Ready to Give a Reason (I Pet. 3:15)

God is so good. He gives opportunity for service and then supplies times of refreshment. Dave and I are thankful that we have these few weeks to actually be together (!) in Michigan before the summer arrives. As you can see, our schedule even now is full, but at least there are moments to take a walk, go biking, sit and talk, and enjoy watching Kenan play soccer.

My time in Poland in March/April was very good. He continues to "wed" us more and more to the Polish culture and our love for the people deepens daily. If you would like to see some photos of my time in Poland, as well as my brief excursion in Amsterdam, please click on the following Facebook links:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021105&id=1042840549&l=1cdc4c4097
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021079&id=1042840549&l=9a6fc2480b
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020989&id=1042840549&l=76b5eea3f2
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020964&id=1042840549&l=609de628fc
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020927&id=1042840549&l=03104237d6

Thank you for your prayers. We are praying that all of us, in whatever situation of life God now has us, will live lives of gratitude -- always ready to share the hope that is in us (I Pet. 3:15). It is truly amazing and I'm forever grateful that He has "rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom I have redemption and the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:13-14). Hallelujah!!!

Rest of April and May-August Schedule

The rest of April and May will be filled with emails, skype calls, phone calls, etc. with important contacts in North America as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. Thank you for your daily prayers as we serve our awesome God wherever we are.

April 19 Brighton Assembly of God, Brighton, Michigan
April 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, 28 and May 2 Vardar State Cup and MRL games with Kenan

May 3 Brighton Christian Church, Brighton, Michigan
May 7 Rockville Christian , Rockville, Indiana
May 8 Harvest Prayer Ministries, Terre Haute, Indiana
Maryland Community Church, Terre Haute, Indiana
May 9 College Park Christian , Normal, Illinois
May 10 Madison Park Christian, Quincy, Illinois
May 11 Jefferson Street Christian, Lincoln, Illinois
Creve Coeur Christian , Creve Coeur, Illinois

May 27 David's Departure Day with Lincoln Christian College interns to Poland

May 31-June 10 Seniors Camp with STW from Indiana/Illinois Ostroda, Poland
June 6-7 Christian Church, Kolobrzeg, Poland

June 13-22 Camp for Russian children with STW from Ireland/Michigan Ostroda, Poland
June 22-26 Polish Christian Convention in Zakosciele, Poland
June 28-July 7 English/Sports Camp for Polish children , Ostroda, Poland

July 8 Sandy will join David in Poland
July 10-11 Auchswitz-Berkinau Death camps
July 12 Christian Church, Dabrowa, Poland
July 13-14 Krakow, Poland
July 15 David returns to Michigan, Sandy stays on in Poland

July 27-August 6 Family Camp , Ostroda, Poland
August 14-23 Missio Musica music/worship leaders conference, Ostroda, Poland
August 27 Sandy returns to Michigan

Jerusalem now Poland

David and I are thanking God for a wonderful and significant time in Israel last week. We spent the first few days staying at a monastery in a Muslim town, Abu Ghosh, outside of Jerusalem. Just down the road is Yad Shmona, where Revive Israel has their offices and discipleship center. Revive Israel is a ministry in Israel which Brighton Christian Church supports and with whom we have been in relationship for almost ten years. Asher Intrater, a Jewish evangelist/teacher, is the director of Revive Israel and on Monday and Tuesday we had the opportunity to meet with him and a group of pastors and their wives from Poland. We were learning about the role of Israel and what significance this has for the Church worldwide and in Poland. It was a very special time of prayer, worship, and seeking God’s purposes. On Wednesday and Thursday we stayed in a guesthouse right inside the Old City walls. We walked atop the walls (“on the ramparts”) from the Jaffa Gate to the Lion’s Gate, praying over the city of Jerusalem. We climbed the Mount of Olives and read from Zechariah 14 about Jesus’ return to this very spot. Come and reign, Lord Jesus! Wednesday evening we had dinner with a Jewish man whom I met in language school in Poland last summer. He and his wife are orthodox Jews, and we are thankful that we can build relationship with them. We pray that the light of Yeshua (Jesus) will shine through us into their lives. Being in the Old City was an amazing experience. We were in Israel 10 years ago, but we were touring with a large group and had little time in Jerusalem. This time we were on our own and were able to explore the “real” Jerusalem. We walked the streets, met the people, prayed at the Wall, … At noon on Friday we found ourselves swept up in a river of Muslims pouring down the narrow streets headed for the Dome of the Rock. It was an experience we will never forget as we were engulfed in 1,000’s of Muslims heeding the call from the minnerets. A couple hours later, the Christian “stations of the cross” processional took place on that very same road (the Via Dolorosa). It is incredible that these three major religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) exist in such close proximity. We pray that God will reveal Himself in truth and that all men will call on the name of Yeshua, the true Messiah. On Friday we joined Asher at his congregation in Jerusalem. The place was packed with people, and we so enjoyed being among them at this “Hebrew-language-only” service. Saturday was a true day of “Shabbat,” and we enjoyed hiking in the forests and reading and praying over the Land. Sunday was our last day and we spent several hours at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. We were overcome with emotion several times, especially since the names and places have become so familiar to us as we work in Central and Eastern Europe. Dave and I parted in the Ben Gurion airport in the wee hours of the morning on Monday. I am now in Poland for five weeks, while Dave is managing our ministry from our home in Michigan. Currently I am in southwest Poland at a recording studio for Christian musicians. Tomorrow (Saturday) I will teach on leading worship from the keyboard. On Sunday I will be teaching at a church in Olesno, Poland, next to Katowice to spend time with university students, and then later this week I will travel to Ola’s home to have time with her before her surgery on March 30. David will be traveling to churches and meetings throughout the month of March, especially in regards to upcoming short-term trips which we are coordinating. We treasure each of you and thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we are on this journey. As I sit in my room watching the snow fall on this grey day in a village in southern Poland, it is good to know that I am not alone. God is with me in strength, and I know that there are a host of praying friends and family back home remembering us before the throne. It means a lot. Thank you. To see 60 pictures of our trip to Israel, click on this link. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018452&id=1042840549&l=79668 Each picture has a caption, so make sure to read and follow along. Blessings to all! …Sandy

2009 Camper Support letter

The primary mission of Global Missionary Ministries is to proclaim Christ’s unchanging message of salvation to the people of a changing post-communist Central and Eastern Europe.

March 31, 2009

Dear Friends in Mission,

Ten year old Nikita was shy and reluctant to participate in any competitive games or activities. He was also deaf in one ear. His grandmother had traveled with him from Kaliningrad, Russia to Ostroda, Poland so that he could attend a Bible camp. I found out later that he loved music and had played the violin since he was five. He came to camp without a relationship with Jesus.

On the first night of camp we gave the children a name tag with their name written on it in both Russian and English. This helps them to identify it if they do not speak English and it helps the English-speaking counselors begin to know the youth’s names at least in English.

Nikita had lost his name tag but I had found it. My only problem was he had not had his name written down on his name tag in English. I was trying to pronounce his name with my limited knowledge of the Russian characters. I got the N, the K and the T right but my vowels were a little shaky. He recognized his name tag and came to me to receive it. He thanked me with the only two English words he knew and my name, “Thank you, David.” We became friends for the duration of camp.

Through the course of the camp, Nikita attended all the Bible classes but not all the outdoor recreational activities. He did find his way to the “Main Event” each evening where he enjoyed the music and the large group games. On the final day, at the conclusion of the last Bible class, Nikita made a first time decision to give his life over to God and His purposes. He went home to Kaliningrad with his grandmother a believer in Jesus.

Nikita came to camp because someone covered his expenses. Otherwise, he would not have been able to attend. He found salvation through Jesus at Camp Ostroda. We are praying for 40 more youth to be able to find their way to Camp Ostroda this summer. The cost of camp for 2009 will be $150 for ten days in Ostroda. Remarkably, this is less expensive than it was last summer.

Would you be willing to assist one youth in attending camp in Ostroda, Poland? Your gift is tax deductible. Just follow the instructions below and place your tax deductible gift in an envelope addressed to Global Missionary Ministries (see address below). If you are able to do so, we would like to follow up by sending you a picture of one of the campers (after the camp has taken place) so that you can pray for them over the next year. The camp takes place June 13-22, 2009. Your prayers during this time would also be cherished. (Colossians 4:2)

God has opened a door for His Word to go forth. We are preparing to walk through that door. Thank you for helping us to accomplish His purposes.

David Hatfield, Global Missionary Ministries

P. S. Please mail your tax deductible gift to:

Global Missionary Ministries

P.O. Box 41201, RPO Rockwood Mall

Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5C9

Canada (this will require a 72 cent stamp)

Yes, I want to assist one youth to attend Bible Camp in Camp Ostroda.

 I would like to assist ______ (number of youth) youth to attend Camp Ostroda.

One for $150,

Two for $300

Three for $450

Ten for $1500

My tax-deductible check is enclosed in my envelope in the amount of $______.

Made payable to: Global Missionary Ministries with Camp Fund on memo line

Full Name _________________________

Address _________________________

City, State, Area Code_________________________

Email address __________________________ (needed if you want a picture of camper)

Together in Poland

The Light of the World

Dave and I have just finished a wonderful 3 weeks with our 5 musician friends from Poland and we are thanking God for His provision and blessing. We traveled throughout the Midwest, performing music and sharing testimony in homes, churches, a culture club, and the National Missionary Convention. Thanks to many of you who supported this tour in various ways .. and mostly in prayer. We are confident that God will continue to bear fruit as a result of our time together.

And now we turn our attention to the holidays. As you know, as part of GMM we work closely with messianic Jewish ministries. We have been sending out greeting cards to some of our Jewish friends overseas because this Tuesday evening (Dec. 4) marks the beginning of Hanukkah. Dave and I weren't raised celebrating Hanukkah .. actually, it's only been in the last few years that we have begun to appreciate and enjoy the significance of this Jewish holiday. So, I thought it might be interesting and helpful to write a brief explanation of Hanukkah. I've added it as an attachment for your reading pleasure. :) I hope it will be an encouragement to you!

May God's love, joy, hope, and peace permeate our homes and hearts during the holiday season.

As we approach the Christmas season, we are reminded not only of the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world, but also of another festival of lights -- Hanukkah. Although Hanukkah is often mistakenly viewed as a “Christmas alternative for Jewish people,” it is a holiday of much deeper significance.

Travel in your mind to Jerusalem, 168 years before the birth of Jesus. Antiochus IV, a Seleucid king, has invaded the land, looted the Temple, massacred Jews, and forbidden worship of the God of Israel. He even goes so far as to erect an altar to Zeus in the Temple, itself! Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons (including Judah, the Maccabee), rise up and lead a rebellion against Antiochus.

In 165 B.C., Judah and a handful of men and their followers successfully defeat the armies of Antiochus, liberate the Temple, and rededicate it to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is an amazing testimony of God’s mighty hand at work to protect His people and to preserve the honor of His Name. This defining moment in Israel’s history is remembered during the “Feast of Dedication” (“Hanukkah” means “dedication”) -- and has been celebrated ever since (see John 10:22-23 -- the feast during the time of Jesus).

According to Jewish tradition, when the Temple was rededicated and the lights of the lamp stand were to be rekindled, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to last for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days and the light filled the Temple. Accordingly, candles are lit each of the eight nights of Hanukkah. It is a special time to remember the faithfulness and holiness of our God and that His light endures and triumphs over the darkness of evil. It is a reminder for each of us, as “temples” of the most high God, to get rid of any “idols” in our hearts and to re-dedicate ourselves to purity and holiness before God.

As we partner with messianic ministries in Central and Eastern Europe, we can appreciate our Jewish heritage and grow in our understanding of God and His ways. Even now as we see greeting cards in the stores and Hanukkah candles in the windows, we remember the story behind the holiday, give praise to God for His faithfulness, and rededicate ourselves anew to Him.

What an Amazing Summer '07 (part IV)

This summer Kezia and I spent over a week together at two different camps in Ukraine with Oksana. She was our translator last year and again this year. She returned to Zhitomir with Kezia. She shared with us her testimony and we requested that she write it down so that we could share it with you. She is a committed believer to exudes God's grace and mercy through her smile and her life. Please enjoy her testimony of coming to faith and walking daily with God.

Oksana's testimony

“…How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

(Romans 11:33)

I live in a small village in Ukraine called Stryzhivka. This is where I took my first steps, said my first word, and tasted life in all its beauty and danger. When I was small, I was not deprived of parental love. My elder brother and I always had all that we needed. I thought that my family was perfect. Only later when I became older I understood that I was entirely wrong.

Since my birth my parents quarreled with each other. My father preferred alcohol in pubs to family dinners and dating other women to his wife’s love. When I was 13, he left us. The sufferings that my mother faced were unbelievable. All this caused a depression in my life. I could not understand why it happened to my family. Additionally, I did not have real friends with whom I could speak about this or simply cry. Only my brother tried to cheer me up.

A few years later he got married and his wife became like a sister to me. They began to visit a Protestant church. It was unexpected. I had heard about such churches but was against them. I considered myself to be an orthodox like my mother. That is why everything was very confusing, but I was curious to find out the truth for myself. When my brother invited me to the church, I agreed without any hesitation. I continued visiting because I wanted to know the answers to all my questions. These were my first steps to God. Later, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and began a new life.

I told my mother everything. At first she had no objections to me visiting the church, but then she realized that I was serious. She forbade me even to speak about going to the church or the small group. My mother was afraid of what people would say about her and her children. While she could not forbid my brother to do such things, she considered me too young to understand what I was doing. I was 16 and obeyed her. It was very difficult for me to live without communication with believers. My brother’s family was my only support.

One year later I entered the university in Ostroh and went to live there. I found a church and started visiting it. Of course, I told my mother about it. It seemed she was not against my attending. Every time I came home, we prayed before the meal and sometimes read the Bible together. When I grew up spiritually, I made a decision to be baptized. This began a new period of problems in my life. My mother begged me not to do this “sin.”

Sometimes it is very difficult to understand why she opposes this choice that I have made. She should be happy for me. I could be mixed up in something bad, but instead I know God who protects me from troubles. My mother knows that, but does not want to accept it. This hurts me so much because she is very precious to me.

I am not going to give up, especially after so many blessings that God sent to me. He created a new person inside me and absolutely changed my life. Like bright morning sunbeam fills a dark room with light, so did God with me. He became my Father, my Friend, my Lord, my Teacher, my Savior, and my Life!!! I know that He has a special plan for me. Even if I can’t give a meaning to it, I know that everything leads to my growth in God because He intends only the best for His children. I want to serve Him with all my heart, my mind, and my skills! I want to be ready every minute to accomplish His tasks and obey His will.

I’m going to be baptized this winter and believe that nothing will prevent me from this because God is on my side. Everything depends on Him. As for my mother, she knows about my desire and the choice is hers whether or not to agree. All that I can do is to pray for this situation. I am sure that my Lord will never leave me or forsake me! Thank you for listening.