Always Good

     It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been in Slovakia for two and a half months. The time has flown by and yet at the same time, it feels like I have been here far longer.

     I’ve settled into my apartment and have started to develop a routine. I have Slovak lessons three times a week for two hours and am studying independently for many more hours outside of this. I’m teaching English to one highschooler, Oliver, twice a week and am planning to start teaching one of the girls from the church once a week. In addition, I am involved with all the church activities and have been spending time with the ladies in the church.

     I’m continuing to understand more and more in Slovak. For the most part, I can follow the general vein (not every word) of something if it’s written out so I can read at the same time I’m listening. Conversations are harder for me to follow. Sometimes I can understand what is going on and other times I don’t understand the thought at all. Please continue to pray that I will be able to learn the language so I can effectively communicate with the people here.

     I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with my Slovak teacher, Soňa, shortly after my last update, but I was not able to do so in Slovak. She understands some English, but not everything, and it is not her heart language. Please pray that I will have more opportunities and that I will be able to use Slovak for those opportunities.

     There was also the opportunity to share the gospel with Oliver after our first English lesson. I teach him at the church and Don and LeAnne were not able to be there, so Silvia came with her two little boys and played in the living room (the Waite’s house is in the same building as the church) during the lesson. After the lesson, Oliver and her talked for two and a half hours about spiritual things, and as far as I was able to follow, she was able to share the gospel with him. Then last week, I was able to invite him to stay for the youth group and dinner with the church after his lesson. He didn’t stay this time, but seemed like he might in the future. Please pray that there will be more opportunities to share the gospel with him and that he will stay after his lesson one of these Fridays.

     I am still praying about whether I should get a car while I am here or not. Within Kežmarok, things are very walkable, but I can’t really go outside of the town. There is public transportation, but I’ve been told that there are potential issues with thieves/safety when traveling alone and, particularly on the buses or trains that go from village to village, they tend to get very crowded and are rather unpleasant to be in. Please pray for wisdom.

     I was able to submit my paperwork at the foreign police without issue, but we are still working through some additional requests that they had. Please continue to pray that it will be worked out in God’s time. Since I have submitted the paperwork, I can stay in Slovakia, but if I were to leave, I would not be able to come back until after everything is finalized.

     The Bible institute has finished for the summer and preparations for the next school year are underway. Please pray for God’s guidance in all the preparations.

     We are actively working on planning for the church retreat and VBS which are both in August. Please pray that God’s purposes would be accomplished in both of these events, that there would be opportunities for discipleship, and that everyone who attends would grow closer to the Lord and receive wisdom from Him.

     LeAnne was able to travel to and from the States safely. Her mom is physically recovering from the surgery, but is having more difficulty with Alzheimers. Please be praying for her and for the entire family. Vivian Waite was also able to travel here for the summer shortly after LeAnne got back.

     The visit from the BMM field administrator and coordinator was a wonderful time. It was good to be able to have some refreshing conversations. They were also able to see that the church here has a very close knit and God honoring spirit. God has truly been working and blessing here.

     In everything, the Lord has been so good. It still amazes me everyday that He would choose to use me to accomplish His plan. I’m not special. I’m just following His lead step by step, and I am abundantly blessed. Even in the midst of apparently bad circumstances, God is good. This past Monday, I pulled the muscle in my calf while at the church and could hardly walk across the room. Don and LeAnne had left for a short trip and were not around. God allowed Silvia to be available and willing to pack her little ones into their car, come pick me up, and take me home (and stopped at the store on the way to make sure I had some food in my apartment). I had to stay home for a few days to rest my leg, but at this point it is better. Through it all, God was in control and had provided everything I needed.

     Please pray that God would continue to use me however He deems best, and that it would be for His honor and glory.

     In Christ,

     Shae Zabel