The Middle East 2010

Posted February 4, 2010

Dearest Friends,

THE GARBAGE DUMP

My heart is very full as I write these words to you. This morning 150 boys, 10 to 12 years old, gathered for a program. We had given our stage to friends in another country, so we used storytelling, balloons, juggling and testimonies to make a show for the children. God poured His spirit on these children. All of us knew that we were seeing the Father do something special, something precious. You could see the hunger in their eyes.

When it was time to pray, they stood and faced east. They do this because Jesus is the Son of Righteousness and the sun rises in the east.

Then we heard the children calling on Jesus to save them! They prayed loudly in Arabic and were so excited. When we finished, their joy knew no bounds. They clapped and cheered and called out thanks to each of us by name. As I left, they all reached out to me to shake my dirty hands. No one hesitated to take my hand even though it was black from the chalk dust. What is a chalk dust to a child who lives in a garbage dump?

Today was a special day for these boys. It is winter break here and they are attending a special 1 day conference. The ministry that we worked with today rented a place where the children could breathe cleaner air and see a different world. It is only a day and you would not have thought that this place was very nice. However, it was the stuff of their dreams.

Today, each child had a shower. Water is in short supply in the 6 areas that are dumps surrounding this city. I was told that they are very pleased and surprised when they see themselves clean. Then, they see a doctor and are treated for lice. Breakfast is served. Finally, the children were brought to us and they were ready to listen. Through all of these kindnesses, they had tasted God’s love and now they were ready to pray, to accept Jesus as their Savior.

You really can not imagine the smell. It is cold enough here at the moment for a coat and it was still overpowering. Where they live is horrible. We drove through the area and could not believe our eyes. There was trash piled everywhere. There are lots of rats, especially since the government killed all of their pigs in fear of swine flu. The government admitted that they made a mistake, but did not replace the pigs. There is no other animal that will eat all that a pig eats and so the trash multiplies. They scavenge from the garbage that they can recycle and sell it. However, the rest just piles up. Generations have lived and died in this awful place.

We trained some local Christians and gave them some supplies to help them tell better Bible stories to their children. They were so grateful, but I am more grateful. Thank you for sending me to the middle east and thank you for covering us with prayer.

I will always hold this day in my heart and treasure it. We are all so very blessed. Please pray for these boys to grow up and become men of God.

Please pray for us as we leave for the airport in hours. First, we will do a program for children. This will be our last in the Middle East. Pour prayer on all these things!

Today is Sam's 35th birthday. What an incredible way to celebrate!!

Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted February 3, 2010

Dearest Friends,

ANSWERED PRAYER AT 2 AIRPORTS

We are safely in another country. We left the place where cedars once were used to build the temple in Bible times and are now in the land where Joseph so long ago won favor with a king. How amazing to have this opportunity to share with children stories about Jesus in the Middle East.

Yesterday, at the airports, God answered all of our prayers. Silvana and I specifically prayed, asking for no additional charges for our bags. We were carrying a lot of equipment, as we are giving supplies to people in this place.

We clearly had too much luggage, but were shown great mercy. There were no charges.

Our second prayer was that when we went to get our visa for this country at the airport that we would have no problems. We asked God to not let them ask a single question. They asked nothing and we got permission to be in the country. Praise God!

To the children who are reading these emails, I want to encourage you to always pray about everything. God is concerned about the details in your lives. He will go ahead of you and always take care of you. Keep your eyes on Jesus!

A NEW WORK

Tonight, we will meet with brothers and sisters for training. Last night, we gathered with new friends and discovered that we had the same heart for telling children about Jesus. Together, we made plans for future ministry in this place, including a conference for children in 2011. You can start praying now!

A HARD PLACE

This country has more professing Christians than any other nation in the Middle East; however they are still a small percentage of the population. The majority of this nation is Muslim. We are surrounded by mosques and always hear the call to prayer with clarity. It is a good reminder for me to pray to the one true God for this place. Are you praying for these children?

The Christians here face many problems. They can only have meetings in their church buildings. In addition to all of the procedures that normal churches require, they also face many government restrictions. It is possible for Christians here to face the most severe penalties if they do not abide by the government's rules. Please hold them in your prayers.

THE GARBAGE DUMP

On the edge of the city is a place where all the trash is taken. The adults and children sort through it, recycling what they can. The smell of garbage is overwhelming. We will be in this place, tomorrow, Thursday, to share with the children. More, we will be training and giving some equipment to those who work there with these precious little ones. Pray!

HOME AND MORE PRAYER

At 1:45am in the morning on Friday, we will go to the airport and begin our journey home. Please pray us safely home.

I have spent this day in bed. We had no plans until evening, so this was a perfect day to be sick. I have been in contact with a doctor friend at home. It appears that I have a viral infection and need your prayers.

Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted February 1, 2010

Dearest Friends,

ALL JOY

We finish our time in this country in the Middle East with all joy. This morning as I was preparing to leave for our last show, I was praying and asking the Father to do what I could not imagine at the program today. I knew that so many of you were praying for us and the children. Let me share with you how God answered our prayers.

As usual, we were told that we did not need translation, and usually this is true. The children hear speak English very well. However, this time we really needed it. The children spoke Arabic as a first language and French as their second language. English was their third language and some had only begun to study. Since I have only 2 words in Arabic and only a few more in French, we knew that we had to have help.

God was kind to us and the teachers agreed that we needed help. A good translator quickly appeared, with a very sweet smile. She translated into Arabic and did a terrific job.

There were over 600 children and teachers at the show. Many prayed out loud,calling on Jesus to save them. It was beautiful! My translator was also touched by the prayer and asked me to write the words on paper for her. I explained that there was no magic or power in the words. She said, "I understand. It is all about the relationship. I want to teach the children to pray this way." Please pray for her efforts to teach the children how to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior.

They have invited us to return next year. More, the nun that picked us up for the show was very kind to us and gave us many small gifts. The children presented each of us, including Sam, with the largest ,most beautiful bouquets of flowers. Each one was different. What a beautiful finish! In truth, as one friend wrote to me earlier today, it is a great beginning for many of these children.

There were children in the crowd from a Catholic tradition and many Muslim children. Schools present an amazing opportunity for the Gospel. Because of their tradition, the school gave us total freedom to share with the children. So many children heard about Jesus!

I LOVE PUPPETS

The little 5 year old daughter of one of the seminary students loves puppets and so her father brought her to the show yesterday at the church. Tonight, he came and spoke to us. He was so excited! His little daughter had retold the story to him perfectly today. More, she had started to pray differently. She thanked God for Jesus dying on the cross for her. Her father told us that they had not taught her to pray this way. She learned this during the Bible story. Praise God!

I was 5 years old when I trusted in Jesus. I am praying that she will grow up to tell many about Him. Please pray for her!

LE GRAIN de BLE

This is a children's ministry whose name translates "a grain of wheat". One of their team members came and met with us today and shared with us wonderful stories about what God is doing in the Middle East. They travel all over this part of the world sharing with children. As I listened to him share, I was reminded again that nothing is impossible for God.

We have heard so many stories about God's moving in this part of the world. I have been so surprised and blessed by these testimonies. Please pray for the Christians here as many are doing so much for the kingdom. Also, please pray the work of Le Grain de Ble as this is important work that they are doing with the children.

PRAYER NEEDS

By 7AM tomorrow morning, Tuesday, we will be in another country, one that is more difficult for the Gospel. Please pray that we will have no problems at the airport. Please pray for those that we will train and those that we will share with in 2 different areas.

Please thank God for our friend Gladys who could not have done a better job organizing this trip. Because of her love for the cross, we shared with thousands of children how Jesus could change their lives. More, we leave behind a new puppet team that is forming to share with thousands more children. I thank the Lord for Gladys!

I am also grateful to all of you who sent us here through your prayers and generous gifts. Please continue to pray!

Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted January 31, 2010

Dearest Friends,

AN AMAZING ANSWER

The entire time that we have been in the Middle East, we have been looking for Arabic children's music with a good beat to use with the puppets. We have some wonderful Arabic music for younger children, but we needed something special for the older children. More, we can only sing in Arabic where we plan to be next year. English was preferred in most of the schools in this city, so it has not been a problem.

This morning we attended a special children's concert at a wonderful church. The man was so very talented, but so humble. His name is Nizar Fares and he graciously gave us permission to use his music in any Arabic speaking country. This is a huge answer to prayer. We are all so grateful for God's kindness to us and His providence for our future ministry in the Middle East. The puppets will look great singing his music.

A LOVELY LUNCH

The Academic Dean of the seminary is also the pastor of the church we visited today. This afternoon, we enjoyed the most lovely lunch at his mother's home. The house was more than a 100 years old and boasted a beautiful view from the balcony. We could see the sea as well as the bullet holes that marked the walls. During the war, Israeli tanks were stationed on the hill behind the house. During the fighting, the kitchen was destroyed.

The family was not home as they had fled to the mountains. We are meeting many Christians here who are often caught in the middle of others' conflicts. They try to minister to all sides.

One young man from this church is a converted Suni Muslim. Just after the 2006 war, the Lord laid on his heart a desire to give an Israeli soldier a Bible. He risked his life to deliver this gift. Truly, we have met some amazing Christians in this place!

I really appreciated his mother's hospitality. She is also a widow and uses her energy to help build the church through her hospitality. We spent the afternoon talking with new friends from Latin and South America and Middle Eastern countries. It was lovely!

SO MANY CHILDREN

The church did a terrific job advertising a puppet show that we did this afternoon. The church was literally exploding with children and young families. When they ran out of chairs, they put carpets on the floor for the children. The pastor was so happy. Everyone seemed to have the best time and more than half of the room was visitors. Muslim children and children from a Christian tradition attended. We invited all of them to put their trust in Jesus! One young man encouraged me "to continue to wave Christ's flag all over the world". The he said that he would ask God to renew my strength so that I would rise up like an eagle and tell all the children about Jesus. I hope that the Father answers his prayers as I love this work! Each time that I stand in front of children, my heart is so full of joy. Thank you for sending me to this wonderful place. I want to encourage all of you who are reading this email that your prayers are much appreciated!

PRAYER NEEDS

Tomorrow, Monday, we have puppet shows in schools with children from Muslim and Christian backgrounds. This is our last day in this country. We want to finish well! Ask the Father to call many children to Himself.

Please ask the Father to go ahead of us as on Tuesday we move to another country that is much harder for the Gospel.

Please pray for a possible opportunity in 2012 to go to Alexandria, Egypt and plant a ministry there. The delay is because we are waiting for our contact to finish seminary. Please pray!

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted January 30, 2010

Dearest Friends,

Our New Team

We are so blessed by all we saw the Father do today and amazed at how wonderfully he answered your prayers. Today we trained some 36 people. We expected that maybe 10 would commit to puppet ministry after we spent a day training. However, most expressed an interest in forming a team. So, they may need to form 2 or 3 teams. More, most committed to help with their summer camps which is a big ministry here.

The following list will give you many reasons to praise God. It will give you much to pray about as you see some of the doors that the Lord is opening for future ministry.

Brothers and sisters attended the training from many Arab nations. Through their testimonies, we are all developing a different attitude about working in the Middle East. They are very relaxed and comfortable in sharing with both Sunni and Shia Muslims. Many had stories about great opportunities that they were having or had enjoyed among Shia families, those who support Hezbollah.

Already, we are planning a return trip to this place for next year. We hope to train a second team in the Northern part of the country. This nation is the most open and safest in the Middle East. There is the potential here for training people from all over this part of the world.

Blessing

1. A young man gave me a red rose to thank me for what he had learned in the training session on Saturday. He smiled when I thanked him and said that older ladies seldom get flowers. His gift made me very happy.
2. One young woman invited us to Latvia to plant a puppet ministry. We have never worked in a Baltic state and have long prayed for a door into this part of the world. Please pour prayer on this opportunity.
3. Another gentleman got very excited and wants us to come to Kurdistan. He told us that they would love the program. He called me mother. His mother died when he was a baby. His father died after a long illness. Though he speaks in broken English, his heart shines through his words. He has a real passion for Jesus Christ and received the ministry tools that we gave him with joy. Please pray for God’s provision and safety for our friend. Often, he greets us by placing his hand on his heart. Truly, he touches my heart.
4. All of the people who came to the training seminar were so excited. Our "students" ranged in age from 10 to over 50. It was a great class and we expect that the Lord will raise up a great team, or teams from this group.
5. They had such joy as they tied the balloons and were eager to try the chalk and draw. Pray that their enthusiasm remains as they practice dozens of new skills.
6. We received an invitation to train a team in Baghdad. Though it is not possible now, pray for the Father to make it possible. Our friend, Pastor Ara really wants this ministry in his country for his children. Will you pray?
7. I met 2 little boys today at the training, Nader and Robert. They are from 2 different Middle Eastern nations. The boys are 11 and 10 and reminded me of my 2 sons, Josh and Matt. They were only 10 and 11 when they started the puppet ministry. I know that children can do big things for God! Please pray for these 2 boys to serve Jesus with passion.

Prayer Needs

My heart is very full. We are full of joy and looking forward to sharing in church tomorrow. We will be doing a puppet show for the children. I heard that many of the children who saw us at a school the other day wanted to see us again so they are coming to the church tomorrow. Please pray for this time with the children!

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted January 29, 2010

Dearest Friends,

MEMORIES OF WAR

This country has experienced more war in the last 30 years than peace. Though it has been good here the last several years, the children still remember. To a child, it does not matter who was fighting or why, they just hurt. Several teachers have talked with me about many students they have who struggle with terrible memories. They remember the bombs or they saw someone die. Please ask the Father to comfort these children with the peace that only Jesus gives. Only Jesus can take away their pain.

FOUR ARMENIAN SCHOOLS

Today, children from four Armenian schools gathered for a puppet show. I learned wonderful things about their culture. Their alphabet has 36 letters, each with a different sound. There are no letter blends in their language. The children thanked us profusely. "Thank you" in Armenian literally translates "we receive grace from God through you." I thought that this was awesome!

They live in a very difficult place, in an area of the city that was marsh land. The Director of the school has a real heart for these children. He encouraged us to walk through the narrow streets and see how the children live. The buildings are very old, tall and the sunlight never touches many of the streets. The area is always humid, unbearable in summer.

Near the school is a large trash dump. He told us that the smell is so bad on warm days that it is impossible for the students to concentrate. They are also located near the harbor. On the days when they bring cows, the smell is horrible. Again, the children cannot study. They want very much to preserve their culture, though they have been in this country more than 80 years. The children learn to speak fluent English, Arabic, and Armenian. I at least learned to say hello in their language, "Parrev".

All of the children forgot their troubles at least for a little bit of time. They laughed and enjoyed everything. I heard a few children softly calling on Jesus. As they left, many children said to me, "It was beautiful."

Thank you for praying for these children today. The Father answered your prayers as they received the Gospel with joy!

I WAS WRONG

At our first show this morning, the 3 and 4 years olds wanted to join with the rest of the school, grades K-6. I told the teachers that I was sure they could not sit for an hour. I expected the large puppets and the loud sounds in my storytelling to scare them. The teachers begged and I said ok, with their promise that they would take the children out if they got upset or frightened.

Today, I heard a precious 4 year old child praying with me, putting his trust in Jesus. I had forgotten that my youngest son Matt was 4 when he put his trust in Jesus.

I was wrong. The children sat spellbound during the program and were not afraid of anything. I apologized several times to the teachers.

I always teach people in our training seminars that it is important to be humble if you want to be a good teacher. Today, I had the opportunity to practice my own lesson. Pease pray for me as my heart’s desire is hear the Father and to be a blessing to these children.

PRAYER and PRAISE

Tomorrow, Saturday, we train our new puppet team and we need you to ask the Father to bless us with wisdom as teachers. Please pray that our students will learn very quickly and have enthusiasm for this ministry.

You can praise God for a training time we had this afternoon for three hours. Forty Sunday school teachers and Christian school teachers gathered for a class. Their enthusiasm for what they were learning was great. They thanked us, hugged us, and told us how they planned to try new ideas with the children they serve. Praise God!

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted January 28, 2010

Dearest Friends,

Two Muslim Ladies

Saahar and Abeer are two Muslim ladies that I met today. Saahar means "end of night and start of morning". Abeer means "the smell of the flower". Both were graduating today with certificates in English from a women's center. I was the guest speaker at their graduation. It was a great privilege.

The Father answered your prayers for today in a wonderful way. The ladies really listened as I spoke on Psalm 86 and 89 about the steadfast love of God. I watched their faces as I shared how God had shown me His steadfast love across every year and problem in my life. Some had tears in their eyes.

I wanted them to see that we are not that different. We share a love of family and friends. We dream of a great love story. We care about our children. I wanted them to hear how God could meet my needs and answer my problems so that they could believe God could take care of them. I believe from the conversations that I had after class with some of the ladies that they went home with real questions about Jesus. One lady told me that she had something to think about tonight.

Please pray for these ladies to return to the center tomorrow and next week and next month asking real questions about what they heard about Jesus. I have already received a thank you note over email from the director and she is encouraged by how today went.

When I finished, a lady asked me a question. She made a statement about Islam and waited for me to argue with her. I know that you prayed for me because I had a sweet answer and a sweet smile. This would have been bad if I had responded with a defensive spirit. I felt your prayers.

Teachers Training

Our program this afternoon was advertised as a teachers training seminar for the staff at a Christian school. However, many of the teachers are Muslim. There are just not enough Christian teachers to fully staff the school. However, since we were at a Christian school we had total freedom to talk about Jesus Christ. The teachers were very excited to be able to learn many new things, but we were more excited to be able to share with them about the Great Teacher.

Please pray for those who heard the Gospel today to receive Jesus as their Savior! They left the seminar very excited and thanked us profusely for our time. Pray that the Lord gives them a thankful heart for the Gospel.

Funny Things... Different Things

1. I often wear black clothes because the chalk dust from my drawings makes such a mess. I am usually one of the few people in the room wearing so much black. However, today at the Muslim ladies meeting I blended beautifully with the crowd. They were all wearing black. Several ladies told me how much they liked my dress. This was funny.
2. For lunch I ordered green steak. The translation was just a little off. It was actually a steak salad. It was delicious!
3. Sam made all of the teachers laugh at a training seminar when he told them he would demonstrate his ability to multi- task. He talked while tying a balloon.
4. The traffic here is crazy. I decided today that it requires much prayer to drive across town!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the two puppet shows that we have tomorrow and a 3 hour training time with Christians who work with children. Please pray for our time training our new puppet team on Saturday . We have a lot to teach and only a day to do it in.

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam & Silvana

Posted January 27, 2010

Dearest Friends,

BLESSINGS

We have just enjoyed another very sweet day. Three puppet shows today gave us the privilege of sharing with almost 600 children. God is blessing us beyond all measure. Today, the children laughed and cheered. Again, we heard many children calling on Jesus to be their King, to be their Savior. What a joy!

Again, most of the children at the first 2 shows were from Muslim homes. The children at the third show all lived in a very nice part of the town. Rich or poor, from Muslim homes or Christian homes, their need is the same. The need Jesus! Please pray for all of these children to grow strong in their new faith. Some will not be able to tell their parents who they met today.

FUNNY THINGS... DIFFERENT THINGS...

1. A lady today in the bazaar thought that Sil was Arabic. She insisted Sil spoke Arabic to her.
2. An older man in the bazaar put a Lebanese hat on my head and called me a Lebanese princess. There are several problems with this statement. I told the man that I was too old to be a princess. He laughed. Also, the hat was black and pointed and of course, I was wearing a black dress. This is not my idea of a princess.
3. A little boy at the orphanage asked me if I was Chinese. I am guessing he has never seen a Chinese person.
4. I am trying my best to speak a little Arabic, but the lessons are not going well.
5. People here do not say Welcome. They say "You are welcome". I think that this is beautiful.

PRAY REQUESTS

1. Please pray for us tomorrow as we share with a group of Muslim women. They are having a graduation from a skills class and I have the honor of sharing. They are very poor ladies from difficult places and I need wisdom.
2. In the afternoon, the three of us are teaching preschool teachers at a Christian school to tie balloons. Most are Muslim teachers and we are doing this as a way to share with them how they can live with hope through faith in Jesus. Please pray that they will have open hearts. They have heard the Gospel many times, but have never heard with their hearts.
3. We have more puppet shows and training planned in the next few days. Please pour prayer on every opportunity that the Father will give us.

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana Shaw

Posted January 26, 2010

Dearest Friends,

OUR GREAT PLEASURE

The Father gave us the most wonderful day! There was not the expected change in the schedule and we were able to do 3 puppet shows. Praise God!

Our first 2 programs were at a Christian school where 90% of the children are Muslim. They come to the school so that they can receive a good education. We spoke with many of the teachers there and the principal. All shared how they hoped that the children would receive more than a good education. Their great desire is for them to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. We had total freedom as we shared with the children and were allowed to pray with them. In both programs, we heard the children praying out loud, calling on God to forgive them and Jesus to save them.

They were so sweet and showered us with their gratitude. I received so many hugs! We spent their breaks talking with many of them after the programs. They asked lots of questions and several wanted Silvana and I to take them home with us. The teachers told us that many of the children were living in very difficult places. Divorce is common and easy here for a Muslim man. He must simply say, I divorce you , four times in the presence of witnesses. Since it is so easy, many of their mothers were always fearful, making home a difficult place.

Too many were from broken homes and really wanted a father. They had spoken to the teachers about their problems and were ready to listen to the Gospel.

As I write these words to you, I am very tired and happier than I can express. We see and hear the fruit of your prayers. Thankyou!

STREET CHILDREN

Our last show was at an orphanage for street children. They represented many nations. Some could not tell you where they were from. There were 2 toddlers in the group with no siblings with them. Some had seen their parent kill the other parent. Most had experienced some form of abuse. The children often come to the orphanage with lice so many had their heads shaved. Their pain filled their eyes.

When I spoke about heaven as a place with no fear and no pain, a couple of children nodded their heads. You could tell that this sounded good to them. I explained to them that when you are forgiven you can forgive anyone anything. They have much to forgive, but they eagerly asked God to forgive them and called on Jesus to save them.

I am crying now for their deep hurt, but none of us cried when we were with them. We did our best to show them the love of Jesus and explain to them how much God has for them if they put their trust in His Son. Please pray for these children and the Christians who faithfully care for them.

Life is not easy at the orphanage, but it is so much better than living on the street. How does a toddler survive? The government gathered these children and brought them to the orphanage, but many more roam the streets. It is estimated that there are thousands of street children. Some were abandoned, but many cannot remember how they came to the streets. Please love them tonight with your prayers.

CAN YOU IMAGINE...

1. There singing in Arabic, "I will follow you all of my life with no turning back. I love you my Lord Jesus."?
2. Can you imagine our wonder at being allowed to tell these precious children here in the Middle East about Jesus Christ and His love?
3. Can you imagine our delight as we hear the children pray?
4. Can you imagine how difficult it is to follow Jesus in this place for many of your brothers and sisters?
5. Can you imagine your blessing in heaven some day as you faithfully pray for the children and our Christian family here?
6. Can you imagine how your committed prayers might change this part of the world?

PLEASE REMEMBER

Please remember to pray for the families of those who died in the plane crash. Ask the Father to send Christians to comfort these families and help them at this very difficult time.

PLEASE PRAY!

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted January 25, 2010

Dearest Friends,

JOY

At the puppet show some 250 children responded with laughter and clapping. We could hear one little boy praying out loud, calling on Jesus, but felt that more children were responding to the Father's love. They were all so excited! Many returned asking for our autographs. It was everything that we had hoped and prayed for in a first show. More, our friends that watched the show were thrilled and eager to come to the training that we have planned. Please keep praying!

Twenty Five Minutes

Twenty five minutes from where we are staying at the seminary, a plane crashed into the sea this morning. A lightening strike apparently brought it down with no survivors. Some 90 people walked into eternity this morning. Too few here have even heard about Jesus as more than a prophet. They do not know the Gospel. They live and die with no hope.

Tomorrow, our shows will probably be canceled as 54 of the passengers were from this country. A national day of mourning is expected and all schools will close. Please pray as we seek to reschedule these programs. Most of these children who we were planning to be with tomorrow are Muslim. I do not want them to live and die without hope.

A good friend of many of our friends, an Ethiopian Pastor was planning to fly today. However, his paperwork did not come through. At church Sunday, they said he was aggravated about the change in his plans. Now he is so thankful.

Please pray for those who died. Ask the Father to soften their ears to the Gospel. Ask the Father to soften their hearts to the Gospel. Ask the Father to send Christians to them to show them compassion.

THE NEWS

From this morning...I am sitting in the chapel listening to my brothers and sisters from all over the Middle East sing praises to Jesus. Their smiles are so beautiful. Their joy is so real and deep. I am forever changed. I will never hear the news again without thinking about them, their wives and children.

We now have friends from Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kurdistan and more countries. Now when I hear these names, I will think of their hopes and joys, their dreams. My prayers will be bigger. Pray for these brothers and sisters who so fearlessly serve our Lord.

WORSHIP

Sunday morning, we went to church. Though this is not an unusual activity for any of us, I confess that I felt different. I have never been in an Arabic service. It was incredible to hear so many Arabic voices singing "Jesus lives in me and this is the song of my victory".

The pastor shared his own testimony. As a 14 year old boy, he had called on God. He simply said "Lord have mercy on me, for I am a sinner". He explained how that simple prayer forever changed the life of one man. He told people how he was an overcomer because Jesus lived in him and urged no one to leave church without making sure that they knew Jesus.

I was very surprised when I later heard that 35% of the crowded meeting place were visitors. Most were not believers. There is great hunger here for the Gospel. As I see the Father moving so powerfully in this place, I have questions. Am I devoting prayer time to the people of this place? Are you devoting time to the people of this place?

FUNNY THINGS... DIFFERENT THINGS...

1. A little girl was very excited when she found out I was an American. She said, "Have you met Hannah Montana?" This was a first for me.
2. We eat olives for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I love this because olives are one of my favorite foods. More, they are very different than those at home. They are especially tasty!
3. I always want to make a good impression when I meet people for the first time. I was so excited when I met Gladys at the airport. I was telling her a story and walked into the elevator door. Now my eye is turning black and my childhood dreams of outgrowing my clumsiness are ended.

PLEASE PRAY AND FEEL FREE TO WRITE BACK IN RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL!

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana

Posted January 24, 2010

Dearest Friends,

THE MIDDLE EAST

The Father is so kind to us! We arrived safely, with no problems at customs. The visa that I needed at the airport here was not a problem. None of the equipment was damaged in transport. Even all of our equipment was transferred in Frankfurt to our plane which was such a wonder because we were on the ground only 40 minutes in Frankfurt before transferring to our next flight. I was so relieved as I looked out the airplane window and saw them loading our puppet stage. Thank you for praying!

GLADYS

Our friend that we are working with in this country is a lovely young woman with a real passion for telling children about Jesus. She has organized a wonderful schedule, including many opportunities to share with children, teach national children's workers and even speak to a women's group. There are other doors that the Lord is opening that I will share with you about during the week. Please pour prayer on these programs as we are in a Muslim nation where many object to the Gospel. We want to be a light in the dark. I desperately want these children to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Pray!

URGENT PRAYER NEEDS

As you gather on Sunday morning to worship with no fear of persecution that our friends in this part of the world face daily, would you please have a special time of prayer for the work this week. We need great wisdom. If a child comes to faith here, he or she cannot tell their Muslim parents. There are some doors we have open to us that will require us to choose our words very carefully. We will not compromise the wonder of God's love and Jesus' sacrifice, but we must be wise. As all of us call on the Father, together we will share with these precious children.

THE SEMINARY

We are staying in a very nice place with brothers and sisters from many places in the Middle East. At our first meal together last night, we heard stories from a man who works near Iran. He told us about the hunger that he has seen in Muslims for the Good News. More, he spoke of huge numbers of people who put their trust in Jesus. Awesome! The food was delicious! We enjoyed tomatoes and cucumbers with chicken sausages flavored with nutmeg. The best part of the meal was that we were eating with brothers from so many countries that I have only read about. Now, I see faces and hear personal stories. I am thrilled to be here!

PLEASE NOTE: The earthlink email address is no longer working. Please write to me at msummer05@gmail.com or admin@theagapepuppets.org or linda@theagapepuppets.org You can always reply to our trip emails. I would love to hear from you!

In Jesus,

Linda for Sam and Silvana Shaw
(Yes, there are just the 3 of us on this trip)

Posted January 22, 2010

Dearest Friends,

I am so excited and need you to pray! We are leaving today to work in 2 countries in the Middle East. We will not be able to poat pictures until we return. Some of the people that we will be working with walk with Jesus in very difficult places. They risk everything to serve the Lord. It is humbling to have this great privilege! Hold them in your prayers!

I have so enjoyed my time in the USA. During December, I had the joy of having around 500 children, teenagers, and adults tour my home. I shared with all of them about Jesus and the real story of Christmas. Some of them were from difficult homes and broke my heart when they asked if they could live with me. They had never met me before. They wanted me to be their mother or grandmother. Sometimes they asked the most incredible questions and opened the door wide for the Gospel. I saw children come to faith! Praise God!

I have spoken at many churches and shared during puppet shows at many places this past month and a half. We all especially enjoyed sharing with a group of mentally handicapped adults who functioned as young children. At an Awana program, we heard children praying out loud, calling on Jesus to save them. God is very kind to us!

I am rested and ready to run this race that the Father has lovingly set before us. Please pray with enthusiasm!

In Jesus, Linda for the team

Please note that only Sam and Silvana Shaw are traveling with me on this trip.