Prayer for Women's Missions and Ministries
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Women and their families all over the world are sharing the Good News of Jesus with those who have never heard. They need our prayers. Please pray for the following missions and ministries.
For the Hathcock's in Ukraine:
Hope you are having a good summer! We had an awesome time with the IWC group!!! They were a huge blessing to many people in Ukraine. Some of the highlights were going to village called "Left Behind" and working with the children and delivering humanitarian aid to many of the homes. There is a Ukrainian pastor who has been reaching out to this community. Many of the people are very poor and live in unimaginable conditions. There is a lady who has been doing Bible study with the children and reaching out to the parents. The IWC team did evangelism with the Persian church looking specially for Persians or whoever would talk to them about Jesus. Another group worked with an existing church that wanted to reach out to the young people and families around the church through sports. The third group learned about church planting from evangelism, sports ministry to actually helping build a church. God was glorified through the lives of the those who were willing to serve. One of our highlights was the park evangelism we did a few nights. Many people received Bibles, tracts and heard the gospel. We also had our worship time in the park and many people watched and some participated. We trust that many seeds were planted as well.
After the IWC team left we headed south for some vacation time. We are thankful for our time and we value your prayers as we earnestly wait upon the Lord for clear direction for the next part of our journey. Praises! Sophia had her cast removed and her wrist is healing well.
Please continue to pray:
The seeds that were planted while the IWC team was here will bear much fruit. The students who came would reflect on their time here and see the ways that they can share Christ where they are and how they can be involved in missions.
Texas group that is prepared to be with us next week, that God would prepare the people who will be coming to the family seminars.
Lesia would give her heart to Jesus!
Wisdom as we wait upon the Lord for clear direction.
Thank you for praying for us!!!
Great news from Vitebsk, Belarus!
Word has come to us that one of the men we have prayed for several years has now become a brother in the Lord! His name is Victor, and after many years of wrestling with the Truth of the gospel, he has repented and received Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord back in January. Victor actively participated in our English courses for over a year in Vitebsk along with his wife, Natasha, who has been a believer for some time. Their two teenage children have also been believers for several years. But with Victor it took a lot of patience and time and prayer. He regularly helped with the summer youth camps and several other events at the church. He was even a fairly regular attender at services, but he just was unable to take that step of faith. BUT PTL! Victor is now a brother in Christ! We rejoice with Natasha, their children in this wonderful news. May Victor be bold in his new faith and share his life changing faith with others! - Amen.
A Small Milestone
This month begins our 8th year of overseas service. We are so grateful for the prayer support that we receive from you and for the notes from time to time that help us know how things are with you. We treasure each and every note that you send!
Thank you Southern Baptists for living Acts 1:8 lives! Thank you for giving faithfully, consistently, and sacrificially to the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Never do we take for granted your ongoing support and every day we are reminded of what you are doing that allows our colleagues and us to remain on the field overseas.
It is our hope that you continue to enjoy each issue of this e-newsletter. If for any reason you would wish to discontinue receiving this e-newsletter, please let us know.
Volunteer team from Lebanon, TN does outreach with Slipdiscs and Shepherd's packets.
From June 25 - July 1, we were blessed to have a husband and wife team from Immanuel Baptist in Lebanon, TN join us in ministry in Kazakhstan. Steve and Branda arrived in KZ ready to go and their "Can Do" attitude was a big blessing to us and to all that we ministered to. While here, they participated in multiple evangelistic outreach opportunities among university students and others in local parks both here in Astana and up north in Borovoye. And they also helped us meet with and share God's love among some shepherds on the Steppe! Here's a great story of one of our meetings with some shepherds.
While driving back to Astana from up north, the four of us were able to visit with two different groups of shepherds. One was a group of four that were huddled under a small lean-to for shade from the hot sun. They were located several hundred yards off from the road, so we parked the car and took off across the Steppe. As we approached them, no doubt they were wondering about who we might be, and soon, they were pleasantly surprised to find that a group of Americans had hiked across the Steppe for a chat! We sat on the ground together with them and talked for several minutes. At first, the conversation went slow as they wondered why anyone would walk that far across the Steppe to talk with them. But soon, lots of questions about the life of a Shepherd of The Steppe and life in America were asked and answered. We we laughed and talked together for some time. When we gave them the shepherd packets with bread, water, cheese, and candies, they were happy to receive them. But THEN when we pulled out the Christian literature that was also inside, they were very interested. All four of the shepherds were Kazakh and when we gave them the two books written in Kazakh they were pleased. But surprisingly, when the book in Russian was given, they were VERY happy and one of the shepherds, the only woman in the group, took the book and leafed through it. In doing so, she saw one page entitled "The Good Shepherd" and she quickly got everyone's attention and there on the Kazakhstan Steppe, she read Psalm 23 out loud so all could hear. The men with her listened closely and nodded their agreement as she emphasized the words she was reading. Perhaps this was the first time that Truth from God's Word was heard by these shepherds. Upon completion, she folded the corner of the page down and said to us, "So I can read more later." PTL!
God gave us a few more minutes of opportunity to share more with this group about His love for them and his desire to have a personal relationship with them. We reminded them that they could discover more in the books that we gave to them and that they could pass them among their friends. They actually promised to read them.
All in all, it was 30 minutes out of our travel plans which just might translate into an eternity of difference in the lives of these precious Shepherds.
Children's Day Camp in the village of Lugovoye.
We've written about Pastor Talgat and the faithful believers in the village of Lugavoye. Well, a few years ago, Pastor Talgat led his small church to start holding a Children's Day Camp for the children of Lugovoye. Why? Because two of Pastor Talgat's children attended a day camp and were saved and then through their consist ant witnessing to him, he and his wife came to faith in Jesus Christ too!
When the decision to plan for that first day camp was made, they only had 70 Tenge ($0.47) in their church savings. They prayed and asked God to provide AND HE DID! They have amazing stories of how God has provided for the day camp every summer since. Is it any small wonder for them to step out in faith and lead this annual Day Camp for the local children again this summer?
This past week, the Day Camp for the local children took place. The Day Camp schedule begins with breakfast for the children at 9am with some sort of porridge and bread. Then there are Bible lessons until 11am, followed by an outdoor hike. This summer, they had three teams of children. During the hike, the teams stop at various spots along the hike to meet with teen leaders who lead them through further Bible stories and songs. Finally, they usually end up at a pond where they can swim if they like.
This year 6 adult leaders from the church helped with the camp, Pastor Talgat and his wife Svetlana, and four ladies who helped with lessons and kitchen duties. Five teenagers from the church served as the Team Leaders and small group teachers during the hike time.
After the daily hike, everyone gathered back at the church around 2:30pm for a lunch of soup, bread, and rice ploff. After lunch, they had outdoor games until they cleaned up the grounds and ended the day around 5:30pm.
Diane and I were given the chance to spend time with this great little church with such a big heart of faith last Friday and participate in their Day Camp. Once again, they had started this camp with hardly any funds whatsoever and were trusting that God would provide.
Steve and Branda has left some funds for us to use for children's work and so we gathered Pastor Talgat and the other leaders together and gave them their financial gift. When they saw that God had answered their prayers once again, they became teary eyed and started praying and thanking God for answering their prayers and for providing for the children's camp once again! When they realized that the funds covered most of their needs, they smiled and said, "Now we can by the children some candy too!"
This past week, the Day Camp for the local children took place. The Day Camp schedule begins with breakfast for the children at 9am with some sort of porridge and bread. Then there are Bible lessons until 11am, followed by an outdoor hike. This summer, they had three teams of children. During the hike, the teams stop at various spots along the hike to meet with teen leaders who lead them through further Bible stories and songs. Finally, they usually end up at a pond where they can swim if they like.
This year 6 adult leaders from the church helped with the camp, Pastor Talgat and his wife Svetlana, and four ladies who helped with lessons and kitchen duties. Five teenagers from the church served as the Team Leaders and small group teachers during the hike time.
After the daily hike, everyone gathered back at the church around 2:30pm for a lunch of soup, bread, and rice ploff. After lunch, they had outdoor games until they cleaned up the grounds and ended the day around 5:30pm.
Diane and I were given the chance to spend time with this great little church with such a big heart of faith last Friday and participate in their Day Camp. Once again, they had started this camp with hardly any funds whatsoever and were trusting that God would provide.
Steve and Branda has left some funds for us to use for children's work and so we gathered Pastor Talgat and the other leaders together and gave them their financial gift. When they saw that God had answered their prayers once again, they became teary eyed and started praying and thanking God for answering their prayers and for providing for the children's camp once again! When they realized that the funds covered most of their needs, they smiled and said, "Now we can by the children some candy too!"
May it never become routine to say, "To God be the glory, great things He hath done!" Thank you God for honoring the faithful obedience of the believers in Logovoye who have continued to step out in faith for several years to provide a place for children to hear and learn of Your love for them. Each year, they have not known where the recourses for such a day camp would come from. But they have the desire to share Your love to others, they have hands to work and hearts that love. Bless with a great harvest from the gospel seeds that they are sowing into the lives of these precious children. - Amen
English Conversation Team arrives Thursday morning!
Early Thursday morning our next volunteer team arrives. This team of six from Arkansas will lead an English Conversational Course at the church in Astana all next week. Word about these courses has spread quickly and we expect a good turn out from many who have never been in a church before.
This Saturday is registration day where prospective students will be interviewed as to their level of English comprehension so they can be placed in the proper class. All next week, Monday through Friday, our friends from Arkansas will lead two hour English courses three times a day to a different group of students during each session at 10am; 2pm; and 7 pm. During the week, they will earn the chance to share their personal stories of faith with their students.
Even now, Almighty God, place a desire in the hearts of many across Astana to participate in the upcoming English courses. Soften their hearts to receive the love that will be shared with them by these dear ones from Arkansas. Provide opportunities each day for them to hear of and experiences Your love for them and cause them to become curious about the salvation that comes through only One Name, the Name of Jesus! Give the Arkansas team strength for the journey as they arrive and quickly begin to touch the lives of so many others. - Amen.
Our Current Plans.
As of today we have 54 days remaining on our total of 90 days that we can be in Kazakhstan until next May 15, 2011. We are still shocked that when we received our current one year visa, we were only given 90 days during the 365 day term of the visa to be able to actually be in country. Because of this, we have been trying to use our days wisely and carefully to stretch them out as long as possible to accomplish what we can.
As it stands now, we have a volunteer team coming from Illinois August 11 - 18 and another team from Mississippi coming September 7 - 16. In order for us to be able to be in country for these teams, we will need to go to Moscow for a little over two weeks between August 18 and September 5 to maximize our available remaining days.
The Mississippi team departs on September 16 and we will be close behind, leaving on September 18 or 19 to move to Moscow for the next several months. While in Moscow, we will continue in ministry alongside of colleagues there as well as prayerfully consider our next steps towards a location for long term ministry. After May 15, 2011, we will apply for another visa to Kazakhstan so we can continue a certain level of ministry here.
Lord, we believe in You, we trust in You, even when uncertainty stands in our way. You have proven over and over again that You order the steps of Your people. Order our steps. By faith, we will obey. - Amen.
