Ministry Update
 Since the middle of April we have had a total of fifteen guests staying with us here in our home; a few for only a night or two, and others for up to a week. It has been a blessing to watch God use the house He has provided. Our next guest is not really a guest at all. Our daughter, Nicole, arrives from America this Thursday to spend the summer with us. We are so excited to have this time together. We hope our son, his wife, Sara, and our grand baby, Emily, will also be joining us for a couple of weeks in July. Aaron has been invited to be part of a worship conference in the city of Ternopil, Ukraine.
On June 23rd, Josh Baldonado, (Picture on the left) will be joining us for five weeks. He spent a week in L’viv last month as part of his international outreach practicum from CCBCI. I invited him to return for the summer to help with the ministry here. We can’t wait until he arrives! David Snead is still praying about God’s timing and provision to join us for a year too. Short term, or long term, both guys will be a huge help. Regarding help, we need it! I am praying for people, particularly young people, to join us as missionaries. Long term or short term, we need help reaching out to the youth of this city. It is a huge need and awesome opportunity to touch the lives of others and in the process see your own life radically changed as well. We need help with teaching Bible studies, youth evangelism, teaching English, music ministry, and countless ways to serve the community.
Next week, several guys from the church and I have an opportunity to visit a men’s prison not far from L’viv. I am praying this leads to regular ministry opportunities for our church. Thank you all for your prayers for our worship team and the changes which have occurred. The team is doing well and we will be gathering this Saturday evening for a cookout here at our house. Nicole will be stepping in to serve as worship leader over the summer.
Our Sunday School ministry is coming together. I met with Valya last week to discuss her vision and the needs we have to serve and teach our kids. Valya has a great heart and desire to serve as our children’s ministry coordinator. Several of the women have stepped up and started clearing out several rooms which will serve as our classrooms. They undertook the project on their own, without being asked. They saw the need and jumped in! We are praying that by fall we have a Sunday School ministry up and running.
On the weekend of October 22nd to 24th we will be hosting the first Western Ukraine Calvary Chapel Conference. We will be joining with CC Ternopil to spend the weekend together in worship, teaching, and fellowship at a camp about 30 minutes from L’viv. Pastor Jack and Debbie Abeelen, from Morningstar Christian Chapel in Whittier, California, and a team from the church will be joining us to share in the teaching. We are very excited about how God is working in the church here and the opportunities for ministry. Thank you all for your prayers and the many ways you show your support for the work in L’viv and all across Ukraine. |
God has provided a van for us. I picked it up a couple of weeks ago at the Ukrainian/Polish border north of us. We bought it from a friend in America and shipped it over. It is a Mazda MPV minivan and seats 7. It is a wonderful van and should serve us and the ministry here for many years to come. This is a photo of fellow missionary, Tim, and me, with Taras from customs. It took two days to get the van through customs, and you wouldn’t believe how we got it out of the container! That’s another story for another newsletter. Thank you all for your prayers.
c’mon Mike, how’d you get the van out of the container?