Mari Isaacson

How many of you enjoy living out of a suitcase? I don’t particularly. Still I am glad that I am on the road again. It is one step closer to my goal of getting to Alberta, Canada.

Christmas time with my family was really special. I had to keep pinching myself to check to see if it was real! Yep! It has been more years than I can count since the last time I was able to be with family for Christmas. Christmas with family. It is a time to really treasure. The laughter. The sharing. The giving. The food. The listening. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be with family.

Still, this Christmas left me with lots of time to ponder. Though I was very glad to be with family, I really missed Christmas time in Austria. Being gone all those years, I had started my own traditions… Christmas Eve was always spent with the people in the house. My landlady, her son and his live-in girlfriend. Though they celebrated Christmas for totally different reasons other than the birth of Christ, it was still a fun time. I tried to be a witness thru example and would also share when I got the chance. Unfortunately, most of the time they didn’t want to hear what I had to say in regards to “religion”. Well, what they didn’t realize was that I didn’t want to talk about RELIGION at all. I wanted to share with them what it meant to have a personal RELATIONSHIP with the Creator of the Universe! The One who loves them so dearly. The One who wants a relationship with them. The One who demonstrated His love so drastically in that He died for them. No, they really didn’t want to hear any of that. Jesus is just not “that” which they believe they are looking for. They just don’t get it… they will keep searching for “that” and never find it till they find “that” in the person of Jesus Christ.

Christmas day was always special as well. My two “daughters” would come over before breakfast to open Christmas stockings. No, that is NOT an Austrian tradition. They learned it when they lived with me for a few years. My landlady would also come and we had a stocking for her. She never added anything to the stockings, but that didn’t matter. We were just trying to use anything possible to love her to Christ. The last few years the group was even bigger because Aure had gotten married. Last year she even had a second child with her. After opening the stockings, we would then have breakfast together. After breakfast came the fun part. We would sing Christmas songs accompanied by Peter on the Violin. That was a real treat! The Christmas presents came last. It was great. Frau Krainer would usually leave right after that. Tabea, Aure and her family would follow slowly after more fellowship. By lunch time, I would be at my dear friends, also missionaries, the Bryans, where I would spend the rest of the day. They lived in the next big city over a half hour away.

There were other traditions during the month of December in Austria. There were the Christmas Party clubs with the usual Good News Clubs and then also “one-time” opportunities to share with Children in other party clubs the true meaning of Christmas: CHRIST! Then there was the Christmas celebration at our church where we tried to invite people who normally don’t come to church. The message was always really clear: CHRIST! I enjoyed singing a solo each year and Willie always made an appearance as well. Then I can’t forget the special tradition Tabea and I started a few years back. We would take the very early train to Salzburg arriving around 9am. We wanted to be early enough to enjoy the Christmas Open Market before the crowds. Believe me, even in the freezing cold, there was always such large crowds by 11am that one could hardly move around. After that, it was off to the Getreidegasse to the fish restaurant for lunch. Oh yah, our favorite place. Great food. We then went to other shops and caught the bus to a friends house for coffee in the afternoon. Then we would hit the evening train home. We loved it.  The Austrians were getting more and more into Christmas lighting as well. Each year there were more and more lights on private homes. The cities themselves really knew how to decorate which added to the spirit of the season. Then the SNOW!!! sigh. No show here this last Christmas!

My landlady would always say to me in January… guess what, we will be celebrating Christmas again this year! You know what, she’s right!

Well Christmas is passed, though you wouldn’t know it with all the decorations still up. Still, it’s time to get back to work. So, it’s on the road again!

Today I surprised my home church by stopping by. It was great! Many wanted to know what my future plans are, especially when I plan on moving to Alberta. Perhaps that is your question as well. Well, I leave here (Everett) and go to Idaho for a few days. Then it is off to Eugene, Oregon. My first stop of many the next 2 months in Oregon. If all goes well, I will then fly up to Canada the end of March to see if I can find an apartment. Hopefully then the middle of April I will be able to move up there.

What has to happen first:

1. I need to raise another $500.00 per month in support

2. I need to raise 14000.00 for a vehicle for Alberta

3. I need probably $2000.00 in start-up fees

4. I need my VISA (which I have been working on and am still waiting to receive)

Sometimes it is totally overwhelming especially now that there are so many people hurting financially. Still, Pastor said at the end of his sermon a phrase that really makes one ponder: YOU TRUST GOD, YOU’LL SEE HIM! I really need to trust Him in this whole adventure. The Alberta workers need me… there are only 4 workers for the whole provence! The Alberta workers really want me… I have talents and abilities to do aspects of the work that the others aren’t qualified to do! I need to TRUST God.

Still. God needs hands and feet to do His work down here on earth. Would you be willing to be use by Him in reaching the children of Alberta with the Gospel of Christ? Most of you can’t go, but you can give. You can become a vital part of my ministry by becoming a prayer and financial partner. Perhaps you say you can’t give much… remember: LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT! Especially now during this financial crisis, YOUR help is needed.

Please send Donations to:

USA donors: CEF PO Box 348 Warrenton, MO 63383 for Mari Isaacson Acct# E3AT 4541

Canadian donors: CEF of Canada PO Box 165 Winnipeg, MB R3C 2G9 for Mari Isaacson ISM1

PLEASE PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER THIS. The saying goes for you too: YOU TRUST GOD, YOU’LL SEE HIM!

Please pray for my time on the road now to raise more funds. Please pray that my visa will arrive soon.

Thank you so much. God bless you richly,

mari

(Eugene) - January 18-22

(Medford/Talent) – Pick up Mari at CYIA staff mtg in Salem (Jan 23) to take down to So. Oregon

(Klamath Falls) – January 24-31

Dallas area) – Feb. 2, 7 pm prayer meeting

(capital district/Salem) – Feb. 3 – ?

(Portland) – March 5-6

(Roseburg) – March 18, 6 pm, Banquet speaker

There are still time slots open if you want me to come speak to your group in Oregon!!

My favorite song since childhood has always been “Jesus Loves Me”. You know it, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me… the Bible tells me so.” That song was written for children, still I have never come to outgrow it. The truth that Jesus loves me is powerful and life-changing. Yes, He loves ME!!!

Children have always played a very special role in Jesus’ life. He loved the children. He rebuked His disciples when they wanted to keep the children away from Him by saying, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not”! When you read Matthew 18 it is all about children. We need to be like children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Woe to those who are a stumbling block to children… there are powerful words if you are… it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Think about that for a moment… Think of the world’s view of children today. Think of all the possible stumbling blocks, some greater and more hideous than others, still to Jesus they are all the same and have the same reprimand!

I was the speaker at a CEF prayer luncheon the other day and heard some things that really shocked me. I would have not been surprised if we were talking about Austria, but the disturbing prayer requests had to do with Washington state!!!

Did you know that there are parents going to the after school clubs with the sole purpose to disrupt the club and keep the children from hearing the gospel.

Did you know that parents are encouraging their kids to physically harass children who participate in the after school clubs.

Did you know some schools are no longer allowing CEF workers or even children to pass out invitations to the after school clubs. The children can only be told thru the internet. For those of you who don’t know, a child can’t attend such clubs unless they have a signed permission from their parents. Many of these parents aren’t getting the permission slips because they don’t have internet or don’t check on what the schools are sending thru the internet.

Did you know, that although it was ruled that these clubs also have the right to take place, many schools are still trying to do what they can to prevent them from happening. In some schools the clubs can only take place if there is a janitor available so some schools are making it harder for a janitor to be available, especially on a regular basis. You can understand or imagine what irregularity does to a club. It’s hard to reach the children if they don’t know when the next club is.

There are more such stumbling blocks all over the US!

Praise God for the schools where children are still encouraged to attend an after school club! We need to pray more earnestly for God’s protection for students, teachers and staff of these schools. Some schools are even clamping down on any teachers or staff who are caught praying in the schools.

We need to pray for victory over the different stumbling blocks keeping the children away.

We need to pray for more club teachers for the schools that don’t have any clubs due to the lack. Pray God will send more workers into His harvest field!

Please pray for me as I prepare to go to Alberta to reach the children there. Right now there are only four full-time workers for all of Alberta! Oh, there is such a need. I am in the process of applying for my work visa at present. Pray that there won’t be alot of complications. The counselor at the Canadian Consulat in Seattle was really trying to discourage me.

More regular supporters are desperately needed for me to go to Canada as well. Plus I need to raise the funds for a good vehicle. If all goes well, I hope to be able to move to Alberta in April. Your prayers and support will make a big difference!!! If you would like to help out with a one-time or monthly gift, you can send your donation into CEF, Int. PO Box 348 Warrenton, MO 63383. Make the check out to CEF but put on the designation line for: Mari Isaacson E3AT 4541. Remember, little is much when God is in it!!!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. God bless you richly!

mari

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