Mari Isaacson

Dear friend,

It was almost 23 years ago that I began to work full time with Child Evangelism Fellowship. I graduated from Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada in 1987 and worked on staff there till God literally kicked me back to Austria. Before Bible School, I had spent a year in Germany and Austria in ’82 – ’83. Through that experience my heart became burdened for Austria… a burden that grew with time. In 1988 I spent time in Austria and Germany again then took the CEF CMI (Children’s Ministries Institute) training in Switzerland. The application for CEF was sent off during that time and the acceptance letter was waiting under the Christmas tree when I returned home from my second adventure in Europe. Little did I know the journey that would lie ahead.

The purpose of CEF is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to disciple them in the Word of God and in the local church for Christian living.

In May 1990 I left America and joined the work of CEF in Austria, one of the 165 countries where CEF is presently working. There were blessings and challenges during the next 19 years that followed. Learning a new language was perhaps the greatest challenge as well as adjusting to life in a country far from home. It had helped that I had already spent some time in Austria before. Nevertheless, it is a major difference between visiting a country and moving there. Some have said that the heart of CEF is its training program. Believers appreciated help in how to share the Gospel with boys and girls.

God’s plans are often not the same as ours. My plan was to stay in Austria forever. God began to show me in 2007 that it was only for a season. He had other things in mind for me. So, in the early summer of 2009 I packed up everything that wasn’t already shipped and moved back to Eastern Washington, which was only a transition to my next country assignment.

In 2007 and 2008 CEF Alberta asked me to join the small team there in reaching Alberta’s lost children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 2008 I accepted and in the spring of 2009 was packed up again. This time the move was to Edmonton, Alberta. Alberta has approximately 600 thousand children, most who need to hear that there is a God who loves them and wants a relationship with them. Matthew 18:14 says, “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” So it was with mixed emotions that I said goodbye to my time in Europe and settled back in North America.

An important part of my own ministry is to have a strong support team. I am thankful for each one who partners with me by praying and giving, some since I began in 1989 and others just beginning. In order for my ministry to effectively continue more people are needed to join my support team. My prayer letter will keep you informed of current requests. I am in the process of raising support and am asking the Lord for people who will give monthly for this ministry (whether $10, $50, $100, —or another amount). Paul wrote, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7. Would you prayerfully consider joining my support team? If so, please contact me at: austria.girl@gmail.com and I will give you the information you need.

Yours in His care,

Mari Isaacson