|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against
a stone. (Psalm 91:11-12)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve already shared about Sunday’s & Monday’s miracles in my last post. The
enemy wasn’t too happy and tried to strike back. On Tuesday I got the insurance
for the car – 120$. On Wednesday, I met with Tami. Her husband had installed
a new starter, alternator and battery the day before and it was running
perfectly. Wednesday morning, it suddenly wouldn’t run any more. They had to
take it somewhere to find out what’s wrong and he got pretty frustrated and
fed up.
On Wednesday night a fierce storm swept across North Dakota that made it even
into the national news. Many areas where left without power, including the
water plant so that there was also a water shortage. Trees were uprooted
everywhere (I’ll put the pictures on my webpage). All day Thursday I tried to
call Tami, not knowing she didn’t have power. And then, after class, my
computer suddenly wouldn’t work any more. Memories of my notebook’s death 3
months ago started flooding my mind. It had been exactly the same way. In the
end, my notebook was running fine again, but it had drained me quite a bit.
At 4 p.m. Tami and I could finally get a hold of each other. They had to
replace a wire and the car was running. At 10 p.m. I saw the Honda Civic 1984
for the first time. We drove around a little bit and I realized this was
real, being flooded with gratefulness and awe of God.
That night I said my good-byes which was pretty hard at times. I’ve made a
few very special friends who I’m going to miss a lot.
I had 3 hours of sleep when I got up again at 5.15 a.m.. I had planned to
leave at 6. When I started the car at 6.30, it died off again. I couldn’t
keep it running, however much I prayed. It was a cool and damp morning. I
called Tami who came all the way into town. We prayed again, she turned the
key, and it ran (she knows the car pretty well). So I left Grand Forks at
7.40, saying with determination, “I WILL make it to the 7 p.m. service and
not miss a single song!” I had prayed for weeks that I’d be in Kansas City
Friday night.
I stopped 3 times to refuel on my 720-mile drive (1160 km). The first time it
seemed I was all alone at the gas station. In the US you can actually pay the
gas outside right where you get the gas, with your credit card. I started the
car, and it wouldn’t run. I got really angry at the enemy and then it worked.
So he changed his strategy. I had printed out driving directions for the
whole journey, right to the church. I looked at them and put them back on the
seat next to me. A few minutes later I wanted to look again, and they were
gone (no open windows). I looked everywhere. Now I’ve already unloaded the
car and they’re not there. The enemy simply took them away. But I couldn’t
care less. I had a brochure from the church with a little map and after all,
the Holy Spirit is in the guiding business ;-).
I could tell the prayers of the saints were with me on the journey. A few
times I got tired, but the Lord would energize me again. I don’t have a
radio/cassette player yet so I used my walkman to worship and listen to
teaching tapes.
So it’s probably needless to say: I found my way to the church without
difficulties and got there exactly at 7 p.m., not missing a single song. I
had dreamed about that moment for 2 months and now that I was here, I felt
like still dreaming all night, during the glorious worship time, listening to
pastor Steve Gray preaching, receiving such a warm welcome from all the
friends I had made two months ago. It will probably take me a few days to
realize I’m REALLY here.
Precious Paula opened her home to me again. Last night I slept 10 hours,
having a day of rest today until the evening service. Next week it’s the last
week of the summer term and I’ll be sitting in in classes. I’m so much
looking forward to the start of school. I’ve been told that there will quite
a big number of students and also found that the tuition has been increased. On
Wednesday at 1 p.m. I have my interview at the Christian school. I’ll also
open a bank account and have paperwork to do concerning the change of my visa
and the car. Tomorrow, Sunday, afternoon I’m going to Dan & Heather’s
house to look at the room they’re renting out. If they also think this is
God’s plan, I’ll move in on Monday.
Thanks so much for your prayers, and please keep praying for the next few
weeks as I’m settling in. I know He’ll be stretching me, especially my faith,
and I’m so thankful for it! As someone here said, this is the beginning of my
destiny.
Last week I’ve worked on my webpage, also putting up a good number of
pictures from Grand Forks, Kansas City and Vienna. Go have a look – and don’t
forget to sign my guestbook. I’ll probably still have to get the Dreamweaver
program though to keep it nice and up-to-date.
May the Lord bless you abundantly!
In HIM,
Claudia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\0/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch
Linguist ~ Teacher ~ Translator/Interpreter (also via e-mail)
until I have a permanent address:
c/o Paula Clements
5012 Sunset Drive
Kansas City, MO 64112
USA
claudia@healing2thenations.net
www.healing2thenations.net
www.healing2thenations.injesus.com
Talk to me online - I'm "healing2thenations":
yahoo! messenger
msn messenger/netmeeting (including webcam)
ICQ - 101189375
Your support - whether by prayer or giving - is greatly appreciated:
Europe: Bank Austria, bank number: 12000
account number: 509.101.468.00
USA: yet to be opened
then possible via injesus.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|