Chris writes: for those of you still not aware in two weeks time we shall be leaving Kosova and returning to UK to start another chapter in our life...we have not finished here in Kosova...but hope to do our supporting from UK....
......we are currently talking with a number of local people about forming a steering group that will manage and direct the Lighthouse, which we have established in Gjakova, we hope and pray this will enable it to go from strength to strength.....maybe it needs to change (location, name, opening times) and like anything else in the Christian life we must be ready to accept that....please pray for grace for all in this....
Today is the 1st Birthday for Lighthouse as we started renting one year ago today.....we don't know the future for Lighthouse or us when we get back to UK but what we do know is we have blessed many people over the year and impacted many lives around the world..many of you have contributed financially and prayed faithfully so you have contributed to this project as much as we have we are so grateful to each and every one of you.... some have even been able to come and join us and over the last few weeks we have had so many happy faces in the Lighthouse making cakes and other crafts....thanks especially to Jeanette and Shirley for that....
..........was this all just for a season??....only time will tell.....
Thanks so much for all your messages, prayers and words of support and encouragement....but please do keep praying.... especially for this week as we have someone from UK and someone from Holland visiting representing ISAAC...(International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition)....we have several meetings and next Saturday will be holding a drug awareness day in the Lighthouse.
Much love and blessings from us both xx
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Sunday, 19 May 2013
....."...light and momentary troubles...."
Chris writes: how is your life at the moment? how are things going with you?? We are good. We had a great time in Montenegro up in the mountains...there was snow on the ground and yet we were wearing t-shirts! was a really restful encouraging and great time of fellowship.....in the cafe back in Gjakova they had a great week...the person who stood in for us did a great job...which could bode well for the future.........
.........this week has been pretty quiet......we also had a visit from the immigration police......!!
Feeling a little like Paul....speaking to the Corinthians: "We are hard pressed.....but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair...." 2 Cor 4: 8 NIV ......!!
Maybe to some of you it might not come as a surprise then if you have heard our news that we are leaving Kosova and returning to UK.......but look further down the same chapter.....Paul talks about...."...light and momentary troubles...." 4:17
.......four weeks from today after almost five years in Kosova we shall be returning to England...our plan is to spend three months travelling, sharing with some of you and also resting while we wait on God and prepare for the next step.....the journey is not over and the adventure continues......
............your prayers and support have not been in vain....we have cast seeds and built relationships and we hope and pray that what we have begun can be continued....but we have to trust God that His will is best...but this is hard and easier said than done..
.......we still believe in vision of Lighthouse and maybe even would like to see more Lighthouses opening around Kosova in the future.........we are hoping and praying that someone...maybe a local person or persons can continue the work we have birthed and established in Gjakova.......if it is God's will........ we believe Kosova needs to hear and understand the message about drugs....we also must prepare for the future and be ready for some of the youth of today who sadly will become drug dependent in the future....these people must be provided for and is still part of our vision and it is so exciting now to have the support of ISAAC in this....
http://www.isaac-international.org/home/case-studies/kosovofromtraumatorestoration
...........more on this later
.........thanks so much for your support and prayers so far and we hope and pray you will stay with us.....our vision is not completed ..this is just the end of one and the start of another new and exciting chapter....
God Bless...we would genuinely value your feedback and happy to answer your questions/concerns
In Him
Chris & Lorraine
.........this week has been pretty quiet......we also had a visit from the immigration police......!!
Feeling a little like Paul....speaking to the Corinthians: "We are hard pressed.....but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair...." 2 Cor 4: 8 NIV ......!!
Maybe to some of you it might not come as a surprise then if you have heard our news that we are leaving Kosova and returning to UK.......but look further down the same chapter.....Paul talks about...."...light and momentary troubles...." 4:17
.......four weeks from today after almost five years in Kosova we shall be returning to England...our plan is to spend three months travelling, sharing with some of you and also resting while we wait on God and prepare for the next step.....the journey is not over and the adventure continues......
............your prayers and support have not been in vain....we have cast seeds and built relationships and we hope and pray that what we have begun can be continued....but we have to trust God that His will is best...but this is hard and easier said than done..
.......we still believe in vision of Lighthouse and maybe even would like to see more Lighthouses opening around Kosova in the future.........we are hoping and praying that someone...maybe a local person or persons can continue the work we have birthed and established in Gjakova.......if it is God's will........ we believe Kosova needs to hear and understand the message about drugs....we also must prepare for the future and be ready for some of the youth of today who sadly will become drug dependent in the future....these people must be provided for and is still part of our vision and it is so exciting now to have the support of ISAAC in this....
http://www.isaac-international.org/home/case-studies/kosovofromtraumatorestoration
.........thanks so much for your support and prayers so far and we hope and pray you will stay with us.....our vision is not completed ..this is just the end of one and the start of another new and exciting chapter....
God Bless...we would genuinely value your feedback and happy to answer your questions/concerns
In Him
Chris & Lorraine
Friday, 26 April 2013
What happened!!
Chris writes: how was your week? Do you ever feel like you have turned a corner and then realize there is another corner in front of you? Or climb a peak only to realize there is another peak taller than the one you just climbed and the first one was only preparing you for the next one? We know some ladies who experienced something of this lately!!
Has been a difficult week.
Had a great weekend with friends :) which was maybe preparing us for the week ahead.
It was great to see so many children at the movie night but I was badly prepared and most of the children ended up leaving early as they were bored and could not understand.
The cafe seems to have gone very quiet again : ( and very few children/customers are visiting...why??
It also seems that some Christians are not visiting us because of feeling intimidated.
Clearly we need to make some difficult decisions over the future of the Lighthouse.
.......but........we did have a wonderful opportunity to bless a friend this week :) and he was totally bowled over!!
I also had the joy of giving a cup of water to two boys this morning...the words '...whatever you did for the least of these....' were ringing in my ears.....wow what a joy!!
Next week we are away in Montenegro with the other OM teams from the Balkans on retreat.
Would appreciate your prayers for us and our friends
Thanks and God Bless YOU!!
2 Chron 20 !!
Has been a difficult week.
Had a great weekend with friends :) which was maybe preparing us for the week ahead.
It was great to see so many children at the movie night but I was badly prepared and most of the children ended up leaving early as they were bored and could not understand.
The cafe seems to have gone very quiet again : ( and very few children/customers are visiting...why??
It also seems that some Christians are not visiting us because of feeling intimidated.
Clearly we need to make some difficult decisions over the future of the Lighthouse.
.......but........we did have a wonderful opportunity to bless a friend this week :) and he was totally bowled over!!
I also had the joy of giving a cup of water to two boys this morning...the words '...whatever you did for the least of these....' were ringing in my ears.....wow what a joy!!
Next week we are away in Montenegro with the other OM teams from the Balkans on retreat.
Would appreciate your prayers for us and our friends
Thanks and God Bless YOU!!
2 Chron 20 !!
Saturday, 13 April 2013
What a difference a month makes.......!!
Chris writes: Spring is here and the thaw has started and how things can change in such a short space of time!!....Maybe you have put so much of yourself into something and when your vision is stifled it is very hard and leaves you feeling drained, exhausted and very down.
We have invested so much of ourselves and finances from so many generous people into the Lighthouse and it was so hard during the winter months with it being so quiet and some days no customers at all visiting us.....these days were very dark in more ways than one.
What a difference two months make!!!
Things have been changing over the last two weeks and this week has been such a fantastic week...our takings have doubled in one month and trebled from two months ago.
More importantly than that the children and young people have started coming back...some just to hang out and have a glass of water...some to buy a small cake....many have joined in the sessions this week....it is so good to see them again!!
I hope you have seen the pictures and the posts on facebook....
...and the reason..??
....when we started worshipping God & rising above our circumstances we had a different perspective on our struggles and change happened...
That is my encouragement to you...give it to God...worship Him....sit back.....watch Him resume control....!!
Please read: 2 Chronicles 20....!!....and worship Him!!.......................Amen!!
Blessings
Chris
We have invested so much of ourselves and finances from so many generous people into the Lighthouse and it was so hard during the winter months with it being so quiet and some days no customers at all visiting us.....these days were very dark in more ways than one.
What a difference two months make!!!
Things have been changing over the last two weeks and this week has been such a fantastic week...our takings have doubled in one month and trebled from two months ago.
More importantly than that the children and young people have started coming back...some just to hang out and have a glass of water...some to buy a small cake....many have joined in the sessions this week....it is so good to see them again!!
I hope you have seen the pictures and the posts on facebook....
...and the reason..??
....when we started worshipping God & rising above our circumstances we had a different perspective on our struggles and change happened...
That is my encouragement to you...give it to God...worship Him....sit back.....watch Him resume control....!!
Please read: 2 Chronicles 20....!!....and worship Him!!.......................Amen!!
Blessings
Chris
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
let my people go.......
Chris writes.....these sound like words Moses might have spoke to pharaoh.....but Kosova ....not Kosovo is still held captive today by its past.. which means it must still be protected and watched over by the UN...but is it time to let it go and construct its own destiny.....you decide!
Blessings
Blessings
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Still keeping on...keeping on
Chris writes....life is still hard in Lighthouse and is getting us down..so hard to see all this investment not being used....!!
........we found out that owing to concerns from our neighbours in the Mosque....the parents have been telling the children not to come to the cafe....we know that we are in a battle but the victory belongs to Him!!...we know that when we are under attack it is often because we are doing something right...!! :)
..............reading from 2 Chronicles 20 and we are applying these verses to our situation...
Really appreciate your prayers and support!!
God Bless
Chris
........we found out that owing to concerns from our neighbours in the Mosque....the parents have been telling the children not to come to the cafe....we know that we are in a battle but the victory belongs to Him!!...we know that when we are under attack it is often because we are doing something right...!! :)
..............reading from 2 Chronicles 20 and we are applying these verses to our situation...
Really appreciate your prayers and support!!
God Bless
Chris
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Sounds of Silence!
Chris writes: thanks for all you prayers and support...we did get a break and got away to Albania for a few days...winter has been very mild so far this year...owing to the design of these buildings sadly it has still been pretty cold inside...something we need to invest in before next winter.
Our biggest struggle has not been with the weather but that Lighthouse has just been so quiet...this is so hard especially when we know all the time and money which has been invested..
Would appreciate prayers for a breakthrough!!
Blessings
Our biggest struggle has not been with the weather but that Lighthouse has just been so quiet...this is so hard especially when we know all the time and money which has been invested..
Would appreciate prayers for a breakthrough!!
Blessings
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