lord used the team to bring the Good News to students and families in Slovenia. Below is a recap from one team member, Amy Lazar.

Highlights from our team’s trip to Slovenia
Amy Lazar

Earlier this summer, Grace Church sent a team of thirteen people to Slovenia to help out with a Fusion music camp for students. Before camp began, we went through a few days of orientation, learning about Slovenia’s history and culture, hearing stories from Slovene leaders, and being prepared to welcome the students at camp. As one of the four first-timers on the team, I was especially glad for this time. When orientation ended, we headed to a school just outside the city of Maribor to help set up for camp.

Throughout the week, we got to connect with Slovene students in a fun atmosphere, getting to know them and making sure everyone was welcomed and included. I found that camp helped me get into a habit of being more others-focused in conversation. This is something I want to carry back into everyday life--a focus on showing God's love to others rather than thinking and talking too much about myself.

Each night, the pastor of the church in Maribor gave a short talk about Jesus' parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, and the students met for small discussion groups in Slovene. On Thursday night, our team helped with a "labyrinth" activity where the students walked through a series of stations that encouraged them to think deeply about their journeys through life and God’s offer of redemption. After the students finished the journey, they came out into a courtyard area where we had coffee, snacks, and tables for small conversations. I think some meaningful conversations were had that night, and I hope the Lord will continue to use our words to work in the hearts of students and draw them closer to Him.

After camp, we performed two concerts with the songs we had learned and had a couple more opportunities to hang out with the students and say goodbye before leaving Maribor. For our final days in Slovenia, we had time to debrief and think about how to bring our experiences back to our everyday lives in the US. It was a privilege to see how God has already been working in Slovenia, and to join with the local church in the work He is doing there today.

Catching up with Heidi

In Heidi’s last update, she asked for prayers about purchasing a car. Huge praise, she recently purchased a car very similar to the one she had in the states. She also will soon be moving into a new apartment—another big answer to prayer from her last update. Heidi will now have a semi-permanent space while she continues language learning in Ljubljana for a year.

Heidi would greatly value your prayers in this regard! She will be meeting with a language tutor four hours every week. Please pray for their time together. As Heidi expressed in her latest update, “It would be a huge gift, on so many levels, to have the ability to lead, communicate, and share in the heart-language of the people I'm doing life with. God can do it, so I'm asking him for it. Please pray with me for the gift of Slovene!”

Heidi’s Reflections on Fusion Camp with the Grace Church Team
Heidi Ansiel

It was a sweet gift to work alongside the short-term team from my home church at Grace. These guys are awesome.

Nick, Dan, Kal, Collin, Amy, Mikayla, Hannah, Meredith, Amber, Haley, Grace, Katie, and Noelle, it's so evident that God has given each one of you such strong and unique gifts. I'm praying for you guys, even now, to continue on in what you've learned in living life on-mission these last few weeks. Especially for you and your newly acquired guitar skills, Nick. #rockon

Pray with me that the seeds of the gospel planted here at camp would fall on good soil and grow up to bear much fruit in Jesus' name.

There is much more that could be said. I miss you and am thankful for you. Shout out to my friends in Kerdos and the Brendsel small group. I miss digging into the Word and asking hard questions with you. Thanks for praying for me the other day!

Please feel free to email at hansiel@josiahventure.com with any thoughts or questions. I would love to hear how you are doing and stay in touch as I'm able.

Finally, I'm asking if you will commit to praying for one hour in the JV Prayer Room.