Thursday after school we were able to take a bus to Novagradovka and check out the house where some of Alex’s youth workers are living. This house is used for community outreach, to include: free doctors visits, a solar powered shower facility, various youth activities and outreaches to the elderly and children.
That same evening after dinner we had a music concert in the sanctuary of the youth center (where we were staying). Our team member Dwayne Knirk played the piano along with four young ladies who are from the village we are staying in. Kids from camp, people from the congregation and music students joined us to enjoy some music for the evening.
Friday night we ended our week of teaching by having a trip to the Black Sea and a BBQ with yummy sausages and pork shaslik (kabobs). After the BBQ we took time to pray as a team over the lawn area where the future Bible School will stand.
We had a wonderful week at camp! The teaching, music, crafts and sports all went so well! We are hopeful that next year we will have another great week of camp and see some of the same students.
This morning we traveled from the village of Petrodolina back into Odessa where most of us will be staying tonight and tomorrow night before we head home. Between today and tomorrow we will spend some time having a team debriefing discussing all that the Lord has done in our lives and the things we experienced. We will also go on a walking tour of Odessa and finish Sunday night at the opera.
Once again, it has been a joy to serve with such a great team from America and also to work with many of the coworkers that Alexander Gross works with in his ministry. We may come from different countries, speak different languages, have different cultural boundaries but our common denominator is Jesus Christ! God calls us to work together to spread the Gospel and we have enjoyed every moment (even the stressful ones) of being able to co labor for the sake of the Gospel.
If you would like more information about going on a mission trip with us next summer check out www.eemn.org!
Please Pray For:
- The Lord to send someone to water the seeds that were planted in the hearts of the students and our translators this week.
- The work being done to start a Bible School in the village of Petrodolina to go smoothly and quickly.
- One of our team members, Matt Phillips is heading to Slovakia for the next camp. Pray for him to have safe travels and be ready to serve again this next week!
- The Lords will to be done with planning camp for next summer.
Praise God For:
- A great week at camp!
- Children experiencing the love of Jesus!
- All of the support and prayers we receive from our friends & family back home.
- People who are willing to translate from English to Russian for us!
By His Grace,
John & Nichole
Ukraine Team Leaders
The school we were at all week
One of the dramas of David & Goliath
Norm playing a mean game of four square
Here we are sitting at opening assembly
One of the crafts we made this week, they were called "friendship bugs"
Thank you John & Nichole for being obedient servants and allowing God to work through you in countries with such spiritual oppression. To leave the comforts of your lives here in the United States and share the love of Jesus with all those children and the hope in Christ with a lost & lonely person. What an awesome opportunity the Lord has given you! It has been a true blessing for me to have you share in your mission trip experiences through your blog. If only "one" persons heart was touch with the love & hope of Christ by you sharing the GOOD NEWS it is all worth it!! May God continue to mold you for his work, give you traveling mercies and prepare your hearts for the journey home! With love in & through Christ ~Madre
ReplyDelete