So much happening in Spain
0 comments | Posted by St Peters on 30 Jun 2011 in Missionary Support ::
From the Cottons
To our wonderful praying friends, around the world,
We are at a point now where we have some answers to prayer and a future that we want to bring you up to speed on.
Firstly, some descriptions of the photos, then our news, and finally I want to include some prayer points from Sophie.
1. Sophie’s Graduation from High School
2. Needs no description … two proud and happy campers!
3. Evangelism Training at Kilometre Zero, Sol – downtown Madrid
4. The recent protestors in Sol – precisely where we do the evangelism!!! Please pray for the very disatisfied people here in Spain … known in these times as the ‘Indignants’
5. The OMS Across Europe Convention in Spain earlier this year
6. Praying for the Spain Field Missionaries at the Conference
7. Baptism for new Spanish believers at OMS Church Plant in Albacete
8. Combined Celebration for all Village House Churches in our area
9. David graduating from Language School!
The latest answers to prayer and some prayer requests:
1. Thank you SO much for your faithfulness, love and interest in the Lord’s work here in Spain.
2. Language school has been just what we needed. We are conscious of so much we still have to learn and will continue doing so.
3. Our big news is that we have finalised our housing arrangements for what might now be the next 5-6 years! What a relief, after all our moves in the past 12 months! Thanks for your prayers in this matter. The house we are moving to is our No. 2 choice after the first one fell through due to it being a mission house (but not our mission) that found themselves unable to put tenants in that were not from their mission. In any case we now have an older but bigger and slightly further away house, but still in the Camarma village close to the school, that will enable the kids easy access to school and us a drive to our minsitries in Algete
We shall move house next week. Please pray for us as moving is something we are tired of doing!
The Lord has provided us with a big house which is less than we used to pay for smaller. It is old and hopefully there will not be too many problems. Catherine is planning to have a prayer room and will begin a daily rhythm of prayer. Already we have people who have said they would like to come and stay and we trust the Lord will bless them.
4. We are still prayerfully seeking some Spanish individuals or couples to open their homes to host the house groups from September onwards as this will help the Spaniards to own the groups and the outreach. We envisage helping them start Alpha and Marriage Enrichment type groups etc.
5. David will teach morning Maths classes at ECA (the Missionary school here), starting mid August. The school is opening its doors to more Spaniards as there are less missionary kids due to the crisis. This is now openingup opportunities for the school to reach out to families. A Korean atheist from David’s spanish class wants his child to go and has told some of his Korean friends too.
6. We see many opportunities and ask for prayer that we will grasp them. There are many people with whom we have had good conversations and are seeking the Lord for His work in their lives.
For example, Pilar, our Spanish teacher, found out early on we are Christians and then said ‘when you read your Bible and pray will you pray for my sister?” Her sister, Paquita, is waiting for a kidney transplant – the last one was unsuccessful, and last week had her leg amputated. Pilar phoned us sobbing and asked us to continue praying. We believe we have been brought across her path at this time as David had just finished a course at another academy and we started with her just as the sister got worse. Please pray with us for spiritual and physical healing.
7. We LOVED seeing the smiles on Sophie’s face all through her Graduation from High School earlier this month. She loved it! It was quite an education for us all – to see how Americans (in Spain) ‘do’ their graduating!
8. David’s Mum had an unexpected return to hospital after a minor car accident resulted in a broken sternum (from the air bag). She is recovering well and has returned to her Lindfield home – albeit in respite care for the first week, and then David’s sister and husband Brad expect to be able to visit from the US for a couple of weeks.
With SO much love and appreciation for your joining with us in this mission-field,
David, Catherine and all the family
- * * * *
Some Prayer Points from Sophie:
Marve: Muslim. Young woman.
Marve believes that all gods are the same and that we have to “just believe.” We talked about repentance for a long time and she was really struck by the preaching on the street. She asked a lot of questions about the differences between religions. The conversation was always directed back to the cross. She took home a bible and even waited for one in english for her husband. She convinced me she would read it. Please pray for her soul.
Azhara: Atheist and believes in anarchy. 17 years old.
Azhara ¨like most spaniards who know history¨ thinks a dictator would fix things. She notices how corrupt Spain is and that there are lies everywhere. We talked about the fact that EVERYONE is corrupt and that the biggest corruption is in the human heart. I said that even though Zapatero (our president) lies… we all lie… and we need something to help us fix that. We talked about eternity. She thinks we will just turn into dust. I mentioned my opinions and listened to hers. When she said she was an atheist I said I find it harder to believe there is NOT a God than there IS a God because of all the miracles I´ve seen. We didn´t get to talk about the cross. Please pray for her soul.
Male: Old, old man.
Male sits at the end of our road for hours a day. I stop by and talk to him. He has begun to enjoy the experience of passing on ¨a piece of wisdom¨ to me when we talk. He loves it. Sadly Male has been very affected by Spain´s history. His grandfather was killed in the war. Please, please, please pray that we will be able to have a very direct conversation about Christ. I don´t have much longer to do it. It seems everytime I start down that path he starts talking about how corrupt the politicians are and giving his view point saying that Spain is about to start a civil war. He recognizes that SOMETHING has to change in Spain. He knows that this is not right and has also talked about dictatorship a lot as an option. He is very old, who knows how long he has? I am about to go away and in our new house I won´t see him as much. Please pray for his soul.
These are just three of the many people I talk to. The perspectives represent just a small portion what is here in Spain. Thousands of people have been camped in the Plaza del Sol, the main point in all Madrid. They are protesting for change. Some of them have signs saying ¨We need something but we don´t know what.¨ We have the answer… PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONVEY IT CLEARLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
On a side note, for those of you who have me on facebook I have to be very careful what I say because some people (like the ones mentioned above) have me added on facebook. I can´t just clearly state my opinion there.
Though this life brings us trials sometimes, I have the assurance of eternal life. This means this life is worth so much less to me now. Please pray that I would be able to use it to have Jesus reach those around me who do not have the assurance of eternal life.
This Wednesday (the 29th of June) I will be going to France for a bit to volunteer with the Missionary Language school there. Missionaries who are about to go to Francophone countries all over the world (Africa, France, etc…) go to the school to learn French. I will be looking after the children from 4 to 9 years. Please pray that I would be able to help them through this big transition in their lives. Being a missionary kid isn´t always easy and some kids cope with it better than others. Pray that I will be able to reach out to them and that God would work in their lives this summer. In return for looking after the kids I will be receiving free intensive french lessons which I am SO very thankful for! I realize this could help me a lot in the future if I am a missionary to a Francophone country.
Thank you SO much for all your prayers, love and support. Without this we would not be here. May God reach you where you are, and may you grow closer to Him today.
Sophie
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