Summer-Fall 2018 Update

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been awhile since  we have posted on our blog, and we apologize for the long silence. This year has gone by so very quickly! One moment we were celebrating New Years, and the next, Autumn has come and school has started again! It has been a busy and fruitful year here in Backa Topola, and we would like once more to share with you some key moment of what we have done, and also what we continue to do in our ministry, and in our life as a family.

Earlier this year, I was able to start teaching a music class to our youth/teens in the church in Pacir. After many of our youth voiced desire to learn music, we began, and it has been a really great time with them! Some want to learn guitar, some of them hand-drums. Some just want to sing. One young guy is a very talented pianist. And as we got together and learned worship songs, one by one...I truly believe the Lord touched their hearts in a special way. In this group, we are not sure who may have given their lives to Jesus and who not, but we continue to just keep planting the seeds, and watering; knowing it is Jesus who will bring the increase! After a pause for the very busy summer season, we are now starting again, and it is my desire to start the same thing with youth in Backa Topola as well. It is our prayer that the Lord will raise up these youth to be true worshipers, in a time and place where it is extremely rare...these kids are the future!

My group in the camp proudly showing
our team flag!

In June, we had an extremely blessed and successful English youth camp with over 35 kids, all of which came from unsaved homes. Amidst the the fun and activities we enjoyed with the youth, we were able to share the Gospel and the love of Christ with them  and several of them received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. I had the privilege of praying with some of these kids to receive Christ, and with one young man specifically, who's whole being in a moment went from darkness to light, and it was such a change that it was visible! This is the greatest blessing one could receive and the greatest miracle that anyone could
experience, the salvation of the soul! Before and during this camp, those of us leading it experienced incredible spiritual battle daily. We knew why! The enemy hates when slaves are made free through the blood of Jesus Christ!

Our 2018 English camp!

And the battle continues as starting this October, we will begin a youth meeting where the kids from the camp can come and learn more about Jesus, and have allot of fun doing things together like making food, playing games, bowling, dancing, and just hanging out! We want to invest as much as we can into these kids in the name of Jesus!

                                                                   
Immediately after the camp we had our yearly conference here in Topola which was a time filled with wonderful worship and teaching and a baptism. It was such a blessing to fellowship with brothers and sisters from all over our region, being greatly encouraged and strengthened together. Our dear brother Pastor Thomas Powell from Calvary Chapel Virginia Beach came and served us with some amazing teaching from the Word.

Pastor Thomas and Pam

Baptism!!!

After this, the Calvary churches here in Serbia came together for a leadership retreat/conference at the famous Scloss Heroldeck castle in Austria. It was special for me to be there once again after so many years. The Castle was the place that I first heard God call me to serve Him, and also the first place I went to on my journey as a missionary. Allot of wonderful memories came flooding as I looked out on those mountains and lake, all of which shouting out one thing: God is so faithful! And it was not just nostalgic, but a very sweet time to remember that just as He once called me, He calls me still! Both Petra and I were deeply touched to have a few days with nothing to do but relax and hear God's Word. The kids enjoyed themselves very much as well.

Leading worship with our team

 While there we got to reconnect with some dear missionary friends who also served in Romania, and seeing them was like a breath of fresh air! It was a much needed moment of rest for our family, in which the Lord spoke deeply to us....refreshing our strength and clarifying our minds.

the beautiful Castle!

In September, we started a new page in our lives as Cynthia started first grade! Here where we live in Serbia, they offer schooling in two languages, Hungarian and, of course, Serbian. We chose from kindergarten to put her in Hungarian as I speak Hungarian, and the majority of the people we interact with speak Hungarian as well. And over the last couple of years by the grace of God Cynthia has learned allot of this very difficult language. But as she now is in first grade, there is allot more to learn. Schooling here is much more intense than what we do in the States,but so far, she has been doing great, with very little distinction between her and children who are native speakers, which is wonderful. The whole school system here is new to me as well and I have to really keep on top of things making sure I understand myself whats going on. It is going well praise Jesus, but it is quite stressful at times. 

The big girls!

We greatly appreciate your prayers for Cynthia, and for Rachel, who is in her second year of Hungarian kindergarten, and is also learning Hungarian. She is doing well also, but we need to find ways for her to learn the language better. She has one more year in kindergarten which will definitely make a major difference. 

Ready to take on the big world!

Caleb is turning two in December, and it still seems like he was just born! He is such a sweet bundle of raw energy! Keeping up with him is not easy! How we need God's wisdom to raise these beautiful gifts that He has given us!

We celebrated our ninth anniversary this year, and I praise God for Petra, and the wife and mother that she is. We are still hoping and praying to be able to get her paperwork done so we can come to the US together as a family, whether long or short term. It is our desire to serve Jesus no matter where He places us and we are seeking God's will about our future as missionaries and as a family.

Please pray for: ---strength and wisdom in our ministry
                         --- grace and blessing for Cynthia and Rachel their schooling
                         --- wisdom in raising our kids to know and follow Christ
                         --- to be able to get Petra's paperwork done so we may come home together
                         --- patience to wait on the Lord concerning our future...clarity to make decisions

Thank you for your continued support and prayers! If  you would like to support us financially please contact us or Pastor Tony Falcione @ Calvary Chapel of the Fingerlakes. We greatly appreciate you all!
Here, There, or in the Air!
The Fantley Family...Matthew, Petra, Cynthia, Rachel, Caleb