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.
Love,
Traci
Hello!
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in London. Lights are going up and the parties have started! Yesterday, we actually had our staff Christmas party. These are the amazing people who I get to work with across our 3 congregations.
This past month has been an exciting one with one to one discipleship, teaching another evening at our Follow Three Course, our London Student Weekend and a mission to Bucharest, Romania.
On 22, November we had students from 10 different nations who are studying in London descend on our student weekend. It was an incredible time to not only build amazing friendships, but for each student to build a deeper relationship with God. I love serving on these weekends! Every year we hear stories how students lives were changed on a weekend just like this one. Knowing that these students are future leaders in their countries makes it an event that I never want to miss!
The weekend finished on the Sunday and I flew to Bucharest, Romania on Monday morning for a week mission on the different campuses throughout the city. We are planting a new church in this city so it gave our small team a chance to encourage the young couple starting the church as well as meeting and encouraging the students they have been reaching out to already. A student that we met during the week has now become a Christian! And we are trusting that all of the other students will come to know Jesus in the coming weeks and months. Here are a few pictures from the trip.
Thank you so much for praying for me each month and your financial support. You have no idea how much you not only are a blessing to me but also to so many around the world! Please pray for my ankle as I injured it right
before the student weekend. Also, I would appreciate prayer for more financial partners to join our team. Thank you.
Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Lots of love,
Traci
Happy November!
I want to start by saying thank you so much for praying for me during the last half of October. I definitely felt your prayers and God has been amazing as usual. I taught the last session of our Follow Two Course a few weeks ago and even though our group was small this time around, they were so willing to learn. Here are our students celebrating their completion of the course.
We also saw this amazing bunch of people receive freedom and healing on our Freedom Day! I love the transformation of people’s faces throughout this day. It’s incredible how the weight of what they have been carrying for so long is lifted as they experience freedom!
Something exciting for me and for you, is that I had the privilege to lead one of these ladies in the picture to the Lord this month! I’ve started walking with her and helping her to learn biblical foundations – which is one of my favourite things to do!
Over the next few weeks I will be teaching our Follow Three Course as well as heading to Romania for a week of mission on the campuses in Bucharest. I’m hoping to also encourage the leaders of the newly planted church there.
November in America is where we come together to give thanks on Thanksgiving Day. I am so thankful for all of you. Your prayers, friendship, love, encouragement and support mean so much! I pray that you experience an abundance of His blessings in every area of your lives!
Lots of love,
Traci
