Dear Family and Friends
We are FINALLY having Summer here in London! This week has been glorious in my books. It’s been in the upper 30’sC/90’sF so this Florida girl has been very happy. For all of my Winter loving friends – please don’t wish this away too fast – you get to enjoy 11 months of the year and I only get a few weeks haha.
Normally at this time of the year I am serving as a leader on our Youth Camp but this year I felt like God said that it was time to “retire” from Youth Camp and turn my focus fully towards Europe. That said, most things begin to slow down in Europe over the Summer as pretty much every area of ministry takes a break to rest, recharge and plan for the coming season.
I’m actually grateful for the slower pace because it has given Maija and I time to search for a place to live. Our hunt for a place was proving to be difficult because of our budget and also the fact that the rental market is crazy at the moment. A place will be advertised for a certain amount and if you like it you have to put in a bid for it saying how much rent you would be willing to pay, possibly above the amount, because so many other people are also wanting the property. A place would come onto the market and disappear the next day!
Praise God though, He provided a place for us where our bid was accepted and Maija and I filled in all the paperwork and references. This morning, we finally heard from the agency and our application has been accepted!!!! We will sign the contract next week and move in at the end of August. It’s been very stressful. Both Maija and I have all of our things in storage and we have different friends that are letting us stay in their houses until we are able to move.
I will be honest with you, my yearly income has been one of the things that has kept our budget so low. Would you please agree with me in prayer that God will do a supernatural work in this next year to increase my income? That means more UK and US monthly partners. I think most of you know that I don’t raise my support like most missionaries.
When God called me to the nations at 19 years old, He said if you go where I call you then I will provide, and I was not to ask people for money. Here I am 35 years later, and I have never asked someone to support me. I share what I am doing every chance I get, but I allow God to speak to people’s hearts and as a result so many of you have partnered with me in prayer and finances all these years! Together we have been reaching the nations!! I’m so grateful for all of you!
Please pray with me that people’s hearts will be moved this year to join our team.
I look forward to sharing in my next newsletter about the new home Maija and I will be moving into.
As promised as well, here is a recap video of our Leader’s Camp in Marseille. https://youtu.be/HUdbQWYF-3k?si=Uihv_I33mNJFe4b5
Lots of love
Traci
Dear Family and Friends
I can’t believe it is already the second week in July. I returned from our Campus Leaders' Camp last Sunday after an incredible week with our campus leaders (missionaries who have raised their support to work fulltime with university students), volunteer leaders, and student leaders.
As I mentioned in my last letter, these leaders come from our Every Nation Churches from all over Europe for a week of input, encouragement, relationship building and fun. There were 40 of us in total representing 11 cities across Europe – London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, (United Kingdom) Paris, Marseille, (France), Berlin, (Germany), Dublin, (Ireland), Gent, (Belgium), Madrid (Spain), Utrecht, (Netherlands), and Zagreb (Croatia).
It was our best camp yet! Before the pandemic hit in 2020 we were running 2 tracks on this camp for 1st and 2nd year students. This year after starting from scratch a few years ago, we had 2 full tracks again! It was so encouraging to see these young leaders without restraint, entering into worship, taking in all of the teaching materials, receiving ministry for breakthrough and freedom, and having fun. Most of them had never met each other before the camp but by the end, they had become family.
One of the most encouraging things we heard throughout the camp was what is my next step in leadership and how do you know when you are called into ministry?! They are eager to finish their studies but they are also to so hungry to know God’s plans for their futures and what that looks like – wherever that is.
Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers for this camp. It was truly a highlight to my year so far! There will probably be a recap video coming soon but for now here are a few pictures. A few people are missing from the group picture unfortunately.
Over the next few weeks Maija and I will be looking for a place to live. Please continue praying for both of our finances for this move and the perfect place.
Also, please continue to pray for a miracle for Wolfi. The last few weeks have been very rough.
Lots of love
Traci
Dear Family and Friends
I hope you are well and enjoying the beginning of Summer. This past month has mainly been a preparation and administration month. Every year at the end of June we take our campus leaders (missionaries who have raised their support to work fulltime with university students), volunteer leaders, and student leaders up to a retreat centre just outside of Marseille.
These leaders come from our Every Nation Churches from all over Europe for a week of input, encouragement, relationship building and fun. Our Campus Leadership Team has been working on this event for months preparing every aspect of the week. Our goal is for every leader to go back to their country equipped and encouraged as well as with a strategy on how to reach their campuses more effectively.
Please pray for us as we wrap up the final preparations over the next 2 weeks. This is one of my favourite events of the year!
At the end of May I was also privileged to take part in our BUILD conference in Warsaw, Poland. This was a small conference of our senior church leaders from 21 nations across Europe to come together for input on church governance as well as passing off the baton of Wolfi’s role in overseeing our churches in Western Europe.
It was a wonderful time of hearing stories of our churches and church plants in Europe as well as incredible input on leadership. Below are pictures of one of our worship sessions and also part of our London team that attended the conference.
Oh, one praise report! I have been praying for God to give me a housemate to move in with and I am happy to report that I now have someone! We are both out of the country in the next few weeks so we will start looking for a place at the beginning of July. Please continue to pray for a place that is affordable and also in a good location for both of us to get to work.
Thank you again for your continued prayer and support! They are making such a difference. I need them!
Lots of love
Traci