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Friday, September 19, 2008

What's going on

Dursey Island




Things have
slowed down significantly from summer. I'm getting back into regular language studies again. Meeting with a few young people that I have developed a relationship with and have been walking beside them as they are in some sort of leadership role.




Cable car we took to get to an island




Here is some pictures of my recent trip to Ireland.
This trip was amazing just what I needed after an amazing but, draining summer. I was blessed to be able to have seen the places I saw, it was simple beautiful. This cable car was built in the 60's it was fun taking it across the water to explore Dursey Island.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Bring on the camps!!!!


here is part of my amazing team !!
In this picture these are some of the summer interns that will be helping with the camps. This week has consisted of a lot planning what we want the English classrooms to look like. These interns are great this is not the most exciting week of the summer planning your English lessons.


our first camp starts June 29th

Monday, May 12, 2008

Guys in the youth group

here is a pic of a few kids that are involved in the youth group. These three had just got baptized so that's pretty exciting. The two on the right are brothers and are loads of fun. it is a blast getting to know these kids more and more feeling like I'm able to connect more with them . One of the cool things is there is a good chunk of guys that make up the group which is sweet being to connect with and have fun with.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Legal resident


I'm legal







Thanks so much for all your prayers I do truly appreciate your prayers. The last couple of months of trying t0 obtain my resident permit has been a roller coaster with things changing constantly things would change for no apparent reason. We were all denied in the start of this excitement the way we were applying for our visa which was with Josiah Venture that we were working with Youth. It's kinda complicating but, for whatever reason they were no longer accepting this way that we and most missionary organizations had gone through so we went through the baptist union . Mike Kelley is one of my roommates and had to leave the country to Ukraine for over a month. I was getting close to my 90 days. After 90 days I would have to leave the country. I had to have documents from the states expedited with DHL. Things would change every day it seemed like at times. Me and Joe Brooks we planning on leaving for Albania for a couple weeks. Then we heard that it would be at least a month in Albania since the religious department with the government was saying that would be the quickest that could get it done. We ended up getting a attorney with everything changing and people at immigration not even knowing what they are talking about. Well I got to my 90th day and was able to get an extension to stay for two more weeks . And finally after all that I have my visa!!!

Yes it was an incredible time with things changing daily it seemed with the stress and frustration growing God was near through all of this. of course it was uncomfortable but, it was good in the same hand having to rely on God and just see how he worked. Being comfortable feels nice and good but, being uncomfortable is when you really grow in Christ.

thank you for all your prayers for they were felt here!


Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Life in Riga

I feel like I should keep you all better informed of what exactly my day to day schedule looks like.

I have language three times a week with three people on my team. Monday, Wednesday, Friday are language with the tutor. Then also Monday and Wednesday I have a Latvian helper that I go over stuff that I need help with.

Thursday I have meeting where I have been going through son life material. Son life is basically about coming behind leaders and equipping them and encouraging them but, not taking over. Rather getting them to be apart of it.
Then I leave Riga in time to hit traffic for a youth group that I'm getting plugged into about 45 minutes outside of Riga. I have been greatly encouraged by this group and feel like this group is a great fit for me. There is a good amount of guys in the group which is not as common for Latvia so that is super cool.

we have been formulating more what this summer will look like. Figuring out where the camps will be. Recruiting and figuring out which interns we have for North Americans as well as national interns.

Then I head back To Riga Thursday around 9 or 10 pm since I have language on Friday's.

So that is a little bit of what I have been up to.


THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS DEALING WITH RESIDENCY STUFF.

Keep praying I do not have my visa yet. sorry for the lack of information I have been giving you during this time but, sometimes information has been changing things I thought were for sure have not been.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

residency


Thank you so much for your prayers during this crazy time of trying to obtain residency. This time has been good, don't get me wrong it has been tough but, God has continued show me that he is near during this. I still am uncertain of what my outcome will be if I will in fact have to leave the country. I know though that he has this whole thing in his hand. I know that's easy to say but, I have this amazing peace that God has continued to give me and reassurance that he is bigger than any residency troubles we are having. Things look unclear right now. God is always in the process and movement.

thanks to all of you who have continued lift me and my team up in pray. The Emails I have received from many of you have been a huge encouragement as well thanks.

Monday, January 14, 2008

here is what my country leaders wife wrote about the situation that we are facing as a team currently with residency issues. She wrote it a lot better than I could. Please be in prayer as my roommate who is also with JV is currently in Ukraine after being denied residency.

Thank you so much for your prayers

Good Morning To All!

First, let me just praise the Lord - today is the first day that all four of our children went to school since December 17th!!! I am sitting, quietly, at my desk. I can think. And, yes, I can breathe!!! I praise Him!

Second, we would like to ask that you pray this week very fervently, and possibly in the weeks to come for all of our new staff to receive their residency into the country of Latvia!!

Most of you know that we have only had one person not receive their residency in the past. And, in actuality have only heard of two cases (one of those being ours) where missionaries did not receive their residency in the past, out of literally hundreds who have come through Latvia to minister for some time.

Unfortunately, this pattern is about to change. The first of our five new missionaries was rejected on Friday. Mike Kelly left for the Ukraine (a non-EU country, as required) yesterday, and will have to reside there until this conflict is resolved. We fear that the other four will receive their bad news on Wednesday (although this is not for certain yet - prayer # 1!!!!!!!)

It seems that EU rules are changing things significantly. In fact, our family should have been rejected in October when we re-applied, as well as our other existing missionary, Jaycee Jensen, in November. How we "slipped through" we cannot say. We suspect that the five new people applying caused a red flag and further investigation. Apparently, the way we have been registered as a not-for-profit organization does not allow us to invite people into the country to live any longer. This is hugely significant because every other missions organization in the country is listed in the same way and goes through the same process to bring missionaries into the country.

Some people have suggested we pay for a lawyer, but, in fact, this would do no good (and, actually, we paid for a lawyer with our last missionary who was rejected, and he really couldn't help us). A lawyer cannot help us change the law, and they cannot change the minds of the people working in the government office. The EU is "cracking down" and making it more and more difficult for foreigners to receive residency, and in fact, they have to do this. With all the new Eastern block countries that have been accepted into the EU, they have to control it somehow if they do not want all of Russia and the Middle East to flood through their doors. The difficult part of all this is - we have very few other options.

Right now, we are praying that possibly not all of our new people have been rejected - Eastern Europe is still that way - it can change from day to day, depending who is working. We will know for sure on Wednesday whether or not they all have to leave. Mike will be applying for residency through the Baptist Union for a religious visa, and since he does have a certificate from a seminary, we don't see that he will be rejected again - but, again, nothing is ever for sure here. The down side of that kind of visa is that it is only given for one year, so every year you have to pay high fees and face the stress of being rejected. But, as said before, we don't have a lot of other options at this point.

Pray for Mike as he has to stay in Ukraine and wait - pray that the Lord will meet Him there and minister to him. Pray that he will receive welcome back into the country very soon.

Pray for our other missionaries - Kelly and Donna Hargon, Joe Brookes, and Nick Fletcher - as they wait until Wednesday. Pray that miraculously the news is good and they have been accepted!! Pray that if it is not good, we will find a good course of action for all of them - they can't all stay with the one couple who lives in Ukraine!

Pray that we find a solution to this very upsetting mess! As said before, this will affect every other mission agency in the country, and quite possibly all of the EU!! Pray for Scott, as country leader, that he would have wisdom and discernment. Pray for someone to come along side of us who can help us sort this out! Pray for the right people to be in the right offices as they make decisions regarding our people.

The bottom line of all this is - we are shocked and confused. The good news - God is not!!! He knew it all before any of it came to be. He is in control, and now we must petition Him to work His mighty hand in this! He can do this - we cannot! But we must come to Him and pray!!

Please commit to praying for this matter to be resolved, and for our faith to be strengthened as we see Him work!

Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God." - John 11:40

Thank you for standing with us in faith and belief!

In Him,

Scott and Lisa Runzo