The Owens Family: November 2016

Since my last post we have started the kids club. We actually heard from one of the places we contacted about having the club at a few days after my last post. They asked us to come meet with them. When we met with them they had already decided to rent the building to us they just wanted us to tour the facilities. It is a day care in a close by neighborhood. We were very excited and started meeting the first Saturday in October. We had about 11 kids registered and have had attendance of 7-9 kids each time. We meet every first and third Saturday during the school year.

We are enjoying learning how to run a kids program ourselves and love working with the kids. Most, if not all, of the kids are American but we are hopeful that with time God will send more Estonian kids too. We just have to trust and wait for Him on that.

We also have been praying about how to help other missionaries in our area. We felt from prayer that it would be better to come together and work together for kids outreach in the area. We are still working out details but we have agreed to help with once a quarter events during school breaks here for a kids day and to help with their summer camp in June. They have been here in Estonia since we were here the first time and we have known them since then. They just started a church in the area we are in around the time we started our small group in the area so it makes sense to help each other out and support one another. We already helped them with the first school break kids day of the year and eleven kids came.

Estonia can be a very difficult place to be as a foreigner. Often we feel alone. We get discouraged and confused at times as to why we are here. But we know God has a plan and even though we may not see it at the moment, we must continue to trust Him and wait on Him. We just simply want to be used by Him.

Right now we have the kids in events at the schools here. Elaina and Braeden take ceramics at a European school. Lorelei is taking dance at an Estonian school. Kayla was going to youth group and becoming familiar with it but then they abruptly stopped meeting. This was discouraging but she is babysitting for friends of ours and we hope to find an activity she will enjoy to enroll her in in the spring. We are still having small group and the kids club and just waiting for growth.

Waiting can be one of the most difficult things. But God grows us and strengthens us during the time we wait. Sometimes it seems like the vision God gave us in coming here just is not going to happen. That may be, but God can do anything and we must be obedient to do what He asks us to do and then let Him be responsible for the results. Honestly I don't know right now what we are here for, but God does and He will reveal that to us. It may be something totally different than we imagined too. So now we just pray and pray continually for God to show us how He wants to use us here and how to show His love to others. Please pray with us!!

We love you and thank you for your prayers and support! We are looking forward to being home in December for a few weeks for our vacation for renewal and family time!