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In the third and fourth week of our internship in MN, things slowly but surely got practical. In this blog you can find out why we enjoyed the Youth Camp so much and what the abbreviation VBS stands for. During the internship, we have the opportunity to look into every area of a church. The general leadership team meeting takes place every Monday. These meetings usually last between 1.5 - 3 hours. On Wednesdays, the ministry offers MTC (Ministry Training Center - training for serving in churches) in the evening. The main focus of the MTC is to shed light on the individual areas of a church. The respective leaders give a 50-minute presentation on how they operate and what is important. Afterwards, we have the opportunity to ask questions. This gives us a good insight into each area. A week before the youth camp, we were asked if we wanted to go for the full four days. Since we had been involved in youth ministry in the past and love working with young people, we said yes. Youth-Group here includes ages 12-17. Youth-Camp We drove three hours to the north of Minnesota to stay from June 20 to June 23. The camp is located by a lake that offers many cool opportunities for free time. The youth camp is structured like most camps we have attended. Every day there is a set schedule. In addition to plenty of free time, daily games were organized and an input was given in the morning and evening. After lunch, there was an obligatory 1 to 1.5 hours of quiet time, and the young people were encouraged to use this to spend time with God. Our task as volunteers was to help out wherever help was needed. From tidying up to helping in the kitchen and playing in tournaments to ministry, everything was covered. The almost 30 young people who took part in the camp were hungry for the word of God. During the free time, they often sought to talk to the leadership team and the interns. Especially after the inputs, Johann and the two other interns were available for questions and prayer. During the four days, Johann was able to experience how some of the young people were set free and empowered. The first evening was about the topic - water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit and Johann shared his testimony in 5min. That evening 6 young people received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. On the last day, just before departure, the opportunity for water baptism was given and three young people signed up for it. After they were baptized, two more young women spontaneously accepted water baptism. The option was always emphasized and so they simply took off their shoes and valuables and got into the water dressed as they were. The baptism is an underwater baptism, where what you believe is briefly confirmed beforehand. The joy among the young people afterwards was great. We were particularly struck by the unity among the young people during the camp. It was impressive to see and experience how much the young people prayed for and served each other. VBS – Vacation Bible School Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a fun program that many churches offer during the summer months to connect with the children and families in their congregations. Vacation Bible School is designed to appeal to children who do not normally attend church and to introduce them to the Gospel. A VBS week usually includes games, snacks, crafts, sketches and short inputs or stories from the Bible. There is always a connection between God and the theme, which enables the children to experience God in a creative way. The last VBS was held over 20 years ago. Now that the ministry has 13 interns for the summer, they have given us the task of putting together a VBS for all participating churches. Our project is to plan the activities, promote and evangelize. So we got to work as a group to gather creative ideas. As the churches hadn't held a VBS for a while and no one else had any real ideas, we were given free hand here. In weeks three and four, we mainly put together and rehearsed the program for the VBS. We also created flyers for public and digital advertising. Concepts for advertising in the cities were also developed and checked. During these two weeks, we ran from one meeting to the next and shared our results and suggestions with the pastors. The first VBSs were to be held from July. Every week the location and the advertising for the respective churches changes. The VBS goes weekly from Monday to Wednesday from 1-2:30pm and is for kids ages 5-11. Most VBS are held in public parks. You can find out how we experienced the first VBS and what else has been happening in the meantime in the next blog post, where we will report on weeks 5 and 6. See you in the next blog.😉

Since the beginning of July, we have held weekly VBS for the various churches of the RVFM. During this time, we were able to benefit from a special guest who was there for 2.5 days to answer questions. And we were also preparing to say goodbye. We talk about all this in this blog post. VBS During the third and fourth week of july, we tried to fine tune a few more things regarding advertising for Vacation Bible Schools. The pictures below give a little insight into our time of brainstorming and decision-making. In weeks three and four, the VBS did not go as planned. The two host churches are relatively small and have only recently been established. These churches are also located in relatively small towns or villages. In both cases, we had children who were not interested or did not feel comfortable after a short time. There were more adult helpers present than children, which made the environment less comfortable for the kids. We took this with us for the next advertising campaigns. Linus LeFever as guest for the interns Linus' life story is super exciting. Linus and his wife Kay were assistant pastors for a time. Until he met Andrew Wommack one day and was told that his call was to the mission field. Linus didn't agree at first, but God began to prepare the way for the next step. Sure enough, in January 1991, they traveled with a team to Latvia in the USSR. Less than a week after their arrival, Bible schools were founded and immediately went through the roof. Many students enrolled. They went on to found several churches in what are now Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. Years later, they were led back to the USA, where they helped Andrew Wommack start Charis Bible College in August 1994. Many other things were experienced and actively supported by this man of God. We interns followed his stories with great interest. We were always able to ask questions and benefited greatly from Linus' input. His thoughts on the life of discipleship and church planting in particular really spoke to Johann. Linus not only planted churches and Bible schools in the former USSR, but also in countries in Africa and the USA, which still exist today. We thank Linus for his valuable time and wish him every success in the things God wants to use him and Kay for. God's blessing is with you! The last week before our departure We used the last week before we headed back to Colorado to spend as much time as possible with the people we had met here and who had quickly become friends. Deepening connections, sharing visions and building each other up dominated our conversations. We also invited our neighbors to dinner, where we had some good and amusing conversations. We really appreciated the contacts and hope to be back in the region again soon. These friendships and the church have grown into a family for us. And after 2.5 months in Minnesota and Wisconsin, it was really hard to say goodbye. On one hand we miss the time and on the other we are looking forward to being back in Colorado and sitting under God's word for another year. Johann's second sermon The last Sunday at RVCC, Johann was allowed to preach once again. The focus of this sermon was on how to hear God's voice. "There can be no intimate relationship with our heavenly Father without hearing his voice. But as easy as it is for us to talk to him, as difficult it is for the average Christian to hear his voice. This is not the way the Lord intended it to be." How do I know what my next step in life is? Which of the many different paths is the right one for me? Is it possible for us to try to find our way in this dark world without using the light that God has given us? Psalm 119:105 NIV - "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." You can listen to the sermon here... We will write another blog post summarizing our experiences and what we have taken with us. See you in the next post. Talk to you soon!We will write another blog post summarizing our experiences and what we have taken with us. See you in the next post. Bye!

In the last blog post we told you about the planned VBS (Vocation Bible School). Now the first VBS at RVCC (River Valley Christian Church) will start at the beginning of July. This is the permanent church of Johann during his internship, where he will also preach his first sermon on the 14th of July. Information about the VBS process Advertising is an important part of the VBS. After several meetings and discussions, we decided to advertise both digitally and physically. We advertised on Facebook and distributed flyers in local stores. Another big part was "cleaning door handles". We separated our team into four groups and went in pairs to residential areas that we had searched online. The goal was not to evangelize, but to distribute as many flyers as possible. Nevertheless, personal conversation was an important part of our work. That's why we rang every doorbell. If no one was home, we put the flyer between the front door and the door frame. Generally speaking, people were always friendly. But there were also times when the door was closed right in front of us without a word being said. Our planned VBS included music, games, crafts, sketches and short stories from the Bible. There is always a connection between God and the theme that allows the children to discover God in a creative way. The overarching theme was God's creation. VBS-RVCC For RVCC we distributed about 600 flyers plus the local businesses in Stillwater (MN). The first day we had five kids show up for VBS. The second day, which was super hot, no one showed up. And on the third day there were four kids. During the VBS, some of us went to the city to evangelize. Here we simply approached the various people in the city center and sought out conversation. We didn't have a practiced strategy. Here, too, we experienced a wide variety of reactions. We often got into conversation with people who were already believers. Short recap meetings were held every day after the VBS and testimonies were shared. VBS-ROLW In the second week of July, we went to the ROLW (Rivers of living waters) church. This church was founded 8 months ago and is one of the younger ones. We distributed over 400 flyers in the region around the park where the VBS took place. Especially during the door to door campaign, some good conversations had developed. We had at least four families who agreed to come by. But then unfortunately they didn't show up for the actual start of the VBS. The evangelism team that Johann was on went to the nearest mall to evangelize during the VBS. This area is totally different from evangelizing in a city. In the mall, people tend to be hectic and don't have or want to take the time for a conversation. After this VBS was over, we all sat together to look at the whole project again. We prayed and thought about how to proceed. In the end, we decided to make a few small changes, particularly in the area of advertising. But these were not to be the last changes. More on this in the next blog.   On our days off (Friday and Saturday), we tried to spend a lot of time as a family. We explored beautiful hiking trails in the region and then often ended up on the beach at one of the many lakes. When the temperatures were warm, we were sometimes surprised by the rain or spent the whole rainy day indoors. Twice the storm sirens were even sounded at night and the threat of tornadoes was announced. Thank goodness it didn't come to that in our region. Johann is actively involved on Sundays. Especially through the weekly calls for donations, he always gets the opportunity to share short inputs with the church. But also in the meetings where he accompanied Pastor Jon, Johann always had the opportunity to share his testimonies. This led to Pastor Jon trusting Johann to give the sermon for the Sunday service on July 14. John's Sermon: A Life Of Intimacy With God Why do so many Christians fail to experience an intimate relationship with God? What hinders a true and healthy relationship with God? These are questions that Johann has also faced in the past. During the 40-minute sermon, he shared a fraction of his insight and experiences that had brought him into a truly deep and intimate relationship with God.

Not just physically, but also mentally. Pastor Jon and his wife Debbie have made it very easy for us to settle in and we already feel at home. For Elijah, they are now part of our family too. It is always a blessing for us to see how quickly our son adapts to new surroundings and new people. As long as mom and dad are around 😉 We live at the end of a cul-de-sac and we've already got to know a few neighbors on our walks. We hope to be able to invest a little more in them. Our immediate neighbors in particular - a couple around 60 years old - have adopted Elijah as their grandson, bringing toys and books and are always very excited when we drop by. This lake is right in front of the house and is ideal for fishing, boating and canoeing. What is RVFM? « RVFM is a church planting organization in the MN and WI River Valley. It is our desire to see the kingdom of God advance. We provide Fellowship, Training, and oversight for churches and ministries in the MN and WI River Valley area. As well as, plant churches as The Lord directs us. » The vision is to build a network of 24 churches (RVFM) throughout the St. Croix River Valley 15-20 miles apart in all directions by 2027. To date, 10 churches have already been established or have joined the ministry. Another five churches are expected to be established by the end of this year. « RVFM is an organization that seeks to expand the Kingdom of God worldwide by providing doctrinal and procedural oversight, pastoral care, mutual accountability, ministry resource and fellowship for our credential holders, affiliated churches, and ministries. We also purpose to fellowship with all five-fold ministers, missionaries, leaders, churches and ministries who manifest the Spirit of Christ and who encourage and edify the body of Christ. » From the River Fellowship of Ministries website. The first week Pastor Jon is the founder of this ministry and Johann serves as his "shadow" for the duration of the internship. The first week was all about getting to know everything and everyone. This means that Johann accompanied him to all meetings, including all regular meetings with the pastors of the churches and staff meetings. According to the culture of the people here, these meetings take place either for breakfast in a café or for lunch. Lots of coffee, lots of food. As you know, nothing that would do Johann any damage... 😉 The second week The second week started with the Kids Camp of the RVFM churches. The camp lasts three days. In addition to lots of fun, there was also a specific topic. Some of the interns took part for the full three days. All the others, including Johann, only went for one day. The trip takes a whole three hours. Plenty of time to talk and share with the other interns and pastors. It was fascinating to see how the kids are taught to pray for each other from a young age. They also practiced writing down short testimonies and then presenting them to the group. In the evening, we were also able to answer a few questions. Johann is also used for work in Pastor Jon's local church. Such as occasional housekeeping work. On Thursday, for example, he sat on the lawnmower for 4 hours. Plenty of time to listen to sermons or music. Every Wednesday, all pastors of the RVFM meet to pray together. In addition to experiences, problems are also shared and prayed for. Although all the churches operate independently, it is impressive to see and experience how the pastors support and pray for each other. As interns, we are right in the middle of this and take part in it. On July 16, Johann made his second call for offerings for the church. The call for offerings is preceded by approx. 5 minutes of a short message on the topic. In our last post, we were still full of enthusiasm when we mentioned that we would probably be in touch more often. It turned out that we are quite busy, so we have to cut back a bit to be wise with our time. We're a little behind with the posts, but we'll definitely take you with us through the weeks and experiences.

How Raven embarked on a search for truth and found it in Christ Raven Jewell was not raised in a Christian home. At only 21 years old, her father died. This awakened in her a search for truth. She explored Buddhism, yoga and Hinduism. None of these could give her a good explanation of what is real. So, she got into drugs, went to music festivals and took hallucinogens. Slowly, Raven realized that this life was leading her down a dark road. She left a toxic relationship where the man was essentially using her to sell drugs. She heard of a farm where she could work for food and housing. There she met a man who shared the gospel with her. And although she was resistant to it and kept telling him so, he would not stop talking about it. God was using this man even though he was struggling with many difficulties himself - mental health issues, struggling with drugs and being homeless. Raven eventually began to read the Bible with him. She decided to go to a local recovery group called ‘Celebrate Recovery’. There she faced deep questions that showed her that she needed a savior. Someone outside of herself who could save her from her sinfulness. Even though she didn't realize it at the time, the Holy Spirit was working in her. Five months after starting the program, she began attending a church and experienced the presence of God and His love there. This encounter led to a deep desire to be with God. About 1.5 years after this experience, Raven began to really seek God, reading the Bible and experiencing his love. You can hear more of her testimony in the videos below. Every person has this desire within them to discover what the purpose of their life is and what God has prepared for them. And God pursues everyone and wants to show every person that we can find fulfillment in Him. That our hunger is satisfied by Him. That we will find peace in Him. The harvest is plentiful - but there are few workers. God is not concerned that you first have your life together before you can serve others with the good news. Europe is in great need of the gospel. Raven is ready to go and share it. She will be participating in a mission trip across Europe this summer. In 40 days, a group will travel to 6-7 countries in Europe and spread the good news in the cities. (You can read more about this here - https://www.europeaninitiative.com/go40/.) Participants will be responsible for their own expenses. These amount to approximately $2750 or €2500, not including the return airfare. By the grace of God, Raven has already received $2500. If you also see the need in Europe and would like to contribute to this mission trip, here is the link to Raven's PayPal account (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/eternalfarms). We believe that God is up to great things. He is looking for people to join in and help spread His love - whether personally or through finances. Thank you for considering supporting Raven. Facebook-Video: https://www.facebook.com/5252743/videos/1684028212336109/

Intense weeks are behind us. And so much has changed in just one week. Before leaving Over the past 10 months, we have repeatedly battled with the problem with our car's cooling system together with several mechanics. We regularly lose several liters of coolant. Just a few days before our big trip to Minnesota, the leaks were getting bigger and bigger and the pressure in the cooling system was immense. We looked at our options with a mechanic and then tried to sell the car - which unfortunately didn't work. So we agreed to a major repair and had various seals replaced. With no 100% guarantee that the problems would be fixed, we set off on the long journey of 1,600 km. Five weeks ago we filed our papers for the summer visa. We are still waiting for the answer. The week before we left, we casually cut down a tree in the back yard. During the journey Sometimes our car feels like a ticking time bomb. How much longer will it drive us? After about 500 km, we stopped to get gas. When Johann came out of the gas station after paying, he almost stopped in shock. There was a large puddle under our car and you could see it dripping heavily onto the ground close to the engine. His first thoughts were: “ Well, that's it. Over and out.” Would our journey really end here? We opened the hood and the coolant had dropped by more than half. When Johann looked for the leak, he discovered that the escaping liquid was not coolant, but “clear” water. It was condensation that had drained from the car's air conditioning system. Thank God, we were able to continue driving. We had already decided in advance to split the trip into several days. As Elijah took the drive really well, we were able to cover the long distance in two days. Arriving in Minnesota A few weeks before leaving, we were informed that we would not have our own apartment for various reasons. We would be living with the founder and pastor Jon and his family during the internship. Living together is as exciting as that sounds. Just imagine letting a family with a small child, who you don't really know and who also come from a different culture, live in your house for three months 😉 And living in the same house means we use the same living room, kitchen, bathroom etc. with Pastor Jon and his wife. We live together like a family 24/7 for the next three months. If you've ever wondered what a pastor does in his spare time? Ask us, we can tell you. 😄😉 The day after we arrived, it was Pastor Jon's birthday. We only knew that some guests were coming in the evening and that we were invited. In the morning, Debbie told us that it was Jon's birthday party and that her children were coming for dinner. So we were naturally integrated into family life. We had a lot of fun that evening. It felt like we had always been part of the community. We have to say that it was also made very easy for us. Our internship officially starts on Monday, June 3, 2024, but Pastor Jon already offered Johann the chance to experience his everyday life this week. Johann did not want to miss out on this offer. As a result, we were fully involved in the goings-on just one day after our arrival. Over the next few weeks, we will tell you more about the different areas and share our experiences with you. So much has already happened that we will probably be posting here more often. We are really looking forward to the next time. We are grateful to Pastor Jon and his wife Debbie, who are making it very easy for us to settle in. The problem with our car had already made the rounds here and people have offered to support us there. All the stress about the difficulties of the last few weeks has been wiped away. God is faithful and good! For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.  2.Cor 1,20 – ESV P.s.: The small teaser that we announced in the last post has developed into a fairly large blog post. That's why we've decided to upload it at a later date.

How can we summarize the last 10 months? GOD IS FAITHFUL! We haven't been able to share quite everything with you in our blog. There have simply been far too many things happening. A diary would surely have helped here.😄 The last few weeks have been super intense. In addition to the excitement of Johann's graduation, we are once again coming out of a major storm. What do you do when everything around you is raining, storming and shaking? Right, hold on to God's promises and value His Word more than the circumstances around you. This is easy to say or write and preach from the pulpit, but when you find yourself in the situation, it shows what you are made of. Small teaser - more on this in the next blog. On May 11, 2024, Johann celebrated his official graduation from Charis Bible College together with 420 other students. A bittersweet feeling for him. On one hand, we celebrate what God has done in the last year and how he has brought us through. New friendships have been formed and we have had a great time together. On the other hand, we won't see many of these new friends next year. Nevertheless, we are happy for the people who are pursuing God's calling in whatever place God will use them. Betty is finishing her first year this week and is already looking forward to the next school year. We would like to thank everyone who has joined us as a prayer and/or financial partner for this time. Without you, it would not be possible to make this journey this far and continue on. Thank you for listening to God's call and opening your hearts to us. You may not yet see the fruit of what God has called us to do, but already we have seen and experienced how people are being changed by the Word, where you will have your part in eternity. You will soon be able to read more about this on our website. Another teaser - we will be making a few small but significant changes to our website over the summer.😉 On Instagram, we asked what you would be curious about after 10 months in the USA. Here are our answers: What was the most profound new revelation you received? Betty: «I have learned so much this year that has yet to become a revelation. Head knowledge is not the same as revelation. And only revelation changes us in our innermost being. That's definitely something I've also learned this year. What has become most important to me is that it all comes back to my relationship with the triune God. Growing in intimacy with Him, getting to know His true nature, understanding the work of Christ more and giving the Holy Spirit more and more room to work in me and through me. In every problem I encounter, I must return to the finished work of Christ. There I will find the solution. And then I can truly live as an overcomer.» Johann: «Don't judge your day by the harvest you reap, but by the seed you sow” (Robert Louis Stevenson). Everything has a beginning; a seed that has a source. The nature of the seed determines the nature of the harvest. New beginnings happen every day. They begin as seeds that carry the future. Thus a heart is founded or confused in what it is nourished by and in this it will also flourish. Especially in relation to what we say, this has become one of the most important realizations for me. Whenever I speak to someone, I am sowing seeds in their life. I can bless or curse a person. That seed will sprout in that person's life sooner or later, unless that person rejects it or the devil steals the good seed. Of course, this principle is more complex than I have briefly mentioned here.» How was Bible school with a child? How did you practically manage it? It was important for us to spend a lot of time with Elijah during his baby years in order to give him the bond and security he needs. We were able to do this because only Johann went to college and Betty did her first year of study online. Betty spent the mornings with Elijah and when Johann came home at lunchtime, he would look after Elijah and Betty could watch her lessons. We needed discipline and grace 😉 It worked more or less well at times. As we know, with a growing baby you are always faced with changes and sometimes sleepless nights. Some afternoons we were just so tired that nothing productive was possible because we had to catch up on sleep. And on others, we built ourselves up and pulled through. And there wasn't always much time to study or read in the evening. But we are also extremely grateful for Kim, our house mom. She kept offering to look after Elijah so that we could go on a date, giving us a short break as a couple almost every week. Bible college with a baby is definitely doable. However, it doesn't look the same as it would without a family and it's important to adjust expectations accordingly or determine what the priorities are. Next year we will both go to school and Elijah will spend the mornings with a babysitter. We are so grateful for this great solution. She is a former Charis student and has children of her own. This also means that it is important to us that Elijah gets our attention in the afternoons. We're not big planners, but we'll probably split the afternoons up a bit so that everyone can still find some time to study and we can also invest in fellowship with other students. What were your biggest challenges? Finances. It was in this area that we were attacked the most over the last school year. Many unexpected situations and expenses have arisen and will continue to arise. We have noticed that we need more revelation in this area in particular. Unfortunately, this is not really talked about in most churches. So most Christians don't have a biblical understanding of it. And yet the Bible doesn't talk very little about this topic... But God has never let us down and provided for us. Just as he will do next year.😊 How did you experience shared living during this time? It has expanded our comfort zone. Living together means respecting the needs of others, putting yourself back, at times doing something you don't feel like doing and, most importantly, being flexible. It means learning to consider others more highly than ourselves, to love when we want to do the opposite and to be peacemakers. We have sometimes done this more, sometimes less well. Although we are all united in Christ, everyone brings their own culture, upbringing, habits and trigger points with them. 😉 There are days when couples go through difficult times, and you realize that pretty quickly and have to protect yourself from the impact. Open communication is just so important for living together and to always be aware that we have grace from God, for us personally and also to pass this on to the people around us. "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." - 1.Th 5:24 NIV

As already mentioned in the last blog, we contacted a lawyer as there were many contradictory statements regarding the regulations of our visa. The RVFM Ministry connected us with a lawyer who specializes in this specific area. The USA is generally known for its precise and fairly complex VISA and residence statuses. One topic that has been on our agenda for several months is employment. We had already shared that it would be great if Johann could work. After several phone calls and e-mail correspondence, Switzerland gave us the go-ahead for a remote working arrangement from the USA. This would allow Johann to work remotely for two companies at the same time on an hourly or project basis. We informed the school that Johann would now be able to provide proof of the funds needed for our stay next year. Surprisingly, our coordinator told us that it is not allowed to have an income at all while studying, except through donations. Well, that was disappointing news for us. As we had other information from fellow international students, but couldn't find any clear statements online, we contacted the lawyer again to get clarification. The answer to our question came a day later. The lawyer wrote that it is indeed not permitted to have an income during the time in the USA. Therefore, working remotely is not possible. This door is now also closed for us and the matter is no longer discussed. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go! - Joshua 1,9 ESV A promise that Joshua received from God after Moses died and he was to lead the Israelites. He is up against a powerful enemy who must not be underestimated. So we are also encouraged: The Lord is with us on earth by his Spirit and as our high priest in heaven. He will not “fail” us. This means that He will not fail and will never disappoint us. He will not “forsake” us. That is, He will never leave us alone. This promise is of general application to the believers in view of the daily walk and what is necessary for it: “For He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'" (Heb 13,5). (Kingcomments) One door closes, the assignment stays the same. We remain with what God has spoken to us. Our provision for the coming year is therefore not ensured by a job. However, God has not changed over time and continues to be our provision for the coming school year. Jehovah-Jireh, "Jehovah's provision will be there". When we first came here, all doors were wide open and we landed without any problems in the US. Even when some things or obstacles get in the way now, we take a stand and stick to what God's will is for our lives. Difficulties in life are not an indicator that you have missed God's will!

In just 5 weeks, Johann will be graduating from his 2nd year at Bible College. Just like you would see in an American movie - with a graduation hat and black robe. Photos to follow. 😜👨🏻‍🎓Betty is also working intensely to finish her 1st year of online studies. We are following God's leading and will remain in the US for another school year. Johann will attend the Ministry track in his 3rd school year and Betty will complete her 2nd school year. For Betty this means, that a mission trip is coming up, which we will also report on. Johann will gain experience in ministry by working with other students on projects, preaching 5 to 10 sermons during the school year, and participating in evangelistic events. The program offers eight "electives," two of which Johann must choose to delve into more deeply and specifically. Courses such as church planting, project management, team building, leadership, church systems, preaching and communication etc. complete the training. In terms of our calling, these topics will certainly serve us. And again it proves to be true: Man plans his way and God directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9) If we leave the steering wheel to Him... In the last video we talked about our summer plans and that we might want to support the ministry in Wyoming (Johanns Mission Trip). Well, the day after we uploaded the video, four pastors from the RVFM-Ministry (https://rvfm.info/) were visiting Charis Bible College. Johann got talking to one of the pastors and he told him about the vision of RVFM and that they offer internships in the summer. At home, Johann told Betty about it, we looked at the ministry together and were immediately attracted. The vision of the ministry, the way of living and working there was exactly what we had in mind for the summer. So Johann sent off an application and had an interview shortly afterwards, which went very well. In the following time, we started filling out our applications for the next school year. And realized that our savings were no longer sufficient - not for the minimum amount for the visa and also not to finance ourselves for the year. So we thought about how we could handle the next school year and since we had no specific word from God, Johann decided to act on the word from 2 Thess. 3:10 and try to find work in Switzerland or Germany that he could do on an hourly basis. He received a positive response from two companies in Switzerland, but bureaucratic obstacles are in the way and we have not yet made any progress. Last Wednesday evening, we came to the conclusion that it would probably be best to fly back to Germany for the summer and sort out all the necessary arrangements. Johann could work full-time for three months, Betty could possibly do something part-time and then we would fly back. Just a few minutes after our conversation, Johann received an e-mail from the RVFM: Congratulations on Your Internship with River Valley Fellowship of Ministries! Stunned! So much for our plans... God has something else in mind. And actually, we had known that before we left for the US. We came with a one-way ticket because the Spirit told us we would be spending the summer here. So we met the founder of RVFM and Pastor Jon and his wife in a Zoom meeting on Friday morning. Johann will be closely working with Pastor Jon throughout the summer. In addition to a deep insight behind the scenes of the ministry and pastoral work, preaching sermons, leading meetings, etc. will also be on the agenda. Pastor Jon told us to buckle up, because there is a lot to do. A step that will further equip us and give us some practical experience along the way. Betty will also be able to work with us to a limited extent - if the tasks allow Elijah to be there. We are so grateful to the Ministry for the open communication and for giving us this opportunity, despite the many applicants and possible obstacles around our visa. They put us in touch with a lawyer who confirmed today that we can spend the summer in the US without any problems. We see God's hand in all of this. When we met the pastor couple, they told us about another miracle: at just the right time, we will have our own apartment so that we can be on our own as a family. (Which will do us good after living in a shared house for 8 months now. 😊) A miracle, because interns are normally housed with families in the church and we get the apartment provided to us at no cost. With these events, however, we also have to put an end to the idea of spending our summer vacation in Germany. And as we had already considered the possibility, it took us a little while to be at peace about it again. 😉 Which brings us back to the financial situation. Johann will spend so much time in the ministry that there will be no time to work. In addition, there are still barriers due to residence etc. that have not yet been resolved. So we are still facing the challenge of having to show a minimum amount of money for our application in order to be able to apply for the status extension at all. Last year, we were able to prove this amount through our savings and were also generously supported by other people. We are grateful to God for opening the hearts of these people to us and are convinced that this investment in God's kingdom will come back to them manifold! The cost of living in Colorado is high. Based on experience and with some additional expenses next year, we will need about $4,000 per month. This is our place called “there” Over the last few weeks or even months, we have repeatedly asked ourselves why we are staying here despite the circumstances. The Bible school, the move to the US and serving under a ministry was and is not our idea. From a human point of view, the entire stay in the USA is way out of our comfort zone and was never part of our future plans. But this also shows us that we are on the right path and that this is exactly where we are supposed to be. God shows up big in our lives when we come to the end. We are in the right place at the right time. We already wrote about this in our blog "Welcome #01 and Àman and Tsalàch #05". The next 10-12 months will be an intense time for us. In addition to his family and studies, Johann will be working on projects, doing homework and making various preparations. Even if he were to get to work, there wouldn't be much time left each day. If you feel called and would have joy in becoming our partner for the next year (10-12 months) and planting seeds in our lives in the form of finances, please get in touch with us. We have listed below our approximate costs for the next year. God's blessing is upon you, with you and around you all. Blessings Johann + Betty with Elijah Tuition: $ 6'500 per person for the school year Rent: $ 1'500 per month Child care: approx. $ 700 per month General expenses (food, insurance, car etc.): approx. $ 1'250 per month

Freedom begins with a proper understanding of who we are in Christ. We will never be able to truly live out our freedom if we do not truly recognize our identity. Anything less than a son's mentality will hinder you from living in the freedom Christ has set us free to have (Gal. 5:1). I want to quickly lay a foundation before I share my testimony. Jesus Christ won the victory on the cross that made us free to become sons. This would have been impossible without His victory. It has always been God's intention to bring us back into relationship with Him. Freedom includes not only what we have been set free from, but also what we have been set free to. Jesus did not die to whip us into a shape, control our behavior, or cause us to sin less. The main problem Jesus had to correct and solve was to remove the penalty for sin so that we can be welcomed back into the Father's family as sons. Therefore, it is important that we recognize our identity correctly in order to be free from the bondage of sin. When the Bible speaks of sons, it does not refer to a gender, but includes both sons and daughters. As the men must also identify themselves as the bride of Christ, we have a balance here and refrain from using the paraphrase "sons and daughters of God". 😉 Lk. 15:11-32 - The story of the father, the prodigal son and the older brother is a great image for the topic of identity This parable is - I think - very well known to most of you and I will not go into all the details here. This parable speaks primarily about Israelites who are in a special relationship with God, but it can also be applied to all people. I found this parable very helpful in understanding the issue around identity. In this story, we see in the younger son the depths to which he has fallen and the height and freedom to which he is brought when he repents. V. 18 - "...I have sinned against heaven and before you.." V. 19 - "…I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants." What happens in our minds when we sin? The accuser of the brethren brings guilt and condemnation that makes us feel that we are not worthy to be a son. The enemy's #1 attack is against our identity. This is also visible in the temptation of Jesus in Mat. 4:3 - "If you are the Son of God..." When the prodigal son arrived home, his father was already waiting for him and ran to meet him. The father wanted to make one thing clear: "Throughout your time of rebellion, sin and lavish living, you have never once stopped being my son!" We were either born into our family or adopted - we didn't earn or deserve our position as a son or daughter! We cannot earn our sonship or do anything to restore it. My son Elijah did not earn his sonship. He was born into our family without having done anything for it and he doesn't have to work to remain my son. The worst rebellious moment of my life did not change the fact that I continued to be part of my parents' family. It did not cause me to stop being a son of my family. So the question arises: "Once I am born into my family as a son, do I ever stop being a son?" The answer to this question is a key to my freedom and yours. The elder son embodies the mindset and perspective of an orphan or slave. And that is what religions today want to sell us as normal. True to the saying: "Every man is the smith of his own fortune". If we work hard, we move God to do something. If I pray enough, read the Bible, go to church regularly, etc., I might get God's attention or turn his arm around and get him to do something. Maybe if I have done enough at some point, my father will throw me a party and open the "magic box" for me, which is also called promises. I'm speaking sarcastically here, of course, but this is how I lived many years of my life as a Christian. Of course, back then I would never admit to living out the older brother mentality. But my life and my actions were screaming at me! There was a lot of head knowledge about my father that didn't help me live in freedom. Notice also that both sons are referred to as sons throughout the parable. If you look closely at the body of Christ today, you can see three different mentalities. And this statement has no ethnic, religious, racial, cultural or gender background. You can observe the mentality of an orphan, slave or son. And all of them were a part of my life. Let me explain what I mean by the three different mentalities. Orphan For the longest time of my Christian life, I lived with the mentality of an orphan. After accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior in my younger years, I didn't understand what really happened more than 13 years after the experience. For me, being born again was just a ticket out of hell. Take the ticket so you don't end up in hell, but make sure you don't lose it again by sinning! And then I "tried" to live life according to the standard of the Christian "model man" set at that time. The attempt to live up to this standard brought much disappointment, condemnation, shame, destruction, condemnation etc. into my life. I remember waking up on a Saturday morning as a teenager and it was very quiet in the house. Normally there was always something going on in our house; after all, I grew up with nine siblings. I ran through the whole house to find someone, but no one was there. There was no one in our back yard either. And then a deep fear came over me, wondering if Jesus had come back and taken all my brothers and sisters with him, but I had been left behind? In my panic, I ran down the street where I knew there were other Christians living. And when I saw someone there, I could finally breathe again. There were a few more experiences that took me further downwards in a spiral. Year after year passed and I lost sight of the meaning and purpose of life. Although today I wonder whether I had any understanding of it at all back then. I had no idea and no solution as to how I could get rid of the condemnation, disappointment and condemnation. It didn't take long for me to question whether I even belonged to the body of Christ. Whenever I opened up to someone, I was always told to repent and then sin no more. Gradually, this led to me developing the mindset that God was punishing me with damnation because I kept falling into the same sins. Joh 14,18 - "I will not leave you as orphansG3737; I will come to you." (in the person of the Holy Ghost). ESV (#G3737 ὀρφανός – orphanos: bereft (of a father, of parents); of those bereft of a teacher, guide, guardian (Thayer Definition)) COMFORTLESS, a. Without comfort; without any thing to alleviate misfortune, or distress. (Webster) Others derive it from the Hebrew חרף charaph, to strip or make bare, despoil, because such a child is destitute of comfort, direction, and support, and is a prey to misery and disease, to sin and to death. (Adam Clarke) The point I want to make here is that I had absolutely no direction and no grounding when it came to Christ and life in Christ. As long as you see yourself as an orphan, you will never walk in the freedom of a son. Slave Our move to Switzerland also meant that I had to step out of my bubble. In a new country, new culture, new environment, etc., some traditions were put to the test. The new environment helped me to let go of the orphan mentality. On the one hand, I began to let go of the orphan mentality and on the other, I unconsciously adopted the mentality of a slave. A slave identity is based on what you do for God rather than what you become for God. In the mind of a slave, his performance is the basis for his position in a family! Joh 8:35 - "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever." ESV Lk 17:7-8 – «Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?» ESV As a slave, you have accommodation, food and sometimes even care, but no possessions or inheritance to pass on to your children. That is why they strive to find their place in the family. They know that nothing is permanent with their master. They need constant attention and recognition, mistakes could see them thrown out of the family at any moment. And this is exactly how I viewed God as my father. A clear sign of a slave mentality: they are not free! I know now that I saw myself as a slave because at the time I was constantly led by my feelings to go in and out before God. He loves me - He doesn't love me. "If I work really hard, God will love me. If I perform well, God will be pleased. If I stop working hard, God will be disappointed in me." I would have always claimed that I had the mentality of a son and that I was a child of God and not a slave. My actions, however, testified otherwise. Joh 8:36 - "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (Kontext: von der Sklavenmentalität) ESV I had never seen myself as an overcomer. I couldn't see myself from Christ's perspective because I had never understood Jesus' work on the cross. I realized that I was not living in freedom and my only solution was to work out freedom for myself because the focus was on the old man's own performance. Something to think about: God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through Moses, but it took 40 years for them to leave the slave mentality behind. Son In addition to the Gospel, it was also the story of the prodigal son mentioned above that influenced and changed me the most. Lk. 15:22 ff - The father gave the son a robe, a ring, shoes - and his son received it. The older brother was in the field working for it - he was angry and jealous of his brother and accused his father of favoritism. His father's response: "Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." (In other words, you don't have to work for it). After I stepped out of Adam, I was born in Christ. And in Christ I was given the position of the son. Joh. 1:12 - "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, " ESV I don't have to earn my position as a son, God's blessings etc. through performance. I have chosen to accept what Christ has said about me. In Gal. 4:1-7 it says - If you are a son, you are loved, you are safe in the family, you are redeemed, and you are an heir. V.7 - "…and if a son, then an heir through God." (ESV) There is only one thing to do to become a son and heir today: Believe and receive! Religion will make this step as difficult and complicated as possible. Religion will never let you get to a place where you have achieved and worked enough! V. 6 - The spirit within you calls out: "You are a son and an heir, he is your father. Stop living like a slave!" No matter what you did this week, last week, last month, last year, five years ago, the offer is the same - sonship, freedom, inheritance! Every area in my life changed when I realized my true identity and accepted the position as a son. Today, there are always areas in my life where the Holy Spirit shows me that the mentality of a slave still prevails. But that doesn't make me despair. I am then simply faced with the decision of whether to follow the Spirit and allow these areas to be renewed through the truth. Joh. 8:32 - «…and the truth will set you free!» This verse is one of my favorite and core verses that I keep reminding myself of. Step by step, it transforms me and leads me further and further into the freedom I am already in!❤️‍🔥

Logan is now also fully funded for his mission trip. 🙌 In the first blog post in the series of Johann's Mission Trip, we briefly mentioned how God placed Logan on Johann's heart. What we haven't told you yet is what happened next. Although Johann was on good terms with Logan, he had decided not to tell him about it at first. At some point, Logan told Johann that he had two jobs and was still having financial difficulties. He had sent out several letters to collect donations for his mission trip without receiving a single penny. He then went from house to house in his neighborhood and told people about his upcoming trip. However, this was not successful either. He tried a few more things until one day he came home and gave everything to God. It was at this very moment that Johann shared his details with you here on the blog. A few weeks later, Logan told Johann after the first lesson that he wanted to give up on studying. Johann quickly understood that the financial situation was not looking good. During the conversation, Logan confirmed that he had the call to come to Bible college and wanted to quit due to lack of finances. Johann and another friend prayed for him and blessed him. The next day and in the weeks that followed, people repeatedly and unnoticed dropped off bags of food at his seat during the big break or invited Logan to lunch. He also found envelopes with money at his place several times. We could see how God was and still is working through different people in Logan's life. As mentioned earlier, his mission trip is fully funded. He is still in school and will graduate in May. Logan is flying to Ecuador in a couple weeks where he will be speaking at a pastor's conference, in addition to other programs. We are excited to see what he will experience in Ecuador. Why are we sharing his story with you? We are not focused on how great we or other people are for supporting him. We want to share with you the impact of listening to God's voice and following His voice. For a long time Johann didn't know why we were supposed to support Logan, but we stepped out in faith and listened to His voice. We can't look into other people's hearts and see what's going on in their lives. Maybe it looks great on the outside, but on the inside someone is struggling with all kinds of different things. And that's why it's important that we listen to God's voice and let it guide us. It was only months after we listened to God's voice that we were able to understand why God put Logan on our hearts. God is not indifferent to His children. He looks at us as a loving Father. And here's our year so far in just a few pictures: It started with a visit from Betty's siblings. We had lots of fun together, but also spent a lot of time in long conversations. At game nights with our housemates, ice sliding at the Ice Castles and hiking in the Garden of the Gods. We have been able to explore a few hiking trails and thanks to a carrier, Elijah is also quite happy most of the time. He is fascinated by dogs - whether real or made of stone. And Johann is developing his mechanic skills. He has his own story with our car ;-) Our car is quite old and a lot of things need to be replaced. We're always happy when Johann can do it himself or the mechanic tells us that we don't necessarily need to replace certain parts. Even if it means we have to deal with the countless bumps and potholes. :-D And that's what is happening here in the next few months: We have both started the application process for the next school year and are currently finalizing and submitting the paperwork. As soon as that is done, the visa process will start. As we will both be going to school every day from August, Elijah will need a babysitter in the mornings. We are currently looking around for other living options vs. another year here in the house. Johann will have the opportunity to work on a project basis again - there are still some formalities to be clarified, as we currently have no active residence and a deactivated residence permit in Switzerland. Johann has an interview with a ministry that focuses on church planting, in which we hope to engage over the summer. We learn to truly rely on God and when we look back and realize that we have worried more instead of trusted, it is only a greater motivation for us to bring out the light the next time. 😉

More than a month has passed since I went on my mission trip to Wyoming. International students are sent out within the USA and I was very excited to go with a group to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Our main mission as a group was to support the Foundations for Nations ministry. Through information from the ministry and people who live there, I soon realized that this mission field might be very different from many other places. In the past, churches and Christians of various denominations have tried to reach the indigenous population. In doing so, they have been forbidden to speak their own language (especially in Wyoming) and Native males have had their hair cut off. Their birth names were changed to western names etc. All this has led to a great mess and today we are reaping what was sown many years before. Many indigenous people there avoid contact with white people and even more so when people talk about Jesus. Another big challenge is that the people there do not have to work because they are paid by their tribes.Almost every house has several cars parked in the yard that are no longer in use. Broken cars are not repaired, but simply parked and a new car is bought instead. In most cases, this also applies to all other things. You can often see up to three houses on a property, of which only one is used and the others look very run down. The reservations have their own laws and rules, which often differ from those in the USA. Also, most indigenous people on the reservation do not believe in any god. Day 1: Monday, 12.11.2023 An 8-hour journey took us from Colorado to Wyoming. We arrived at the newly built church at the Wind River Reservation around 4:30 pm. This was also our accommodation for the week. After we had settled in, that evening the ministry team gave us some information about the indigenous people in the region. This helped me to target my prayers more specifically for the next few days. Day 2: Tuesday, 12.12.2023 The action started right away on day two. Outreach in Fort Washakie was on the agenda. We offered free clothes to the locals. It was very cold outside and while the people were looking through the clothes, we had the opportunity to offer them warm drinks and have conversations with them. I quickly realized that this mission field was totally different from others I had experienced in the past. On the one hand, this is due to the negative experiences of the indigenous people in the past and, on the other, because many of them don't believe in God at all. The majority here don't like talking to white people and if you start talking about Jesus, most of them are immediately defensive. As our group consisted mainly of international students, we had a certain advantage as everyone was instantly aware of our strong accents. So we were usually able to start small talk easily. And in most cases, we were then asked what brought us to Wyoming. I was therefore able to introduce our story and share my testimony. At the end of the conversation, I asked each person if I could pray for them or their family. This afternoon we went to a nursing home, where we mainly served with the Christmas story. We sang Christmas carols and did crafts with the elderly. They were very happy, as many of them never get visitors. Family members often only get in touch after a person has died to benefit from a possible inheritance. My personal goal was to bring a smile to the faces of the people there, which is not so easy. I spent a lot of the time with a man who had been living in the nursing home for about 8 years. During this time, no one had visited him except for Christian organizations that were doing an outreach at the nursing home. We had a long conversation about various things and stopped at the Christmas story. I asked him what Christmas meant to him. He gave me a longer answer and also mentioned that Jesus had come into the world. So I asked him if he knew Jesus and if Jesus was his Lord and Savior? After a short period of silence, he said: "I wouldn't say Savior and Lord. He has forgiven me and because he has forgiven me, I can forgive other people." The man knew what he was talking about... At the end he wanted me to pray for him and his children. As today was also my birthday, the group and the ministry had planned a birthday party for me in the evening.🥳 Day 3: Wednesday, 12.13.2023 On the third day, the original plan was to visit a rehab clinic for drug and alcohol addicts. However, this was canceled at short notice due to a recent outbreak of illness. So we traveled as a group to the Wind River Refuge Mission. The Wind River Refuge Mission is an organization that primarily takes in families who have no home or have been kicked out. The families can stay for up to three months and look for a new home during this time. They are provided with electricity, water and food. We put together a food package for each family for Christmas. The cost of the packages was completely covered by the donations collected for this mission trip. Again, we had time to serve the people and talk to them. They were very open and very happy. Most of the families had more than four children sleeping together in a very small space. That morning we saw one person making a decision for Christ. Party time in heaven. 😉 Afterwards, we went to the womans shelter, which is run and financed by the ministry. The last 1.5 years have been used to convert an old post office into housing. The result is really impressive. It is modern and beautifully furnished. The house can accommodate up to 24 people. The aim is to provide a safe home for women and children affected by domestic violence and primarily to live out discipleship with Christ at the center. The women are allowed to stay between 3-6 months, during which time they also have the opportunity to take part in various courses. 90-95% of all women and girls on the Wind River Reservation have been victims of sexual violence. And only 58 out of 574 tribes across the U.S. provide safe options for victims. Over 80% of people who had spent several years in rehab and then go back to everyday life fall back into the old pattern. In the evening, a youth gathering was on the program. In addition to the sermon, testimonies and a skit, we also ate together, played games and shared a lot. We were able to witness a healing (pain in the thumb disappeared immediately) and two teenagers gave their lives to the Lord. Hallelujah! A few young ones also sought agreement in prayer for healing from past traumas. We were able to minister for a long time that evening and had a lot of fun together afterwards. Day 4: Thursday, 12.14.2023 We started Thursday by decorating the church for the kids' event on Friday. That's right, decorating was also part of our ministry. 😉 We used the time to get to know the church staff better. This afternoon we had probably the most stressful event of the week. Distributing free food to those in need. Usually the first 120 people are allowed to pick up free food during one hour. As we were a larger group, all the people who managed to get into the store during this hour were allowed to take food. I have never seen such a large queue of people waiting outside in very cold temperatures, some without jackets, hours before it started. The food was completely financed by our donations. People were only allowed into the store when accompanied by us and everyone left with three plastic bags. We helped to pack the goods and were able to talk about a few different things and invite everyone to the Sunday service. Afterwards, we escorted them to the car and asked if we could pray for them. Here, too, we sometimes had longer conversations before the people left. A total of 397 people were provided with food that evening. Day 5: Friday, 12.15.2023 We spent Friday morning together with the pastor's family in a natural outdoor spa. Relaxing and sharing testimonies. Here the pastors told us how God had called them to Wyoming and that the newly built church cost about 2.2 million dollars, which was financed completely debt-free. It is a story in itself how God brought people together for this project. Many people who gave two years of their lives to help make this project a success are just a small part of the story. The biggest event of the year for the children took place in the evening. A birthday party for Jesus. Children's ministry in particular is a big part of the ministry and the church. Children on the reservation have PTSD rates as high as soldiers returning from war. This is mainly due to violence and addiction in the families. Day 6: Saturday, 12.16.2023 Today, parents with little money were allowed to choose presents for their children. All they had to do was register in advance and state the number of children. Most of the presents were also paid for from the donations. I asked most of the parents I was allowed to accompany what Christmas looked like for them. Most of the fathers told me that they were going to the casino to spend the money they had received from the tribe... In total, around 50 families with 2-14 children came to pick up presents. We spent our second to last evening in the church, where we were able to experience a powwow. Powwows are the strongest public expression of North American Indian culture. The participants proudly present their tribal affiliation and renew their selfimage as "Native Americans" at each of these events. In sociological terms, powwows are therefore far more than just Native American folk festivals. The purpose of a powwow is to strengthen the community spirit and to actively live the affiliation to a Native American culture. (Source: Wikipedia) After the ceremony, we were able to ask our questions and ate a traditional dinner together in good company. Day 7: Sunday, 12.16.2023 On Sunday morning, we were in charge of the program for the church service. Around 130 people came to the service. In addition to two powerful testimonies from people in our group (a healing from various illnesses so that she was able to get out of her wheelchair and no longer needs it today and the deliverance from drug addiction of several years), I was able to minister with the Word. Our group leader told me a month before our trip that she believed she had heard from God that I should give the sermon. During the mission trip, I learned what input I should bring. It was about the biblical definition of Christianity and what the gospel means and has achieved. We ended with an altar call and three people gave their lives to Christ. People also came forward for prayer who were or are struggling with traumatized pasts or current experiences. Surprisingly, young and older believers came up to me afterwards and told me that the sermon had brought a lot of clarity to their faith life. Hallelujah! After the service, a few more questions were answered and we spent time together over lunch. The day was concluded with a visit to the prison in the evening. This is a prison with the lowest security level. Prisoners who have spent several years in prison are here to slowly get used to normal life again over the last two years. We started with four songs, followed by a skit and a short input from Pastor Sarah Lucas with an altar call. Most of the prisoners preferred one-to-one conversations. I was asked some biblical and general questions, such as "Why did God kill my wife who was a believer?" or "Is it wrong for me to be angry with God?". I had the opportunity to respond to the questions and share the gospel. With others who were already born again, I was able to have a good conversation about the Word as we encouraged and learned from each other. My first prison visit blessed and built me up. In addition to three people being born again, we were also able to baptize three people in the Holy Spirit. A small side note about the prison visit: Very few pastors are allowed to minister and teach the Word in this prison. When the first group from Charis Bible College ministered there three years ago, so many people were transformed that the prison asked Charis Bible College if they could provide materials for the prisoners. As a result, the people there now have materials to study, books to read and much more... Day 8: Monday, 12.17.2023 Filled with memories and experiences, we made our way back to Colorado on December 17, 2023. Final words…. I would like to thank everyone who made this mission trip possible. It was an eye-opening experience for me. Not only because I had never been to an Indian reservation before, but also because I experienced first-hand the great needs and struggles of the people there. I was able to see people being changed by the gospel. We as a group had the goal of presenting Jesus to the people. Our message was the gospel of the kingdom of God, and not the gospel of salvation, which is part of it. In addition to 10 born-again testimonies, we were also able to celebrate two physical healings and three baptisms. I love how Pastor Bill Johnson describes the difference between the gospel of salvation and the gospel of the kingdom of God. Pastor Bill Johnson: "The gospel of salvation is glorious, but it is just a part of the gospel of the Kingdom. The gospel of salvation is focused on going to heaven. The gospel of the Kingdom is focused on bringing heaven. We have to stop confusing our destination with our assignment." God has and is doing wonderful things through the Foundations for Nations Ministry. I am sure that every one of you who made this trip possible and sent us out will have the same reward in heaven as those of us who were there to serve the people. If you would like to see a few more pictures from our mission trip, you can do so on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/881479390020420/ Thanks again to everyone who made this possible. The Lord is with us!