Winter Update From the Fantley Family in Backa Topola,Serbia

Dear Family in Jesus,

We pray you are all blessed in this holiday season as we remember the coming of our Lord, and how Almighty God stooped down to our level! What a hope we have in Jesus, awaiting the day when we will enter the everlasting Holiday! This year has come and gone so quickly, with it's ups and downs, with it's blessing and trials...and now at the end, we can see ever more clearly the day of our that wonderful God never changes, and Jesus' coming is very close. And I pray, as we turn to the 2018th chapter, that this would be the theme of our story: a people ready and waiting for the Bridegroom.

I think of the wonderful things God has done this year in our lives, and am so thankful. At the same time, i think of the low points and times of hardship, I rejoice in what God has done and will do through them. Again, I am so thankful for the way God guides...we don't have to understand, just simply trust and surrender!

This Christmas season here Backa Topola has been fast and full of excitement! Every year for many years now, we put on puppets shows in schools, churchs, and other places, with which we are able to share the gospel to hundreds and hundreds of children, both Serbian and Hungarian, along with many parents and teachers. We also hand out shoebox gifts we recieve from Samaritan's Purse to most of those children. It was an absolute wonderful time ministering with some great people. Some years it has been very hard to find enough people to even have this ministry, but this year, the Lord really put together our team, and we had a blast!

Sharing Christ through our puppet ministry!

After finishing our puppet ministry for the Christmas season (we will do another for Easter) we are praying about doing an outreach program for the kids we were able to minister to in Topola and surrounding areas, to hear more about Jesus and the Gospel. We for sure will be doing this program in our churches in Topola and Pacir, but we see that doors may be opening in three new locations where people positively responded to the idea of this outreach. And we ask for prayer for this, that we would have opens doors to continue with these kids. It is amazing what God can do through little kids that hear the Gospel, and then go home and tell their moms and dads!

our main show in Topola

That is how the Lord worked to establish our sister church in Pacir! It started with a winter childrens camp for kids.

We had two wonderful Christmas services in the two churches, both being packed full with our brothers and sisters in the Lord and the many people that they invited. Many people responded to the message being shared and we look forward to seeing new faces in our fellowships who have come to know the Jesus! Please pray for us as we reach out to disciple and love on those that might come! 

main show...the place was packed!

In Topola we will be starting a sort of new believer's program for that very purpose, just as we recently did in Pacir with blessed success!

As one year ends and another begins, we already have a long list of things that we are preparing for or praying for. We desperatly need God's wisdom as we go forward. We don't only want to be busy, but busy doing what the will of Jesus is!!!

suffering for Jesus in puppet ministry!!! One church we
visited made our team a traditional Slovakian meal...
Was amazing!

On a personal note, our family is doing well. We have all taken turns getting seasonal bugs and random colds. The weather here has been abnormally warm. I know allot of you are really getting true winter, but in Northern Serbia, it still Fall, more or less! Cynthia has been doing very well in school, and is speaking Hungarian much better. She also has started to learn the piano and to be very artistic in many ways. She helps momma out allot with her brother allot. Rachel is still getting aquainted with the concept of kindergarten and being fully immerged into Hungarian. She really keeps us on our toes with her Dennis-the-Mennace mentality!!! Little Caleb has begun to walk and has four front teeth

Calebs 1st Birthday!

and with soon be ready to conquer the world!!! He is truly a boy and truly a blessing from the Lord. More and more we realize how much we need the Lords wisdom and His Spirit to raise these little people He has given us.

Please pray for: 
1.) for our health, both physically and spiritually...to be able to serve the way the Lord has called us to...and to be sensitive to hear that Still, Small, Voice.
2.) For the girls schooling...to learn Hungarian
3.)For patience to wait on the Lord concerning Petra's immigration process, for provision...it is our desire to visit the States as a family soon
                                                         4.) for protection, we have felt the enemy really attacking these                                                             times....but greater is HE!!!
We thank all of you who have supported us and have kept us in prayer, and pray you have a wonderful holiday season! May Jesus bless you!!! Please be free to write us, it is very welcome...there are many things going on that  would make this newsletter very very long!!!

If you would like to finacially support us, please contact us.

With Hope In Jesus,
Matthew, Petra, Cynthia, Rachel, and Caleb Asher