Across Cultures
Stories from the Central Europe Field
We returned home this month as a family. It has been 2 years. The word 'home' births images on two continents - coming home' always means 'leaving home'.
We knew that one of the first comments made when we reach US soil would be 'It smells like America here.' Our girls note that fact upon every homecoming.
We know to expect the shock of large grocery stores, and multitudes of choices. The revolving miles, and the churches, and the people, we anticipate with excitement and sometimes exhaustion. What a beautiful opportunity to see our Church at work and to speak of the answers to prayer that we see in Central Europe.
Click here for photos of our family
HOW ORDINARY PEOPLE MAKE A DIFFERENCE
This summer, our stories are of ordinary people. We face spiritual monsters in Central Europe. As a small and a young presence in 11 countries, only God can make a way. He is doing it with ordinary folks following Jesus into crazy circumstances.
Anti-trafficking
Bulgaria & Romania
In Bulgaria and Romania, when officials know of people being illegally trafficked, they call Nazarenes to directly intervene in the situation.
In April, we stayed at the Open Door - a rehab center for prostituted Romanian women. While there, 2 girls were rescued as they were being trafficked to Bulgaria’s sea coast for sex tourism. They were 15 and 18 years old.
Click here for photos of Romania and Bulgaria
Albania
In Tirana, a Nazarene grandma noted kids eating garbage from the city dump. The Holy Spirit told Vera to help. A grandma with a limited, frugal income - the type where you choose between food, heat, and medicine, Vera began feeding the kids. From her ministry, a house church by Tirana’s city dump is now a reality.
Click here for photos of Albania
TRAVEL WITH US
As we log thousands of miles over the course of this summer, this furlough is for everyone, so track our Furlough 2015 experience and connect with us, our field, our stories:
the Across Cultures blog
Facebook & Central Europe Field facebook page
Instagram TSunberg
Twitter @TSunberg
We post photos and snippets of our journey with hashtags: #sunbergsonfurlough, #furlough2k15, #roomattheedges.
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In May, before we left for America, our Hungarian friend Bea from the homeless shelter tearfully told us that her husband had been put in jail for 5 years. They have 10 children, ranging in age from 17 to 6. What was his crime? The kids were hungry and he stole $10.
Pray for Bea and her family. Their 17 year old daughter will now drop out of high school and find a job to support the family. Gabi had plans to be a doctor. She now becomes one of the most vulnerable in Hungarian society.
Click here for photos in Budapest
OUR ROLE FOR THE FIELD
We invite you to become involved in ministry in Central Europe. As the Field Strategy Coordinators, ours is to help to shape vision, resource ministries and people, develop strategy, and navigate administration for 11 countries. We are also heavily involved in gras-roots outreach in Diosd.
We may not be able to visit your church this summer, but would you consider giving to deputation to support our family and our ministry? Donations, monthly or one time, are an enormous blessing to us as we carry the responsibility for the field.
Click here to see our financial needs or click here for direct link to donate page
Click here to track our furlough itinerary & photos
Click here to receive a prayer card & bookmark
RESOURCES FOR YOU
Central Europe has an amazing team of missionaries, Mission Core volunteers and ministry leaders. You will find links to their blogs on the Across Cultures blog.
Literature
We have several Across Cultures posts on the issue of trafficking. Teanna now writes for the World Evangelical Alliance’s anti-Trafficking Task Force as their Global Reporter and Storyteller. Please feel free to share them with others if they are helpful to you.
Click here for Six Ways Your Church Can Make A Difference in anti-Trafficking
Teanna is writing an anti-trafficking book. It is realistic fiction set in Eastern Europe. The first chapter can stand alone as an individual lesson for a small group. It is free to you.
Click here to receive Chapter One
CE Field Partnership
Would you like to be more involved in missions? Would you enjoy an opportunity to learn about and to speak into global, missiological, social justice, & spiritual issues? Maybe, God has gifted you with curiosity or a specific talent that could be used for the kingdom. Maybe that looks like coming as a volunteer. Maybe that looks like becoming an advocate for us right where you are. God may be calling you to be a part of our exciting and challenging field as partners in ministry. We will be hosting a Spring 2016 Central Europe Partnership Meeting. Please email us to begin an exploratory conversation.
Click here to explore opportunities as CE Field Partners
Click here for prayer requests
Life Coaching
Jay has completed a 1-year training as a Life Coach and is offering on-line sessions to pastors and leaders. Life Coaching is a process of helping an individual practically overcome obstacles to completing important tasks, or balance life, or make and complete action items in your personal and professional life or ministry. LIfe Coaching is a part of Jay’s calling to help people become more devoted in their life and faith.
Click here to email Jay about Life Coaching sessions or questions
We look forward to hearing from you, seeing you, and partnering with you soon.
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