STEPHEN  RELATES:

The Lord is marvelous in what He does. We can testify of it day after day. The Lord Jesus brought a very special flower into my life from Holland. She was born in Holland in 1957.  We met each other while we were in Jerusalem. Her name is Sophia. We were married in Holland and decided to live as witnesses to the Chassidic Jewish people in Monsey, NY.

During the three years that we lived there, we also took frequent visits to the Soviet Union. During these short mission trips, our focus was to distribute the Word of God to the Russian people. We marveled as we witnessed so many wonderful people listen and receive from us the Scriptures and the Good News of the Gospel. We traveled from one city to the next, cities like Tombav, Tula, Ryazan, Bryansk, and others. In each city we had the same response:  On the sidewalk, we would start talking about Jesus for about 10 minutes. Then we would pray out loud with those who responded to us and offer the Scriptures to those who wanted to receive them.

Groups of 20 to 30 people would gather each time as they watched what was going on. With no waiting in between groups of people, we would continue to share, pray and distribute time after time, until the waist high stack of NT’s were all gone. We witnessed until our mouths were dry and our strength was gone. What a outstanding time that it was!  It got to the point where we seriously asked ourselves – What on earth are we doing in America? Not long after, we decided to leave our jobs and do whatever it would take to continue reaching out to the people in the Soviet Union. I worked at IBM and my wife at Helen Hayes hospital.

In January, 1995 we moved to Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia. For the past 27 years we have been serving the Lord here and lifting up Jesus. For years we went to orphanages and shared the love of Jesus with the children.

The Lord made it possible to show the Jesus film in villages throughout the country, which became a great evangelistic tool.  Due to the lack of electricity, we would set up our van with a TV in the back and share a video presentation of the JESUS film with the village pastor, often on a main road in the village. At the request of the pastors, we would present Derek Prince teachings for their benefit.

Thanks to the help of Steve and  R.K., we would purchase basic food and most needed supplies and deliver them to the most needy pastors and their families to help them through the winter. Our primary goal however, has always been to distribute the Word of God, the words of life to as many people as we are able.

As the years have gone by, the Lord has opened up the door for us to reach out with the Scriptures and share with the Georgian, Ossetian, Turkish, Russian, Iranian, Jewish, Azerbaijani, Saudi Arabian, Armenian, and other peoples who either live here in the Republic of Georgia or who come to visit. As a result of things going so well, the Lord Jesus moved in our hearts to reach out to some of the foreign peoples living in Holland, Germany, and Belgium.

We don’t have the freedom at this time to go into detail. All this is with great gratitude from my wife and me for The Bridge’s continual help toward the printing of Gospels, Jesus film DVD’s, and other outreach material.  Thanks also to Steve and R.K.’s great encouragement and favor.

It is and has been a delight for my wife and I to extend ourselves to others, who for the most part have never been exposed to the words or actions of Jesus. This is truly gold for both the heart and soul of those to whom we reach out. We Praise the Lord each and every day for the wonderful Kingdom He has allowed us to share with others.

The Lord is so marvelous in what He does! Jesus came into this world when it was dark to lift us up by giving His life. It is a joy for my wife and I to lift up His name where it is dark, and give our lives to do so.

Our best and thanks to all of you! Love, Steve & Sophia, Phil 2:14-1

MY BACKGROUNG LIFE STORY—SOPHIA

I grew up on the shoreline of the Netherlands, close to The Hague.  As a little girl, I was a quiet, shy and insecure.  My two year older brother and my three younger siblings competed for attention from our parents who had experienced World War II, and put every effort into giving their children a better education than they were given.

Raised Reformed, I found that the church  gave no practical answers to why the world was spiraling so out of control: the genocide and famine in Biafra, airplanes crushing to earth without the survival of any passengers. Why was life so cruel? Since I could not find any answers to life’s basic questions, at age 16, I considered committing suicide. 

Then a  friend introduced me to Youth for Christ’s Bible study in Katwijk aan Zee for high school students. Here under the direction of  Henk Binnendijk, the foundation for Salvation and the joy of  living a life of holiness, life I accepted my Lord and Savior, Jesus! The prayers of my parents and grandmother had been answered!  At age 19 I was baptized in the Spirit and water and began seeking the Lord for the purpose in my life.

The Lord led me to become a physical therapist.  The choice for every day was always to seek the Lord’s ways first—and blessings followed: At age 25, I had completed a ten year practice of my own.  The office was located at the border of a beautiful Dutch bird preserve.  From my balcony, I looked out on the famous Kinderdijk village where 17 windmills beautify the landscape, drawing tourists worldwide.

 That fall, I travelled to Israel to serve as a volunteer at the Feast of Tabernacle Celebration, organized by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. There I served alongside a young American who eventually would become my husband. We became friends. After the celebration my friend decided to do outreach in Dutch speaking cities, and he spent some time in my local area. Besides the love for Jesus, we had a mutual love for Israel.

At age 33 Stephen asked me to marry him. It came “out of the blue” and was unexpected, especially since he was an American! Therefore it was good that my Father in Heaven gave me three confirmations, one of which my earthly father had had a dream when I was eighteen which he interpreted would be fulfilled at my age 34.

The wedding ceremony was held in an over crowded church (150) people in Alblasserdam, Pieter and Heleen Benard were the presiding pastors for this event. Willem van der Hoeve sent his blessings by telegram to the newly married couple.

After the wedding, I sold everything, and emigration followed three months later which gave Steve time to find a little nest in the Chassidic village of Monsey, NY. Three years later, Steve and I received a word from God individually, directing us to emigrate to the Republic of Georgia, next to  Russia The green light for the next calling on our lives was to bring the Gospel to 2000 deserted orphans when Georgia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Steve is presenting the rest of our life story.

APRIL 2022—STEVE AND SOPHIA’S VISIT TO FLORIDA

FROM R.K.’S CORNER

We trust you are doing many enjoyable summer activities  with your family and friends after two years of restrictions and lockup.  We also took a hiatus and combined the June and July issues of The Bridge Reports into one report.

When the U.S. missionaries return to the States for a little R&R and visit family, friends and sponsors, we so enjoy when they come to see us.

Recently, American-Dutch Stephen and Sophia Schmalz, a precious couple whom we have known and helped sponsor since the mid-nineties, visited and spent ten delightful days with us.  They are both true evangelists with burning hearts for those who have never heard the Gospel, continually finding unique ways in reaching as many as possible with the love of Jesus.

Our website has several past updates on their mission activities which you will find under PD ARCHIVE, for September 2010 and March 2012. This time, however, that you may come to know them more personally as people, not only missionaries, as I asked them to share their life stories here… they both have tremendous personal testimonies!  The Schmalz’ have proven over almost thirty years living and serving in the mission field that they are faithful, enduring, effective, humble and obedient servants of the Lord. Your support will produce good fruit! Please note on your donation 8337 Rep. of Georgia Workers.