You can call me Charlotta. That’s not my real name, but some of my local friends here in our small, rural, farming village in Central Asia think my given names sounds like something for a little girl and have chosen “Charlotta” for me. I just go along with it, smiling, but telling my husband in a soft voice not to get any ideas about using this name on a regular basis. The two of us work in a predominantly Muslim community – he teaches English at a local language center and I help at the center when I can. I also have a very small business of exporting local handicrafts made by needy, abused or handicapped women to various Western countries.
Our goals here are to build trusting relationships that will allow us to share Good News that will eventually result in groups of people worshipping and fellowshipping our Lord together. It’s a daunting task in this place, where most would rather count on their good works to win God’s favor. So we look for opportunities to get to know people however we can – through the English teaching, by giving women some work through the business, by practicing the local language around town, by mobilizing brothers and sister in other countries to join us in the work, and through just being open to the culture and flow of life here.
We do have a team here – two other foreign couples and hundreds of faithful prayer and financial partners – and are so grateful to not be alone in this work.
As you think about us here, please pray for the Lord to break through the spiritual blindness and closed hearts of people who are seeking to please Him but are not given hope of being able to know Him and His salvation. Ask that our efforts to serve people, through teaching English and our export business, will show them His love. We want to be filled daily with His joy, hope and peace and to have opportunities to tell others about Him.
©2014 Thrive.