Archive Newsletters
 
March 2010
 
Dear friends of the Harvest,
 
Luke 2:49,50 says: And He said to them: ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business? But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
This verse says clearly that Jesus was set apart by the Father for a special purpose. Later, when Jesus was an adult, He said that He was not looking for His own will but for the will of His Father Who had send Him. This is the same that the Lord Jesus asks of us, being transformed into His likeness and to do His will only which is the will of the Father. We also have been set apart for a certain purpose and to live a holy life! Maybe we do not know exactly what this purpose is but we can trust the Lord that He will make it! Do you recognize you have been set apart and that you are called to live a holy life?
New home  After quit some battles for a place to live, Ansku and I have finally found the most beautiful house in Finland! It was a real miracle! We had given up Ansku’s old apartment so she did not have to pay extra rent and in the meanwhile we stayed with a family. I felt strongly we had to find our own place, also for me so I could have some rest and be able to prepare the many  teachings and meetings, and spend time with the Lord. After having seen many apartments and after being rejected, it was so hard to believe the Lord could still provide..  We had only one more day to find a place… We were already cleaning and packing in the old apartment to leave it for the next person… Then on the last day early in the morning at 8 o’çlock I felt I had to look on a website that somebody gave me to find houses and there was an apartment that was placed just some ours ago… I felt that even with my bad Finnish, I had to react as soon as possible and it was bulls eye!  We could come the same day without knowing where it was or how it would look like! We were driving through the woods and when we arrived the man was already waiting for us! When we saw what kind of place the Lord had prepared for us I could not believe it! An apartment in the forest on a hill and at a huge lake! Exactly what I have been dreaming about! We could move the same day… God is good and NEVER too late!!!  It was a marvelous teaching about faith and trust….
Homegroup Last Friday, 5th of march, we had homegroup in our new home. We had a praise and thanksgiving night to thank the Lord for everything He has done and for Who He is. During the worship there was a word from the Lord to encourage us saying that from now on He will speak individually to us and that His words will bring healing and restauration in our lifes and that He will reveal His faithfulness and His purpose for these groups. On this evening there was a strong encouraging word for somebody who had lived years in deep depression  and this night the Lord restored her ministry! What a God and what a power! Only to Him be all the glory!
Biblegroup The Biblegroup evenings have been changed from wednesday to the monday evenings. This Biblegroup is now going to learn to spend time with the Lord everyday by using a bible schedule to read and to meditate at home. Every day they can read  parts of the Bible and learn to ask the Holy Spirit to help them understand and to write down in a notebook what the Lord is speaking. When we come together we can spend some time to talk about it and to encourage others with what the Lord has been spoken. Next to this everybody is going to pray for somebody from the group for one week long!  We are sure that God is going to work wonderfull things in our midst! We thank God for this wonderfull and precious group!
Brazilan team  As you all know now the mission trip to Brazil has been postponed for the fact that this group needs closer discipleship and is not ready to go yet to Brazil. We will start discipleship in April when the last 2 man ( Okko and Samuel) are coming for this specific time to Jyvaskyla. When the group is together we can start the discipleship starting to put daily structure in their lives. It will not be an easy time but I believe that Gods hand is on this group! Please pray for this group!
Clara Souza  I would like you to know Clara. Clara is a Brazilian woman and my friend that I know for years and who has been working at my side in Brazil in the slums. Clara is a practical leader, she puts structure in peoples lives, she teaches them to get up in time, make breakfast, clean, cook, personal hygiene, discipline in spending time with the Lord, and teaches about Brazilian culture. We have prayed together for the possibility to get Clara to Finland to help me disciple the Brazilian team for 3 months. It would be a big help for me as I have to take care of 2 other groups… Clara does not have the resources to pay for her ticket. Her ticket would cost 860 euro for 3 months and we have decided to help her pay her ticket. Until now we have 350 euro so we need some more euro’s. If you want to help this team and you want to help getting Clara to Finland you can send your gift to Stichting De Oogst  referenced to  Clara Souza’s ticket.  You find more info below about the accountnumber of Stichting  De Oogst (Harvest foundation).
Prayer  Last but not least we need your prayers because without prayer we can do nothing. Please pray for special people like Maaret whom the Lord delivered from satanic pacts and now is in great battle and struggles… Some people in our group need special prayer because of their heavy background  . They need to be carried in prayer and intercession. Lets  fight together for these lives! Lots of thanks and appreciation for all your prayers and gifts and encouragements received! May the Lord bless you with more love and inside knowledge for the broken and the lost in Finland!
Love greetings from Luisa  and the groups!
 
 
 
January 2010
 
Dear friends of the Harvest,
1 Sam. 22: 2  In this verse we see that David had about 400 man who were rejected, despised and who became bitter in their very soul.. David was  their leader and he himself was also rejected and despised. But the Lord never rejects a person and I think that we can observe how God made mighty warriors of these rejected, despised and bitter souls and  they became a strong army!  I see, the group that the Lord has entrusted me here in Finland Jyvaskyla is quit the same. People who don’t belong anywhere and who do not answer to the expectations and profile of good human beings or good christians and they have been rejected because of their problems and because  people do not know how to deal with these kind of people. But David understood them and took them and helped them get healed of their bitterness and pain with Gods help!
Finland  After a short holiday in Holland the Lord spoke very clearly that I had to go back to Finland for a longer period. It has moved us very deeply when the Lord showed that there are many sheep without a shepherd and the Lord asked if we were willing to pay the price and to give ourselves completely to this group of precious people for Jesus.  I,  myself have to get used to this new task but I know it is Gods will and I am so honored that the Lord trusts De Oogst (Harvest) to do this work. I have seen the great darkness in Finland but we are of good courage for Gods light will shine in Finland! 
Brazil  The plan to go to Brazil in February has changed through prayer and wisdom. We will go, but later this year. We are discovering now that this group needs more discipleship before we can take them to Brazil. The condition of this group shows that it would not be wise to go to early. We need to build on structure first in the disciples lives and teach them closely the principles of biblical living. We have decided to disciple this group closely and let the Lord decide when is the right time to go. Please pray for this group especially! The group took this decision in a good way but off course there was disappointment too, because they will not go in February. We explained that the best thing is to listen to Gods advice and voice. The disciples  were in agreement that they are not ready yet to go to Brazil! We will go but in Gods perfect timing. To prevent confusion,  all the gifts that were donated to this mission and also the gifts for the bus will be kept on a saving account of  De Oogst (Harvest). We want to give you again the names of this group:  Okko, Lauri, Samuel, Anastasia, Laura en Susi.
Homegroup Jyvaskyla    After ministering in inner healing and the discipleship school there has been formed a group of people that comes  together on Saturday nights. These nights are open and are especially for new born believers and for unbelievers who have questions about faith. These nights are special, because everybody is welcome, loved and accepted. There is coffee and we worship the Lord followed by a short word on a subject. We discus about it after the break and finish the evening with personal prayer. They are special moments because Fins do not open so easily, but we can see that in this group they open up their hearts. God touches them and encourages them to share!  There are some rules that we keep in these meetings that we do not gossip and we do not speak bad about others. These people are mostly people who are rejected by society and going to church is a  big step, because most of them does’nt understand or does’nt know how to deal with them. We want to help the Body of Christ to learn to love and accept them too, even with all their problems! Loving them and accepting them will help them to get healed!
Biblestudy Group  On all Wednesdays we have a special Bible study Group. The students come mostly from our homegroup. The study is for those who want to grow in Christian maturity. Everybody can write a question in concern to faith and we answer these questions in the light of Gods Word. In this way we teach the students to apply biblical principles in their lives. We talk about it and we end with personal prayer. These evenings are very rich where the Lord teaches us in His great love. They learn to become real followers of Christ and to become real disciples!
Prayer  We would like to ask for prayer for our homegroup, bible study Group and especially for the team that goes to Brazil. We experience that the devil is not pleased with all that is happening and the battles can be quit heavy. We need your prayers! Pray that the Lord will add more people who are broken to this homegroup, so they can be nursed and we can shepherd them with love. Pray that the church will open their doors for these precious people and that they learn to understand that Jesus loves them too! De Oogst (Harvest) wants to thank everyone for all the gifts and all the prayers that have been send to heaven before the throne of God. Thank you very much and may the Lord bless you with all the good of His house! 
In Christ, Luisa
 
 
November 2009
 
Dear friends of the Harvest,
 
Mark 16: 17,18 says:  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.
The world sees power as an ability to rule over others, so they can do what they want. But Jesus who had ALL power in heaven and on earth chose to serve others. He held children in His arms, He healed the sick, He washed the feet of His disciples and He died for the sin of the world. I also choose to serve others and follow Jesus example. I want to serve with compassion and love even if I am not understood . I want to find what was lost, bind up what was broken, set free what was imprisoned, raise what has been tarred down, restore what has been destroyed and bring life where there is death.  Does that live also in your heart? Or is there someone or something else living in your heart then Jesus?
Jyvaskyla  I am still in Jyvaskyla and we have just finished a deep study about inner healing and deliverance. There were 8 students attending. I have found out that there is little or no knowledge about these subjects. I see that these people who have problems in these areas are being rejected in the church because of lack of knowledge and lack of love and compassion for these people. People in Finland are afraid to talk about demons and there is no teaching about the authority of Christ that every believer has. In Finland they rather not talk about it and the fact is that these people who need help are not taken care of. Gods word says that people die of lack of knowledge! I am grateful to the Lord that the Harvest can help to train and teach in this area!
Deliverance  How great it is to see that people are getting free from demonic influences! Through the last weeks. I took one person from the study group with me to learn about deliverance by ministering to people who have problems in that area. To help them heal inside and if necessary pray for deliverance. God was so good!  If we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and if we are totally depending on Him you can expect great miracles! We are never able to minister to people from our own logical thinking or our own wisdom but only through Gods wisdom and power! Jesus teached us to abide IN Him because without Him we are able to do NOTHING!
A bus for Brazil  On the 7th of november we have a special worship and mission night about Brazil. We will present our team that is going for 6 months to mission. We also need a bus and there will be an opportunity for people to invest financially in this mission. We also want to show what real mission is about and that going to missions is not without struggles and spiritual battles! We will have drama and dance! We are invited by  two pastors to help them to train and disciple, to do  evangelistic impacts through preaching, drama and dance, to plant a new church! Around this mission is a lot of battle so please pray for this mission and this team! It’s a great adventure for us, as well for me as for the team! Please pray and ask the Lord how you could invest in this mission! You will hear more about this night in the next newsletter!
We thank you for all prayers that are so precious for the harvest and we thank you for all support! May the Lord bless you all in to knowing Him better every day! God bless you.
 
Luisa