Newsletter from Hanna and Sarah 

July- December 2010 

 

 

Dear friends

 

Each and every one of you became such an important part of our 2010! You made our year special and blessed. That’s why we decided to write down some of the things God did, while we travelled.

We are not very fluent with English, so very sorry for all the mistakes. I pray that the Holy Spirit may help you understand what we are trying to say. J

 

In May last year we decided to fulfill a lifelong dream: travelling around the world. By that time we were still in school and about to finish our studies as social workers. By the grace of God and with the help of many prayers from people around us, we passed our final exams very well and both of us got an extra diploma because of the high marks we reached. Praise God!

 

 

India

After that we left for a 2 month trip to India. The first 2 weeks I (Hanna) was there with my parents and other friends from church. We attended the ICIC (international children intercessor conference). The food of the catering turned out to be bad, so we all got food poison.  My Dad and many other foreigners got so sick, that we had to bring them to the local hospital.  Same time the doctors informed the police about so many foreigners being sick. After that the Hindu police came to the prayer center (which is the orphanage at the same time) to check on us, because they don’t want missionary work to take place in their state. We had to hide in our room, but God was faithful and they could not find us on the compound. Most of the people (including my parents and friends) left India a few days later, since the conference was over.

Same time Sarah arrived. We had 6 weeks ahead in India.  We were supposed to teach in a slum school. We started preparing lessons and were very excited about the open door, that God had given us. But the situation with the Hindu police got worse. They came over and over again to check on us, and we kept on hiding in our room. Together with the leaders of the prayer center we agreed, to leave the city as quick as possible.

We travelled 6 hours to the very south of India. We’ve got good friends there who lost all their 3 kids in the tsunami. Now, 6 years later, they have adopted 30 tsunami orphans, and God blessed them with 2 own kids again. We had an amazing time there. We visited many people and feasts like baby parties, weddings, spend time with the kids, could preach in the local church and just had a lot of time for ourselves to spend with God and people. Thank you for opening your doors again and again for us, you really became family to us!

 

 

Switzerland

After that we flew back to Switzerland for 2 weeks. We had two very important meetings in the French and in the Italian speaking part of our beautiful country. I was leading the worship there, and it was really important to us, to be part of what’s going on in the spiritual world in our country. My Dad was blowing the trumpets as a prophetic sign to the body of Christ to return to the 3 most important things: first love, the word of God and our roots, which are the Jewish people! We had an amazing time back home before we left Switzerland for the real big trip!

 

 

China

We started at the 13^th of September from Zurich to Beijing. We had a great privilege to stay in the house of Swiss missionaries who were on holidays by that time. The start of the big tour was not that easy. I was sick the first few days and we had a jetlag.  So we had much time to spend with God. Both of us were reading the same book that time which is called: “set apart” from John Mulinde. One chapter was talking about idols and God started talking to both of us the same time. We wrote down our idols and started praying about it. Soon we realized that travelling is one of the biggest idols we have in our life. I just heard God asking me over and over again: “Do you love me that much, that you are willing to let go your biggest dream for my sake?” I was fighting with God for some hours that night. In the morning at 5 o’clock after lots of prayers and tears I was ready to go back home. No matter what people will say, no matter how much money is lost. No matter what…! I want to be in the will of God! Sarah stud up the same morning telling me: “Hanna, I think we should fly back home.” Wow! We packed our things and wanted to leave for the airport the next morning. The same night God showed me a picture. I saw Abraham, how he was about to sacrifice Isaac. Just in the last second God told him: “I see your heart. You are willing to obey me, no matter what it costs you. Because you were willing to give up everything, I will give it back to you!” We realized that God wanted to proof our hearts. What is the most important thing for us? Sightseeing? Meeting new people? Adventure? These are all good things. But the FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT thing of all is to LOVE and SEEK HIM!!! God wanted us to know that before we start doing anything else.

After Beijing we travelled to Shanghai where we spend the most amazing 2 weeks in a house church. We could feel a LITTLE BIT what it means to live a life of persecution. We had to enter the building in little groups and leave it the same way, so that nobody will pay attention to us. We were aware of the fact, that the police goes around the city with the picture of our friends, looking for them, to put them in jail. Same time our hearts were so blessed by our Chinese brothers and sisters. The hospitality, love and care they showed us were amazing. Many times we kneeled in the prayer room, midst in all these homeless people worshipping God with the little they have, and tears were running down my checks. The glory of God was so strong among those little people giving up everything they are, for everything HE IS!

 

 

Thailand

Full of so many impressions we travelled to Thailand. We were full of visions and words the lord had spoken to us and we felt that we need some time to think and pray about everything. Because of some (God given) “mistakes” we made, we ended up in a little village in the middle of Thailand. We were the only tourists and had these long beach for ourselves. God was so faithful to us. We spend wonderful and relaxing days at the beach, doing nothing than reading, praying and worshipping. Sarah was praying for an angle while I was praying for a guitar. We didn’t know about one another’s prayers until a man walked straight in our direction the same night. He smiled at me, gave me a guitar without saying any word and disappeared again. Totally amazed how serious God takes our prayers we sat at the beach with “our” guitar, worshipping the one and only who is worthy to be worshiped!

The last day in Bangkok was very special as well. Through Maureen (a good friend I met in Mozambique) we got to know a lady named Bonita, who is working with prostitutes in Bangkok. We were invited to visit the home of “new beginnings” where they live with girls, who wants to leave the “sex business”. The volunteers of new beginnings took Sarah and me to the bars in the afternoon. We got to know some of the 15 and 16 year old girls who are sitting there, waiting for a white man to come and take them to their room. We talked to them, listened to their stories and played pool the whole afternoon. At night we went to one of the Gogo bars.It really broke my heart! Most of the girls danced naked on the tables in front of those guys, who could order a girl, like they would order a drink. I could strongly feel the compassion and love that God has for these young girls. We prayed and talked to some few of them. I saw Jesus looking at me though their eyes. If just one of these ladies could feel a glimpse of love or hope that night, it worth it all!

 

 

Philippines

Our next destination was Manila, in the Philippines. We didn’t have any contacts there and the Taifun flooded the whole city the same weekend. After 3 hours at the airport, a Christian guesthouse had mercy on us and they allowed us to stay at their property for one night.

It was still raining the next morning, we were tired, had no idea where to go and felt really discouraged. We decided to go to the shopping Mall which was close by to change money so that we could pay the guesthouse. Reaching there we realized that the Mall was still closed and we had 30 more minutes to wait. We sat down in front of that Shop and started praying. “Lord, we need your help. We are lost and have no idea where to go in this huge city. Please open doors for us. Amen!”

At the same time we opened our eyes Sarah said: “Hanna, look, there are some white guys!” I saw them and immediately I felt very strong in my spirit to go over there and talk to them. So I walked over and said: “Hi, I’m Hanna, we are lost. Do you know any cheap place where we could stay tonight?” One of the white men said: “I have no idea, but ask my friend over here. He is from Manila. This is Pastor Ismael!” And he introduced me to his Pilipino friend. Pastor Ismael said: “I have a school with a free room. You are welcome to stay as long as you want!” We were so overwhelmed by the Grace of God, we felt like dreaming. These 3 guys were Pastors from New Zealand, on a mission trip in Thailand and the Philippines.  They kind of “adopted” us into their group, which was really amazing. Pastor Matthew from New Zealand took us around and God used him to open many doors for us even in New Zealand some weeks later. Thank you very much Matthew!

All in all we spent 2 great weeks with Pastor Ismael and his amazing family! They took us everywhere, gave us the possibility to share at his church, we could make kids ministry in a poor area, attend the local feeding program and many more things. We travelled 12 hours to the very north of the Philippines for a family reunion of our hosts. We learned a lot about loving and caring for one another and just spend the most amazing 2 weeks with our new family in Manila!! Thank you so much guys, we love you!

 

 

Australia

Our next stop was in Sydney. We first stayed with a family that I knew from our first visit in Australia. We so much enjoyed spending time with Laura, Sue and Anna. Lying on the sofa, watching a romantic movie with a cup of tea was exactly what we needed. At the same time Sue and Laura took us to the prayer meeting and the youth service, where we had the chance to share what God had shown us. Another exciting thing was to see Noel and Barbara Bell again. Good friends from my parents and I haven’t seen them since many years. They opened us the way to get to know amazing people in New Zealand. (Thank you very much for your help!) The last few days we spent with a good friend from our church in Switzerland. Daniela is studying at the Hillsong bible college. We enjoyed the beauty of Sydney together and of course visited the live album recording which just took place the same weekend.

 

 

New Zealand

Our next adventure began in Wellington, New Zealand. A lovely couple picked us from the airport. Richard and France had 2 days off, to show us the most beautiful places in and around Wellington. They were travelling to the Philippines the same week, so they arranged a place for us to stay. Tricia and Brian are just amazing! I love that couple. We spent one week there and we really felt at home. They took us to a prayer meeting in the parliament, which really impressed us. Worship filled the whole government building and some of the parliamentarians were there to receive prayer. What a great privilege to be part of that historic moment. It turned out that Brian and Tricia were the national intercessor leaders for New Zealand and by looking at their photos from international meetings; I discovered the picture of my father more than one time, which was really amazing.

 

We spent one week in the bush of Otaki for fasting and prayer. Our amazing friends David and Kathleen are living out there in caravans since 7 years. What a great place to be still and seek the lord. No Internet, no mobile phone access, no people, nothing! Just God and me. We spent hours in worship, prayer and conversations and felt how the lord is refreshing us. From there we travelled to Taupo, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Hamilton where we spent a real blessed time with amazing friends. It would fill books to write down everything that God did during those days but each and every place was a gift from God and we were so thankful and blessed to get the chance to know you all. Our special love goes to Jean, Pastor Ralph and Pastor Morgan, Jess, Lisa and Tanja, Andy and Jan and Deborah! You made our New Zealand trip special!

 

 

America

Our next long flight brought us to San Francisco. With God’s help and some miracles we stayed in a beautiful hostel for not even half the price it would normally cost. We got to know such great people and many times we sat in the lobby until 2am sharing stories from around the world. The manager told us, that he never before recognized such a good atmosphere in his hostel, than since we were there. And he offered us a job at the front desk right away. What a great possibility to share about Gods love, joy and peace. We loved San Francisco. All the Christmas lights, the musicians on the streets, the shops, we felt like dreaming.

 

From there we travelled to Los Angeles with the grey hound. God opened a door for us and we could stay with Leeann and Gabriel for few days. They took us to many different meetings, showed us beautiful places and we had a lovely time together. During those days something real special happened. They took us to a messianic church. After the service a lovely couple came over to us. God had shown them some of the things we are doing around the world. It was really amazing! Robert and Helen told us, that they would love to support us and they felt very strongly to buy as a Lap Top. We could not believe it! That was just amazing. Few minutes later we stood in an electronic shop and could choose a very good Lap Top. That’s how God provides for everything. Thank you so much Robert and Helen for being such an encouragement to us! We love you and pray for you!  

 

 

After that we spend some few days with Tess and Roberto, a couple we met in the Philippines. They took such good care of us and we enjoyed seeing them again. From there we travelled to Las Vegas for one night. We have never seen something like that city before and we agreed that the name “sin city” fits very well.

 

 

 

Switzerland

The next morning we took a flight from Las Vegas to Zurich. To surprise our families we had booked a flight, to spend Christmas at home. We will never ever forget the faces of our friends and relatives, our parents and siblings when they saw us. They could not believe it and they totally freaked out, which was awesome. We spend some wonderful days at home with our families and the church!

 

I could fill page after page with all the miracles we saw in these first few months of our trip. All the open doors to share the gospel, to make a difference in a lost and dying world, all the chances to show love and also receive love: it was absolutely AMAZING and our hearts are full of thanksgiving towards our father in heaven, but also towards you, our lovely friends. We love you!

 

May GOD bless you all!

 

Sarah and Hanna

 

 

 

THANK YOU