Dear Friends,
We, Daniel and Caitlin Oswalt and Bethany Shinn, are going on a mission trip to Serbia for six weeks to teach English as a second language (ESL) courses. Teaching these courses will allow us to build relationships and give us the opportunity to share the Gospel with the Serbian people. We will learn the Serbian language, and gain a better understanding of their culture. This will help us participate in future mission trips as interpreters and give us skills to prepare future groups going to Serbia.
Staying in the homes of Serbian families, we will be further immersed in the culture and language. We will be paying the same amount that it would cost us to stay in a hotel, but the money will be given to our host families. This money is a big boost to them, financially.
We will be teaching English courses to Serbians on three different levels: those who don’t know any English, those who know some English, and those who merely want to practice their spoken English with Americans. These courses will be broken up into six day-long courses; each session will have an hour and a half long lesson. We will each teach three different classes every day, ensuring that the maximum amount of people will be able to attend. Three levels, three times a day, and three weeks total has the potential to reach a great number of people by the end of a six week period.
English is vital to the success of the Serbian people. It will help them to rise above poverty and the discrimination they are facing. Students and professionals alike can benefit from learning English. More than one billion people of the world speak English, half of the world’s books are in English, ¾ of the world’s international mail is in English, and 80% of the internet is in English.
Matthew 28:19-20 says, “’Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.’” By spending two weeks in each city, we will be able to present the Gospel and disciple these people. God has called us to minister to these people, and to take this verse seriously and actually go share the Gospel. In Mathew 25:35-36, Jesus says, “’For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” Jesus has challenged us, as Christians, to meet their physical needs, as well as their spiritual needs. Meeting their physical needs shows that we, as Christians, care and that the Gospel is real. As a result of our English courses, the Serbians we work with will see our faith in action and be more receptive to the Truth of the Gospel.
We are asking for your support through either prayer and/or monetary gifts. Linking Partners, our sponsoring organization is a registered charitable organization, and all donations are tax deductible. We have started this blog so that you will be able pray specifically about what we are doing. We will be writing periodically as we prepare for our trip, and then throughout the six weeks we will be staying in Serbia. We will try to update this as much as possible.
We thank you for your support and we look forward to sharing our missionary journeys with you.
-The Three Amigos
