Vacation and Building the Church!

Last week we had vacation and decided to stay here in Stockholm to enjoy our beautiful capitol city and what it has to offer. So... We started off at "Skansen" (zoo with animals from Scandinavia). It was great and especially Josefina had a blast with all the animals (she loves anything on four legs!!!) Day number three we went to "Gröna Lund," (amusement park) and I had (I think) my first "close to death" experience. Peter lured me into trying the new ride Insane, and I'm telling you - that's exactly what it was!!! INSANE!!! Emma and I went up (two nervous wrecks) and Emma came down happy and I... Well, I am still here... Love "regular" rollercoasters, but this one? I don't know. We ended the week by going into the archipelago of Stockholm for a day - beautiful, peaceful and wonderful!

I'm telling you - insane!!!

Josefina and Klara in "free fall"

This week we've been at our new church almost every day building, painting, cleaning and today I learned to put in hardwood floors! Work work work but so fun fun fun! Ylva and I had a blast today as every piece of floor went down. There's still lots to do, but we're getting there!

Sarah wins prize for best shoes while painting!!!

We are still waiting on our visa papers to come through, but in the meantime life is full of great things to give your time to... A friend once said when someone asked him about what plan God had for his life; "I'll be somewhere in the world serving my God!" You gotta give your all nomatter where you are or what your circumstances are, you can always serve the Lord!

/Martina Published: By: The Almqvists - 5:14 PM

Lucas is growing fast and learning new things everyday...

Published: By: The Almqvists - 4:55 PM

Kids Love Adventures!

Right now we have four popcorn eating kids in our living room (actually Daniel and Stephanie's living room...) watching Garfield. Johannes and Maria's kids, Adam and Alicia are spending the night and our kids have been waiting for them all day. These four kids have been almost everywhere together... They have been on 30 hour busrides in Ghana, been in the jungles of Uganda together, watched their dad's feed hyenas in Ethiopia and many more adventures. These kids love Jesus festivals and know the dramas and dances by heart, they love standing below the platform asking what miracles Jesus has performed tonight... I feel so priviledged to live the life God has given us in Mission SOS... I feel so rich and happy to be able to give our kids all these Jesus-adventures.

After a "mud-battle" in Namalu, Uganda

I grew up in Liberia, West Africa. My parents were missionaries, we lived way up in the jungle with no electricity and no running water... It was great, every day was an adventure! I didn't have all the toys that kids had at home, but I had everything I needed and could wish for. Life a s a missionary is the best you could wish for, and kids love adventures! Don't hesitate to come along with us on a missions adventure some time - if you have kids - they will love it!!!

Alicia and Josefina in a village in Thailand

Our Bible schools will start soon, if you want a life of adventures together with the Holy Spirit, learn to pray and live a life close to Jesus, learn to pray for the sick, preach and drive out demons - apply today! MCM Ministry School in Pittsburgh PA, USA or SOS Mission Bible College in Stockholm, Sweden. We are waiting, longing and praying for you! Published: By: The Almqvists - 2:26 PM

Church BBQ!

We just came home from a great Church BBQ by the water in Tullinge. Andreas and Emma Gustafsson had arranged everything and we had such a good time, everyone ate from everyone's basket (almost), it was great! In the middle of the bbq we all went down to the little beach and baptized our new found friend Bashar! This was the best moment tonight! Bashar buried his old life while curious Swedes (who had just come down to swim before bedtime) were watching wondering what this was all about... It was such a wonderful church-moment, we all love Bashar so much already!

Before we went home Lucas was given a cell phone to play with and it took him about 2 seconds before it entered his mouth, when it did it started palying this little tune...



We all though it was kinda funny since he was the only one there that this applied to...

/Martina Published: By: The Almqvists - 4:58 PM

An Ordinary Day...

This is what you can call an extremely ordinary day (for me as a mom). Started off working a little bit by my computer, made lunch, did the dishes, some more work... Someone recognize the procedure??? I could just think of this as an ordinary, boring day, but then I would miss the fact that Lucas and I just shared an apple together and he was laughing his head off afterwards when mommy was goofing around with him... Or miss the fact the we all enjoyed ice cream with blueberries that Michael and Josefina picked yesterday down by the tennis court... You can miss so much if you don't pay attention to the details in "every day life". Is this an ordinary day? Yes! But it's still a great day with many great moments!!!



Have to go, have a diaper to change, laundry to fold and a house to clean :) life's great!

/Martina Published: By: The Almqvists - 10:42 AM

Greece!!!

Velingrad Signs & Wonders Festvival finished with a crescendo of salvation and healing miracles! Jesus has done so much this past week and I am so thankful that I got to go to Bulgaria. Read more about the last day at Johannes Amritzer's blog.

Yesterday was our day off and Linda, Annelie, Helena, the Johnsen and Edlund family took us to Greece and the Mediterranean!!! Wow - just the drive over the mountains was fabulous and well, I'll let these pics speak for themselves.

On our way, Lisa, Linda and Emma.

Quite a view...

Kavala

Lucas loved the beach!!!

We ended the day with seafood at the resautant just above the beach - wow wow wow!!!

Thank you so much for having me as your guest this week, wonderful Bulgaria base!!! I have learned so much from everyone of you guys, you are truly amazing, I have been so spoiled by everyone! I love you guys so much and am so happy and priviledged to be family with you!!!

/Martina

Published: By: The Almqvists - 5:36 AM

Day Three and Four...

It's been two fabulous days here in Velingrad!!! Yesterday we had an outreach in a village called Kostandovo, the team performed like they've never danced or sung the songs before and we invited people to the festival in the evening. It was great!


Pastor Michael Williams from calvary Temple Worship Center in Modesto, CA preached yesterday and the day before and it was wonderful. Many people came to Jesus for the first time and many were healed in their bodies. Johannes came back today after wedding a couple in Sweden and it is - as always - great to see him. He preached tonight and heaven was just open over the theater. So many were saved tonight and about 20 came forward to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. We hardly needed to pray for them, the Spirit of God was so strong that they just started speaking in tongues by themselves!


Lucas is making new friends... Caleb Johnsen is just a month older and their way of socializing is by looking at each other while waving their arms :)...

Annelie took me shopping in Plovdiv today! It was s fun!!! Annelie is Walter's Admin Assist and she is so fun to be around. We laughed alot... And shopped what we needed too :). On our way there we drove by the city of Pazardjik, where Mission SOS started its mission work in Bulgaria 2001. I had never been there and it was so good to just drive by the area where it all started... Alot is happening all the time, tomorrow it's the last day, I should get some sleep...

/Martina Published: By: The Almqvists - 5:30 PM