This is a Southland Certified Ad An Update on TCM - Austria

I think what struck me most this particular trip was the difference in the students from my last trip to Haus Edelweiss in 2007. I was immediately noticed the obvious change in socio-economic and technologic advances made by the students. In 2007, I think only one student had a laptop. Just 2 years later, most of the students appeared to have laptops, as well as cell phones. What a difference it makes when students can access web-based resources and have the freedom to work wherever they might be staying. And I was also pleasantly surprised to see the students appeared to have a few more pieces of clothing, eliminating the distraction of washing out their only outfit each night when they could have been studying or getting rest. These are little things in our minds, but they represent real progress in the lives of our students and the people they lead. Anytime you can alleviate the basic survival needs of people, you free them to focus on other important things – like their spiritual walk and growth.

I was also impressed by their stories of perseverance and faith – following Christ publicly even when they face persecution. Like Driton and Bequir of Kosovo, who openly follow Christ in a country that is 98% Muslim, even though it brings them ridicule and alienates them from friends and family. It is difficult for us to comprehend the alienation they feel each day in their towns. Driton explained that his father, a Muslim, is beginning to understand that Jesus died for his sins and travels with Driton to other towns and churches to hear his son preach the Gospel. Driton trusts God that his father will soon be confident enough in his beliefs to no longer fear the opinions and actions of the town leaders, who are Muslim. He knows that each time his father hears him preach or lead worship, that his heart is being renewed and encouraged, and that he’ll soon accept Jesus as Lord of his life.
Although only 36 years old, Driton has “lived a thousand years”. He told me many stories of persecution and faith-building he experienced as a teenager during the years of war in Kosovo. When he escaped death at the hands of a Serbian soldier, he vowed he would serve God the rest of his days, because he truly believed only God was capable of delivering him from the soldier’s hands. And he has done just that – pastoring a small congregation, traveling to area schools and other churches, speaking at conferences and impacting people with his worship music.

I also think and pray a lot for Johangir and Zilola of Uzbekistan. While attending this last class session at Haus Edelweiss, they received word from home that the government had shut down the radio station where Johangir had been “the voice of Christianity”. Additionally, Johangir and his co-workers had all been blacklisted in Uzbekistan, which will make it virtually impossible for him to find work and support his family. Yet, both Johangir and Zilola remained focused on their studies and hopeful that God would make a way for them to continue serving Jesus in Uzbekistan. Even as they departed for home, they were unsure if they would be detained by their government upon landing in Uzbekistan. Their faith is humbling, to say the least.

Not a day goes by that I don’t pray for the TCM staff, LTWs and STWs, Faculty, and Students at Haus Edelweiss. Meeting them and sharing their struggle through service at Haus Edelweiss remains a highlight of my spiritual journey. I’m so thankful Southland recognizes the critical work being done at Haus Edelweiss and offers us the opportunity to support it. Thank you for the privilege of leading the Southland Team to Austria this past October/November. I can’t imagine how I could have been any more richly blessed, nor God more highly exalted!
Praise Jesus!

Amy Black