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Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 10:17 AM
Subject: Stevens to Slovakia August '09 Prayer Letter - Prayer Needed

Below you will find our latest prayer letter. It is also attached with letter head in MS Word.
Please read this letter so that you will know how to pray for us and our ministry. We covet your prayers!
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Dear Praying Friends,                                                                                                                                                                 August 2009

        Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Although this summer has been busy, and at times, we may feel weary, we praise the LORD for the strength He gives us to continue serving Him. He also gives help. I thank Him for the Brenestuhl family and the blessing they have been.

        Our summer has been a very busy one, and hence, the weariness. We had two teens from Dyer Baptist Church visit us for a month. While they were here, we conducted a VBS for the Waite’s Non-Roma (Non-Gypsy) ministry. The following week we had some special church outings. We went on a six hour hike through the mountains (more cause for weariness), had a day of volleyball and soccer, and went on a raft down the Dunajec River (which is the border between Poland and Slovakia).  My sister and her two children have also been visiting with us for the past couple of weeks. It is always good to be with family. Please keep my sister, Anne, in your prayers.

        Please pray for the country of Slovakia. As I have mentioned in the past, Slovakia is very cold to the Gospel and very lost in religion (69% professed Roman Catholics). The Non-Roma Church has now passed out Gospel Literature and invitations to almost every house in Kezmarok as well as every house in the nearby village of Velka Lomnica.  After all this we had not one visitor to any church service or to the VBS. This, of course, does not mean that we quit in defeat. No, it only means that we continue to do our part – we continue to pass out tracts and invite the lost to our church.

        In my last prayer letter I asked you to pray for a smooth transition for the Roma (Gypsy) Ministry. On June 7, 2009, we started meeting in an elementary school that is located in the Roma Village of Rakusy. God has heard and answered your prayers. Attendances have been better than when we used to transport the Roma to the church in Kezmarok. We usually have about 50 in attendance (more than 50% of whom are children). We have even seen about a dozen salvation decisions. One who has recently accepted Christ is a lady named Zuzana. Since her profession of faith about two months ago she has only missed one Sunday. She has mentioned to my wife Sarah how happy she is that we started holding services in the village. Please pray for Zuzana’s spiritual growth, her unsaved husband (Dushan) and children (Zuzka and Maxi). Her son Maxi has health problems. I recently found out that we will not be allowed to meet in this school much longer. Pray that God will change their decision and we will be allowed to continue meeting there, or that the Lord will provide a different place for us to meet.

        Recently we had a special basketball activity for the Roma (Gypsy) men in Rakusy. We did not have a very big turn out, but it was a lot of fun. One man, Pavol, who has been much more faithful to our church since we have moved to the village has asked when we will be doing it again. Please pray for Pavol. He has made a profession of faith, and besides his more faithful church attendance, shows very little spiritual growth. Also, please continue to pray for Miro. He comes to Church about every other Sunday. Pray for his spiritual growth as well.

        Praise the Lord, Sarah is expecting our second child. Please be in prayer for her and the baby’s health. The baby is due at the end of January. We will be coming to the U.S. in December for the delivery.