2012 Summer Missions: Eastern Europe

(Click on AUG 2012 
Link for newsletter!)

Through the prayers and support of so many of you, God sent me to Slovakia and Hungary from June 30 - August 3rd, 2012...and it was AMAZING! Read all about it, the many lives of teens impacted for Christ, and other post-project results in the newsletter link below:

AUGUST 2012 Newsletter: "Summer Missions: Eastern Europe"


BONUS "BEHIND THE STORY" HIGHLIGHT

Slovakia'12 Worship Team
(Miska, Shannon, Jarka, Me,
Cameron, Caleb, Joshua)

I went overseas thinking I was going to just observe, take a few photos, talk about recruitment, and help out where needed. Instead, God humbled me by using me to answer two of the Slovakia team's biggest prayers: to lead worship and serve as official photographer. God also stretched me out of my comfort zone by teaching me to follow His lead and go outside my neatly planned out schedule. I ended up staying one extra week in Slovakia to stay for all of their camps, since it was a smaller team and my involvement could be of greatest help.

Timka & Filip rehearse to
lead worship for their first time!

Putting together a worship team of Americans and Slovaks and mentoring burgeoning lead worshippers was one of the most rewarding things I've had the privilege of doing. We started as a bunch of people that had never sung or played together, and quickly gelled as we were united by the Holy Spirit. We worshipped cohesively in two languages (English and Slovak), gave of our hearts, and grew SO much together during our short time together.

I watched as my dear brothers and sisters in Christ blossomed and grew within my mentoring. My friend Miska told me how she had prayed for someone to help show her how to grow as a worship leader...and I marveled because I'd thought I wasn't going to be able to do any music at all over the summer projects!

At the end of the camps in Slovakia, Timka (one of the Slovak staff on our worship team) even wrote to tell me, "I praise the Lord for the opportunity he´s given to me - and we could met. And i thank *YOU* for waking up the music inside of me! Now i finally know, how to bless the God in my way..."

THANK YOU for sending me out into the world to encourage, teach, make music, and speak the love of God into others with my very presence in their lives. In the process, I also have been forever changed! :)

For His glory,
Kar-Lai

P.S. CHECK OUT THE FINISHED PHOTOS!!

SLOVAKIA SpeakOut 2012

HUNGARY SpeakOut 2012

"Dobre Rano" (Hello) from Kar-lai...in Slovakia! :)

En route to Europe!

Zemplinska Sirava ("Slovak Sea")

Our American team successfully traveled from Washington, D.C. together into Budapest, Hungary back on June 29 & 30. I traveled with the smaller team straight to Michalovce, Slovakia for the SpeakOut training with Slovak staff. Everyone was excited to be trained and equipped for reaching native teens with the Gospel message through this unique, evangelistic English Camp.  

Slovak staff during
united training time with Americans

As of this message to you, 1 full week of staff training has just completed here in Slovakia...and the CAMPERS ARRIVE TONIGHT!! Please pray for their hearts to be ready for the gospel message, for the staff & volunteers to be led by the Spirit, and for God to be glorified! Pray that language will not be a barrier to the gospel, and that the work we Americans do here will bless and lead into the work the Slovak staff will continue after we leave.

CHECK OUT the photos I've taken thus far via Flickr (links also below) and get to know the American and Slovak staff on these 2012 Speak Out projects! Feel free to check and pass this link along to others - I'll be updating it every so often...especially as I am staying in Slovakia only until July 13 and then travel back to Budapest, Hungary to stay through August 1 to see the SpeakOut camps and debrief there.

Note: Praise God for providing 70% of the finances needed for these summer projects in Slovakia & Hungary! Please pray God provides the remaining $1,490 to cover these missions. (Donations can continue to be given all the way through my time here on project - but I'd love to see the rest come in by August 7, so please pray for that! If you wish to give, write out to Campus Crusade for Christ and send to 3326 Bo Jeremy Drive, Orlando, FL 32822.)

THANK YOU!
For His glory - - Kar-Lai :)

____________________________________________________________

2012 SPEAKOUTS: SLOVAKIA & HUNGARY   *selected highlights below
(Note: I'll be in Slovakia = July 1 - July 13; Hungary = July 13 - Aug 1...so keep checking this link: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS for updated photos!)

Sunflower fields are everywhere!
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Prayer Walk night
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Pali, Slovak staff -
evangelism training time
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Prayer Walk Night - overcoming barriers
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Prayer walk night
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Americans warmly welcomed by the Slovak team!
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Doug; American-Slovak staff,
Slovakia Speakout Director
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

Viktor, Miska; Slovak staff, during training time
(see more at  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAtb8tS)

2012 Summer Assignments: Slovakia, Hungary, & More!

In my most recent newsletter & vlog, I asked you to pray for my upcoming summer assignments, since it was undetermined at that time. I've recently gotten the official word that my summer 2012 assignments are: 

the month-long Slovakia & Hungary Speak Out Projects and the six-day long Myrtle Beach Getaway Conference!!!

I am thrilled for these unique opportunities to share about Christ with teens overseas AND in the US this summer!! I'm putting together a special 2012 Summer Projects letter now with more details about what I'll be doing and how you can be part of this amazing summer of winning and discipling teens around the globe. If you haven't or don't normally receive a hard copy letter from me but wish to, please e-mail me your correct/new mailing address for this Special Summer project letter!

Please join me in praying: 
1) for the Lord to prepare the hearts of the teens in these places to be ready for the Gospel
2) for the staff and college students who are training the US high schoolers to reach and disciple the overseas teens
3) for the finances I'll need to cover the expenses of these projects to come in these next 2-3 months!!
4) for the timing and for all the work I still have to squeeze in between! Here are some dates to pray over:

• May 17 - 30 = support-raising trip home in Syracuse
• June 10 - 15 = Myrtle Beach Getaway Conference
• June 28 - August 1 = Slovakia & Hungary Speak Out Projects

Looking forward to celebrating with you what the Lord does in, through, and around me this summer--I couldn't do it without your prayers and support! Thank you!

For His glory,
Kar-Lai Leung :)

A Transition That Keeps On Going :)

Hello friend!
These past few months have flown by so quickly, and I've so much to tell you! Thank you for your prayers for the City Director leadership conference. I was able to connect with and follow up with almost all the directors across the US after this conference to learn more about what God's doing out in the field. 


*Here's a SPECIAL VLOG (video blog) on life in Orlando, possible overseas travel, and family news:

                       

*CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW for the

March-April 2012 NEWSLETTER: "Life Change Story: Evan"

Please PRAY

1. For the staff and students involved with the ministry of Cru's teen division, Student Venture. Pray for more people to be raised up to disciple young people!
2. The Lord grants me wisdom and inspiration as I evaluate my conference call notes and make plans for next season's recruitment efforts. 
3. For our new director and our current staff as we gear up for this next season of whatever God has planned for us as a ministry.
4. For my summer placement! (See video for details) :)

THANK YOU again for your continued love, prayers, and support - - it's an honor to be an extension of your hearts...

For His glory,
Kar-Lai

"Someone Pinch Me!" (January 2012 Newsletter)

NEWSLETTER for JANUARY 2012

CLICK HERE FOR NEWSLETTER

Me with the Philadelphia
SV+Cru team members!

{BONUS NOTE:}
"Someone Pinch Me!"

Today, I talked on the phone with my first potential recruit (yay!) over the phone and was humbled all over again by everything.

Me with the Pittsburgh area
SV alums & staff

It's been a whirlwind these past 8 weeks since I tearfully left Syracuse on a chilly morning (Dec 7th) and trekked down through several cities to arrive in sunny Orlando (Dec 14th). Since then, God has blown me away by accelerating so much of this transition time - He got me plugged into a church and worship team the FIRST weekend I was in town, I've a beautiful house and phenomenal housemates, amazing co-workers...and best of all, I have finally started doing what I know I was made to do "for such a time as this." 

With our Student Venture Leadership Development team at headquarters having dwindled down to only 3 full-time staff (myself included), transitioning into my new role has been a challenge--but I've embraced it all head-on with the understanding that God knows what He's doing!

Nathan & Kendra McNutt:
amazing SV workers in Pittsburgh
(he's the dairy farmer!)

Please pray for our team and the potential recruits that we (and me specifically!) will be handling this upcoming year as we regroup, restructure, and re-energize recruiting efforts...there are so many teenagers out there whose eternal lives are depending upon our prayers and efforts.

I'm SO excited for what's yet to come - and believe me, YOU are always on my mind and in my prayers...THANK YOU for your prayers and partnership - all for His glory!

                                  In His service,

                                  Kar-Lai

Here are a few more photos from the "epic NY to FL trip" :)

Jared & Dominique Dawson,
SV Atlanta staff who happened to
be in Indy the same time as I was!

SV staffers CJ & Anika Neal treat me to
"famous" breakfast at their
home in Indianapolis

SV Chattanooga based friends

SV Atlanta teens gather for their
final meeting of the year

Orlando's Crosspointe church:
Christmas eve worship team! :)