• • FMIN Event Reports
• • Partner Mission Reports
• • Partner Outreach Reports
• • What In The World Is Happening?
• • Healthy Living
• • Look What The Lord Has Done/Heart to Heart
• • Workplace Leaders Network
• • Download Newsletter

Estonia trip

On Saturday, May 26, 2007, we took our team of 10 and flew to Riga Latvia. We were met at the airport by our very good friend, Pastor Eino Lilleleht, and his friend who had come to collect us and drive us 4 hours to our destination, Tartu, Estonia.

On Sunday morning we attended the service at Elu Sona (Word of Life) Church,Tartu. The team introduced themselves and John Blackburn preached the morning service. He shared an excellent message on Reconciliation, Judgment, and Forgiveness. Many people came forward for prayer and all of the team had an opportunity to minister to them.

Sunday evening, the team split up. One group went to Pulva and Tino preached in the small church there. I went with the team to Viljandi and Tim Coleman preached. Myself and another team member shared testimony, and it was wonderful to see how the Holy Spirit made everything flow together.

Monday, we went to the Capital city, Tallinn, to do some sightseeing. Then in the evening a team of three of us went to one of the church house groups. I preached on the Giftings within the Body of Christ – how we are all anointed by God and all can minister. The others had a preparation evening with the Kidz Klub workers for the Saturday Kidz Klub.

Early Tuesday morning, Sarah & Tim Coleman went with Eino to the local Christian Radio station and did a broadcast based on what our team was doing in Estonia that week. The station is mainly funded by the Lutheran church, and is not very free, but as we were just visiting they were instructed by Eino to be bold, and actually managed to get quite a lot of the message of the Gospel of Grace into their 15 minute interview! Tuesday was a rest day where we drove to the south of Estonia where Eino’s Family have a summer house by a lake. So we swam in the lake and made a BBQ. It was 36 degrees C! It was also a day trip for the Christian School so Rachel had plenty of friends to play with.

Wednesday we traveled to a town called Turi, and there did a street meeting. Part of the purpose was to advertise the evening youth meeting which we were to minister at. A man got born again during the street meeting, and a number of people did come to the evening meeting. 2 more gave their lives to Jesus. Many were filled with the Spirit, Healed and ministered to. We imparted giftings and God was calling people to missions. They have a very loose term for youth meetings in Estonia - the youngest was a baby and the oldest must have been at least 60!

Thursday a group of us went to the Christian school in Tartu were we did the ‘Pastors Lesson’ and prayed for all the kids 1st grade through 6th. Thursday evening we were invited to a Baptist church in Tartu. It was more denominational than the other churches we had been invited to, but some cool stuff happened. Firstly, after John had spoken a man put his hand up to request prayer for healing. It turned out that he had heard about our visit on the radio that morning (Tim and Sarah’s broadcast had been re-aired). John and Tim prayed for the guy, who received his healing, and then John discerned that he wasn’t born again. So John prayed with him to receive Jesus. Others had prayer to be filled with the spirit and for healings etc.

Friday morning, we stayed at the guesthouse and had a time of personal prayer and ministry for the team. It was so powerful. Everyone got words from the Lord. Friday evening we took the youth meeting at Elu Sona and after a time of worship lead by the team we just had a Holy Ghost meeting! We prayed for people concerning all sorts of things, words of knowledge were coming all the time and people were responding. It was great.

Saturday morning we took the Kidz Klub meeting which was a lot of fun. Liz had been out with Sarah and an Estonian lady on Thursday afternoon doing home visits to the kid’s homes. They visited a childrens home, and some of these kids came to the Kidz Klub meeting. We had a lot of fun with games and cream cakes and Spiderman made a guest appearance. It was so sweet. After the service a small boy came up to John and asked him, ”How did you manage to catch Spiderman and get him to come here to see us today?” It was Tim in a costume – but he did a good job!! Many kids gave their lives to Jesus and received the Holy Spirit. Right after Kidz Klub we left for the airport in Latvia for the trip home.

It was such a blessed week – all of the team have said how they want to keep that feeling of closeness to the Lord, and hearing Him so clearly now that we are back doing the day to day things. For those who this was their first trip – they will never be the same!

Karen

John and Karen pastor Heartbeat Church in Coventry, England, a vibrant group of friends who have experienced God’s amazing love and life-transforming power, and are committed to living as His family, enjoying His presence and convincing the world that God is good and loves everyone, no matter what.

links

replies