A Change Gonna Come

One day, our blog is not gonna have a thing in it about health stuff. Today's not that day, but it's coming, promise.

We've been in Budapest for the past week getting checked out by the awesome doctors at the awesome facilities there. Turns out Josh's stomach problems have been caused by a bacteria and they're easily fixed with some medication. I also had an MRI taken of my knee, and it'll be about a week before I know definititively what's going on and what will have to be done for it. It seems likely that it's a meniscus tear and might have to be fixed surgically. So, we'll both have to get some follow-up stuff done pretty soon. The main thing is that we are incredibly thankful for the support of our organization. They're a well run machine when stuff like this comes up.

Also, being in Budapest made us feel super fluent in Estonian. You don't realize how much language you've learned until you go somewhere and don't know a word.

We're totally excited about this coming week. We're going to our regional conference, which means a chance to get back together with some friends and colleauges, speak English, be loud Americans, share our experiences from the past couple months, get new ideas, and new energy to come back out again. It's going to be a great time.

Also we're hopeful that when we get back, we'll have some new friendships develop out of acquaintences. It's going to be great to see how God moves.

The Hope Festival

A week ago, Estonia hosted Franklin Graham and a hand-full of bands from around the globe. Some of the musicians were Americans: Dennis Ajadarian (the Guinness Book of World Record's fastest guitar player), John and Anne Barbour, and Michael W. Smith; yet, there were also a variety of European based musicians (from Ukraine, Russia, Finland, and a few of Estonia's own). One Estonian artist in particular, Tõnis Mägi, is very popular, and it was really powerful to hear his songs, usually played in a secular context, reconsidered by his fans in light of the message of the cross. 

As one of the videos I posted earlier said, for many, the Hope Festival may be the only Christian based event they have ever been invited to or attended. We considered it a blessing to be there as our Estonian brothers and sisters were energized again through gathering together; moreover, to see our community of faith grow. We pray, and hope you'll join with us in praying, that a simple alter call won't be the end of the spiritual journey for those who felt compelled to go down. We pray that their experience would grow richer and more powerfully as they are drawn into relationship with the Living God. And, we pray that the festival would not be a weekend event, but a catalyst for the country of Estonia. 

Hope in Estonia

Encounters, Volunteers, and Doctors

Hello everyone,

This is Josh. Meg has been giving all of the updates since we began our blog, but this week I thought I would give it a shot.

In the last couple of weeks things have really been on fast-forward. The football team that I have been practicing with is really starting to pick up. Meg and I went bowling with one of the guys from the team and his girlfriend last weekend. It was a great chance for us to meet a couple our age here in Estonia. They were a lot of fun, and we hope to be able to see them more in the future and continue to build a relationship with them. We also have recently met an Estonian girl who was excited to not only get to know us, but to also "swap" languages with us.

This week there is a volunteer team in from Houston, Texas. They have really been great to work with and get to know. We have spent the majority of the time walking around lifting up certain areas of the city. They will also be helping with the Franklin Graham Hope Festival that is here this weekend. Please be lifting up this event. One of the couples on the team has a son who is transferring to NSU to play QB!

We have also made a few trips to the doctors recently. Next week I will go for ultrasounds to try to figure out what is going on with my stomach. Meg also has been having some pains in her jaw area. Hopefully that will go away with some anit-biotics. We covet your prayers for us during this time.

If you have any questions for us, do not be afraid to e-mail, facebook, skype, etc.

"I was like Hulk Hogan, except not green..."

I've mentioned that we've been playing quite a bit of sports here. On Monday we went and played soccer. I think I mentioned that I'm really bad at soccer. I was dribbling the ball, and had an accident. I kind of stepped on the ball, and then that leg kind of slammed into the ground, and then that knee kind of popped, buckled, and went the other direction than the rest of my leg. Kind of a bummer. So I went to a general practitioner yesterday, and I'll be going to a specialist today to get an MRI. On the bright side, it feels a little bit better everyday. I can put weight on it and get around fairly well. The doctor yesterday thinks it's probably a tear, but I'm hoping maybe it's just partial, or something.

Another bright side, Josh has been feeling a lot better. We really appreciate your prayers on his behalf.

Tonight we go to a friend's birthday party. The same friend who provided the title for today's blog. We're pretty glad to even be invited. Birthdays are a pretty big deal 'round here.

Good things are happening with the football team; we've got high hopes.

Keep on praying!

Palun mulle "hotdog."

Things are blooming, AND green, AND there are leaves on the trees! Yesterday, I took an awesome walk through the park and ended up at the beach. It gave me one of those, "Wow, I live here!" moments. Those are fun.

Now that he's able to recognize a little more Estonian, it's dawned on Josh that half of the football team can't communicate to each other, at all. A third of them are Russians, a third Estonian, and a third English/Dutch, but practice is held solely in Estonian. So, there's a lot of confused looks, shrugs, and pointing. All that, plus two-thirds are learning the game for the first time. But, one way or another, he's getting to know some guys (ironically, many speak English quite well).

Minor victory of the week: Josh ordered a hotdog, entirely in Estonian.

In a few weeks, we'll have our first volunteer team coming to prayer walk sections of the city where we'll be starting our outreach ministry to prostitutes/trafficking victims. At the end of the month, Franklin Graham will be coming to Tallinn for the Hope Crusade. The tickets for that have already sold out, which is totally exciting. Please be in prayer for that, for the football team, and for one specific friend who we're hoping will come.

Funny things happen in Estonia. We were at a park beside the beach in Tallinn, playing basketball with some Estonians and some Finns. We invited a really tall Estonian guy to play with us. Turns out, he was a professional basketball player for the Estonian national team. That's the beauty of living in a small country. You never know who you are going to meet, and how that person might completely dominate you in a "friendly" game of basketball.

Along the line of random encounters, last week we had a really spiritual conversation with a group of Latter Day Saint missionaries from the US. We got the chance to tell them the differences in our two religions, and to share our testimonies of coming to faith.

Otherwise, Josh has been playing some American style football with the (one) Estonian team. He's getting to know the guys, and teaching them a little about the game when opportunities present, (as they don't have a whole lot of experience). Sometimes, as conditioning, they'll put a monstrous, pot-bellied man on their backs and run around with him. Once, a player dropped the football in the huddle and one of the other guys screamed, "FAMBLE!" and initiated a dog pile on the ball. It's all very professional!

Hopefully, in all of our weird activities and chance encounters, we'll get to know a few more people, build some deep relationships, and be presented opportunities to give the reason for the hope that lies within us. That's something to pray for.