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Happy New Year! New Decade! This year has started off with a bang for us. Much to praise God about and much to pray for so please read our letter through and support us with prayer.
Praises
The south church in Volgograd where we ministered has faithfully struggled in its ministry. Last week they held a Christmas Program outreach and 700 people attended! God has worked in some miraculous healings. Pray that God will continue to bless the church and to guide Pastor Andre and his wife Masha as they continue to faithfully minister in the Red Army region of Volgograd.
The Tae Kwan Do church in Ryazan, Russia was able to find a regular meeting place for Sunday services. Thank you for praying in December. Pray that this opportunity will allow more people to come to Christ through its ministry. Pray for Serge Koscianin as he continues to lead the church.
The main church we work with in Sevastopol is called God’s Horizon. The church teamed up with 10 other churches in the area and Samaritans Purse (the Christmas Shoe Box program) and did an outreach to the children of the city. 1200 children attended the program! Pray that God will lead many of these children and their parents to Christ. We had 100 children attend from Inkermann!
The Inkerman Church plant did a two day outreach to the children in that area. 50 children attended and heard the gospel. A number of the children came forward to indicate that they wished to receive Christ at the end of the weekend. Praise God!!! Pray for their growth in their new faith!
We had the great joy of having both Alyssa and Trevor home with us over the Christmas break and we had a wonderful time with them.
Special Prayer Request
On Sunday Jan. 17th the Ukraine will hold presidential elections. There are many candidates and there will probably be a second round of elections to determine the final winner. Pray that the person elected will be open to religious freedom continuing in the Ukraine. This election is also a referendum of sorts on whether Ukraine wishes to be a more open or closed society and the presidential candidates reflect that choice.
Spiritual Battle Prayer Request
We would covet your regular prayer for the church plant in Inkerman. It is a real battle with push and counter push occurring. After our first weekend in the city many of the team suffered from physical illness. After the successful camp Vova, who is the team leader has gone through incredibly stressful situations.
How to pray
1. That God would put a hedge of protection around the church planting team.
2. For Vova the team leader as he has many demands placed upon him.
3. The day after the camp Christina, Vova’s wife, was fired from her teaching position. Pray for her as she deals with this situation.
4. For Yura, one of the members of the team who helped lead the Children’s camp and two days later made some bad choices that affected his ability to be on the team.
5. Our first regular children’s program is to begin Sat. Jan. 16. Pray that many will attend and that the program will go well.
6. The children’s ministry is not simple. One beautiful young girl is 12 years old. She lives with her mom who has had five husbands already. Many of the children who come will not have eaten that day and the meal we provide will be their main meal of the day. The oldest who attend are making a choice between coming or choosing to sniff glue to get high. Pray that the message of God’s love through Christ will reach into their hearts.
Prayer Requests for Sevastopol
Currently we have 5 young men attending our Bible College in Krasnodar, Russia (called KEXY). 2 are in master’s study and 3 are in undergrad. They are all in a modular program for three weeks, pray that their studies go well.
The Rehabilitation Center will begin a new program in February. Pray that many of the addicts who attend the program will come to Christ.
We have been asked to help more with couples and family ministry this spring. Pray that God will give us wisdom as to what to pursue as the planning take shapes.
The church’s leadership team will have a three day retreat Feb. 1-3 to plan for the next year. Pray that as we meet God will direct in the ministry of the church.
How are the Hope’s?
Michael and Joanne are rejoicing at what wonderful children God has blessed us with.
Pray for Alyssa as she continues her studies at Simpson University. Pray for wisdom she has the opportunity to study at Oxford University this summer. It is an added expense and at the same time a loss of income. Pray that God will open the door for her to attend if that is the right choice.
Pray for Trevor as he begins a new semester at BFA. He is taking his SAT exams this month; pray that a wallet he lost will be found and that the heavy load of studies will be manageable.
We still need $1500 to $2000 to raise so that we can purchase a car for our ministry here.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you, for giving to the Great Commission Fund that allows us to be here, to our work specials that allow us to put on camps and reach out to people who need Christ. For us 2010 brought a new change for us. We are now the parents of adult children rather than the parents of young children. Change is a constant to life. My prayer for Sevastopol is that this decade will see the 390,000 people who don’t know Christ here will believe in his name.
Love,
Michael and Joanne
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