Alex Pratt

Surfing U.S.A.

   Hello everyone, I'm back! My sincerest apologies about the lateness of this blog, but ever since I landed...well, ever since my feet left Ukrainian soil they haven't stopped moving. These last few months have been incredible and challenging in a wonderful combination that our Lord loves to throw at us. But generally speaking, my time back has been great and the Lord has done mighty things in the time that I've been back here.

   Very shortly after my return I started working at Camp Indy, which is a Christian day camp. This was my fourth summer working at Camp Indy, and it is such a privilege to have been able to serve under Wes Hoff, the camp director, for four years. Wes Hoff is one of my oldest friends and he even served in Ukraine with my family for six years. Wes is one of my biggest inspirations in life and he is a wonderful, godly man who loves Jesus and I couldn't be more proud of the way that he runs this camp!

   At camp, God opened so many wonderful opportunities for me and he really showed me that there isn't much that I won't do for children, even if that means mushing bananas into my beard! But I was really blessed and moved this summer by the fact that I could pray openly with these kids to accept Jesus Christ into their hearts. We live in a day and age in which Christianity is unpopular and Christians experience persecution all over the world, in many different forms. But to be able to freely tell these kids about my Jesus who loves me enough to die for me brings a tear to my eye even thinking about it.

   Another huge privilege has been being able to spend time with my sister and her family. As most of you probably know by now, I am a proud uncle to four children and I love them very much! But one of the difficult things about being a missionary is that you don't always get to see your family and loved ones as often as you'd like. But while I've been back I've been totally blessed by my sister, Nicole, and her family who have let me stay with them for a time as I settle back into the lifestyle in America. I'm happy to say that I have adjusted well to the culture here and I have been doing very well.

   God has been working in my heart and speaking a lot since I've been here. This is a very exciting time in my life and He has been showing me wonderful things! He has challenged me to be more faithful in my personal walk and to be a man of humility. My deepest prayer right now is that I would be a man in complete surrender to the Lord, following Him wherever He calls me to be. The closer I have drawn to Him, the more He has revealed to me. In Genesis 12, God called Abraham to leave his home and family and go to a land that He would show to Abraham. Abraham took a step of faith, not knowing exactly where the Lord wanted him to go, but trusting that God would guide him. Well, I left my home and family and I feel like the Lord has been guiding me and it has been wonderful to see His faithfulness. I am truly blessed by my relationship with my God.

   The next step in my life is starting my third semester of Bible College. I am very excited about this and I already love my roommate to death! I know I keep repeating myself, but I cannot over-emphasize how great our God is! I am so overwhelmed by the way that He has watched over me and made sure that I am not alone, even though I have left my family and my home. Where will I end up after Bible College?! Who knows?! God knows, and right now that is all that I need to know.

   I ask you all for your prayers, as I always have. I need support as you know, and if you feel like God would like you to support me then that would be a huge blessing! But most of all I ask right now for your prayers. There are big decisions to be made in my life right now and I want to follow the Lord's guidance in these things. Please pray that I would be open to the Lord's responses and willing to follow Him, wherever He calls me in life. Thank you!

God bless you all,

~Alex R. Pratt