Social Ministries

As I am here longer and longer one of the things that I see or notice more often, something that is heavy on my heart, is the infinite opportunities for social ministry. Usually financial help for poor families, whether it be buying them food products so they can have a descent meal, giving them money for medications, or just buying gifts for children on Christmas...these situations just seem to be commonplace here.

The level of poverty is much lower here and sometimes I just don't know how they survive at all. We try to help as often as we can and wherever we can. One family, as you maybe know from an earlier post, has 7 children soon to be 8 and the smallest has cerebral palsy. Some of you have helped them and baby Liza with some of her medication and we thank you very much. She has had some small improvements and has gained some weight, which was needed, and is sitting up on her own now, which is amazing because she is almost 2 for those of you who didn't read about her earlier. You can see her in this photo...the small one that is crying. (The other photo is their house which we are trying to help with some repairs including the roof and new windows.) ___________________________________________________ For Christmas we brought some gifts to a couple of our neighbors who are very poor also. It all started when I saw two of the children playing outside. They were wearing gloves for adults and trying to play with these huge gloves on their hands. Then when I asked about Christmas if it was nice, if they had a lot of tasty food to eat, they just said, "not really" and walked away. Was heartbreaking to think that so close there are children who barely had anything at all for Christmas. Makes me thankful for what I have and how blessed I am to be an American. It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to help in this way and a huge blessing to me. We weren't sure how we would help them. They needed gloves, winter clothes food, and we just didn't have so much money for all these things. As we were praying about it and discussing how we could help them we found in a box on our balcony a box full of everything we could think of: clothes, scarves, gloves, dolls, toys, crayons, coloring books. It was an amazing answer to prayer.

So we gathered all the stuff into about 6 nice-sized boxes for each of the children and we went and gave them their gifts. It was great to see them finally with smiles on their faces. We are finding many people in this area in similar situations. Families with disabled children (down syndrome, cerebral palsy, one blind child) and just families where a mother or father has died or is an alcoholic, or maybe just so many kids that it is hard financially because of that. They are often living with as many as 8 people in small 2 room apartments. Please pray for these ministries. I think that we are called as Christians to help in this way and also it is a great way to share the love of Christ and to open many opportunities to talk about Him. If you feel led to help in this area in any way or would like more information about it please contact me, or contact someone at Calvary.

Home Church

Now we meet every Thursday evening in Horodok for "Home Church."

It is basically a church in one of our homes, as you can guess from the name, and is a great time to study the Bible and pray with and for each other, and to meet together with other believers in our area for fellowship. Right now we are studying chapter by chapter the book of Mark. Our wish is that this group would grow in to the very church in Horodok that we have been working for. Also we pray that it will continue to grow as more believers in the area start to come, and eventually as unbelievers start to come as well. We have at the moment 6-7 people in this group, and our hoping for more and inviting some of our close friends and neighbors to come. Please pray first for them that they would have an interest and desire to study God's Word and that nothing would hinder them from coming, and second, for continued growth of our home church and that it would be a light here in Horodok. Please continue to pray for us and our work here in Ukraine. If you have any questions or would like to contribute in anyway please contact my family, myself, or Calvary.

Saturday Youth Group in Volytsya

Every other Saturday we go to a small village near the Polish Border called Volytsya. Here we have a youth group type atmosphere and are going through a Ukrainian Bible study course with our 5-6 youth.

Some unbelievers and some believers are there, so it is great time for us to be witnesses to them and to share the truth of the Bible with them. Also we play some games and have tea, cookies, and sing songs. Please pray for these youth that they will either grow closer to God and more serious in their relationship with Him, or will get to know God for the first time and make a decision to follow Him. We are helping this family in Volytsya, the Khitra family, which I mentioned in an earlier post. Pray for them that God would continue to use them in the area of villages near the Polish border where they are currently living, and that their needs would be met so they can continue to minister there. Here is a picture of us singing some praise songs. The youth come from different backgrounds and families, some with many problems, so please remember to keep them in your prayers. On the Saturdays we don't go they have a ladies Bible study so pray for that as well. Thanks and God Bless!

A Big Thank you!

Just wanted to say thank you for everyone who has supported or is supporting our work here. Also special thanks to Merrie, Tanya, Pat, my parents for sending a care package for Zahar. He is the 18 month old boy of the family I am living with. It seems he has many food allergies and gluten is one of them. Unfortunately in Ukraine they don't really produce specialized foods for children with allergies, so he has basically been eating just potatoes and some porridges. Anything else, including bread, was making him break out with rash and hives all over. As you see from this picture Zahar was excited to open this care package for him with all kinds of allergy-friendly snacks and treats. Thanks for help and prayers for Zahar is skin is much better. Continue to pray for him and his family, Alona and Andriy, as they are working here as well. Thanks again from Zahar he is very happy about this care package. If you every have desire to help in anyway with our work here just contact us and let us know what or how you feel led to help.

The Khitra Family

Hello everyone. For now I will have some updates not about just me, but about some needs we have here both financially and things in need of prayer. First we are trying to help this family in the photo. It is a family of believers not far from us that has 4 children now (in the photo only 3). They are working and spreading the news of Jesus Christ in their village and surrounding villages. And if you read my posts earlier you would have seen me planting potatoes in a big field in a village, well that was at their house. It is not the easiest life there and we would love to help them by purchasing a washing machine for the Khitra family. We need a special machine that can wash from a water reservoir because they don’t have running water there and need a well. Also if anyone has any used combine machines for the kitchen…to help with quickly preparing food and cutting vegetables and so forth it would also be a huge help for them. They have been a blessing to us and we hope to bless them in some way. We are still eating those potatoes … Thanks everyone for your prayers and support and if anyone feels lead to help the Khitra family please contact me. Thanks and God Bless!!!

Autumn update

Hey everyone sorry it was so long since the last update. Been busy but that wasn't really why I didn't update mostly was problems with internet. Even this morning when I sat down to write the internet went out again and I couldn't. I thought I would never get a chance. So what have we been doing in Horodok since summer. Well first I should say that I am not in the same apartment where we have been the past year or so. I had to find a new one and did not find one so I am living with the other Ukrainian missionaries here in Horodok, Andriy and Alona (and their year and a half year old son Zachar). Since school started I have begun to teach some lessons and classes in L'viv the main city not far from here for some churches there. I hope soon to begin here in Horodok the same.

It is a very good way to see young people on a regular basis and build contacts and then relationships with them, and then invite them to group, and eventually bible studies etc. So I hope we will be allowed to do that here and that it will be successful. I am very busy now with English and the 1-2 hour bus rides to L'viv and 1-2 hour back plus English is keeping me busy and making me tired. Also Zachar likes to scream/cry at 6:00 in the morning and again at 11:00 or 12:00 so trying to sleep isn't always so easy. Please keep him in your prayers though, he is healthy but has a rash that just won't go away.. Last fall/winter he had and for summer seemed to be all better but now again he has. If anyone could recommend or maybe even send a good quality skin cream (without hormones?) it would be appreciated. So for me, life has changed drastically in the last few weeks. Went from summer schedule to teaching a lot, and now i'm not in my own apartment and so it can be hard to just relax and have some quiet time...especially when the door doesn't lock and Zachar likes to visit me often and rearrange my room haha. No, hes not so bad just 1 1/2 and doing what 1 1/2 year olds do =) And on a positive note I at least don't have to cook so much.So that is great! And here is well into fall. A couple of nights ago was just above freezing. Today is not so bad though... Sunny, and not very cold. It really is great when you can actually see the leaves changing. For those of you in Florida, sorry you can't enjoy it too but I posted a couple pictures

. Really was very stressful couple of weeks moving. I had to do most of it on my own because Andriy and Alona were out of town for a few weeks, but I thank God that now have a place to stay and everything is much better. Just a different mind-set here. It takes some getting used to. If someone says they will come tomorrow to help, basically it means they might come tomorrow or in a week. If you don't believe me ask Sebastian, Merrie, or Tanya. So what I will say...be thankful that God blessed you all... really blessed you all by placing you in America. I know life can be hard anywhere and we should always trust in God and follow him, and there are benefits to living here as well, but to be born and to live in America really is a true blessing. Remember this and thank God for it! Thank you all for following this blog. It is encouraging for me when someone tells me to update because they are still following it! If you would like to give money for Ukraine Missions and the work here then just contact me, my parents, or even Calvary. Please continue to pray for us here! We need it and welcome it always. God Bless!!!

Home again...

Arrived home this morning from my 8th summer in Ukraine. I am happy to be home, sitting in my favorite spot drinking coffee, but I really miss my Ukraine family. It is always hard to say goodbye because in the back of my mind, even though I plan too, I wonder what next summer will bring and if I will be returning. I love these faithful servants of God. They are family in Christ and family in love and friendship. Looking forward to the day when we will be able to understand each other...imagining a day when we can sit down over a cup of tea and plate of cookies, and chat with each other. Not sure there is tea in heaven, but it makes me smile thinking of it as we spend many evenings in Ukraine doing this. Joey Kader is doing a wonderful work in the small town of Horodok, Ukraine. He is loved and trusted by many of the kids and their families. It is because of the relationships he is building we were able to take a group of kids to Bible camp for a week, meet the kids for games in the stadium, go for pizza, go ice skating, and many other things. "A good name is worth more than great riches." There is a young missionary family ( Andriy, Alona, and their baby Zahar) living in Horodok and working along side Joey. They are Ukrainian. Their hearts desire is to buy a house in Horodok where they would live, take in orphans, and have church services. I am so excited by this since the plan from the beginning has been to start an Evangilical Church in this small town. They own land in the village where they were raised (and their families live) that they are trying to sell. Andriy is willing to leave his family for 3 months and come to America, doing construction work, to make money. They want to buy without taking out a loan and are willing to do what it takes to make this happen. At this point it takes over an hour to get to church on Sunday morning. Up early to take a 45 minute marshutka ride to the bus depot. Get on a bus for a 15 minute bus ride, then walk about 10 minutes to the church. By the time you attend church, eat lunch and get home, the day is pretty much over!! So exciting to think there could be a church in Horodok in the next year or so. I know many of the kids, and possibly families, relationships have been formed with would attend. Proud of the team that went to Ukraine this summer. Tanya returned for her 5th time. She just loves the kids and has fun with them! She makes them feel loved and they like hanging out with her. I love her laugh....especially when she is tired and finds everything funny! I am proud of her for staying and extra week and flying home on her own. I know the impact she has next week as she and Joey minister together will be wonderful. Little jealous she will be staying with Andriy, Alona and Zahar (who is 16mnths)as I know she will be playing with Zahar, and having evening tea and cookies with all. It was Katelyn Goode's first trip out of the country! She was amazing!! She quickly feel in love with the Ukrainian people and was loved back. I was amazed at how quickly she picked up reading Ukrainian and speaking many words. The kids loved giving her Ukrainian lessons, and she laughed along with them when they laughed at her pronunciation. She was willing to try everything from food to activities. She accepted each day and adventure with a sweet smile and good attitude. She was always willing to do what was needed. I love you Katelyn, thank you for coming and being so delightful!! Carissa O'Harrow was the fourth member of our team. I have known Carissa all her life, her mom has been my closest friend for about 27 years. I was proud of Carissa for wanting to come to Ukrain for two weeks, a long time to be away from home when you just turned 13. But, I cannot say I was surprised as it has been evident for many years that she has a heart for missions. She did great! I was pleased with how well she adapted to the Ukainian life style. Proud of her for not feeling pressured to eat or drink (tea really is good, Caris) what she didn't like, and amazed by her willingness to just have fun without reservation! She danced for the "Ukraine has Talent" show at camp and won 3rd place. She made friends easily and joked and laughed with all of us. She was aware of what was going on and often asked if I needed help, was ok or if another person needed something. She never complained even though I know she missed her family. Carissa, I am so proud of you!! It was a great trip! So glad we were able to do youth camp again this summer. The kids who came spent a week hearing God's Word and seeing believers live out His love. So happy we had many opportunities to follow up with the kids-lunch at McDonalds with some who came to church, pizza and ice cream one day, and lunch and ice skating the day before we left. Glad to be home.....sad to be home! Merrie