Dear family and friends,
As many have you have already heard or realised, my trip to America was cancelled due to the Coronavirus. This annual trip has always given me an opportunity to see family and friends as well as being able to thank the many people who are supporting me in finances and prayer throughout the year. It has also given me a chance to meet new people and build new relationships with people who could also join our team to reach the nations in London.
I am sad not to see everyone this year and in the midst of everything that is going on with the virus I am not only trusting and praying for my own provision but also for the provision of so many of you who have lost your jobs or are struggling in this time of uncertainty. The one thing I am hanging onto and that I am certain of is that this virus is not a surprise to God. He is still the God who heals, provides and brings comfort and peace. He is also still the God of miracles!
Even in the middle of everything that is going on we are hearing about people getting saved – especially hospital staff! Also, people who normally who would be isolated are connecting with people online for the first time. God is moving in the midst of the storm.
In my last letter, I mentioned that I had the privilege of speaking on Breaking Free from Destructive Patterns at our European Student Conference. We have had such good feedback from the conference and I wanted to share with you one testimony from a student that you had a part in by praying and supporting me – “during the Breaking Free workshop, I felt like God has set me free from the destructive pattern of lust that was in my family from at least 3 generations. I had to fight this thing before with my prayers and my small group prayers, but during the conference I felt Freedom.”
I also mentioned in my last letter that I was going to be celebrating my 50th Birthday. It’s definitely a birthday I won’t forget because of this virus! What was amazing is that as our world was going into isolation, 4 of my closest friends and I went into isolation in the countryside. They spoiled and blessed me loads all week.
Here are a few pictures from that week that I hope will bring a smile to your face like they did for me.
Lots of Love
Traci
Dear family and friends
Where did February go?! Sorry I didn’t send out a letter last month. After flying back from Tia’s funeral, I hit the ground running and the whole month flew by.
A few days after my return we had a Connect Leaders meeting to launch our new season. These evenings not only give all of the leaders an opportunity to be in the same room, but also an incredible time to encourage each other. It also gives me the chance to refresh our vision in groups and input into the leaders’ personal relationships with God. We had a handful missing but here is the incredible bunch of people that lead our groups.
At the beginning of February I headed to Ukraine for our Every Nation School of Ministry. I was invited for a refresher week of teaching and theology with new leaders being raised up
across Europe for ministry. It was also an amazing time of building relationships with other pastors and teachers who were also attending the week. Here’s our group photo.
After returning from Ukraine we focused on our annual Discipleship Day where people from our 3 congregations in London as well as other church across the UK gather together for input and training to walk out the call of “going and making disciples of all nations”. Our main focus this year – Discipleship is Relationship.
Finally, I just returned from our annual ENC European Conference in Gent, Belgium. This is a weekend where students from all over Europe gather to not only have loads of fun but also incredible teaching and ministry. This year, I spoke on Breaking Free from Destructive Patterns. My highlight though, was having the privilege of leading a French student to the Lord! Here are a few pictures and a recap video of the weekend.
You have a part of everything I have mentioned above. Your prayers and support are allowing me to be used by God to reach the nations here in Europe.
I will be flying to Tampa from the 24 March for 2 ½ weeks to see family and friends and raise my support. If you are there and would like to meet up, please send me an email with possible dates.
This next week I will be taking a short little holiday to the countryside with a few friends to celebrate my 50th birthday!! I can’t believe I am that old LOL! I definitely don’t feel it. Some of you have known me since I was 18 – that is so wild! I so appreciate all of you and I am so thankful that God has called me to be on this awesome journey with HIM.
Loads of love
Traci
Dear amazing family and friends,
The past few weeks have been quite emotional and nonstop. Being a missionary and living in a country with no actual family can sometimes be a challenge and quite lonely. I have heavily relied on God’s promise in Matthew 19:18 that, “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
In almost all of the countries I have done long term missions in over the past 29 years, God has provided a family for me. These past 16 years in London, He provided a Portuguese family for me. The matriarch of this family (Teresa Amelia Xavier Pestana) whom I called “Tia,” passed away on Monday, 13 January, at 79 years old.
Thank you so much for all of you who prayed for her after her stroke. I will always remember her big laugh, facial expressions that told you exactly what was she was thinking lol, her stories, her food that no one else could duplicate and her love for her family.
Please continue to pray for my “adopted family,” especially my “Tio” who is 86 and is missing his wife of 60 years.
Lots of love,
Traci
