Dear Friends,
It’s truly a marvel to see God multiply the work of preaching the three angels’ messages through distributing The Great Controversy. In April, our mission to Lansing, Michigan, reached nearly 45,000 homes in one week, and over 700 signed up for Bible studies. Pastor Curt DeWitt of the Grand Ledge Church reported that many of the 140 contacts his church received have completed Bible studies. Notably, a 10-year-old girl who struggled with fear and anxiety has found peace, and her 8-year-old friend has also requested to join the studies. “It is just a miracle that God is touching these young hearts,” Pastor Curt shared.
Our team is now preparing a mission to Europe, our newly-adopted mission field. The trip that Johnny Henderson and I took in May is yielding much fruit with initiatives for 2025 coming together. The mission trip to Liechtenstein was recently approved by the local church board and the conference, and plans for a mission trip to Stuttgart, Germany, and Birmingham, England, are also in the works. None of this would be possible without the support of those who share this vision.
I’d like to share a quote I read while our team was preparing to expand the work to Europe:
“There is a great work to be done in Europe. It may seem to move slowly and hard at first; but God will work mightily through you if you will only make an entire surrender to Him. Much of the time you will have to walk by faith, not by feeling” —Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, pp. 128-129.
Our team at Streams of Light International is studying this work of entire surrender. We feel a great need to press closer to the Lord as we expand this work. Each divine appointment affirms that God is indeed in this work—and that we can fully trust Him to lead.
A remarkable illustration of God’s leading recently occurred during an impromptu Sabbath outreach at a church in Marion, Illinois. A family who participated decided to distribute books in an affluent neighborhood and met many receptive people. They eventually knocked on the door of a well-known businessman who showed great interest in both the book and Bible studies. His positive reception and great interest in both the book and also Bible studies gives us great joy. We are praying for this man, his company, and all who are in his wide sphere of influence.
Southwest of Marion, in Oklahoma City, six churches came together in June to reach their city for Christ. Our team facilitated preaching, training sessions, and Sabbath afternoon distributions. By God’s grace, 6,000 books were distributed, and over 40 Bible study requests were received. In Keene, Texas, over 3,500 books were distributed on a Sabbath afternoon in early July by the Hispanic Church near Southwestern Adventist University, resulting in 27 Bible study requests.
In addition to these efforts, a three-day mission trip to Aztec, New Mexico was organized by volunteers in mid-June. Barry and Lisa Krall of Loma Linda organized this mini mission trip for Lisa’s childhood church, and a group of volunteers from Southern California assisted. This outreach resulted in 3,000 books distributed and over 30 Bible study leads. “The outreach united the church members,” Lisa Krall shared. “It has led to more spiritual revival in the church and brought former members back.”
The book The Great Controversy and the work of literature evangelism is truly making an impact. From the Iowa-Missouri Conference, to the northern New England Conference, our team has been leading training and outreach at camp meetings across the United States this summer. Perhaps you were among the number of those participating in training! In between leading training and outreach distributions, we are preparing for a host of important initiatives on the horizon. Among the things to come are HopeNow 40 Days of Prayer, a prayer initiative being hosted in collaboration with the Central California Conference. The San Francisco Mission Trip and HopeNow evangelistic series will launch at the very end of these upcoming 40 days, which begins July 29th. I invite you to participate in this spiritual preparation for mission, wherever your mission field may be. More information is available on our website.
Another ongoing initiative is our North America Outreach for 2024. Many churches are preparing to distribute books on August 24, the second of three North America-wide distribution dates this year. We are grateful that, in addition to local congregations, whole areas are collaborating to reach large communities for Christ. Three-day mission trips have been requested in Nanaimo, Victoria Island, and Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Plans for these outreaches are still in the works. This December, GYC will partner with us for an outreach during their conference and a pre-conference mission trip to reach Columbus, Ohio.
Looking ahead to next year, our calendar is already filling up. With three back-to-back mission trips in Europe and the potential for partnership with 12 churches in Calgary, we see God doing vastly more than we could ever attempt in our own strength.
Friends, can you see God expanding the work? Our team is eager to maintain momentum as we advance the work of literature evangelism, both at home and in Europe. Every means of support is needed at this time, from prayers to financial support.
It is so good to write to you about the things the Lord is doing. My invitation to you now is to prayerfully consider how God can use you in the multiplication of this work. Thank you for partnering with us to help lighten the earth with His glory.
Together in Mission,
Oleg Lotca
President
Streams of Light International
