Newsletter September 2006
Dear Friends & Family,
Greetings and Blessings from Spain! I pray that this letter finds you and your family well. I am now in my second year of work on the mission field. The Lord has been so faithful! He is doing wonderful things and I know that He will continue to be faithful to finish the good work He has started in me, especially these last months. As I hope to finish my time here soon, God has given me the opportunity to learn from and impact this mission field in a way that I could never have imagined.
In June, I went to Tangier, Morocco which is a 4 hour drive and a 1 hour ferry ride from my home here in Cáceres. The purpose of this trip to North Africa was to renew my passport visa so that I remain in legal status with Spain. What made this trip so interesting was that it was the first time I had been to a country where it is illegal to share the Gospel of Christ Jesus. This was so interesting because I expected a place like this to be radically different from any other place that I have been to but it was not as different as I thought it would be. Yes, it had some differences in the customs and mannerisms but to a great degree it is very much like many other countries I’ve visited. What was even more surprising is that there are Catholic Churches there. What happens there is that Christians are allow to live and worship in Morocco but they are not allow to evangelize the Moroccans and the Moroccans are not allowed to enter the churches. It is said that the Catholic priest’s even turn the Moroccans away because it causes problems for their congregations.
Almost immediately after this trip I was asked to substitute for a youth leader in a week long camp for teenagers. My role here was to be the games director and help in monitoring the youth. This was a great opportunity for me. This position truly stretched my skill in endurance, youth leadership and counseling. At first I thought that I was in over my head but by the second or third day God showed me that He was there with me and was in control of the situation.
My one of my latest great adventures was Sept. 13 when I had to lead the bible study in our church for the first time. The hardest part of this situation was not leading an entire bible study in Spanish, but preparing for it. I had to prepare my outline for others to read it. This task was much harder than delivering the message. I do not know exactly how I got through it but I did and I give all the glory to God!
Finally, I ask you for prayer because I am really going through some hard times. I know that God has me here to help make changes for the future of the church here in Cáceres and Spain. Pray for me and ask God to lead through this.
And as always thank you for your financial blessings and prayers. I continue to pray that God continues to use you to do His will in your life for the benefit of the Kingdom.
God bless you,
Varian Dean
