September 2025 Prayer Letter

September 2025 Prayer Letter

News from Norman:

Plan for the best, prepare for the…

The September church family camp was an interesting adventure. This was the first time we held a church camp in Greece, and the first time a young family with an infant attended! We traveled to Greece with four vehicles to the small town of Elassona. One of the highlights was our trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Great Meteoron Monastery. While there, Mary stepped on a loose brick and fractured her ankle (more details in Mary’s News below). X-rays show that it is healing correctly, but it’s a struggle for her. She wears an orthopedic boot day and night instead of a cast.

During our week at camp, several campers came down with the flu and fevers. Interestingly, most did not want to eat the planned lunch menu of tuna sandwiches that day! Thankfully, Ana graciously offered to make chicken soup and was a great help in the kitchen.

Due to the spreading flu, we were concerned about whether we could all pack up and leave on Friday. Fortunately, we managed to do so, although five related campers stayed overnight in Greece to recover before heading back to Albania.

This year's camp focused on biblical meditation using Psalm 1 and the first eight verses of Psalm 119. During our closing group session on Thursday night, it was meaningful to hear testimonies about our time together and our focus on God’s Word.

One lady shared how it was enjoyable to fellowship even amid sickness. She also appreciated how this camp offered a new perspective on Christian meditation, reminding her of the continuous nature of prayer, “praying without ceasing.” A young man emphasized that starting meditation with humility and sincerity was essential to understanding God’s Word.

Prayer requests:

  • Quick healing for Mary’s fractured ankle

  • Mary’s Migraine Botox shots on October 9th

  • Small men’s groups for men’s discipleship

  • Ladies’ Knitting Group

  • Improved rental facility for the church

News from Mary:

My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the Lord has done in these past few weeks. While at camp in Greece, during a tour of the stunning Great Meteoron Monastery, I had an unexpected accident. I stepped on a loose brick while tossing trash before lunch, twisted my ankle, and immediately heard a snap. The pain was intense, and I feared it was broken.

As I lay there in agony, trying not to pass out or vomit, my dear group surrounded me with love, water, encouragement, and care. It was a scary moment, but I never felt alone.

By God’s provision, a group of Israeli doctors nearby offered to examine my ankle, brought a first aid kit, and carefully wrapped it. They advised us to go immediately to the ER for an X-ray.

Thanks to Olivia Beers, our skilled navigator, we found the hospital. The X-ray confirmed that I fractured my ankle and would need to wear a boot for 4–6 weeks. Another divine moment was when Will Beers connected with an Albanian man in the waiting room, who became our translator when communicating with the Greek receptionist.

A kind hospital guard, who kept saying “I love you” in limited English, went out of her way to help—walking us across the street and assisting with ordering my orthopedic boot. I was also prescribed daily injections for the next month (ouch!).

By the time we returned to the villa around 8 p.m., a hot meal of chili and cornbread was waiting. Eli carried me carefully up and down the stairs with love and compassion.

This was not the day I’d planned, nor a souvenir I wanted to bring home. But in every moment, I saw the fingerprints of God. He placed the right people at the right times and showed His love through friends, strangers, doctors, and a thoughtful security guard, reminding me that kindness transcends language barriers.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” That verse has never felt truer than now.

Even in pain, with a fractured ankle, I am filled with praise. God is good, and He truly uses everything for our good and His glory.