This month we again hit the street with our tracts that we prepared and printed. We use these tracts to approach the people and straightway get on the topic of faith. Also, many that do not stop but receive the tract will still be left with a witness when they read the tract later on, which we hope and pray they will.
STOP FOOD WASTE:
We are now regularly volunteering for “Stop Food Waste”. Things are also pointing to us possible getting involved in other projects in the community that might help us establish more friendships, and influence.
THE VINEYARD:
Top: Philip has been asked to be one of the ushers of the church. That means that he will help get everything ready before and after the service, as well as help to serve communion.
Middle: I was very touched to get “picked” by this little one. She came, stood in front of me, reached up her arms...as to say, “Please pick me up!” We enjoyed a nice tme of praise and worship together.
Bottom: As mentioned I am one of the translators. Here I am going over some last minute changes that the speaker brought to me shortly before the service.
BIBLE STUDIES AND INTERVIEW:
We now run one weekly Bible study, a once a month Bible study, and when people randomly visit we also try to not miss the opportunity to share the Gospel. We also had a sweet Iranian family over for dinner and one of them presently receives our daily devotional.
Bottom: The four ladies in the photo are studying to become social workers. One of them asked if as part of their work they might come and interview us (as we were in the right age group bracket). It was a wonderful opportunity to tell them about our exciting lives serving the Lord, returning to Denmark and “starting over again”, etc.
WOMEN’S CAFE:
We are blessed to not only be part of “Stop Food Waste” and thereby get to meet people and establish friendships. But we also attend the “Women’s Café”. (Philip from time to time when the events are open for all.) the photo above, where all were invited, a visitor from the commune addressed the challenge of young people and mobile phones...esp. for the younger ones. Another time the housing situation in our local area was discussed. The building a quite old and a lot of renovation is going on. That results in people being shuffled around as they have to evacuate the apartment for the renovation to take place. Many of these people are elderly, single mothers, etc. for whom this presents a number of challenges. Although language education is free for foreigners some still struggle with the language. Each time to club meets a certain subject will be addressed.
MIRACLE CORNER:
Before leaving South Africa about a year ago, we shipped some belongings. One box ended up weighing about one kilo too much. Because of that Denmark refused to handle it and it was returned. Here things have to be sorted within a deadline of two weeks, generally speaking, even if you are in communications with i.e. customs. So these two boxes were in the danger of being shipped back again. The Holy Spirit just prompted me one day after the deadline to say, “Boxes, I command you to come to me”. After that I though no more of it. A couple of hours later the doorbell rang, and there were our two boxes! Deliver right at our feet. The “came to us”! You usually have to collect! The person from the delivery place said, “I just “felt” that I should bring it to you”! Praise the Lord!
When arriving in Denmark we knew that we had to renew Philip’s Danish driver’s license which had expired during our stay in South Africa. Via the information that “we” had gathered we somehow expect it to present a challenge: Possibly having to pass a test, a doctor’s check up, etc. We booked a time at the commune to get properly informed about the right procedure for going about the renewal. To our great surprise the license was renewed on the spot and will arrive within 4-6 weeks. Exactly as Philip had prayed it would be!
PRAYER REQUEST:
Please pray with us for the Lord to provide us with a vehicle. There are often things that we are not able to partake in and/or things that utter dependence on public transport makes very cumbersome and expensive. Therefore having a vehicle would mean new-found freedom and ability.
We are also in need of a better printer. We bought the one we presently have at a greatly discounted price online shortly after we got here. We need it for printing the tracts, weekly Bible study notes, etc. It turns out that it is difficult and expensive to get ink for this printer. Therefore we are prying for a liquid ink printer which would be cheaper in use in the long run and the ink is easily accessible.
We thank you in advance for your prayers.
In closing we want to thank you for partnering with us in the ministry here. It is quite different from what we faced in South Africa and we are challenge to learn and adapt. For this reason we thank you for your prayers and support in every way! We would not be able to carry on without your backing!
Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister”.
We trust that you have all celebrated a beautiful and meaningful Christmas.
We want to THANK YOU each and everyone for your participation in our new ministry here in Denmark. There is a lot to be done and we are thankful for the breakthroughs we have already had. We would also greatly appreciate your prayers for the ministry here to continue to bear more and lasting fruit. Prayers are powerful and we greatly appreciate yours!
December was a busy month filled with lots of events and we hope you will enjoy the little glimpse that we are about to share with you here!
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS:
1. THE 25TH CELEBRATION
2. STOP MAD SPILD (STOP FOOD WASTE)
3. VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION
4. OUTREACH AND TRACTS
5. SOMALIAN NIGHT
6. SEBASTIAN’S FAREWELL
7. MISSION CHRISTMAS GIFT
8. LOCAL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION FOR THE CHILDREN
9. STAFF CELEBRATION
10. BIBLE STUDIES
11. THE VINEYARD
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION THE 25TH
On the 25th we decided that we were going to invite people that did not have someone to celebrate with on that day. Philip cooked a typical Danish Christmas dinner. We also bought a small chocolate bar for each one attending, and drew numbers for who would get which one. We also had a wonderful time watching Andre Rieu’s (Dutch violinist) Christmas performance. It was beautiful and and truly set the Christmas mood! We had invited 8 people, but sadly not all were able to come.
STOP FOOD WASTE
On the 23rd of December 625, 923 kg of food was collected from several different shops. The volunteers all met at 19:30—some to drive out to collect, others to register and prepare to receive the food in order to sort, refrigerate, and plan for distribution. We stayed till midnight. The following day we again met at 9am and stayed till 2 pm. That last two hours were spent distributing to food. Below is a photo of some of the volunteers!
Our church, the Vineyard, ran a project called “Mission Christmas Presents”. (Which we will tell about in a moment). After it was over Philip requested that any left over gift be used for distribution. We received 8 boxes, four of which were distributed here. Every child that came got to choose two toys and they each received and ice cream cone as well!
VOLUNTEERS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
In the middle of the month we were invited to a Christmas celebration for the volunteers from “Stop the Food Waste” project. We shared a delicious meal and as seen in the photo here everyone drew a gift out of Sonata's hat! After the meal we played a “package game” where we again received more gifts. Everyone was also gifted with a gift card for any shop in the largest mall in the city. We felt richly blessed and appreciated.
OUTREACH AND TRACTS
For Christmas we produced a tract about the true reason for the season and the real genuine Christmas gift — Jesus Christ Himself coming to earth to take our judgment for sin so that we could go free — if we receive the gift.
It also addressed the need to draw nearer to Him in order to discover all the gifts available and how to benefit from them!
SOMALIAN NIGHT
I, Rita, attended a Somalian night. The women from Somalia got together together to prepare a traditional Somalian meal for everyone. We learned that they never eat rice without also eating banana. When Googling this it seems to be an a tradition that goes back many generations and was instituted in order to add nitration and flavor to the meal!
SEBASTIAN’S FAREWELL
Sebastian, who has been instrumental in reaching the local community where we live, will be moving on to a new chapter in his life. It was a bitter sweet farewell meeting, but life will go on and we trust that the Lord will clarify our way forward in the new year. We thank those of you that are keeping the ministry here in your prayers and eagerly await the guidance of the Lord!
MISSION CHRISTMAS GIFTS
The Vineyard Church ran a big project called “Mission Christmas Gifts”. The aim was to help as many families as possible be able to celebrate a Merry Christmas with their children. 120 families signed up to receive the gifts, and each family had more than one child. They not only received toys, but also clothing, home items, and gift cards for grocery shopping. Philip and I volunteered to help the families find a suitable gift for each child, etc.
We also helped organise the books, gifts, clothing, etc. And as seen in the photo below there was a gift wrapping table where all the Christmas gifts were wrapped and labelled.
CELEBRATION FOR THE CHILDREN IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
The toys donated to the local community from the Vineyard Church were a big unexpected blessing and surprise. Not only did the children receive some nice gifts, but as seen Santa also handed out sweets and fruit. We are very thankful for the joy and gratitude it brought to all the once participating.
There was also a nice warm meal served and a special typical Christmas dessert as seen here. Is is like sweet rice pudding. Traditianally there will be a whole almond hidden in it and whoever get the almond get a big chocolate surprise as well!
VINEYARD STAFF CELEBRATION
We were also invited for a Christmas celebration for all the volunteers at the Vineyard Church. We had a traditional Christmas meal, a nice time of fellowship, sweets and before we left everyone received a bag with some gifts in it.
BIBLE STUDIES
We are very thankful that the Lord has brought together a good group of eager Bible students. We trust that the group will grow. We meet once a week. We are presently trying to work out a way that someone who lives in another city, but really wants to attend, can do so. She works and is therefore not able to join in with the others as she lives too far away. But we trust that the Lord will show us how to make it all work out in the new year.
THE VINEYARD
On the last service of the year I was asked to share a testimony of what the Lord has done. I briefly shared about how amazing a lifestyle of following the Lord has been and how His faithfulness ever fails! Prise the Lord!
In closing we want to thank you all for the year that went. We are excited and looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us in the new year. There is never a dull moment with Jesus. We love you all and are keeping you in our prayers.
