It was a completely unexpected email that arrived from the Delancey Elim Church, which triggered some wonderful things to take place this Christmas. Asking if there was a project to support, for those with little this Christmas, got us thinking. Alice, prompted by the Spirit, made contact with someone that she knew of in a nearby town. Kristi and Arvid lead a Lutheran church and had been praying that same morning for God to help them with some finance otherwise their annual community Christmas Party for local children in need, would have to be cancelled. The generous gift arrived and it covered the entire costs and provided 40 children with a present. They received the gospel message, played games, made drawings and had a hot meal.
“We are deeply grateful for your support! It was truly an answer to our prayers! May the Lord sustain and keep you in His grace, blessings, and presence!” Pastors of Saarde Church
The remaining funds from Delancey were topped up a little by Elim Missions and so we were able to also create 12 high quality hampers. These were distributed through 12 of the EKNK churches to local families in need, across the south and west of Estonia. We personally delivered them to 4 Pastors, had 2 collected and 6 sent by post. After all the shopping and packaging and sending was complete, we felt really privileged to have been a part of blessing these families. The next day while Alice was working in a local mall, there was a man on the stall next to her selling posh food gift boxes. They chatted and he asked what she did and she shared about her products but also that she was a Christian missionary. At the end of a long day and while packing up, he turned to her and asked if we could use some of his gift boxes for those in need! I went to pick Alice up and we had been blessed with a further 24 gift boxes to give away! It really is better to give than receive (Acts 20:36).
Single mum from Pärnu
Christmas Hamper Items
”Dear Alice and Alan! Thank you so much for the beautiful package! It was so elegantly wrapped and truly royal! It will be given to a lovely Ukrainian family in our local community 😊” Pastor Maret Põld from Lihula Church
“I received the package just before Christmas and delivered it to a single mother raising three children. The whole family had a high fever due to influenza A when they received the package, which made them even happier as it is difficult to go shopping when sick. They were very grateful and joyful! A huge thank you to you 🥰” Pastor Kati Tamm from Valga Church
EKNK International Mission Leaders
Rebuilding Missions
In November the EKNK Board formerly agreed our appointment as its International Mission Leaders for which we feel very honoured and privileged.
After initiating the Why Mission? conference back in September - we have decided to keep this going as an annual event.
Training for sending short-term mission teams is being translated and work has commenced on how to receive teams well. After these documents are complete we will aim to produce high-quality videos to make the training available across the EKNK churches.
We are also connecting with other missionaries and interns to help build community among all those here serving EKNK.
Teams coming into Estonia in 2025 will be around double that of 2024! Possibly, 3 teams from Elim Ireland and 5 teams from Elim UK and around 15 teams through long serving AOG missionaries. What is really exciting is that we will be sending EKNK teams overseas into new territories.
Impact Baltics in partnership with PEM (of PEF) will send potentially 100 people into Estonia for a week of missions - which will be an incredible moment!
Making Disciples
Russian course edges closer
A third church has begun running the Freedom in Christ course themselves this winter for around 20 people, and we will help support and pray for them.
Behind the scenes we are working on a new website to be an enhancement for our current landing page (freedominchrist.org/estonia or vabaduskristuses.ee).
On the Russian course translation, the 2 course books and covers have been completed and we now have a stock of these ready to go. The video subtitles for the course are in final review and are now very close to completion and this should be the final step before we release the course to the Russian speaking churches in Estonia and around the world. So please pray for this to be completed quickly and accurately.
The Russian books are already bringing freedom to people. From our ministry in Norway we heard... “I have these last weeks been taking a struggling mother from Ukraine through the steps with the new translation in Russian. Some amazing healing from past hurt have been taken place”. ”
Resources
Learn and support at the same time
We are keen to make disciples and have written books on what we believe is the single most important aspect of Jesus’ teaching – his Kingdom.
Buying these resources will help to support us while you learn more about this either by yourself or with others in a group setting.
Coming Soon!
We are excited to announce that the next book in the Kingdom Perspective Series is now available!
Worldwide at https://kingdomperspective.net
USA at https://amazon.com/author/alanjosborn
UK at https://amazon.co.uk
Partnering with us
Come and help spread the Gospel of the Kingdom
We would love for you to partner with us in our calling and gospel mission to Estonia. Could you perhaps consider being part of a short-term mission team into this nation, or even lead a team from your church or region? Either way, we would be excited to help host and be part of arranging your trip. Do please contact us at alan.osborn@elim.org.uk for further details.
Prayer needs
Your prayers are needed! Estonia is one of the top ten most atheistic countries in the world, with both high alcoholism and suicide rates. Please pray for:
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For God’s protection over us as we continue to break new ground in many ways here in Estonia
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For God’s direction and leading of any short-term mission teams both into and out from Estonia.
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For our role in shaping and moving forward EKNK International Missions and that we will hear God’s wisdom and direction in forging together lasting partnerships
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For the Freedom in Christ courses currently running in Estonian and the Russian language video subtitles to be completed
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For the Laws of the Kingdom book to be a blessing to its readers
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For the regular giving of finances that we need
more about Alan and Alice
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