Estonia Update From Dick

Suffice it to say that our week here has been incredibly valuable. We came simply to share love and fellowship, as well as exchange ministry ideas with our dear friends in Tallinn, Parnu and Johvi. While not completing any construction, teaching VBS lessons or directing recreation or evangelism projects, I have found our time here to be among my favorite and most profitable among these dear fellow-believers.

I suggested to our team members that 50% of our mission was accomplished the moment we arrived. While skeptical, they later heartily agreed to that truth. At the same time, what an incredible remaining 50% of the mission we shared together these six days!


We have much to share with Asbury's Estonia Ministry team and look forward to hearing stories from this summer's remaining four Estonia VIM teams.

Thanks for praying for us! Please pray for our continued health and safety as we travel home on Thursday. Our Tulsa arrival is expected just after 10PM.

Dick Read

Update from Estonia - From Glen

It has been an amazing trip and we arrived back in Tallin this afternoon. We spent the night at Camp Gideon last night and went to dinner with Artur and Valentina. This man is unbelievable all the things he is doing for God, the church, camps, city council, and the list goes on and on… He wakes every morning to go to his church to pray at 6:00am, returns home for breakfast, then takes his kids to school and off to work again. He came to Tallin today to be filmed for a TV show. He is a spiritual leader in his community and was even asked by the Mayor to have special prayer services while the riots were going on a couple of weeks ago. Valentina is fasting for 3 days preparing for a group coming to camp on Thursday. They are an amazing couple.

We have all been blessed in our own special ways. As usual it feels as though we were the ones being ministered too. These people here are amazing and God is working in their hearts in a very special way.

Congratulations to all of you who have been to Estonia pray for and support Estonia in any way. Also for those who are coming to Estonia before the year is up… God is blessing your efforts and great works are being done. We have over 1,000 pics so we will have no problem showing or explaining to anyone what wonderful works Global Outreach is doing here in Estonia.

I just thought I would send you all a little update from to young men we met on our retreat with Agape Church. Vallo is 16 years old almost 17 and he is 6’7” tall. Joosep is 18 years old and loves Americans and the US like it is his Holy Land… I guarantee you this young man will not stop until he makes it to the US. They are both very good young men and have a heart for God and the church. Both of these boys will be in the 11th grade next year. Joosep was so excited to know that Earl (we have renamed him professor McGyver) knows Morse code. He is going to send Earl a coded message when we get back. It just looked it up on the internet a couple of weeks ago and taught himself. Now are you beginning to understand what I mean when I say nothing will stop this young man from making it to the US.

Well, I will finish by saying that our trip has been a huge success in our minds and our friends in Estonia are all very happy to have had us here… It means more to them than they or I can put into words…

Glen Grusendorf

Udates from the Estonia - From Dick

We have finished out discussions and work here in Parnu. Our time here has been very good in growing our friendships with our Agape brethren and each of us is coming back with information and ideas for growing partnership. We spent a good amount of time this morning walking around and thru the Agage building and Earl has a prioritized list of projects that we look forward to bringing before the Estonia Ministry Team.

Our time with Tonu and Kuuli ended with a wonderful meal at an local German food restaurant and then shared a sweet prayer time at in the Agape sanctuary.

We will drive to Johvi Tuesday afternoon to see Camp Gideon and to share some time with Artur Pold.

Back to Tallin Wednesday afternoon -- we will be able to send email update from Tallinn, but no likely from Camp Gideon.

We are all well as we begin winding down our time in Estonia.

Dick Read

Udates from the Estonia - From Christy

It's Christy... you will be amazed by this incredible place. You don't need to plan anything for VBS. Kulli and Meeli have everything ready for VBS.

They put me to shame. :-) What they need is for you to show up with people ready to love on kids. There are other little things we can do, like everyone on

The team could bring a "school supply" type kit for their group of 6 - 8 kids. I'll explain when I get home. They have kids that walk over from an orphanage and kids who ride the city bus alone to come to VBS. The city is filled with atheists. The kids know little to nothing about God... much different than what we are even able to understand. But they need folks to love on the kids and help them to realize that Agape Church is where they can feel loved. You will do a great job at that and they are counting the days until you arrive. I can't even express the joy on Kulli's face when we walked in the door. You would have thought it was Christmas morning.

I have gained 1,000 more blessings than I think I've brought to them. I've been humbled and learned so much from this church. One small thing I've learned that I hope we can do is hang up our children's artwork in displays on the walls. I will show you a picture of how they do it but it is so impressive and looks great!

Everyone in the church stops to look at the children's work. Joanne and Susan would benefit from a trip here as well. Their preschool program involves the parents through age 3. They don't drop off the kids... they stay and do the lessons with their child. I know, it's a shocker but it works well for them and is an incredible outreach to these non-believers.

I have lots more to share with you but that's just a taste. The beach is beautiful here. The food is good. The people are the salt of the earth. Prepare to be loved on!

Hope all is well in Tulsa... can't wait to see you

In Christ,
Christy Capps

Update from Joe

Wanted to give you a quick update on today's activities (Sat.,5/12). We ate breakfast at the hotel & arrived at the Agape church at 9 AM. We headed to an Orthodox retreat center about 10-15 miles south of Parnu but still on the ocean coast line Reminded us of a small camp Gideon. We could see Parnu across the bay. There were about 20 of us (15 Agape church members) there for an all day retreat. It was a great setting and was lead by Tonu & Kuuli. We had 2 interpreters there. One was Kuuli & the other was Meire, the associate Pastor at Agape. They were great and made the day very meaningful. We drove back to Parnu with one of our new friends, Joosep. This is the closest to Joseph we could get. He & I hit if off real quick.

We also had a 16 year old boy that was 6' 7" tall and we think still growing. He enjoyed baseball and wanted to know more about it (we are not sure but we think he is a Cardinal fan!).

Great time was had by all. We are looking forward to church service and going to Ullas & Meeli's home afterwards. Hope all is well in the states. God bless you.

Joe Spence

Update from Dick

Well, its Saturday morning here and we getting ready to go eat breakfast and then head across town to Church to leave on the retreat. It is such an exciting time for us all. Yesterday when we toured the church and found out the have essentially a full basement it gives us great opportunities to help them expand their present facilities. They have had some others here lending their time and efforts and funds to help prepare the basement as well. The church is beautiful backing up to a local park. Dick, Christy and I will get to speak at the retreat today and Dick will get to do the sermon tomorrow at church as well. We are all very excited about these opportunities. While Christy was visiting with Kulli yesterday she was told how the very young kids walk or even ride busses to come to bible school in the summer time (could you imagine that happening in the US, I think not.)

We also visited the Seminary in Tallin yesterday before we left and Christie was able to make a connection there too, with a woman whom she is going to send materials too as well.

This trip is very relationship oriented. We are building relationships so that we are better able to help serve their needs here and understand what those needs will include. I am praying that I will meet a man and woman who will be willing to "Champion Celebrate Recovery." I have brought over materials in Russian as well as English. Please pray for us all that we will recognize the opportunities God puts in front of us to help our brothers and sisters in Christ of Estonia.

Dick Read

Update from Glen

Here is my most recent update. Thanks for all your prayers and support...

Well, we made it and everything is going very well...I am blessed to be rooming with "McGyver" otherwise known as Earl Stutzman. The sad thing for Earl is he might not get his normal sleep having to room with me. Long story short about 2:30am this morning Earl woke up and helped me fix my plug adapter that was on loan from Mary Ann. McGyver discovered there was a burned out fuse. No problem, he disassembled a razor blade and used it to bypass the fuse that we didn't actually need anyway.

Christy plugged in her hair dryer this morning and blew out the electricity for her room and Dick and Joe's too. They did get it fixed and we have all survived. We had a great breakfast this morning and will be heading to Parnu in about 30 minutes... We are praying and expecting to have a wonderful day with our friends of Estonia. Joe didn't get much sleep either, but our spirits are burning bright and excited for the day!

Earl and I have a great view of the harbor right out our window. We have watched ships come and go last night and this morning. This is a beautiful old city with lots of new and exciting development every where you look. The combination of the two worlds the "Old & New" makes it very modern yet extremely interesting with all the old architecture.

We are in Parnu now and preparing for a leadership retreat tomorrow with our sister church "Agape United Methodist." Kulli was so happy to see us all. We are looking forward to see what God has in store for us all tomorrow...

Glen Grusendorf Jr.

Estonia Update

Well, we made it and everything is going very well… I am blessed to be rooming with “McGyver” otherwise known as Earl Stutzman. The sad thing for Earl is he might not get his normal sleep having to room with me. Long story short about 2:30am this morning Earl woke up and helped me fix my plug adapter that was on loan from Mary Ann. McGyver discovered there was a burned out fuse. No problem, he disassembled a razor blade and used it to bypass the fuse that we didn’t actually need anyway.

Christy plugged in her hair dryer this morning and blew out the electricity for her room and Dick and Joes too. They did get it fixed and we have all survived. We had a great breakfast this morning and will be heading to Parnu in about 30 minutes… We are praying and expecting to have a wonderful day with our friends of Estonia. Joe didn’t get much sleep either, but our spirits are burning bright and excited for the day!

Earl and I have a great view of the harbor right out our window. We have watched ships come and go last night and this morning. This is a beautiful old city with lots of new and exciting development every where you look. The combination of the two worlds the “Old & New” makes it very modern yet extremely interesting with all the old architecture.

Glen Grusendorf

Estonia Greetings

The five of us arrived in Tallinn right on schedule after three air flights (via Chicago and Copenhagen). All of our luggage arrived with us and a member of Kaupo and Thea Kant's church met us at the airport to pick up the sound system that Earl rev'd up for them. He was very pleased - Kaupo certainly will be even more so.

After checking into our hotel (Portus), we went to Old Town for a bit to eat, then the supermarket to buy pure water and are now back at the hotel preparing for a good night's sleep.

Thanks for your prayers as we travel to Parnu on Friday!

Dick Read