Lahti

We just got back from three days in Lahti, Finland. Lahti is a city about a half hour train ride from Jarvenpaa and it is considerably bigger than our small home base. It truly felt like we had traveled to a different country - traveling all the time can do that to ya. Here we worked with Petrus the youth pastor of a pentecostal church there. (the official/most common religion/church here in Finland is the Lutheran church) He and Maiju (the children's pastor) helped us out considerably, gave us a tour one day of the city, and translated for us. This time we stayed in people's apartments. The girls stayed with Paulina, Petrus' sister, and her roommate Hanna. They were such a blessing and were so generous of their time, space, food, internet, etc. just like all the people we have encountered here. Their apt was so cute too; I hope mine can be so chic. The guys weren't so lucky with space and had to squeeze six of them into a one-person apt thought it helped the owner was out of town.

Our schedule was rather free in Lahti with only nightly meetings at 6pm. They provided lunch for us at the church, lovely, Tues we then went grocery shopping and settled in, Wed we got to roam around the shopping center there or hang out in a coffee shop, and Thurs we got a tour of the more well-known places in Lahti before going to the church for sound check. On tour we visited their ski jump - IT WAS HUUUGGEEEEE! omg I used to think that I would love to ski jump after seeing the Olympians do it on TV. Oh, wow, think again. I was scared just looking at it. And on the huge supports they had rock climbing holds. If I were harnessed that would be amazing. We also saw the harbor and walked out on the lake that was completely snowed and iced over.

At the meetings Peter spoke on Trusting the Father and I gave a testimony, Olivia spoke on Hearts of Stone and Joe gave a testimony, and Andrea spoke on Intimacy/Trust and James gave a testimony. Finnish people are known for being reserved and to not think very highly of themselves, but during ministry time (with some prodding) so many people came forward for prayer/prophecy and were completely touched. It was so cool. I love ministry time because I just pray what I feel God saying and I get to see them get affected completely by Him. So many times I wasn't getting any words but was just with them loving them and God touched them so powerfully. Cuz it's not about us anyway but He uses us and allows us to take part. Suzi and I were praying for one girl and just standing there with her loving on her and after awhile (with tears) she told us the vision she had from God and it totally blew us away! She saw Jesus proposing to her and getting married to Jesus and she was wrecked by the thought that Jesus loved her enough to want to marry her. We hadn't been praying any of that and Daddy just took her away! Amazing.