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Psalm 1:2
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Thank God who is worthy to receive praise and worship and who has been with us and led us, his people, last year. This time I would like to review the year and find God’s hand of guidance and render glory to him. I would also like to find direction for the year 2011.

Last year, the European Directors’ Conference was held in Israel, the land of the Bible. It was great to visit and see key places from the Bible. While visiting Jerusalem, Galilee, Bethlehem, and the wilderness of Judea, I could feel the breath of God revealed in the Old and New Testament. However, when I visited Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall, and the temple area, I was sorry to see that the temple area was divided into different religions and full of the scent of strong incense and people worshiping in different ways. I pray that God may give peace to Jerusalem. May God make it a place where people worship the true and holy God.

We studied Luke’s Gospel last year. We could learn of Jesus afresh and taste the grace of God’s word. We couldn’t do much last year, but what we could do was maintain a relationship with sister SE and brother David. SE worked in the country and fought the spiritual fight to maintain faith on her own. She came up and joined our Sunday service once every two months. When she came up, it was a short stay, but we could maintain fellowship and pray together. In June, she left Ireland to go stay in Australia. While in Ireland, she met Jesus and grew spiritually. May God use her as an excellent English Bible teacher in Australia. May God use her as a good shepherd for young campus students. Brother David works as a lawyer in New York. There hasn’t been much communication since two years ago, but this year was different. We could communicate with each other by email and skype. In Sept., I also gave him a book as a present, hoping for him to accept Jesus as his personal Savior. I pray that he may start Bible study in New York.

One of the things that I planned to do last year was listen to the whole Bible once. It wasn’t easy to keep it up at some point and I stopped. However, when I restarted in the autumn, the season of reading, I could finish the whole Bible. I mainly used my commuting time. As I kept listening, I felt like I was falling into the world of God’s word. I could see problems of the world from God’s perspective and experienced peace in my heart. Out of all the books of the Old Testament, Psalms and Isaiah were most encouraging and strengthening. I could learn what God wants from me even during challenging times; it is to look up to him and praise him and submit my problems to him.

There was an economic crisis in Ireland last year. Until the last few years, she experienced the most growth among European countries. However, there was a negative result as well. The salary went up a lot and she lost competitiveness to other rising countries. Mainly, US companies moved their factories to Poland and other countries in Eastern Europe where wages were lower compared to Ireland. This had an adverse impact on the property market and subsequently, the banks and government. At last, she received in Nov., 85 billion Euros from EU/ECB/IMF. Even in this hard time, there are a few thriving companies, including the company that I’m working for. I really thank God for letting me work in a stable company despite challenging times.

M. Anna stayed in Korea during the second half of the year. She has become stronger through Bible studies, conferences, and fellowship with other leaders. Thank God for giving her an opportunity to be spiritually recharged and for giving her continuous prayer and practical support from co-workers in Korea.

Our key verse for 2011 is Ps 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Our prayer topics are as follows:

1. Excellent English Bible teachers
2. Worship God an hour a day
3. Lead a life commemorating God
4. Four 1:1 Bible studies
5. Invite mission co-workers