MISSIONS UPDATES

Filipe and I had the privilege of attending the Pastor and Leaders Training, known as the "Timothy Project." This was a special opportunity, especially since Filipe was already familiar with the training from his time serving with the Word of Life team in Mozambique. The purpose of my visit was to learn new strategies for reaching pastors and building relationships with leaders to evangelize and equip the next generation for Christ. My prayer is that those who put their faith in Christ will live fully for His glory -- because nothing in life matters except what we do for Christ. Praise the Lord for the pastors and youth leaders we were able to meet. We had the privilege of partnering with Tower of Strength Ministry for an outreach about 1 hour and 10 minutes from WOL. Together, we reached 43 people, and 9 received Christ as their Savior. We are so thankful for the interns, staff, and youth members of Tower of Strength Ministry who joined us. It was wonderful to see young men and women stepping into leadership, discipling faithfully. They have been a great blessing to the ministry. Please pray for more opportunities like this in the Tower of Strength area and that many more will come to know Christ personally. We held a Kids and Youth Camp in Welkom. There were about 58 kids and 66 youth, totaling 124 participants. Out of these, 50 gave their lives to the Lord, while 5 expressed uncertainty about salvation. We were joined by 10 leaders from Word of Life and 20 local leaders from Welkom. One of the greatest challenges was teaching the children and youth without access to Bibles, which made it difficult to connect deeply with them. Please continue to pray for the ministry in Welkom, that the Lord will work powerfully in their lives. 

BattleZone Camp -- Durban: We traveled to Durban to help with BattleZone Camp. Twenty-seven students from seven different churches joined us for a powerful and challenging weekend. The theme was "Divergent: Living in a World That is Contrary to the Faith." It was encouraging to see Joshua Meshele step up to lead in the absence of Brad and Mary, who are currently in the US. I had the privilege of teaching and challenging the students to live differently, even when culture pushes against faith and to stand strong for Christ Jesus. Praise the Lord for families and churches who continue to pray for us financially. We returned to Welkom to train a church called Sound Gospel Bible Church. Five different churches participated in the training, which focused on evangelism. We discovered that while many are active in ministry, they do not yet have a full understanding of the Gospel. This training opened doors to reach more churches connected to these five. My prayer is that I will continue to seek God's will in all that I do and that those I minister to will serve wholeheartedly and faithfully. 

Prayer Requests: Pray for effective ministries in our home church, especially in the worship ministry and kids' ministry. Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel and that many souls will come to Christ. Pray for our upcoming Putfontein Holiday Bible Club and the youth Camp at Putfontein, where we will help with teaching and counseling. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek God's plan in every ministry we do. 

Praying and saving...excitement was building as each detail was coming together for the church's very first mission trip abroad. But as things were beginning to come together on one end, it was unraveling on the other. The vision for missions that the pastor was imaging began to threaten to do just the opposite...

I see a note from a retired missionary who I knew through a handful of encounters over a twenty year span who wrote a simple plea of a supporting church of his in Canada who needed a place to serve. We were just finishing up hosting a seminary student in our home for three months, gearing up for a new Bible club called "Explorers," planning on pouring a cement parking lot/sports court, and hosting a teen camp for four days with 140 teens - doubling our normal amount. And we would be doing family vacation sandwiched right before our Annual Mission Board Conference with fellow missionaries. And only three days after that receive this team? Many arguments quickly found their way to the surface, but for some reason, there seemed to be peace about this, and we quietly accepted the plan. And so, two pastors got together on a phone call. Each feeling they were stepping out in faith. Who is this pastor from Canada, and what will this group of eleven be like? Who is this crazy missionary who just said, Sure, come on down, we have a big house? But as we tiptoed through the conversation, the Lord was obviously leading the group from the Canadian frozen tundra to the Amazon rainforests. Maybe I am exaggerating, but the switch from Ontario winters and tropical Brazilian summer in less than 24 hours, is still an extreme change. Through cement trucks pouring a parking lot, a new Bible club, the 140 teen four-day camp with four salvation decisions including the sister of one of our members, and then a whirlwind trip up to northern Brazil for family vacation, and the Mission Conference...Then wide-eyed and busy-tailed, the Canadians arrived. Tile was placed in our kitchen, the whole church was painted on the outside, and a very cool sign with our church logo was made. They were soon painting the sports' court lines as they geared up for the weekend activities and church services. They were almost missing the snow after those scorching days on the cement courts. As we mixed Brazilian meals, an all you can eat meat restaurant, and interactions with the Brazilians during prayer meeting, meals at Brazilian homes, and our family activity on Saturday, along with Sunday services, the Canadian team was enjoying the food and the Brazilian people. It was fun to watch! Tired and sunburnt, they had been a part of ministry and felt the Lord working in their hearts. They had loved and felt loved back. They had seen the fruit of their labors with not just tile and paint, but tears and conversions. The team saw our old van break down a few times in just one week. They have already promised at least $16,000 to help buy another van for the ministry!

The moving truck has been booked! Now, where do we drive to? Though we know we will be serving the Lord in Lehi, Utah, we have yet to obtain a house. We know that the Lord will provide, as He always has, and we ask you to join us in praying for this need to be met. Many other needs are constantly being met, and we praise God for this! July 16th is when we aim to leave Canada and begin the trip to Utah. Thank you for praying for us as we continue to transition in ministry. Did you know ... Utah's population has increased by 54,000 people a year since 2004, which is one of the highest rates of all of the States in the country. Out of all of the US, Utah ranks the lowest with regard to having evangelical protestants. Due to the population explosion and the closing of various churches, Utah would have to plant 11 churches (consisting of 100 members) per year just to break even and remain at 2% of the population being evangelical Christian. Utah has 1 evangelical church for every 12,000 people. Utah County, where we will be serving, has 1 evangelical church for every 22,000 people. A church with the mindset to be a major church-planting catalyst is needed to help impact this area. That church is Alpine Bible Church, where we will be serving. 

“Networking” is a term that I didn’t hear much

growing up, but it is certainly being used more and

more now. One way that I am currently “networking” is by joining Praise Gathering, a 450-voice choir made up of believers from nearly 200 Scottish churches. We have been rehearsing since April and will present 2 concerts in Glasgow on June 20-21. It has been encouraging to be reminded that God is still present and working here in Scotland, even when my little corner may seem rather dark. And I look forward to the concerts and experiencing just a small taste of what heaven will be like … with a multitude gathered around the throne praising and worshiping the Lamb. Another networking opportunity, the Scottish Women in Ministry

conference, took place last week. Although this group is considerably smaller than the Praise Gathering choir, it is still a great chance to connect with other ladies who are serving in churches all across Scotland and to hear how the Lord is working in each of their ministries. I confess, as someone who is very introverted, these networking opportunities are often a challenge for me. I would much rather just sit in the background and observe, but I see the value in forming connections within the body of Christ, especially in a country with so few committed Christians, so I pray that the Lord gives

me boldness to step out of my comfort zone and do my part in being an active and involved member of the global church family. In March, I asked for prayer that a Bible club would open up in the secondary school that some of our Scripture Union girls will be moving to in August. I just recently learned that the Lord has provided volunteers and an invitation from the school to begin a lunch club there. This is a huge answer to prayer, and I hope you will join me in continuing to pray for these girls and the seeds that have been planted in their hearts over the past 2 years, that God would bring forth a harvest. I have once again been invited to speak at the annual St. John’s Ladies’ Retreat. I look forward to this every year and am always so grateful for a chance to reconnect with this lovely group of ladies that I have gotten to know during my first 3 years here in the UK. This year’s theme is the “I AMS” of Jesus from the Gospel of John, and 4 ladies from my church here in Scotland will be joining us, as well. Please pray for all 16 of us as we gather on June 12-14, that the Lord would be working in each one of our hearts, teaching us more about who our Savior is and how we can be growing in Christlikeness. Thank you to all who were praying for my mom. Her bypass

surgery went very well, and although recovery is a

long and difficult process, she is doing great! I was so blessed to be able to spend two and a half weeks with her and my dad as she worked through getting back on her feet and being able to take care of herself again. I am also incredibly grateful for those who contributed toward my travel costs. It has been many

years since I’ve been able to enjoy spring in Indiana,

so that was an added blessing. The Lord even sent a

few thunderstorms while I was there. Thank you so

much for your prayers and support which allow me to

serve in Scotland.

Thank you so much for standing with us in prayer. I want to share an encouraging report from our recent travels. Our time in China was truly special - both fruitful and heartwarming. We visited three cities in mainland China: Shenzhen, Dalian, and Xi'an. We had the joy of connecting with brothers and sisters in each city, meeting with pastors and ministry leaders, and attending Sunday services both in the morning and evening. One of the greatest gifts was spending precious, unhurried time with our own family in China. It was emotional to see parents and loved ones with more wrinkles and silver hair, but what a joy to simply be together. We also had fun experiencing some of China's amazing technology - electric vehicles, drone-delivered food, and robots bringing orders right to our hotel room! Ministry-wise, we saw so much hunger for God's Word. We visited large churches with a couple thousand worshippers and small ones with a hundred or fewer. Many believers are hopeful, but we noticed a tendency to place hope in temporary things. Some also mistake years of believing for true spiritual maturity. The urgent need we saw is for both informal and formal Christian education and discipleship. It was a rich learning time for us. While we were in China, our team back in Johannesburg was busy as well! They held a Go-Share Day at church on the east side of the city. they trained young people there, and then those young people went straight to the busy streets to proclaim Jesus as Savior. It wasn't just a training session - it was real-time outreach. In a short time, they shared 43 Gospel presentations, and 9 people confessed Jesus as Lord for the very first time. Our team also went to Welkom, where they ministered to about 100 students at a private school. Most of the students were either unbelievers or cultural Christians, so it was truly an evangelistic camp. Through fun times, worship, and teaching of the Gospel, peer pressure, purity, and more, we saw God move. The school principal was there watching everything, and she witnessed the power of the Gospel and the transformation in the students. Our local partners in Welkom joined in as well. What a wonderful gift from God!

We wanted to give a brief update on what has been going on in our life and ministry. First, the long awaited good news - Rodemar's citizenship process is being expedited! This has been one of our major concerns since arriving in the States almost a year ago. While we still do not have a timeline of when we will return to the Philippines, we can expect it to be much quicker than the normal citizenship process. We're on the final step of waiting for the citizenship interview. We are praying we will return to The Philippines in July or August. We will keep you posted on any progress with his case. Rodemar had a great visit to The Philippines in February/March. It was such a blessing to have 2 men from our church join Rodemar for the first week of his trip, and we were so incredibly encouraged to hear their perspective of our ministry in The Philippines. Thank you for praying with us and for us and for sticking by our side through our time in the USA. We continue to trust in the Lord's timing. 

I would love to share one of our current needs. Bucharest is the capital city of Romania with a metro population of around 2.4 million people. An estimated 1.3-1.6 million cars travel its roads each day, making it one of the top five most congested cities in Europe. Drivers in Bucharest spend over a week each year just sitting in traffic. To help reduce travel time, I am hoping to purchase a reliable commuter motorcycle. Reducing travel time would allow me to spend more time doing the things that matter most - ministry meetings, discipleship, outreach, and personal connections. Please pray and if you would like to contribute toward the goal of $6,000, we would greatly appreciate it.  You can click the button below to visit our giving page. 

It may be Spring, but summer is coming and preparations are in full swing. A record group of 55 students have applied for our Christian Youth in Action summer missionary training. As we review applications and interview prospective students, it is a blessing to hear their sincere passion for Jesus and desire to serve! It is also a great encouragement to see how God has used the training in the lives and ministry of returning students. When asked to describe any training or experience you have had with CEF and the impact it has had on your personal life and ministry, 16-year-old Lucy responded: "I love this question. I have done CYIA training for three years. My youth pastor says I'm naturally gifted in running games, but I always imagine giving the amazing CYIA staff a wink when he says that. CYIA has gotten me out of my comfort zone, built my presenting skills, helped me build friendships, encouraged me, and trained me to show Christ's love to others effectively. I intend to ask my pastor to let me present CYIA to our youth group, because I truly believe it can be a pivotal point in a person's ministry." Pray for discipline for our students as they work on pre-training assignments, attentiveness during training, spiritual growth, and effective ministry for our Lord! Our staff also needs your prayers as they prepare for and instruct an extra-large group of energetic young people. Reports are not yet complete, but so far this year, 1353 chldren have been enrolled in 49 Good News Clubs across Kentucky. 122 have professed salvation in Christ and 89 have become established in the sponsoring churches, most often with their entire families. God has called one of our Good News Club team leaders to serve on our staff team! Chloe has loved sharing Jesus with the children of the public elementary school where she teaches Kindergarten. This spring she is joining our team as a volunteer Ministry Coordinator in southeastern Kentucky while raising financial support to serve as a paid missionary staff member in the near future. She is a gifted teacher with a passion for sharing Jesus with boys and girls. Ask God to raise up godly individuals to serve on the state board and in local committee leadership in the Bluegrass Chapter. Pray for a state office administrative and ministry assistant to support a rapidly growing ministry!

The Lord is good and has blessed our Word of Lie in Serbia ministry. We served in preaching the Word and leading worship in churches in Titel, Jabuca, Cerlarevo, and Padina. Almost all of theses churches have no Pastor, and by sharing the Word, we serve them spiritual food. We also served over the internet, editing spiritual messages and music for Christian Internet Radio Sinai. In this way, people who speak a language similar to ours in the countries around Serbia...Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Northern Macedonia, can hear the Gospel. We also serve at the Children's Bible Club in Padina, where about twenty children gather every Saturday to learn more about God. We continue translating and editing the Quiet Time Diary for young people and raising funds to print at least 500 copies by the end of 2026. We continue to make many preparations for the WOL Camp summer season, which begins on June 19. We are expecting up to 200 children and teenagers and the same number of adults, parents, and friends for four weeks of camps. Many will hear the Gospel for the first time. Pray for the funds to print the Quiet Time Diaries for Serbian young people. We need $3,000 for this project. Thank you for your partnership in this ministry.

Thank you so much for your prayers! We could feel that Jesus was with us. The biggest evidence of this was an amazing conversation with one of the principals with whom we shared the Sparrow Project. She informed us that the program based on the Bible would not work at her school because it was too Muslim, but she sent us to their sister school in Wattville, because they were "more Christian and could really use the training." What we found when we arrived at the sister school was complete openness and a beautiful example of a Sparrow School in South Africa. When we arrived, we met with Nokuthula. She said the school has 800 children in 19 classrooms! There are 71 first graders in one classroom, and 63 in grade 5. The school is severely under-resourced without even a field or playground for the children to play. During recess, we watched them play soccer in between the classrooms. Please pray that we can complete the contacts and schedule trainings at the schools we visited. We are ready to do the work, and we trust Jesus to make the connections. 

I have no way of knowing for sure if the Bible teaching is being broadcast on the radio in Senegal or not.  However, in Mali, it is being broadcast.  Although it is not always consistent, it has continued to progress.  The Old Testament teaching has been completed, and they moved into the New Testament a couple of months ago.  Presently, the Gospel is being shared.  There is a new church in an area referred to as the “mountain region”, which has no pastor, and it is through these broadcasts that they are receiving Bible teaching.  It is hard to gauge the broadcast’s effectiveness.  Nevertheless, God’s Word is being made available.  You have heard much about Diba.  I praise the Lord that she has remained so firm in her faith and am grateful for all the help she has been to me.  I have put her in touch with a solid church there in Paris.  This has been tremendous for her spiritually, as she is very active within this church.  It also provides fellowship, which she otherwise would not have.  There is a man in this church who she has been talking with.  They are not dating, but she spends quite a lot of time with him and his parents.  His father is the pastor of the church.  Diba has refused to marry a Muslim, despite pressure from her family, saying she will only marry a person who has trusted in Jesus as his Savior.  And when even a French Customs judge suggested that she either get married in France or just get pregnant, so she could gain citizenship quickly, her reply was that she was not going to do that, and that she would leave it in God’s hands.  There are very few marriage options for Malinke Christians – none in fact, that I am aware of in Senegal.  Please pray for Diba and this man.  We just received a prayer request from Diba herself.  Yesterday, she was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer and will begin treatment right away.  She doesn’t want to tell her family for fear that they will say this has happened because she has left Islam.  However, Diba said, “God is working through this just as He did for Joseph.  He is taking something bad and bringing good from it.”  Due to the cancer diagnosis, the government is providing her a home of her own.  She had been living in a type of group home.  She will be receiving a monthly income for the rest of her life.  She will get her French version of a “Green Card” sooner than anticipated.  Please pray for her.

So many kids in our nation today are struggling with hardships that threaten their future. They have faced abuse, violence, hunger, and instability. Many of them live in circumstances where they don't feel safe, and their most basic needs aren't being met. They don't need Hollywood heroes. They need real people who care about the, invest in them, and make a difference in their lives. Every time you give to Youth Haven, you help make it possible for hurting children to experience a safe, fun, and loving environment. You show them that their lives have value. They are important to us, and they are important to God. You are their real-life hero.

Renovations are complete in our Michigan dining hall, and it has already been filled with kids enjoying delicious food this spring!  Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and some unexpected cost savings God provided, the cost of the renovation has been covered!  We are so grateful for every person who gave toward this important need.  Your gifts will help us feed thousands of hungry children, not only this summer but for years to come.  Summer camp is a powerful opportunity for kids to get away from their hardships and experience the love of Jesus – many for the very first time.  When they don’t have to worry about when their next meal will be or whether they will have a safe place to sleep at night, they are free to think about God’s awesome creation and the life-changing truth that He created them and has an amazing purpose for their lives.  Every fun activity, conversation, or bedtime routine is a chance for our staff to build trust, offer friendship, share biblical principles, and show them how loved and valued they truly are.  This is only possible through the help of friends like you.  During the summer, we hire additional staff who want to spend their summer sharing the Gospel with kids who aren’t hearing it anywhere else.  Youth Haven is free of charge, and we don’t receive state or federal funding.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.                                      Lars Carlson, President & CEO