friends & family!  the password for this blog is "marissa!" 

Here in Kyrgyzstan, one of our main ministries has been teaching english classes to teenagers in this area. I'm teaching Level One with my friend Ben, and we both LOVE it! On Monday, we got to sit in with the class, meet the students, share parts of our stories, practice new words & play games! Then on Wednesday we got start teaching on our own. I went in early that day to set up the classroom & pray over the space. 

It was then that the Lord prompted me to read the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 over the room. I was saying them all out loud & thinking of our students as I read. I then got to verse six and stopped: 

"blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" NIV 

In this classroom setting, we're not exactly allowed to openly share the gospel, so finding ways to bring the hope of Jesus has been tricky. And I think on this morning the Lord reminded me that i don't need to force the Gospel or have my way with it. Instead I have hope, knowing that He is preparing them. He has gone before me & is making these students hunger for more. 

A few days after this english class we had a girls party and invited people from english class, bible study, & some universities. It was there that I met a Muslim girl & we instantly became friends! When she first came in the door she grabbed me, hugged me so tight & whispered "i'm so glad you're here". And for some reason (the Holy Spirit) I got the feeling that she was hungry for more. Now we're meeting for tea this week, please be praying for discernment & wisdom in our conversations! 

As I write this, the Mosque next to our house is having their Call To Prayer, which happens five times a day. Join me in praying for the Muslims of Kyrgyzstan & the whole world. That they would hunger for the life and love that is Jesus Christ, and that they would be filled. That He would come to them in dreams & visions, in their parents lives, & in conversations with friends. Pray that they would respond in love & obedience. That they would love the Word of God and be devoted to it. He's worth it all. 

some of these stories are sensitive pertaining to where we live so we're making efforts to protect our ministry hosts privacy. With that being said, please ask first if you'd like to share the password for this platform with other people :)) 

love you lots!  - M