Message from Kathy

Dear Family and Friends,

It is Sunday morning and we are home following a Saturday spent traveling back from Austria. It is now 4am, and although I should still be in bed sleeping, my body is telling me I am still in Austria. What a perfect time to reflect on our Mission Trip, and how we saw God at work in us, through us and all around us.

As I left on my first mission trip, I promised myself that my expectation for this trip was to not have any expectations or any concern that I might have a problem not knowing German or any one of the number of languages that were spoken along the way. It was so amazing to see how a smile, a handshake, a gentle touch or offering a simple cup of coffee or tea spoke volumes and gave hope to a people that were now away from their homelands, lost and longing for comfort and a helping hand.

God has Blessed The Oasis and the wonderful Ministry and Missionaries that are working there. From providing a clothing room, and helping to distribute clothing to the refugees and seeing how genuinely thankful each was for these items; participating in bible study night and how husbands, wives, children, men and women could come together in one room and hear the Gospel and read from bibles written in thier language; how refugees would eagerly move to another room to view the Jesus Film in their own language; how the children learned gospel stories acted out with costumes, song and dance and how they lit up the room with their enthusiasm and joy; viewing their beautiful works of art pressed on walls that were completely covered, and how they beamed with pride to have them displayed; to the coffee bar, where The Oasis doors were opened up for all to come in, partake in games, drink coffee, tea and have fun times laughing and moving about the room, sharing their storie as we attentively listened; and there was ladies night, a night devoted just to the women, filled with singing, dancing, pampering, as we would make sure each of these special women, were allowed to feel special.

The list goes on and on.....I am so thankful that God blessed me with the opportunity to make this journey and to come to know the Missionary Staff at the Oasis and their passion for spreading the Gospel: Tom and Joanne, Carol, Dan and Marie, Dan and Reagan, David, Christian and Barbara and all those that were there helping during our time spent there.

And to my fantastic teammates: John, Jeni, Maureen and Rose. I will never forget one moment spent with the four of you as we worked, laughed and shed tears together. I have so appreciated getting to know each one of you. May God continue to Bless you and your families.

And finally, for the lives of the refugees and The Oasis Ministry and Missionaries that we have now become connected to, may God continue to Bless you and keep you.

Auf Wiedersehen for now,
Kathy