September
9, 2018
Dear Friends,
For
the past four summers I have had the privilege of serving as a missions intern with
the Mission to the World (MTW) team in Zlín, Czech Republic for up to two
months at a time. I have helped run a Teen Discipleship week and an English
Camp for all ages while making connections with the teenagers and those in the
church, and I have been blessed to see God at work in their hearts and in my
own.
Czech
Republic is a spiritually dry area of the world, with Protestant Christians
making up about 0.5% of the population. Many of the youth in the church are the
only Christians in their schools and are looked down on for their beliefs and
for living a godly lifestyle. Eva[*], a teenager in the church,
has told me about how students in her school have decided not to be friends
with her because she wouldn’t get drunk on the weekends with them or sleep
around. To have this kind of pressure at such a young age, combined with how
difficult growing up can be must be lonely and dejecting. Which is why I feel
God’s calling to return.
This
January 2019 I am praying to go back to Zlín, but instead of being there for only
a few weeks I have seen God leading me to go for a year and a half. My main
purpose in serving in Zlín would be to disciple the teenage and young adult
girls, as well as helping to shape the youth group in the church. This is an
important role that has not been filled as of yet, and I am excited to partner
with Mission to the World in being the first one to do this! This decision is
exciting and scary for me, but I have felt God’s hand guiding me in this ever
since I first went to Zlín three years ago.
In
order to get there I need to raise $13,500 support in one-time donations, and
then continue to have $3,500 support every month. This provides money for
insurance, ministry funds, administrative fees, and my salary for food and
housing. Although it is a short amount of time, it is important to the ministry
that I arrive by the start of the spring semester, which is why I am asking
people like you to come alongside and support me through prayer and finances. If
you feel God prompting you to become one of my ministry partners, please give
online at: www.mtw.org/missionaries/edwards-madeline using the account number #12178, or call 1-866-373-6133 and ask
for help in donating to my account. In the meantime, please feel free to
contact me at madeline.edwards03@gmail.com
Please
be praying for me as I get ready to go, that my heart and mind would be
prepared, and that God would bring in the support needed. Please also be
praying for the Czechs, that they would be encouraged in the Lord and grow in
their faith.
I
am so thankful for the support that many of you have shown me in past years and
I look forward to seeing what God will do!
Blessings,
Madeline
Edwards
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