We are so excited to tell you our news. We have been accepted as
missionaries with OMF to join their team in Cambodia! As God provides,
we hope to go back in August.

PRAISE:
•     We had a wonderful time at OMF’s Candidate Course learning all about
this big missionary family and taking many practical steps towards
fulfilling our desire to sharing Christ in Cambodia!
•     Successful completion of responsibilities in Singapore with the
International Community School, One Challenge and Lutheran Church of
Our Redeemer.
•     Smooth move to Sally’s parent’s apartment first and to Kurt’s
parent’s home next.
Prayer requests:
•     Sally’s citizenship issues
•     Sally’s transition into American culture and other nitties gritties
details of a cross-cultural marriage.
•     Kurt’s re-entry to his culture after having spent three years in
Asia.
•     Partnership development. We are trusting God for partners who will
send us out to the mission field of Cambodia through prayer and
financial support by June 2006.
 

Invited to OMF Candidate Course
Mon, 16 May 2005

We are looking forward to going to the States for one year, leaving on Saturday the 4th.  We praise the Lord for our recent invitation by OMF to attend their Candidate Course June 6 - 17th at the USA headquarters in Colorado where we will be interviewed by the board.  After that we are hoping to be invited by the OMF Cambodia directors to work in their field.  There are many uncertainties but we are trusting the Lord to work everything out according to how He has called us.

In October we spent one month on a reconnaissance trip in Cambodia.  During that time we can see that the Lord was watching over us.  He protected us during a motorbike accident in Phnom Penh and He was with us while traveling over 1900 km by land and 130 km over water.  We saw for ourselves that in Cambodia 40% live as farmers below the line of ‘abject poverty,’ which is defined by the UN as US$1 per day.  We learned from the nationals themselves about the corruption in their government.  Yet, we also met a vibrant and immature church which  has grown at approximately 30% since 1990 when the government “formally recognized” Christianity and allowed missionaries to enter.  The bulk
of this growth is in the urban areas, where discipleship is needed.  There is still a great need to mobilize these nationals to reach the rural areas where 90% of the people live. That is where are heart is.

I was asked how Sally came to be a Christian.  Let me briefly tell you her story.  When she was a child, an older cousin would occasionally have her over to play with her children.  While she was there they would allow her to read their children’s books, some of which were Christian.  She used to copy the Bible stories in a little notebook, which she still has to this day. In Primary school, she was deeply impressed by one of her favorite teachers who was a Christian.  He
invited Sally and other students to visit his church Sunday School.  For Secondary School she attended a Catholic school and was thus exposed to some of the Gospel through the chapels.  Singapore has many such mission schools.  Many of them have the best education offered at public school rates.

When Sally was 15 my Mom began praying for the Lord to prepare for me a godly wife.  That was the same year Sally's friend invited her to church. Her parents allowed her to go but told her not to get baptized.   Soon she received Christ in this Chinese speaking congregation.  Her parents allowed her to continue going to church and she did get baptized before her Sweet Sixteen.

You can read more about our testimonies, vision for Cambodia, and travel itinerary at http://kurtnsal.blogspot.com

Kurt has continued his mentoring relationship with a brother in his cell group.  We started this brother and his fiancée on a marriage preparatory book and exercise manual.  It is encouraging to hear that they are more than half way through the books.

Kurt continues to train cell group members as they take turns leading inductive Bible studies through the Gospels.

Praise the Lord for
•Our recent invitation by OMF to attend their Candidate Course June 6 –
17th where we will be interviewed by the board.
•His faithfulness in spite of our inadequacies.  His word and blood that wash our minds and hearts.

Please pray for
•The salvation of Sally’s family.
•Our transition out of Singapore on June 4th - logistically, emotionally, physically, spiritually (Sally has many ‘good-byes’ to say).
•Equipping, boldness and wisdom in sharing Christ in different cultures.
•God’s timing in light of our desire to be in Cambodia by August 2006 learning the language.

Blessed to be a blessing,
Kurt and Sally

What are Christian relatives of Chinese Religionists to do?
Fri, 1 Apr 2005

Every year at this time Sally’s family goes to the columbarium where the remains of her grandparents reside.  As respect for the elderly is deep rooted in the Chinese culture, this is a time of remembering deceased ancestors.  It is called the Ching Ming festival.  In this Chinese festival, offerings of flowers, food, drink, money, and joss-sticks (similar to incense) are offered to the dead.  Chinese
Religionists offer these in worship of their ancestors because they believe their spirit can partake in the essence of the food and use the money in the other world.  Obviously this is wrong because it is ancestor worship, which is putting the ancestors at the same level as God.  It presumes that the spirits of the ancestors can still dwell on earth.  This is false.  For, after death comes the judgment (Heb. 9:27).  

However, what are Christian relatives of Chinese Religionists to do while their elder family members participate in these customs.  It provides a good opportunity to build relationships with family members, while remembering beloved ancestors, even as the Lord had the Hebrews remember Abraham and the other patriarchs.  However, going to the columbarium on the same day as the family celebrates this pagan holiday is very controversial.  We believe that it is good for us to assist the family in caring for the burial site by cleaning it and remembering the ancestors.  Thus, we did go with them.  We did not participate in the worship aspects but only brought flowers, took photos and assisted in cleaning.  This was a good time to bond with and learn more about the family.  You can view photos of this and other Chinese festivals at http://photos.yahoo.com/kurtjkovach.  Click on the album called 053 S’Pore Chinese Religions.

Sally has finished her bond with the denomination and is now serving the church part time.  This includes mostly mentoring and teaching in the church’s Confirmation Class.  This is her fifth week in the Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) course at the Regional English Language Centre (RELC).  Kurt continues co-leading the young adults’ cell group.  We both enjoyed a Retreat of Silent Contemplation with the Lord for a Saturday with the church leadership.


Kurt had a one week Spring Break from teaching Spanish at the International Community School.  He took a church member on a two-day trip, via overnight bus, to visit a nearby half-way house ministry.  The national running this ministry had translated for Kurt on a previous trip and then asked Kurt to support this ministry.  Kurt is investigating setting up an accountability structure so that churches can partner with this national.  Please pray for this brother who has a
strategic, though security-sensitive ministry.

Sally’s visa has been granted which can get her a Green Card when we go to the USA in June.  We have both completed our application with OMF to go to Cambodia and await the results.  In the mean time we are making plans to visit churches in the USA for a one year period.  We would be very grateful if you could help us to broaden our contacts in the Christian community by checking at your church regarding their policy of having missionaries speak there.  Is there a time of year with a Missions focus?  We would love to have an opportunity to share about our vision for Cambodia as we plan to go there as career church-planters after summer 2006. If we could even share at a Cell Group or Sunday school class that would be great.

Praise the Lord for
•        His protection even during Kurt’s wipe-out on rented roller blades at a steep down-hill section of a local park.
•        People like you, who pray for us and our ministry
•        His faithfulness in spite of our inadequacies.  His word and blood that wash our minds and hearts.
•        This opportunity to be a witness to Sally’s Taoist family.
•        Sally’s dad smooth recovery following his surgery in October.
•        Sally’s visa

Please pray for
•        Our transition out of Singapore by June 3rd.
•        The complete healing of Sally’s dad (and his salvation).
•        The status of our hopeful acceptance by OMF so we can attend their Candidate Course June 6 – 17th.

In His service,
Kurt and Sally

S'Pore to Thailand to S'Pore to India to S'Pore
Fri, 18 Feb 2005

Thank you for praying for Sally’s interviews last month.  Her Green Card should be granted next week!  Next month she plans to start the TESL course that can certify her to teach English as a second language.

The conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand went well.  We had good fellowship with a number of missionaries and learned about ethnomusicology and ethnography.  Ethnomusicology is “the study of music in culture.”  Modern missionaries use it to write worship songs that will initially teach the people about God through the music they know and love.  We learned a new term called “ethnodoxology.”  It is
the “study and practical application of how every people group might use their culture’s unique and diverse artistic expressions appropriately to worship the God of the Bible.”  Finally, the reason we were there was to follow up on the ethnography workshop.  There we had a good review of how to learn about other cultures without holding onto our pre-conceived ideas.  This is done through special interview techniques. Kurt is especially interested in this and has already had opportunities to use it.  He will be responsible for organizing the interviews so they can be shared with missionaries working in other areas.  Pray they will be able to record these and send them out safely.  

On the way to the conference we stopped for a day in Bangkok and visited 4 Thai students of English he reached out to when he was teaching there with OMF 3 years ago.  The school was shut down after it completed its purpose of planting a church.  The church is self-funded and pastored by a national (which is really exciting).  Only one of Kurt’s four friends is consistently going to church.  But it was a blessing to hear about their spiritual journey and to know they are still in contact with good witnesses for Christ.

We had a full time in northern India the 27th of January – 3rd of Febrary.  Kurt had the opportunity to preach about missions at a Bible School in New Delhi.  Then we traveled to the state of Nagaland in northeastern India.  It was a joy to visit Nagaland because many of our Bible College friends grew up there.  Both of us shared at the chapel of the Missiological Research Center.  At the Great Commission Kids Academy we enjoyed the children in their chapel as we taught them some fun songs.  We also had fun with the younger ones in their classes.

Kurt will be teaching Spanish at the International Community School (ICS).  A “thank you” to Brenda and Israel who have forwarded him helpful internet links for basic Spanish projects and Spanish Christian music.  ICS is the only Christian International School in Singapore (www.ics.edu.sg).  It’s accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).  We use an American-based College Preparatory Curriculum.  There is a need to fill paid teaching positions.  Let me
know if you might be interested.  

Praise the Lord for
•        Dad’s successful surgery and recovery.  He is now back at work after a month at home recovering.
•        Christ’s limitless grace that allows us to stay close to Himself.
•        Sally’s successful interview at the embassy.
•        Sally’s acceptance for the TESL course.
•        Safety in our trips to Thailand and northern India.

Please pray for
•        The ethnography missionaries to have good interviews and to be able share it with others by writing it down.
•        A smooth completion of our application forms to serve in Cambodia with OMF.
•        Kurt’s Mom’s family, as they mourn the passing of her 97 year old father in Costa Rica.  Praise the Lord he is with the Lord.

“…Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:28, NIV).”

Blessed by God to be a blessing to the nations,
Kurt and Sally

Who would have thought I would need Spanish in Asia?
Fri, 14 Jan 2005

Dear friends,  

We are enjoying a cool rainy season.  Kurt has even put on a sweatshirt twice in the last few weeks.  This is hard to believe as we ride on the earth less than 100 miles from the equator.

Sally’s dad just had his surgery yesterday.  They employed the robotic “da Vinci” for extra precision that will hopefully reduce recovery time.  Praise the Lord it went successfully.  We are blessed to have many friends and family supporting him during this time of recovery in the hospital.  This is especially meaningful to us as we have to leave town tomorrow for a conference Kurt committed to half a year ago.  It is in the northern highland of Thailand in Chiang Mai.

Kurt took on additional responsibilities by responding to the need for a Spanish teacher at the International Community School (ICS).  It is the only Christian international school with K-12 and educates a lot of missionary children (MKs).  In fact, two missionaries I have working under are in his two classes.  They are from Singapore Bible College and OC.  This was his first week and it was quite exhausting though fun.  If you know of any good internet links for basic Spanish projects or Spanish Christian music please let him know.  It may be the 3rd most
spoken language in the world but the resources don’t exist in Asia.

Sally has a couple interviews coming up.  At the embassy she is applying for a Green Card, which we need to allow us to stay in the States for a year this June onwards.  She is also applying to a college that can certify her to teach English as a second language (TESL).  As her commitment with the church denomination draws to a close the end of February, she plans to finish her work at the church by volunteering part time through the month of April.  This is when she would take the TESL course.

Praise the Lord for
•        Dad’s successful surgery
•        Christ’s limitless grace that allows us to stay close to Himself.

Please pray for
•        Safety in our travels this month: Thailand this week and northern India the following week.
•        Sally’s Green Card interview on Monday the 24th of January.
•        Sally’s application for the TESL course.


Blessed by God to be a blessing to the nations,
Kurt and Sally

Nearby Tsunami in Indian Ocean
Tue, 28 Dec 2004

 A few have asked me if we were affected in Singapore by the tsunami disaster that has wrecked havoc on the surrounding countries.  We thank God we were not affected due to the protective lands of Malaysia and Indonesia that surround Singapore.  However, more than 23,000 people have been killed in 8 countries throughout Asia by the earthquake initiated tsunami.   Millions are homeless and have lost everything.  Sri Lanka was the worst hit but Indonesia, India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and even African Somalia were also badly affected.  It is
heartbreaking to hear of these disasters.  But worse is to realize that most of the lost are forever separated from God and His goodness.  Sri Lanka is 72% Buddhist, 12% Hindu, 8% Muslim and 8% Christian.  Here it is known for its education in Buddhism.  Even my brother-in-law who has been educated by someone from there wants to go on a pilgrimage to a Buddhist temple there.   Please pray for the families of the victims and that the Lord would use this event to turn people to Himself.

We have to praise the Lord for another good opportunity to share the gospel with Sally’s parents.  They attended an evangelistic drama set in ancient China in the Mandarin language.  Sally’s mother went up front after saying the prayer but does not understand what the prayer meant and that salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus.  They both asked for prayer for their health but said they cannot follow Jesus because they have to take care of their deceased ancestors.  It has been difficult to share with them without much knowledge of Chinese spiritual vocabulary.  However, a sister in the church who attends the Chinese service in our church shared with them.  Praise God both parents are showing openness to at least learning what we believe.  

I trust you will draw near to God and listen to His voice during this
Christmas season.
Kurt & Sally

Back From Cambodia
November 29, 2004

Dear praying friends and family,

This is our first day back in our offices after we spent 30 days in Cambodia. The Lord really blessed our trip with His protection and providence. We could see the Lord watching over us especially when we consider that the only practical way to get around the capital city is on the back of a motorcycle. When we arrived in Phnom Penh we checked into their guest house and asked for the crash helmets we would carry around with us for the next 2 weeks.

On one of our last days in the city we bargained with the 'motodop' driver (motorcycle taxi) for how much our trip would cost. Then, we both got on the back. We were riding through an intersection when Kurt saw a young man charging across the intersection to beat the other cars. But just before he got to us he realized he couldn't beat us across the intersection and started skidding to a stop before hitting us in the rear fender and bending the license plate. Kurt was scared Sally's leg had been hit because she was in back but she was fine. Thank the Lord for His protection and thank you for your prayers.

While in country we stayed with 3 different families. Two of the families are missionaries living in remote areas of the country and one is not-yet Christian. We didn’t have any specific plans of how to share Christ with this family. But we got to stay with them because Kurt is good friends with Uncle Kim’s niece, Pisey, since University days. While we were visiting with a Khmer (Cambodian majority ethnicity) pastor he asked where we were staying. After Kurt told him he gave us a video CD of the Jesus film in Khmer. That made sharing the gospel easy. Kurt told our host Uncle Kim that we have a good video we would like to watch with him and we watched it together. In the middle we took a break and shared about Jesus being the Creator God who wants to have relationship with each one of us. We talked about what sin is and why Jesus had to die. He thought Christianity is the same as the other religions so we explained how Jesus’ claim and identity as God are unique. He didn’t receive Jesus as Lord yet but he watched the conclusion of the account from the book of Luke. We left him with a Bible and tract about the plan of salvation in Khmer. Please pray for Uncle Kim and his family of 9 including a granddaughter.

Praise the Lord for keeping us healthy except for a couple days of Kurt’s minor stomach problems and Sally’s gradual onset of flu after the trip.

In Christ’s marvelous grace,

Kurt and Sally

Greetings from Cambodia
Wed, 3 Nov 2004 

Sally and I arrived in Cambodia on Thursday the 28th and spent a day and a half experiencing the ancient temples around Siem Reap in the north.  It was great learning about the history and beliefs of the Khmer Empire during the Angkorian period.  However, we had a little culture shock at first.  We realized how important it is to bargain for each purchase made, yet very few vendors would reduce their prices for foreigners in this touristy city.  Whether renting a hotel room, hiring a tuk-tuk to get around, or even buying water, we have been given high prices.  We are being reminded repeatedly that there are many reasons to learn the language well.  This was especially shocking for Sally as she is accustomed to being able to communicate in whichever language she encounters.  Whether the salesperson speaks English, Bahasa Indonesian, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Teochew or Hokkien dialects she can communicate.  But Khmer is a totally different language.

Now we are enjoying our time with New Tribes Missionaries, Ralph and Kim who are fluent in the language and are teaching us so much about this country of youth, rice fields, houses on stilts, and bargaining.  Yesterday we went to church with them.  The church is held in the pastor’s living room and consists of 30 people.  75% of them were not yet believers a year ago.  Ralph says the Buddhist people of Cambodia are very different from those of Thailand.  In Thailand, to be Thai is to be Buddhist.  They believe it is part of their national identity.  However, in Cambodia the people are so disillusioned by poverty and corrupt practices that they are open to the God that offers them hope.  Everyone that he has had the chance to share the gospel with has come to faith.  It is exciting to see all his hard work in language learning producing the fruit of souls that are now our brothers and sisters in Christ.  I am also convicted of my lack of experience in sharing the whole gospel of Christ.  I wonder how many opportunities have I passed by and assumed the people would not be open.

Praise the Lord for...
*Good contacts to visit during our month-long trip in Cambodia.
*The Lord’s constant provision and protection.

Prayer Requests
*Safety while traveling to different parts of Cambodia.
*To see the Lord’s vision for how He can use us in our future ministry.

Blessed to be a blessing,
Kurt and Sally

From durians to frogs
Wed, 11 Aug 2004 

We praise the Lord for His faithfulness in helping us to transition to married life in Singapore.  He has blessed us with a common day-off that we can spend together, which is Wednesdays.  We use that day to sweep and mop the house, with an occasional bike ride or walk in the park.  Oh, how much we are learning about our own selfish nature and the Spirit’s ability to empower us to put it to death!

Kurt is in charge of welcoming and orientating David and Debbie, a couple who were missionaries in Japan for 15 years.  Now they are on their “second career” and have millions of great questions about Singapore. Kurt didn’t realize how much of Singapore and her culture he had picked up in the last two years until he had this opportunity to share it.  Marrying a Singaporean did have something to do with this.

We hope to have a ministry of hospitality in the large living room God has provided us with.  Sally is becoming quite the hostess.  Last night she gathered 7 of her former teacher colleagues from Catholic High (which is walking distance from us).  Together we assembled spring-rolls, which Sally fried for us.

Kurt has started co-leading the church cell group of young adults we have been attending.  We also started hosting it in our apartment.  Last Saturday the cell members asked for permission to hold a durian party in our place after cell group.  Durian* is a tropical fruit grown of the Eastern hemisphere.  Sally calls it the “king of fruits” (as do most Singaporeans) and describes it as “fragrant”.  Kurt says it has the texture of fibrous, mashed squash and the taste of onion. Some say
it is the forbidden fruit that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. :)

Kurt is taking a Mandarin class at the Language Center which is walking distance from our home.  Sally has been teaching conversational Chinese to Kurt and his colleague in our home.  They are both struggling with contorting their tongues to pronounce consonants that simply don’t exist in Western languages.  The tonal nature of the language reminds me of when I was in Thailand (which is another tonal language).  One of my most outgoing students was named Kiat.  Whenever I saw him I was delighted, and I often greeted him in a very excited, high tone of
voice.  However, his name is with a falling tone.  Therefore, by using the high tone I was inadvertently calling him “frog” instead of Kiat.  :o(

* Photos can be seen at http://photos.yahoo.com/kurtjkovach.  Click on the album “1 Durian.”
* Warren the Cartographer is my supervisor and has 5 children ranging in age from 4 to 15.
* A Sports Ambassadors Basketball Team had a 5 hour layover on their way to India.  Warren and I toured them around in this cute little bus.

Praise God
•        For opportunities to be a witness to Sally’s Taoist family.  We had them over for a hot pot dinner Saturday.
•        We are learning to exercise sensitivity in communication and to grow in Christ-like acceptance of the differences of the other as we transition to married life.

Please pray
•        For the establishment of a balanced routine that includes exercise, good diet, rest and communion with God.
•        For our trip preparation to Cambodia in late October-November.  We have several contacts there but are still looking for more that are involved in teaching and water purification.
•        For our home Cell Group – that we can effectively train Hoe Phong, Manquan, Jimmy, and Florence to lead the cell group.
•        For Kurt to be disciplined in practicing the Chinese language.

Blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3)
Kurt and Sally

Some Good News
Tue, 29 Jun 2004

We have good news to praise the Lord for!  Two weeks ago my employment pass was granted.  This will allow me to work in Singapore for the next eleven (11) months.  Surprisingly, the usual
documentation was not required.  We were expecting the minimum requirement of the health form. Praise the Lord for granting us "favor with man." 

Next June we will be going to the Bay Area for a wedding reception.  We will spend about a year in the U.S., during which time Sally will have a chance to become more accustomed to Christian, American mannerisms and customs.

Another praise is that the Lord has proved Himself faithful by providing Sally and I with pledges for 100% of  the financial support we need for my work with OCI.  This news came at the same
time as the Employment Pass.  Pray for the Lord's continued direction in our lives.  I am trying to schedule several trips to visit ministries in Asia but most of them have not been set yet.  The only one we are sure about is to Cambodia.  I praise the Lord for this opportunity to pursue my interest in the Khmer people as part of my work.  The research involved will be good preparation for
our planned move there in two years from now.


Blessed to be a blessing,
Kurt and Sally

Back from Our Honeymoon
Thu, 10 Jun 2004

Sally and I returned from our honeymoon on Friday.  We spent four days in and around Malaysia's capital city with my parents and the family.  Afterwards, Sally and I spent a restful week at a quiet beach resort on the east coast.  We enjoyed that high-class resort as a result of
my parents' kindness.  They traded their time-share for it.  We did not do much swimming, but we enjoyed the noon sun on the beach, afternoon thunderstorms, spicy Malay curry, and two showings of Shrek II.

During this time of rest we cannot forget the Lord's continuous blessings.  He has established us in a spacious apartment overlooking a beautiful park, in a central location, at an affordable price.  We are renting from some friends at Sally's church (which has become my church).  As we will only be here for one year we were hoping we would not have to spend money on many household goods.  The apartment came furnished except for a few necessary items.  Bookshelves, a queen-size bed, floor-standing fan, toaster oven and cooking spices came from our former professor Dr. Baldwin, who is moving to Amsterdam.  A toaster, microwave, ironing board, TV trays, and more spices came from graduating classmates Leo and Nancy.  Plates and a spare bed came from a woman that I have yet to meet.  Mugs and a shopping cart came from a
Calvary Chapel Singapore member moving to Australia.  I didn't think I would ever need a shopping cart until I made my first trip to the market.  It's only a ten minute walk.  But yogurt, milk, and fruit gets quite heavy after carrying them that far by hand.

The seven family members that came for our wedding include my parents, my sister, grandma, her sister, a second cousin and a first cousin.   My cousin Guiselle made us a three-layer wedding cake.  Having a wedding cake made by a dear family member is special enough.  Seeing the reaction from ten year old Marvin was almost as exciting.  He had never seen a real wedding cake.  As westernized as Singapore is the wedding cakes are always imitation. They are made of Styrofoam, with only one piece of real cake inserted in the bottom layer for effect.
 

Praise the Lord
-For His grace that gave me strength to complete my Masters of Missions at Singapore Bible College.
-For the joyful help of many friends and family in our wedding.
-For His provision of housing and furniture.
-For the support and prayers of 46 individuals and couples for our ministry.
-For safe travel for the seven family members that came to our wedding and for ourselves during our honeymoon.


Prayer Requests
-My employment pass application would go through smoothly.  The health form section should arrive by the 17th.
-The Lord's continued provision for full support as an OC International missionary.
-The Lord's protection as Sally and I  leave tomorrow on a four-day church camp in central Malaysia.

In Christ's love,
Kurt (and Sally) Kovach

On Our Honeymoon
Thu, 27 May 2004

I just came from a tea plantation that Sally and I toured with my parents and family in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia.  This is a cool place to rest during the first segment of our honeymoon.  Sally and I had a busy preparation time leading up to the wedding.  It was all worth the energy put into it.  Ken gave an excellent message that shared about how the Lord created man and gave him Eve, who was "bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh."  That is how I think of my wife, Sally, whom the Lord has given me to serve him together for his glory.

We thank God that though not a very large percentage of Sally's Taoist family came to the wedding, many did.  What a blessing to share with them a Christian wedding and how the Creator made marriage to show the intimacy of relationship He wants to have with mankind.

We thank the Lord that despite the language barrier with my in-laws, the relationship is growing.  Mr. Tee, my father-in-law asked if we could bow down to the tablets of his parents that represent their spirit, which he believes dwells in them.  The Lord gave me a parable to explain why bowing to them during the wedding tea ceremony was not an option.  I thank Him for this parable to share how important it is to me.  We also spoke of how we respect him and his parents and prepared a slide show to remember them.

Please pray for us as we spend the rest of our honeymoon on the eastern coast of Malaysia's peninsula.

Blessed to be a blessing,
Kurt and Sally Kovach

Let us pray for a passion for the Lamb of God
Sat, 13 Mar 2004 

I was inspired this morning by the passionate love of the Moravians for the Lamb of God.  They were the first protestant denomination to thoroughly give themselves to missions.  In my History and Issues of Missions course Dr. David Tan read their 1791 report.  "The simple motive to the brethren for sending missionaries to distant nations was and is an ardent desire to promote the salvation of their fellow men, by making known to them the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ."  They desired that the unsaved be liberated from "the yoke of sin and the tyranny of Satan; and remembering the glorious promises given in the Word of God, that the heathen also should be
the reward of the sufferings and death of Jesus."

When their leader, Count Zinzendorf was in the Danish West Indies, Ulrich plead to him that he send missionaries their.  As a result, two Moravian men sold themselves into slavery to reach the slaves of the West Indies.  As they were departing by ship they shouted a phrase they later became the rallying cry for all the Moravian missionaries, "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering."

You may be wondering what initiated this great zeal for the Lord to be glorified.  I believe it was prayer.  For, the revival of 1727 commenced a continuous prayer meeting that lasted 100 years.  This is the kind of account that inspires me to continue my faithfulness in the SBC Student issions Fellowship.  I thank the Lord for allowing me to serve as publicity chairman and mobilize the students to pray for the least reached people groups in the world today.  It also helps me sustain both a passion to see the Lord glorified among the unreached nations and to prepare to go to the field.  For the last several months Sally and I have been praying for Cambodia with a goal to discern if that is truly where the Lamb of God is calling us.

I told some of you about Mr. Polson, one of the first Deans of SBC.  Mr. and Mrs. Polson are inspirations as American missionaries that came to Singapore around 1960 to serve here at the College.  They are at least a decade past retirement but remain here serving the Lord.  Mr. Polson suffered a stroke when he came off his medication.  Then he caught dengue fever, which is a tropical disease carried by day-biting mosquitoes.  His wife also caught it.  However, we praise God that they are doing well and are currently recovering.

Please continue to pray for Sally and I as we prepare for a lifetime together that
•      we would be molded into the servants of God that He has planned
•      we would learn to use our gifts as a team for His glory
•      The Lord would continue to provide for our OCI support raising needs. We are currently at 60% pledged support.
•      That I can prioritize my studies among other responsibilities.

Thank the Lord for
•      Giving me favor with the OC International board of directors in a meeting last month
•      Providing us with an apartment that is centrally located for after we get married.
•      Mr. and Mrs. Polson are doing well and are currently recovering.

As we remember the Moravian church's hourly intercession for 100 years let us remember to pray for missions on a regular basis.  If you have not pledged to pray for us please consider doing so. 

Blessed to be a blessing,
Kurt and Sally

Arrived at Urbana Missions Conference
Sun, 28 Dec 2003

 Dear Prayer Warriors,
We arrived at the Urbana Missions Conference this afternoon.  There are five of us representing SBC at a booth and two presentations.  Pray for us as we cannot set up the booth until tomorrow morning.  It will be a rush because we are supposed to go to a meeting at 8:30.  Thank God for a good team.
 
After registration this afternoon we took a break and went to the large group session tonight.  It was great worshipping the Lord of all nations with 27,000 other believers from a large variety of
nations.  It was a meditative time considering the One before whom every knee shall bow and tongue confess that He alone is Lord of all.

John Stott couldn't make it due to a minor stroke, but a Kenyan brother read his sermon well.  He said God's plans for our lives are more important than our own plans, or our materialism.  He gave an example of a man who found a five dollar bill on the ground and spent the rest of his life with his eyes on the ground, looking for money.  He found a lot of pins, buttons, and pennies, but he lost the pleasures of looking into people's eyes, seeing sunsets, and lost his direction in life.  You're right Sally that we've got to take time for personal reflections & thanksgiving to the Lord for relationships with Him & people.  That's what really matters in this life and for eternity.  He quoted Job "naked I came into the world and naked I will depart," and added that we should therefore travel light.  That's a good point because it's so easy to get my eyes off the Lord whenever I have a lot of things that I need to spend time taking care of.

The Lord of all bless you,
Kurt

There is a time to rest
Wed, 03 Dec 2003 

"It's be-gin-ing to look (a-little) like Christ-mas …every-where you go" (if you were visiting Singapore).  If you stroll down the business district, Orchard Road, the line would sound exactly like Crosby's song.  Soon the snowmakers will even be out to dazzle one and all.  With the cool night breezes the other night I was surprised to learn the rainy season had only dropped the temperature into the low 80s.  Along with this drop in temperature has come a rapid decrease in school responsibilities.

This semester was a marathon, with 16 credit hours plus 4.5 hours of additional coursework due immediately after completion.  There were times when I did not know if I would be able to make it to the end.  Even so, the Lord has been faithful once again.  Sunday I even enjoyed the opportunity to preach in the Thai church service I have been attending.  It was an especially good because the Lord is teaching me to translate his word, not yet into Thai language, but into the Thai culture.  On a previous occasion in which I shared an impromptu message with a smaller group of the men, I was encouraged when the Thai pastor told me I shared on a topic that was of special interest to them.  Pray for these men as many of them have been getting baptized almost immediately before they have to go back to their home country.  It is a strategic ministry because Thailand is less than 1% Christian and staunchly Buddhist.  However, when the men come here for employment they are particularly open to the gospel because of their state of loneliness while they are away from family.  Many have come to Christ and started churches in Thailand after they returned.  You can see photos at http://photos.yahoo.com/kurtjkovach

December 19th I will be in the Bay Area on my way to the Urbana Missions Convention, which starts the 27th.  My lecturer has invited me to contribute so that I can help "tip the scales" for
those considering studying in Singapore to prepare for missions in Asia.  Praise the Lord for this opportunity He has provided to represent SBC among almost 20,000 students as they seek His heart for the lost.  As we set up our booth there and share at two workshops, pray that God would lead to us the right students.

The reason I am not coming home earlier is that this weekend I will be joining the church of my fiancée, Sally, on a mission trip to western Indonesia.  We will be away for eleven days and will teach children at orphanages that the church supports.  I will be in charge of teaching songs and leading devotions.  Pray for unity among a team of young adults, teenagers and a family with three children.  I praise God for this opportunity to serve with Sally on a mission trip for the first time.

As I approach my last term at SBC please pray for the Lord's wisdom in preparing for my wedding after graduation in May.  Pray for His guidance regarding which job to take in Singapore for one year, during which time my fiancée will complete her commitment to her church.  Trust God for His continued provision of my financial needs and for a necessary work permit.

I am looking forward to spending Christmas at home for the first time in three years.  Hope to see or hear from you.

Blessed to be a blessing,
Kurt

My first year in Bible College has just finished. Last night we went through rehearsal for graduation, which I will help photograph. Reflecting back, I am thankful to the Lord for causing me to learn a variety of things. They range from researching the biblical forms of church government, to how to wash and dry clothes by hand; from trusting the Lord for His provision of my physical, spiritual and emotional needs, to preparing a simple breakfast for a hundred fellow students; from preaching against greed, to studying in 89F heat while the library is closed.

I thank the Lord that I have adapted well to living here. While 95% of my meals have been Asian, food adaptation has not presented any difficulty. I gladly eat anything here except the foul-smelling durian and bitter gourd. A couple of my Chinese, lunchtime tablemates are from East Malaysia. One afternoon while I was enjoying a chicken dish of celery, carrots, Chinese fungus, cooked in soy sauce, one of them named Gloria looked over at me and asked, “How can you eat so many types of food?” Then I realized she has eaten Asian food all her life. But she does not like Chinese fungus. The Lord has definitely blessed me with the ability to enjoy a variety of cuisine that He has designed for us.

This Sunday I will be saying goodbye to some of the youth I have been working with the last 9 months. It has been an enriching experience, especially as a leader in camp over the long weekend. Next year I am supposed to move on to another ministry to get more exposure, but I would like to keep up a relationship I have established with one of the older youth. Please see a few camp photos (as well as others) on the web at http://photos.yahoo.com/kurtjkovach

I am looking forward to going home for a month the last week of May and tasting my mom’s cuisine once again.

Please pray for me regarding · which ministry to serve in next. I am considering either Mission to the Blind or Sally’s church, which is starting a ministry for expatriate (mostly American) youth. · my relationship with Sally, that we would learn to communicate honestly, openly and sensitively. · protection for Sally and I as we both fly to meet my parents and sister.

Thank you,

Kurt

I finished my first term at Singapore Bible College (SBC). My grades are not in yet, but I think I survived. After writing 65 pages, and reading more than I've ever read in any previous four month period, I'm glad to be on vacation. Two of my three best friends here are away now. However, I had the opportunity to get away with five fellow students for a low-cost vacation. We visited an island/city in Malaysia, called Penang. A student that wanted accompaniment invited us to visit a ministry she is interested in. She brought a blind man from her church. We all had a blessed time, as another student that grew up there showed us around, in a van loaned to us by the ministry.

This is just one of the things I have to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving Day weekend. Through you, the Lord has provided me with a flight to East Asia. Praise the Lord that my visa went through smoothly and that I got a student discount for the flight! Today I found out that a woman that was hoping to join the trip will be able to get a flight as well. I am reading a good book on the history of the church in East Asia until 1962. My prayer is that I can be an encouragement to the people there. I chose this trip with the hope of getting an idea of what it would be like to work in a place that the gospel cannot be spread openly. For after graduation in May 2004, I'm still praying about probably going to Cambodia. But I also think I should be open to wherever the Lord may lead me instead.

Please pray for the above as well as safety on this two week trip to East Asia.

May the love of Jesus fill you always,

Kurt Kovach

Greetings from Singapore
August 22, 2002

Greetings from the tropical country of Singapore! I miss you all, though some of you have not heard from me much since I left home in July. It has been a busy three months! I spent my first two months trying to adapt to living at Singapore Bible College (SBC). There are students here from all over Asia. The manners and customs of some are hard to get used to. Through it all I am learning much about myself and realizing I don’t have as much patience as I thought. I am learning to depend on the Lord more and more. Even after spending a month in China I am still not used to the fact that pushing and shoving, without an “excuse me” is not impolite according to people of certain parts of China. But, they would have thought my manners are poor when they saw how I handled my chopsticks. I am beginning to realize why so many missionaries leave the field due to conflicts with other missionaries.

Presently, I am working on a research paper of “Jesus’ Healings in the Gospel of Luke.” Next week is “How to Communicate the Message of the Cross to the Thai People.” I am attending a church started by Partners International. Dr. David Tan, who introduced me to SBC, used to pastor here. The members are quite friendly to SBC students, though I am the only one from SBC’s English department that attends. As part of my class requirements, I informally teach guitar to some of the Junior Highers. Last Sunday, the parents of one of them took me to lunch at an outdoor food court. We shared a variety of soups, one of which was some tender turtle soup. It has been great getting to know that family. They are mixed racially and speak many languages in the home. The mother is of Indian descent and the father Chinese, but they both grew up in Singapore. Last month I spent praying over several issues. One of them is whether or not to stay here an additional year to get a Masters Degree in Missions. The Lord has led me to pursue that and He has even given me positive feedback from my family, home church, and the mission agency I am applying with. Staying next year will provide continuity in my studies, relationships, and living arrangements. It should not require any further energy adjusting to the SBC culture and living conditions. Continued development of relationships with students, faculty and fellow church members will allow me to much more thoroughly learn Asian culture. Relationships take a long time to build, especially in Asia. Thus, greater openness, honesty and intimacy could result.

Two days ago I had the refreshing opportunity to leave campus and study at the home of a classmate. With the windows open, we could smell the aroma of incense burned in worshipful memory of ancestors. Though it has become a pleasant fragrance to me, I must remind myself that it represents the bondage of people that have no hope of ever seeing their deceased ancestors, and no hope of eternal life. It broke my heart. I pray that what moves the heart of our Lord would motivate each of us.

PRAISE REPORTS

1. I thank the Lord for helping me cope with the cultural adjustments living here in the dorms of Singapore Bible College. I am learning to sleep in this hot and humid climate.

2. I have had no stomach problems. I love the food. Even that served on campus is good.

3. I was struggling on and off with anxiety regarding my class assignments and with stress in general. The Lord has given me victory in that area!

PRAYER REQUESTS

1. The successful completion of research papers by the end of the month and finals next month.

2. Preparation for mission trip in December. I would like to visit the orphanages of someone I know. But, currently he is in Singapore and his visa to return was denied. That leaves him separated from his wife and children. Please pray that his visa would be renewed quickly.

3. I am waiting for the Lord to provide me with an older mentor here who can counsel me in building relationships and preparation for the mission field. For now, the Lord has blessed me with some good male friends I can share and pray with. They are Singaporean, Malaysian and American, namely Aaron, Ashley, and Andy respectively. I thank God for the 3 A’s!

Please let me know how I may pray for you as well.

Rest in Christ,

Kurt

Sun, 14 Jul 2002

Thank you so much for your financial support to help me come here for training and outreach.  I highly appreciate your prayers as well.  It has been exciting seeing the Lord fully provide for this trip and all the prayer is awesome!  Let me know what I can pray for you as well.  How are things with your grandfather.  I pray the Lord would use you to be Jesus to him.

I just arrived in Singapore yesterday at 1:30 a.m.  What an insane hour to arrive, but I was picked up from the airport by a Singaporean named Aaron, and his friend Sylvia who is from Malaysia.  I am staying in the dorms at Singapore Bible College (SBC).  My roommate has a test on Monday, but he still requested to be awakened when I arrived.  His name is Patrick and he has been very hospitable.  It seems that almost everyone at SBC is of Chinese origin, but they are from all over the world.  Patrick says his parents are typical immigrants to Mauritius from China and are store owners.  He is very friendly and clean and I think he’ll be a good roommate.

Here's some of what I’ve been up to.  A couple weeks ago I got to attend weddings of two cousins with my parents, sister and brother in-law.  The first one was in Tennessee and I was in the wedding party.  It was great catching up with Costa Rican relatives I haven’t spoken to in years.  From there, we all drove 8 hours to Ohio for the other cousin’s wedding.  The time together was good for laughing, sharing, sitting silently and bonding.  I hadn’t enjoyed that opportunity with my brother in law before.  It was also a good opportunity to catch up on my reading.   In fact, several hours spent alone with the Lord that week were great.  It made me look forward to going to Bible College and getting into the Word.

When I was in the mid-West, I found out about some exciting things the Lord was doing in East Palo Alto, where I had been living in community.  A 14 year-old boy that I have had the honor of planting seeds in has come to receive Jesus!  A Mexican who also lives in the community
walked him through the prayer.

A young Mexican, Catholic couple has been living with my previous roommates Lawrence and Keith for almost 2 years now.  The husband, Fernando, has suffered with seizures for 6 years.  Lately, during the seizures, they have noticed some demonic manifestations.  They talked with him afterward, and he was bothered that his life seemed out of his control.  He knew he needed help and gave his life to Christ for the first time.  He said three different people had told him that day something along the line of "the time is short, seek God now".  His sister had just rededicated her life to the Lord.

Before a community prayer time, Fernando's wife, Antonia, prayed a prayer of salvation. Lawrence and Keith talked a little with Fernando about the resources he has as a believer in Christ, assured him his sins are forgiven and decided to meet for 15 minutes every day as a
household to read some scripture and pray. They met with several Christian relatives that live down the hall and that group decided to get together weekly to help each other in the walk with Christ.

I am so excited about what the Lord is doing there that it was hard to leave.  But I know He can carry on His work without me.  I am also excited to learn how to share Him in places of Asia here very few know Him.

Thank you for your partnership,
Kurt

Letter of Intent
July 7, 2002

I would like to share some exciting things the Lord is doing in my life. A year and a half ago I completed an excellent missions class called Perspectives. While studying, God gave me a heart to share Him with people who would otherwise not even have the opportunity to know Jesus.

This February I returned from a three month long mission trip to Thailand, China and Cambodia. During that time I learned that God is with me wherever I go, as a friend that sticks much closer than even a brother. It was a rich time and I believe God gave me a heart to return to work with the people of Cambodia.

Since then, I got laid off from my job. However, the timing on that was perfect. After getting laid off, I had just enough time to send in my application to Singapore Bible College (SBC) before the deadline. I've been accepted to their one-year, graduate level, diploma in Intercultural Ministry program! July 22nd I will be starting classes. It will be exciting to be immersed in the Asian culture along with 400 students from 22 countries. The mission of the College is to glorify God by training faithful servants of Christ for the edification of the Church and the urgent evangelization of those not yet reached for Him.

In the mean time, I have given 12 group presentations to share what I have learned on my trip. This quarter I am enrolled in classes at community college to learn Asian History and take some fun classes. I am getting rooted in my identity in Christ through a Biblical Counseling class at a local church. The East Palo Alto Junior Highers Bible Club I have now been involved in for over 2 ½ years has been a good cross-cultural experience. It is exciting to see the guys absorbing the Word. One of the fathers is also getting into the Word. Please pray they would grow in conviction to apply it.

I have also started the long application process to work for the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) in Cambodia after Bible College. I volunteered for them in Thailand and Cambodia and was inspired by people who know Jesus and put Him first.

I am in the School of Theology – English, working on a graduate level diploma in Intercultural Ministry. The program includes a missions trip just before Christmas. I would greatly appreciate your support spiritually through prayer. I believe God will continue confirming his calling through the support of His body. Please pray about pledging to pray for me on a regular basis. If you are called to do this or would simply like me to update you on what God is doing in my life, please let me know.

With the love of Christ,

Kurt