fall camp TODAY! prayer requests

going to fall camp today
pray that it will go smoothly. For the leaders, the clubs, the activities, the traveling to and from, the cooks, the preparations, for changed lives, for kids to see Christ.

Other prayer needs:

• For peace, forgiveness, wisdom, and comfort for our team after the death of Sadia.
• For Duane, Elizabeth's brother whom we recently has cancer.
• For the Moore family. As well as Uncle Paul, Aunt Robin, Sarah, and Kellie as they deal with Katelynn's death on Wednesday. She is also part of my extended family.
• The small study that we are having on Thursdays: "arpijei" (we are keeping it small to get things going)- The girls are very excited! I think we have established good ground work and trust. They have expressed to me how comfortable they are with sharing with one another. Pray that this time is a time of really digging into the Word and learning how to seek after the Lord.
• Clubs- that it is animated, fun, interesting, and that it is about God and not about numbers or putting on a show. Pray that the kids feel welcome and will invite their friends. Also, that they will be encouraged by what Sergio will be presenting.
  

news on sadia

recent news...posting what i sent out to you all.

was going to send a normal update. this is more important. thanks for your prayers.

somber and still awake,

jessica

________

Dearest friends and family,

Oh, how precious is a life. Today has been a day of mixed emotions. I received news of the death of a friend of the Murrus. She was a 20 year old Muslim girl that went to high school with Sarah, the Murrus oldest daughter. She had some family problems as she resisted her arranged marriage. She wanted to live her life as she wished. Sadia was striving to work in the law field. To escape from her family she was staying at a women’s shelter in Brussels and commuting to Charleroi where she took classes.

This June Sadia lived with the Murrus for 2 weeks where I spent quite a bit of time with her. We had some good discussions on the difference between being Christian and being Muslim. During this time both she and I were studying. She was studying for her exams and I was preparing my YL papers. Sadia was very energetic, fun, caring, and full of life. We would message each other on MSN to arrange a time to go downstairs and have lunch together. For our breaks from our work we would arrange to play JungleSpeed with Priscilla and Anthony. Sadia was very proactive. After finishing her exams she talked about finding a job and finding a place to live. It was most imperative she stay away from her family who were searching for her.

For two weeks, Sadia would wake up; put on a ball cap and a long jacket to disguise herself, and Sergio would drive her to school to take her exam. Often they saw her brother outside of her school. Luckily, as far as we know, he never saw her. After her exams, Sadia returned to the women’s shelter where she could only stay for a few more weeks. That time seemed to be good for her as she found a new school and a different city to be in. We talked over MSN a couple times. The last time we talked she wanted to invite the Murrus and I over for dinner at her new place.

Sadia really cared for the Murrus and definitely recognized everything they had done for her. She told me several times how thankful she was for them. They helped her a lot, and not just this time.

When we were talking about moving I had thought about her being my roommate. I know we would get along so well, however I was afraid of her family situation and how that would affect me. I never brought it up, but I did think it would be cool.

On Monday, Sadia was shot at two times by her own brother. She was in critical condition in intensive care. Early afternoon today she passed away. It is my understanding that they would rather see her dead than to dishonor the family.

I share this with you because this is REAL! I lived with Sadia. Sergio was like the father she was lacking. She knew exactly what the Murrus do as their career. She cared for them and they cared for her. I didn’t think this would affect me as much as it has. So often we don’t realize how precious our lives are. We MUST share The Truth! The time is NOW!

Please pray for healing, forgiveness, wisdom, and peace.
Love from a broken hearted team,

Jessica
(photograph of Sadia and Sarah at Priscilla's voice recital)

whats up..move, RPJ, club, family

i FINALLY moved! yup thats right. i have my own place! all though my stuff is there, im not sleeping there yet. it still feels like just a building. i feel alone there. pray that i can make it my home soon!

mom is coming on saturday...hopefully dad too!!! pray that they have a good trip here. also that it stops raining.

for my house...things are ok so far, but it is hard to fit everything that i need in my budget. i need to buy things for the house but will have to wait for another several months. the stuff that i have now i have managed to get second hand from an xpats site here. thats basically an online yardsale. all great deals.

tomorrow ill be getting together with the girls of "aRPiJei." that is what they decided to call it. pretty cool. anyway, we are going to start our actual study. will keep you posted. please pray for rebecca and perrine. that they will grow from our time together, from what we are studying, and from their application of what we learn.

club is on friday at my place!! pray that it goes well and that the kids will see Christ in us and what we are doing. pray that the night is only about the Lord and not anything else.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS AND PRAYING!