Prayer Update from Scott & Sharon MacLean
Scott & Sharon MacLean
*** Attached is a .pdf copy of our prayer letter In a more “printer friendly” format. The text version is below. Thanks for praying. ***
Plans and Frustrations…
July 2013 update on the ministry of Scott & Sharon MacLean serving in Italy with Crossworld
“The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
It has been an interesting few weeks. Typically, June is one of our busiest months of the year (coming in a close second to December). Ministry opportunities abound and we greatly enjoy getting out and sowing the Gospel seed through open air evangelism, children’s clubs, and witnessing. This is in addition to the normal discipleship and church ministries that go on year round.
So perhaps you can imagine my frustration when I came down with the flu in mid-June. Some days I felt well enough to work at my desk. But the higher energy activities such as children’s club and open air kept having to be cancelled as the flu stubbornly hung on for two long weeks.
Towards the end of the two weeks I ended up spending two straight days in bed with a high fever and no energy. So Sharon took me to the hospital where they discovered that I had pneumonia and admitted me. Over a week of rest (in the hospital) and IV antibiotics got me back on my feet – but by then three weeks of ministry had been pretty much wiped out. Sigh!
Or had it been wiped out? I did, while in the hospital, get several opportunities for good spiritual conversations with various doctors and nurses. And the guys that I have been discipling regularly stopped by to visit. We had some great talks. The down time also provided ample opportunity for reading and meditation – time which I found to be quite fruitful in my personal and ministry walk with the Lord.
I do not know if God had a specific reason for my time in the hospital. Perhaps He did. Or maybe it was part of living in a fallen world with sickness. But I am thankful that the time, while not spent in the way I had planned, was useful.
May and the first half of June (before the flu hit) did provide some great ministry opportunities. The man running the park gave us full permission to have “Bible Stories in the Park”. Despite rainy cool weather in the late spring, we were able to do the Bible Stories several times – including one time with puppets that was very well attended. We also did open air evangelism at “Giugno Domese” (the annual town fair) that drew some of the largest crowds we have seen here in Domo.
My times of witnessing – handing out tracts and seeking to start conversations – provided both good times of conversation – as well as reminding me of how hard the soil is here. Numerous folks would start to accept a tract from me, see it was “religious” and suddenly change their mind and turn down the tract.
And the warmer weather outreaches will go on, Lord willing, although as the town empties out a bit for summer vacations, the pace will not be as fast. But it will pick up again as we head into the early fall. So keep praying!
In April we came upon a possibility for a meeting place for the church. The church was excited as we considered some of the ministry opportunities it would open up. But in the end the details did not work out and we are still holding our Sunday meetings in the home of Davide & Alida. Please continue to pray for the Lord to guide and provide for this need.
Since Davide & Alida live a good ways outside of Domodossola, there are several youth that are in need of rides to and from church. Since our car only has one available seat on Sundays, we have to alternate who we can offer a ride to. We have started praying that the Lord would provide a larger vehicle that would allow us to offer more people rides to church.
Another exciting part of our summer was hosting and organizing a vision trip for Ryan & Jackie – a young couple that is seriously considering serving the Lord here in Italy. They had a full six weeks of observing and helping with the various ministries that Crossworld has here in Italy (including doing the puppets for our Bible story in the park). They came away from their time here even more convinced that Italy is where the Lord would have them serve. Would you pray for this young couple as they continue their preparation to serve – perhaps right here in Italy where the need is so great.
Please pray for Italy. Italy is in a time of severe financial crisis. Jobs are very hard to find, money is tight, stores and factories are going out of business. It seems that often times of financial crisis can bring about a new openness to spiritual things. Please pray that would be what happens here in Italy – and here in the Ossola valleys. Thank you for your prayers!
His Servants,
Scott & Sharon MacLean
*** Italian Info ***
Which city is closest to the latitude (north-south position) of Domodossola?
A) Green Bay, WI
B) Boston, MA
C) Cincinnati, OH
D) Raleigh, NC
See below for answer.
*** Quickly Noted … ***
* Moving? –If your address changes, don’t forget to let us know your new address. This is especially true if you move “electronically” – that is if you change your e-mail address. Make sure you let us know your new “e-address”!
:) Welcome Tabea Cristina – We are happy to welcome our new niece – Tabea Cristina MacLean – born on June 9. Congratulations Dan & Elly (and big sister Merryn)!
* On our Website – Updated news and photos, a couple of our favorite recipes (PL extras) and more about “Giugno Domese” (Life in Italy).
*** Prayer & Praise ***
* Pray for the book table ministry – for good conversations, for people to take/buy literature and that the Lord would use these seeds that are sown.
* Pray for E. (dad of one of our youth) to find a job. He has been out of work since January.
* Pray for the salvation of the families of several of the youth in the church. Pray that these young people will be a shining witness in their homes.
* Praise for great ministry opportunities. Pray that the seeds sown will bear fruit.
* Pray for our friendships – that they may be used to draw people to the Lord.
* Praise the Lord for Scott’s recovery from pneumonia.
* Praise for Karis & Luana finishing the school year well (Karis finished 2nd grade, Luana the 1st year of kindergarten).
* Pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth laborers into the fields here in Italy
(Luke 10:2)
* Praise for additional increases in our pledged prayer and financial support.
* Pray that the Lord would provide the prayer and financial support that we still need.
* Pray for a great working of God in the Ossola Valleys. May He draw many people to Himself and build His church!
*** Answer to Italian Info: ***
Domodossola is at 46°06' north. That is about 108 miles farther north than Green Bay, WI (A). But because of its geography, it is nowhere near as cold as Green Bay! In fact, some winters we don’t even get snow!
*** Contact Information: ***
* Field Address:
Scott & Sharon MacLean
Via Ravasenga, 2
28845 Domodossola (VB)
ITALY
Phone: 011-39-0324-482-259
* Mission address:
CrossWorld
10000 N Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Phone: (816) 479-7300