Friendship UPDATE INTERNATIONAL A Ministry In Chile, Great ... · Friendship INTERNATIONAL A...

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Friendship INTERNATIONAL A Ministry In Chile, Great Britain, Hungary, Romania and the USA UPDATE M onthly ... 2020 Number 06.20 P.O. Box 50884, Colorado Springs, CO 80949-0884, USA • Tel. 719-386-8808 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.friendshipintl. org June, 2020 Del Huff Executive Director Keeping Our Eyes On The Goal by Callum King As we begin to come to the end of the global pandemic and as riots and protests take place across America and much of Europe, develop- ment and construction work at Friendship Camp continues. In this time of confusion and uncertainty for many people, more than ever we must be prepared to share the gospel with all those who will listen. It is our experience that summer camps are a great way in which we can share the gospel with children and teenagers. Even if for now we are restricted from having children in the camp . . . it is my conviction and daily motivation that as soon as the restrictions are lifted we must be prepared as best we can to open the gates of Friendship Camp once again. In order to have the maximum influence possible in the lives of the children who will come and to be able to welcome as many children as possible we must prepare and upgrade the facilities we have so they are the best they can possibly be. This very difficult period of lockdown and restrictions has come with new challenges, but also opportunities for gospel ministry. In this unexpected break from the usual camp program the Lord has given us extra time to build, repair and prepare. Each year for the past 14 years, construction teams from America and the UK have come to help with the development of Friendship Camp but with the current travel restrictions this year these groups have been forced to cancel or postpone their trips. God however has used this time, which potentially could have been a disappointment and discouragement for us, to provide a new workforce in the form of several teenage boys. Each day one or two of the boys take turns at coming to work at the camp as their other commitments allow. This has not only been a great blessing and help to me but each day as we work, eat and talk together God has provided the opportunity to speak gospel truths into their lives. There is rarely a day goes by where they don’t have questions about the Bible or the Christian life. One of the boys has also started to come to church with me on a Sunday. Pray with me that the Lord would bring salvation. As well as blessings, this time also brings new challenges. When foreign construction teams come to give of themselves and serve; they work for free, cover the costs of their personal expenses and raise money to pay for the materials required for the projects they complete. However with teams unable to come, the financial support for construction projects has also proven harder to find. As well as this, the boys who come to work are not from wealthy families and are of an age where they themselves are expected to work and begin to support themselves financially. We therefore agreed on a nominal ‘wage’ of €15 per day which they are happy with on the basis that they, too, want to invest in the camp. I have been impressed in their faithfulness to come each day, knowing that elsewhere they would be able to make more money. As of now, the two new wagons are almost at the point of completion. This is something I hadn’t imagined we would have been able to do without the help of foreign teams but God has shown his faithfulness in providing the right people at the right time. We have also been able to keep on top of the grass cutting and cut back a lot of trees and bushes around the camp. As well as this, on the suggestion of one of the boys, we have also poured a new concrete base for the BBQ area. Is There Light At The End Of The Tunnel? It seems the world is about to “open up” again. But it’s been a long wait, a fearful wait and some people have become very impatient and anxious. But what does God say, “Wait Quietly”. In the Bible we read, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3: 25-26 The last thing we think of doing in bad sit- uations is waiting. We tend to act hastily without actually thinking or fleeing the is- sue to avoid certain emotions or the reality of our choices. We also don’t often do this quietly, either. When we put our hope in the Lord we find that we can stand quietly and still, giving it over to God since He is in control in the first place. God is always good and has given us the gift of salvation through his son, Jesus Christ. So we should stand still in the middle of the storm and know God is there and is in control. Who is the light at the end of the tunnel? God! The phrase “God is light” appears in 1 John 1:5, where the apostle John is explaining that the message we have from Jesus Christ is that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. Light is the nature and character of God. He is not a light or a kind of light; He is light itself. All light comes from Him. Be encouraged today, as you read this UP- DATE, remember, as dark as our world seems today, God is our Light and our Salvation.

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Page 1: Friendship UPDATE INTERNATIONAL A Ministry In Chile, Great ... · Friendship INTERNATIONAL A Ministry In Chile, Great Britain, Hungary, Romania and the USA UPDATE Monthly ... 2020

FriendshipINTERNATIONALA Ministry In Chile, Great Britain, Hungary, Romania and the USA

UPDATEM o n t h l y . . . 2 0 2 0

Number 06.20 P.O. Box 50884, Colorado Springs, CO 80949-0884, USA • Tel. 719-386-8808 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.friendshipintl. org June, 2020

Del HuffExecutive Director

Keeping Our Eyes On The Goalby Callum King

As we begin to come to the end of the global pandemic and as riots and protests take place across America and much of Europe, develop-ment and construction work at Friendship Camp continues.In this time of confusion and uncertainty for many people, more than ever we must be prepared to share the gospel with all those who will listen. It is our experience that summer camps are a great way

in which we can share the gospel with children and teenagers. Even if for now we are restricted from having children in the camp . . . it is my conviction and daily motivation that as soon as the restrictions are lifted we must be prepared as best we can to open the gates of Friendship Camp once again. In order to have the maximum influence possible in the lives of the children who will come and to be able to welcome as many children as possible we must prepare and upgrade the facilities we have so they are the best they can possibly be.This very difficult period of lockdown and restrictions has come with new challenges, but also opportunities for gospel ministry. In this unexpected break from the usual camp program the Lord has given us extra time to build, repair and prepare. Each year for the past 14 years, construction teams from America and the UK have come to help with the development of Friendship Camp but with the current travel restrictions this year these

groups have been forced to cancel or postpone their trips. God however has used this time, which potentially could have been a disappointment and discouragement for us, to provide a new workforce in the form of several teenage boys. Each day one or two of the boys take turns at coming to work at the camp as their other commitments allow. This has not only been a great blessing and help to me but each day as we work, eat and talk together God has provided the opportunity to speak gospel truths into their lives. There is rarely a day goes by where they don’t have questions about the Bible or the Christian life. One of the boys has also started to come to church with me on a Sunday. Pray with me that the

Lord would bring salvation. As well as blessings, this time also brings new challenges. When foreign construction teams come to give of themselves and serve; they work for free, cover the costs of their personal expenses and raise money to pay for the materials required for the projects they complete. However with teams unable to come, the financial support for construction projects has also proven harder to find. As well as this, the boys who come to work are not from wealthy families and are of an age where they themselves are expected to work and begin to support themselves financially. We therefore agreed on a nominal ‘wage’ of €15 per day which they are happy with on the basis that they, too, want to invest in the camp. I have been impressed in their faithfulness to come each day, knowing that elsewhere they would be able to make more money.

As of now, the two new wagons are almost at the point of completion. This is something I hadn’t imagined we would have been able to do without the help of foreign teams but God has shown his faithfulness in providing the right people at the right time. We have also been able to keep on top of the grass cutting and cut back a lot of trees and bushes around the camp. As well as this, on the suggestion of one of the boys, we have also poured a new concrete base for the BBQ area.

Is There Light At The End Of The Tunnel?It seems the world is about to “open up” again. But it’s been a long wait, a fearful wait and some people have become very impatient and anxious. But what does God say, “Wait Quietly”. In the Bible we read, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3: 25-26

The last thing we think of doing in bad sit-uations is waiting. We tend to act hastily without actually thinking or fleeing the is-sue to avoid certain emotions or the reality of our choices. We also don’t often do this quietly, either. When we put our hope in the Lord we find that we can stand quietly and still, giving it over to God since He is in control in the first place. God is always good and has given us the gift of salvation through his son, Jesus Christ. So we should stand still in the middle of the storm and know God is there and is in control.Who is the light at the end of the tunnel? God!The phrase “God is light” appears in 1 John 1:5, where the apostle John is explaining that the message we have from Jesus Christ is that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. Light is the nature and character of God. He is not a light or a kind of light; He is light itself. All light comes from Him.Be encouraged today, as you read this UP-DATE, remember, as dark as our world seems today, God is our Light and our Salvation.

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by Gwen Stone

Bags are almost packed, furniture has been sold, our kiddos are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. The upcoming move to Romania is starting to get real! June

12-13 we had a huge garage sale and were able to sell most of our furniture including our dressers and bed frames. We are praising the Lord for a successful sale that raised some money to help us move and allowed us to really downsize our possessions.  

Our current departure date is July 16. Please pray that borders  will open and travel restrictions will be lifted so we will be able to go to Romania. We may have to delay our move once again depending on what the travel restrictions are in Romania and the rest of Europe. The Lord is in control and we trust that His timing is perfect. We truly appreciate your prayers during this time of preparation!

Please pray for safety as we travel, protection from sickness, and that the  Lord would prepare the way before us helping us to transition to life in  Romania. Three things that we will need

when we get to Romania are: a house to live in during training, a vehicle that can carry our entire family, and a language teacher to help us learn Romanian. Thank you for lifting us up in prayer as we step out in faith to follow the Lord’s calling. Please feel free to contact us - [email protected] or [email protected]   We hope and pray that the peace of Christ that passes understanding will fill your hearts during this turbulent time in our nation! May the Lord bless and keep you!In Christ ~ the Stones

Restless For RomaniaOur old BBQ was falling apart and having been at camp as campers themselves, the boys know that no week of camp is complete with-out hamburgers on the grill, the last night!

As part of Project Dandelion, we would like to replace the shower and toilet building. The current wooden building has served the camp well for the past 13 years but is now old and no longer fit for use. In order to come in line with stringent hygiene rules we must build a new block building which will be equipped with modern facilities which can be properly sanitized and disin-fected as required. The cost of this project is estimated at €7000, or $8,750.-.We would like to appeal for your help in order that we can continue the work we have started and be prepared as best we can to reopen Friendship Camp as soon as our restrictions are lifted. Pray for wisdom for our government and that the restric-tions will be lifted at the right time.

What is AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find exactly the same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the chari-table organization of your choice. You must choose Friendship International Ministries Incorporated.How? Copy and paste this url https://smile.amazon.com/ch/84-1216008. This takes you to the registration page for signing up for AmazonSmile. If you have an Amazon account you will just need to sign in through the smile.amazon.com website and from there you will go to your amazon account for shopping. Or just click the Amazon Smile button at the bottom of our website - friendship-intl.org - and from there you can register for smile.amazon.com.

A BIG THANK YOU! to friends who have helped us when they shop on Amazon.

Won’t you please consider joining AmazonSmile?• We understand that the world is being affected by the Corona Virus. • We also know that many of our friends are feeling the financial crunch, possibly thinking it is impossible to support missions.

Project DandelionProject Dandelion New Shower and Toilet House

$8,750.- needed soon for materials!Please make checks payable to Friendship International with a note for “Project Dan-delion”- address at the top of this letter.Or, use the giving platform on website - www.friendshipintl.org, look for DONATE button at the top of page, follow instruction for donations.

Thank You and God Bless You!

VISIT Christmas Markets of Europe

Germany • Austria • Hungary • Romania

SHAREThe Christmas Story with

Orphans and Gypsy Children in Romania

CELEBRATE Giving gifts of Toys and

Winter Clothes to Orphans

12 Days, 11 NightsNovember 27 - December 8, 2020

Last Ministry Opportunityin 2020

Seventh AnnualChristmas Market Mission Trip

For complete details go to our website - www.friend-shipintl.org, click in the menu bar at the top on Send Me and donwload the Christmas Mission Trip brochure. Or, write to us at - [email protected] and request a brochure be sent to you. Let’s finish the year strong for the Lord!