Mari Isaacson

I discovered my new profession yesterday!!!

In the morning I grabbed the keys to the only vehicle available… the big Ford Pickup with double cab. I couldn’t avoid the adventure… and what an adventure it prove to be!

Now you must understand, in Austria we drive small compact cars. Since being in the states I have driven everything but such an economy car. I have driven driven Suv’s and big vans, why not a huge truck… To me it was like trying to manover a submarine. Sitting behind the wheel, I felt totally lost and had to adjust everything… the mirrors, the seat, the pillows (yes, pillows) which didn’t aid much in reaching the gas pedal. Then there was the fight with the seatbelt! This was not the time to have that safety device NOT work! Well, with everything adjusted as much as possible, I was on my way only to discover that the truck was almost out of gas!!!

I needed the truck. I needed to get to the church. There was no time to do anything but keep going, praying there would be enough gas to get me to the church on time. No, I was not going to a wedding but I did have to be at the church on time to practice the song I was going to sing in the morning service! Getting gas for this machine would have to wait till after the service. The feel of the truck was something I had never experienced before. First, I was so high up, it was like being on top of the world! Keeping the vehicle on the road wasn’t as difficult as I had expected, none the less, there was a continual pull and the steering wheel was constantly in motion. The truck lacked guts at times but I reached my destination in one peace.

The gas held out, but ironically, I got to the church only to be told that I would not be able to practice. There were tecnical difficulties with the other soloist therefore there would not be enough time before the Sunday School class was to start. Oh well… Now I had time to deal with the practically empty tank. I won’t say how long I searched for a switch, latch, button or lever that would open the door to the gas tank. There was none! It was incredible. It was very frustrating! Nada! Perhaps the door needed a key to open it. Investigating this only opened up another problem… there were two gas tanks! Which one was I supposed to use?!?!?! To compound things, I couldn’t even get ahold of my sister to get answers. What was I to do? I decided to leave the problem for my dad… after church.

As interlude, let me share what else made this such an adventure… I am short of 5′2″ (only sometimes are my eyes blue!) and the cabin of this truck is pretty high… perhaps you can then imagine the fun I had getting in and out of the truck… in a skirt!!!

Well, after church dad did check out the truck and we decided to just use the first tank which turned out the be the correct one. The door didn’t need a key, a lever, switch, button or anything else. It opened just fine.

Other challenges with the truck had to do with parallel parking, making U-turns, backing around corners, and other interesting manovers that are magnified with the size of the vehicle. But all in all, I survived. It wasn’t so bad but I wouldn’t want to drive the truck on a regular basis. A new Profession… I don’t think so!!

27. September: Singing in the morning service

30. September:  Speaking at First Baptist Church in Moses Lake. 6:30pm

2. Oktober:  Speaking to the children at First Baptist Church in ML. 6:00pm

3. to 18. Oktober:  Edgewood Baptist Church

19. to 30. Oktober:  Greenacres, WA with Ray and Nancy Paulson

more to come…

Poem: Who Cares? by Mari

Who cares about the child who was never allowed to see the sky; The child, who, so young, was never meant to die?

Who cares about the child who is undeniably all alone; The child with no family, no friends, no home to call his own?

Who cares about the child whose talents are forever unknown; The child, with disease or handicap, abandoned to an overcrowded home?

Who cares about the child who is cruel and filled with bitterness; The child who knows no other example but such a life of self-centeredness?

Who cares about the child who has so many possessions he doesn’t need; The child, whose parents have no time for their affections to take seed?

Who cares about the child who faces horrors too young to comprehend; The child, who forcibly loses his innocence before the age of ten?

Who cares about the child who thinks he knows it all; the child who attends church and club but short of salvation does fall?

God cares about the child, He bids each one to come; For him, He gave the greatest gift; the sending of His son.

Jesus loves the child, He cared enough to die; So he could be forgiven and someday live with Him on high.

Do you care for such as these, enough to do your part? You may be the only beacon in the storm, to a lost and searching heart.

A support team is a group of people who are willing to pray and financially support the ministry on a regular basis. CEF is a Faith Mission… we depend on the financial giving of others to enable us to do our work. We get paid through the financial support that we receive.

If you are interested in becoming a regular supporter or even one time giver, let me know and I can share with you more about it. I would need your address and phone number… or if you don’t want to leave it on this blog, you can send me an email at: austria.girl@gmail.com

Please prayerfully consider this as the work among children is vital. Over 80 % of all those who decide to follow Jesus are children under 15 years of age. In Matthew we read where Jesus said, “Let the children come to me and forbid them now for such is the Kingdom of Heaven”!

Lord bless!

mari

23. September 2009

Many years ago, I was in the corner of Burgenland, a provence of Austria which borders Hungary and former Yugoslovia. It was a very interesting corner, being at the time where the east was still under communist rule. There we were, standing there by the bobwire fence which kept us out of Hungary. Not too far away was a tower with a guard. Though he was some distance, we could still see the rifle he was more than ready to use. Then to our right there was no real fense so it was tempting to walk right into Yugoslovia. Yet, who was to know what was lurking in the woods just a couple hundred feet away. But interestingly, there was another strip of land between the two countries called No-Mans-Land. Nothing real special. Not very wide. Nothing really happening… you would think. Just a transition area. But, if you found yourself there trying to escape from one of the communist countries, it could prove to be very eventful… Nor very safe. You see, it was loaded with landmines.

Transitions. There are all kinds. Some more interesting and eventful than others.

I am in Transition.

You may be asking what that means…

After working 19 years in Austria with Child Evangelism Fellowship I have left that beloved country. I never thought I would actually, but God does tend to edit our plans when they are different than His. His ways, I must clarify, are never demanding… He has a way of loving bringing us along to the point where we realize that His way is indeed best.

In Austria, I was a Local Director for the Provence of Kaernten (Corinthia). Now I never really wanted to be a Local Director… I knew from day one that I wasn’t really cut out for the job. Nonetheless, there was no one else to do it so I did it… 17 years! God always enabled where I was lacking and the work got done. In case you don’t know exactly what CEF does, let me explain. We do Children’s Ministries: Good News Clubs, camps, retreats, party clubs, 5-Day clubs, rallies, and lots more dealing directly with children… mostly ages 5 to 12. Then CEF is also involved with teen work, getting teens involved in working with children. It is really exciting really. I am grateful for all the teen who have helped me thru the years. Most of them started off in the clubs! Some of them even went on to teach children themselves! We also have phone,  internet programs and mailbox club for the children. Then we have Seminars, Teacher Training, Children’s Ministries Institute and other means to help adults who work with children. CEF then offers a wide variety of materials: Bible Lessons, Missionary Stories, Songs, Memory Verse Tokens, and more to aid in working with children.

In 2007 God used my furlough to plant the seed of change in my heart and mind. The people at the Home Office were suggesting I look for change due to the growing health problems I was experiencing as a result of years of stress due to a job that was continually taxing me to my limits… and beyond. Then out of the blue I get two different invitations to join the CEF team in two totally different places… would you believe New Hampshire and Alberta, Canada?!?! But at that point, I wasn’t ready to leave Austria yet…

It took many different things in the year that followed to bring me to the point that I was willing to leave Austria if that was God’s will. When I finally did say “yes” to leaving, I knew it was the right thing to do. I knew it was time for a change. What’s more, the opportunity that opened up to me would finally enable me to use my gifts and abilities and work with children. I would get out of being a Local Director and start using the creativity God has given me with my writing, drawing, singing, and more. Talk about exciting… moreover, I would be much closer to my family. After being away the last 25 years or so… long story… it would be great to be more a part of my family again.

So, on 11. July 2009, I left my beloved Austria after many goodbyes and tears. When I think of the 21 years God let me be in Europe, I am amazed and very grateful!!! Right now I am in the states… on furlough for I am in desperate need of raising more support, both one time gifts and regular giving before I am able to start my new position. I will share alot more of this transition time in the weeks and months ahead. I love to write, so we shall see what comes of this blog…

By now you are probably wondering where I am headed after this transition period… Well, I won’t leave you in suspense any longer… I have answered the second invitation I received from Alberta, Canada. I will be joining their team next spring, when everything goes according to plan. I will need more than one miracle for that to happen, but God is in the miracle business. I do hope and pray that you, my reader, will be encouraged to pray for me in reaching that goal. Your prayers for my ministry during this transition and also in Canada are vitally important. I can’t do it without you. God uses the prayers of His people!!!

Well, I think I have written enough to start this out. I look forward to connecting with you thru this blog… thank you for sharing this time with me.

Yes, I am in transition… but then aren’t we all?!?!?