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Dear Sisters,
„May God our Father and the LORD Jesus
Christ give you grace and peace.”
Recently
I have spent five days (April 18–22) in Finland where I have
been invited by the sisters from Finish and Swedish speaking Baptist
Women's Unions. After this travel everything is fresh in my heart and
mind. Generally I can say that the Lord has blessed in a special way
this time together with Finish sisters. He has given me strength, joy
and everything what I needed to serve to women. It was very busy time.
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Ewa Gutkowska
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Every day since Wednesday have been women's
meetings in four different cities of Finland. On Saturday was the
women's conference of the Finish Swedish speaking Union and on Sunday I
have privilege to preach in Vasa Baptist Church where Mai-Britt
Vehkaoja president of the Swedish Baptist Union works as the pastor. So
every day I traveled mainly by train and have spent every night in
different bed but I could experience love and hospitality of the Finish
sisters and brothers too. Through this new experience I could see how
God works in Finland. In one old Baptist Church (Finish speaking) in
Vajakoski there is a group of believers who have prayer meetings every
morning and they pray for the ministry and spiritual revival. In
another one in Tampere women involved in mission work in Sierra Leone
and just now they are praying for God's guidance for mission work in
another country. |
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During
the 40th Anniversary Conference of the Finish Swedish speaking Women's
Baptist Union we could see how God worked through the women's
generations and still works. At this meeting all four former presidents
of the Women's Union took part and their sharing showed us how God used
many very ordinary women to do His work in Finland. They struggled and
still struggling with different difficulties but just through being
together, through fellowship they have received always big
encouragement, said one of the former presidents. Women in different
ways collect money that to support work among children at the summer
camp. I liked very much the idea of small box in one church where women
every week can put 50 cents for mission work among disabled children in
Thailad. In this way they collect sufficient amount of the money that
to support this ministry. They are thinking and praying about a new
mission project in Sambii. |
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Through the theme of the conference „Seeing with new eyes”
and its Bible Study and the lecture all participants could realize how
important is first of all to see with new eyes of God and than liv- ing
around people.
At the end of the conference I received from Finish sisters very nice
gift, the freshly edited book, „Finland from
above”. I like this book very much not only because of the
wonderful pictures made from the plane but because thanks to this book
I have once more felt privileged to see from much wider view, not only
Finland but also Europe. This is God's grace to be carried by Him on to
"greater heights" and to see how He does His work also through women.
This is God's grace to experience His presents during such women's
meetings. This is God's grace to exprience His answers for our prayers.
There are also still very fresh memories from the women's con- ference
in France where the EBWU committee had also annual meeting. The theme
of this meeting "Women of faith in positions of responsibility both
biblically and culturally" was not easy but very important in this
multicultural country. Everywhere you can meet people with different
skin's colour. Therefore the subjects of the presented sessions and
later the discussion helped us to know better and to understend people
from different cultures. We could learn a lot and also to experience
blessings through the prayer of French sisters for the EBWU committee.
For all of us it was a special time of prayer when we have been
embraced by French sisters who prayed for us loudly. We have
experienced Holy Spirit touching. After that we have felt strenghten
and inspired by the message from the bible shared to us by two sisters.
It was for me special God's gift and inspiration to pray more for
France. |
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So
this is amazing that during such meetings with the sisters we can give
some but much more we usually take from others. There is also
additional very important purpose: "...That they (we) may be filled
with courage and may be drowan together in love, and so have the full
wealth of assurance which true understanding brings. In this way they
(we) will know the secret, which is Christ himself. He is the key that
opens all the hidden treasueres of God's wisdom and knowledge."
(Colossians 2,2).
In
ministry to Him,
Ewa Gutkowska
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