Final thoughts of Austria from Jeni

Make God Famous today... words I heard several time from our team leader throughout the two weeks. He used them in different ways, but in general the words meant the same. When we left for Austria this time I wasn't sure what God had planned for us. I knew personally in my life things were flipped upside down and the only thing that made sense to me was to go to Austria. My role in Austria was to simply serve God in what ever He had planned for me... No More, No Less and Nothing Else but what He had planned. I know people laugh at me and say that is a Tall Order to keep, but after what had happened to my family in the last few months I knew that those words were my simple but clear directions from God.

So as I headed on the plan, off to Austria and not really knowing what God had planned for me I could feel instantly that I was on the path He had set for me... which was an awesome feeling of peace to have. Along with peace, I also felt him preparing my heart for something bigger than what I experienced on last year's Austria trip. Last year I learned how to be a listener, and not always a teacher... I was molded and shaped by my experiences that I had with the Oasis team and not so much with the refugees I met.

This year the trip for me was all about relationships... new relationships with our team, deeper relationships with the Oasis team that taught me so much last year, sharing and caring relationships with the refugees and most of all a closer relationship with God. Today I was asked by David (an Oasis missionary) what was different for me... I told him that expressing what I felt was so much harder for me. Last year I was able to share experiences I had and I was able to talk about how much I learned from the Oasis team. This year I should be sharing about the amazing refugees I met and how they spoiled me with special meals, how we had long talks about their families and their futures, but all I can think of is how much they need us to pray for them. The most important thing we can do for them is to pray, and never stop praying for them.

This year I was blessed with the opportunity to meet several refugees and spend time talking with them and what I saw was... I saw hope, I saw sadness, I saw fear, I saw their futures, I saw faith, I saw love, I saw anger, I saw prayers being answered, and I saw God working in each of their lives even if they didn't see Him themselves. I saw God! I saw God being made Famous in every word that was spoken, every action that was taken, in every story that was shared.

So my final thoughts of Austria comes in a prayer request... please continue to pray for the Oasis team - for they have the blessing and the burden of every day lifting up the refugees spirits, and sharing God's love with them even when they don't want to hear it. Please pray daily for all the refugees that have been at the camp, are at the camp and will be at the camp in the future. Pray for their hearts to be softened so they can see God in their lives. Please pray for our team as we continue to take the new gifts and skills God has blessed us with and learn how to use them back here in the United States.

Thank you to each one of you that have supported us in prayer and financially... each of you were an intricate part of this trip. Plus Each One of you literally played a part in helping us Make God Famous!

Serving Him Faithfully,
Jeni