March 2021 Prayer Requests

Dear Friends of Estonia!

The numbers of COVID-19 cases in Estonia have been rapidly raising and Estonia is facing very strict restrictions again. Worship services in churches are forbidden in March and whether we will be able to gather in April, is not clear.

There is a lot of confusion, frustration, and anxiety about the whole situation in our society at large and we ask you to pray for our country, that the number of infections would go down, those who are sick would get healed, and people would have peace and patience.

Please pray for our congregations and pastors, as we have to readjust ministry plans, move activities to the internet, and be creative in how to take care of people God entrusted to us in these new restrictions.

Please pray for the online pastors gathering on March 20.

Please pray for the wife of one of our pastors who was diagnosed with Covid-19. Pray for her quick recovery and that other family members would be safe.

Thank you for your prayers and May God bless you!

Please be in prayer for the seminary and for all of Estonia. This last week, the Covid numbers spiked sending Estonia into stricter lockdowns. The seminary will have to continue to teach online for the foreseeable future and churches are not allowed to meet in person once again.

Also, on a personal note, pray for our family. My mother, Anne Tõniste, passed away on February 15^th.

We are well.  My family is well.  Kristjan family is in Finland. Erkki family is living in Tallinn. We do not get to see him as much as we would like.

We have many services and much work.

We pray for you, and God bless you.

Praise God, my trip was very blessed and safe! I was in Ethiopia for three weeks, arrived in Estonia on the 19th of February. Thank you for your prayers.
It was a meaningful experience. Basically, I did some tutoring for one guy to get more fluent in English and visited the families of our students. The students have an enormous desire to study and they are waiting to get back to school after the school break, whereas in Estonia students can’t wait for the holiday to start! So the students inspired me a lot and as a teacher here in Estonia I now think about how to evoke this motivation in my own students!

The culture is very different from Estonia, they are more loud and intense. But nature is beautiful, food is delicious and the students captured my heart!

For March I ask your prayer for my work in the school- wisdom, patience, and peace.
For the church- the services have been canceled during the month of March and the construction of the floor in the main hall should be finished- that it will be effective and during the time of restrictions we would stay strong in faith.

I am grateful that my family and myself are well. Living and working under the current circumstances is quite a challenge but by God’s grace I have managed. There are also many meaningful conversations with friends and partners in mission and with colleagues for which I am thankful.

Please continue to pray for me to find creative ways to be connected with partners in many countries with who I am working. I wish to be supportive but it is not always easy to understand how to do it when no real-life human contacts are possible any more.

Please pray for my interview in the US Embassy in Tallinn on March 15 where I am presenting my case for my residency which has been cancelled due to the long time I have stayed out of the US. I am so grateful for the person who has supported me with preparing many legal documents for this application and guided me carefully in this process.

God bless you all in this prayer ministry!

The mission has come again closer, through the phone, neighbors, family members, same town, neighbor village. It urges us to see new opportunities and new ways.
The churches have been open since May – after 5 min will start a meeting that decides whether the churches remain open.

New Alpha course started (one group live and another in zoom). We received money for sound system and instruments through one parliament member. Two children’s home girls visited our home for 2 days, we had special time with them.

Prayers:
Several funerals in our church, for the people who are mourning.
Alpha course participants.
That churches remain open.
The decline of coronavirus.
Pastoral fellowship.
Wisdom to organize youth and children’s ministry.

Pray for people, who have been far from church for a long time. Pray that they will find a way to God again.

Pray for our youth confirmation group, they should continue in virtual meetings. Pray that they will grow in faith and do not get tired from too much e-meetings.

Pray for people who have lost hope and who feel very lonely.

Estonian speaking youth work
We are grateful for the prayers and the opportunity to share what we have done.
We live in a difficult time where new ideas are born with God. We need guidance from God. I’ve experienced the powerful blessing of a small group. We pray that the small groups that already are operating will become stronger and even more new groups will be created to serve young people. Naatan Hollman started the Youth Alpha Course on the web. Let’s keep them in prayer.

UMC Räpina
We are actively continuing with construction on the new building. Let us keep our team and our builders in prayer. We pray that God will supply the finances at just the right time. God is our supplier. I need wisdom in serving people in this difficult situation where public services are forbidden in churches. Thank God for his care, equipment, and powerful presence during this special Lent.

Our son Benjamin had ankle surgery on the 12 of March. Let’s pray for help and fast recovery.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers for Livia’s grandfather, Jose Rocha. He is in the hospital now since Sunday awaiting surgery. The x-ray showed both his leg and hip broken, but due to an infection and being generally so weak, they are not able to operate. (EDITOR UPDATE: As of March 6th the surgery was a success)  The COVID situation in Brazil also is creating difficulties for all hospital procedures. To make it worse, he is not eating properly or co-operating very well. One of his children is allowed to be in the hospital with him at a time, so Livia’s mom, her aunt, and two uncles are taking turns staying with him. Livia was able to talk to him briefly a few minutes ago, but he is too weak for a long conversation.  Please keep praying for Grandpa Jose and for the whole family. Pray especially, that he would respond to God’s voice while he still can.

Additional Editor’s note: Mark and Livia share more frequent updates and prayer requests on their One Mission Society mailing list. If you would like prayer concerns and requests from the Nelsons in-between the monthly FOE email consider joining their mailing list. 

Dear friends,

As of now, the childrens’ lighthouse is open. For most parents, distance learning is very hard, especially for the youngest children. Children with good support at home are okay with distance learning, like our daughter Katarina. She can do it well, but for our Lighthouse Center kids, it is good that the center is open and they get can help. The government has allowed us to remain open because these children need a safe place to come and receive help. Thank you for your prayers!

God bless you!

Thank you for spiritual support.

Thanks to the Lord, we managed to hold a camp for teenagers on February.
The government has established that from March 1 to March 31, churches can only conduct online services. We are closing the church building for a month for public events.

Bless us in prayer so that the Spirit of God has an influence through us in the Internet space and through the media ministry.

Pray for the opportunity for believers to meet in home groups.

Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit for the leaders of the home groups, they now need the guidance and support of the Kingdom of God.

We keep you in our hearts.