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Today I went to a village just outside Vienna called Tulln to visit some Albanian refugees there.

Over a strong coffee they shared with me about how their cases for asylum were doing, and how they were surviving the 'waiting process'. One had found work, most days busy washing dishes, cleaning houses or doing over peoples Ironing. While the other was doing her best to integrate into Austrian culture and make Austrian friends. It has been a long time since Austria has accepted any refugees from Kosovo and despite their best efforts both woman know that their chances of staying in Austria are slim. But their is not much hope for them in Kosovo either.They asked that us as the Oasis team if we could pray for them as they have an interview this Tuesday, that the Austrian Government would look favourably on their cases for Asylum.

I pray more that they will come to know the hope that is too be found in Jesus.

On my mind...

When I think that I shall not see

those faces one more time

Those freckle-spattered cheeks

and wide open solemn eyes…

Knowing they’ve been sent back,

against their wills

To the maelstrom they not long ago escaped.

Where terror creeps along the streets

In the wee hours of the morn

With heads covered in black ski-masks.

Men of all ages disappear.

A rumor, and sometime less, is all it takes

to sentence them to a painful death.

Fathers, sons and brothers.

But everyone knows

those tortured bodies are somewhere…

waiting to be found.

And so these dear ones fled,

yearning for a new place to call home.

Only to find they must enter the storm again….

When I see those tired faces

Of mothers young and old

With their fatherless children

whose hope is all but gone

And our brief encounters…

I pray....that they find Him

who lifts all burdens from weary hearts.

Tom Richards

How to Volunteer: SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE!

This past Tuesday, at the Oasis, we had our weekly Team Worship. This week we spent almost 90 minutes praising God for the various aspects of ministry at the Oasis and praying for His guidance and help in those ministries. We take time before each ministry event to pray for that event, but today was a special time of extended prayer for the various ministry events. It was a super time.

Among those we praised God for and prayed for were the many volunteers who serve at the Oasis. The many volunteers bring many language abilities that are much needed at the Oasis—English, Russian, German, French, Arabic. One of the largest groups of refugees we have right now are from Farsi speaking countries.

Thus, it is a huge blessing and gift of God for those volunteers who speak Farsi. One Farsi-speaking person, who serves inside the Oasis and among refugees in this area, is himself a refugee. He does not have any official papers for living in Austria, but he continues to wait for the opportunity to receive those papers. Meanwhile, he does not wait idle. He is serving our Lord with his Farsi voice, giving witness to his relationship with Jesus Christ. He also invites refugees to join him as he attends a local Austrian church.

There is also a group of Farsi speakers who come to the Oasis twice a week to serve. Tuesday nights they come to lead a Farsi Bible study. This Bible study is well attended and the leaders keep the focus on God’s word and the truths of Jesus. This Bible study COULD NOT take place without these volunteers--They have the language skills and similar cultural background as many of these refugees so they can relate closer. This same group of volunteers comes on Wednesday nights to help translate the biblical message that is often presented in English. They then stay afterwards for any questions refugees might have.

God is really blessing the refugees of Traiskirchen, Austria through the gifts and talents of many volunteers. These volunteers who speak Farsi are not the only volunteers with language skills. They are some among many who serve in the name of Jesus Christ in a little building called the Oasis in MANY languages. The Oasis Team is very thankful for these volunteers who speak Farsi. The Oasis Team is also very thankful for all volunteers who JOIN US! The Lord is using many people to glorify his name through the Oasis!

Dan Lincoln

The Chechen Gospel of Luke

For the last 5 years we have been using a Chechen translation of the Gospel of Luke, to try and share God's love with the Islamic following Muslims. Many of the Chechen's take the gospel gladly as it is the only book that they can find in Austria written in their native tongue. In the past 5 years almost 2000 copies of the Chechen Luke have been taken from the Oasis.

We are close to running out of our copies of our Chechen gospels, and we are at the moment seeking to get another 2000 copies of the gospels printed. We at the Oasis use to major Christian literature companies to get most of our tracts, Bibles and such.
However the Gospels of Luke come from a small independent company in Russia.
Who first we had to get permission to re-print the gospels, and now we will need to raise the money to get the Gospels printed. An estimate is that we will need to raise $(US)2800 to get the Gospels printed.
These Gospels have been one of the major ways that we have been able to share the Gospel truths with the Chechens. Pray that we will be able to raise the finances quickly

A Chechen widow

Last night at the Women’s time, Oasis
I sat at a table with several older grandmas and saw how they watched intently as we hurried around getting coffee and tea for the 25 women that came to our Oasis monthly program. After serving my table I sat and chatted as I wrote their names out. Yafatia, a Chechnya grandma of 9 grandkids, took the lead in the discussion. We talked about our kids and grandkids; with the little Russian I know we begin to share. One could see Yafatia was a very dignified educated woman. It did not take long for her to communicate that she had lost her husband, two sons and her brother in the war in just the last few years. She is like many of the Chechnya women that come to Oasis- refugee widows. Tears welled up in her eyes as she went on with her story. By now she lost me, I understood not a word. I could only pray and try to put myself in her place; I touched her hand and cried with her. I wondered as the rest of her life, the stories of the other 3 grandmas sitting with us….
The program last night included a baking demonstration for a classic Austrian pastry and each table had a chance to get their hands in the dough, they loved it. (Later they ate the tarts they made) After the project came a story, with Russian translation, of the 10 lepers from the book of Luke. We share where it comes from and why we tell stories from our Holy book.
As the night came to an end I found my way back to her table, but now with a Russian Translator. I shared how I know it must be very hard in the camp not to cook for your family. I asked Yafatia if she understood the story.. Her head scarf was now falling off her head as she began to speak her own short story. She shared that she was in Moscow after the World War 2, walk on the street-- an Orthodox priest was collecting money for the building of a church, as she was rich, she gladly added to the collection. Then the story just jumped years and years… ahead for she said, “never did I think I -- a Muslim would be being cared for and loved by Christians like this. I am overwhelmed.”
I tell you this brief story as it is a tiny part of one hearts sorrow. What can we learn from it? What is the work here about if not simply to reflect the Love of Jesus in word and deed? I have ministered to Chechnya war refugees now for 7 years, they are deeply Muslim. Thousands come through our doors for clothes, programs such as the above, but we rarely see an open door to a heart. We plant seeds and they move on as they are transferred all over Austria to smaller housing places. Last night, I personally invited all the women to come this morning to view the Jesus video. (How good if they could only see the whole story.) I prayed much last night but the Chechnya women did not come. You see there is a fear that our story could be true, our book could be true, then there is a decision…… Fear cripples Muslims. PRAY for the spirit of fear be driven away from their broken hopeless hearts.

Special gift from God

We often focus on how we can serve the refugees and show them the love of God. We focus on being a blessing to them. This past Monday was kids' clothing room. I woke up sad that morning, grieving for my dad who died last April. I wondered how I would have the strength to paste a smile on my face and show love to those that came through our doors. As I entered the main room, little Sherry immediately saw me and ran across the room with arms opened wide, a huge smile on her face, and she hugged me so tight. All through the day as I talked with the moms who came, little Sherry was by my side holding my hand or with her arm around my waist. I think she is a special gift from God to be a blessing to me and to help me get through a difficult day.

Wie läuft es im Teens Programm?

Wie schnell doch die Zeit vergeht, denn schon ist wieder Mittwoch Nachmittag und das Teens Programm steht an. Nun, wir haben schon viele Gäste bei uns gehabt. Von 11 bis „0“ Besucher haben das Teens Programm besucht. Letzte Woche zum Beispiel hatten wir 2 Burschen bei uns. Lohnt es sich nun wirklich diesen Aufwand für 2 Burschen zu betreiben? Wir sagen Ja! Warum? Einer von diesen Burschen musste bereits am nächsten Tag Traiskirchen verlassen! So sind wir doch froh, dass er noch etwas von der guten Botschaft hörte und dazu eine gute Gemeinschaft erleben durfte.
Nun wir sind gespannt was wir weiter im Teens Programm erleben werden.
Herzliche Grüße und vielen Dank für Eure Gebetsunterstützung.
Eure Christian und Barbara Küenzi