Sunday, August 30, 2009

Greetings!

It has been a very busy month for us and it is a great delight for us to write to you about what the Lord has done. We sent our previous letter to you shortly before we left for the English Evangelistic Youth Camp. So let’s start in chronological order.

Looking back at June- August

English Evangelistic Youth Camp:
Around 50 campers came to the camp. Most of them were unbelievers. Around 18 of them came from the Medical University. We ended up with a very diverse crowd. However it made the camp very interesting. This diversity was not only seen through their walks in life but also through their spiritual condition as well. Some of the campers came interested, opened and hungry for the Gospel and some campers came completely closed to the Gospel- even talking about it, they just wanted to have fun with their friends. But as the camp continued, it was wonderful to observe how the Lord changed the hearts of people throughout the week. At the end of camp we still had people who did not really care and wanted to know nothing about Christ and HIS sacrifice for THEIR sins. But most of the campers had a good response and were willing to learn about what Christ has done for them and what they need to do now.
Gospel night was a great encouragement! The same Gospel message was presented and then, when we asked people whether they understand this message and would like to trust Christ for their salvation around 13 people responded that this is what they would want to do. Praise the Lord! After the Gospel night I was talking to one of the team members and told him that despite the fact that Anneke and I have been involved in about 35 camps I am still amazed how God uses simple words of the Gospel and convicts people’s hearts and draws them closer to Him. I was reminded of Romans 1:16 :
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth; to Jew first, and also to the Greek."
It was wonderful to realize that it is not human words that convict the hearts of the campers, but God Himself, and it is a blessing to be an obedient tool in God’s hands and to watch Him work through us despite our weaknesses. We do serve the Great and Big God!

Looking back at June-August





Photos from Youth Camp:

Looking back at August

English Evangelistic Family Camp:
Thank you so much for all your prayers! The Lord has blessed us with many families that came to the family camp. It is wonderful to witness the Lord answer prayers. Some of the families dropped out shortly before the camp started, but we did not have a shortage of people by no means.
Campers came with different agendas as well. One family who came said that they had brought a bottle of cognac with them so they could enjoy their time at camp better. But through out the camp the Lord used the team and the believers at camp to reveal Himself to the unbelievers. We had a few people from Russia at this camp: a lady from St. Petersburg with her son (both believers) and an unbeliever friend, and another young lady, an unbeliever, from Tver area Russia (not very far from Moscow). These two unbelievers made a commitment to follow Christ at the end of the camp. The older lady from Russia was a great help. She was on fire to share the Lord’s message of the Cross, and she would also help the campers understand. She was so excited about the work that the Lord has done at camp, that she wants to bring more families from Russia next year, or even have camps like that in Russia. It was interesting to see who the Lord brought to camp to accomplish His work. He is an amazing God! Watching the team and the local believers serve at camp I was reminded of John 13:34-35 :
"A new commandment I give unto you, that you would love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another . By this shall men know hat you are my disciples, if you have love one to another."
We saw only three people respond to the message of the Gospel at camp. But many more said that they still needed more information. So, they keep coming to our events and we try to set up meetings with them to help them find those answers to their questions and we are praying for them to trust their lives to Christ. Would you please join us in praying for them?

Looking back at August






Family Camp Photos:

Current Matters



News from our Church's life:
On the Sunday of the 23rd we had our first Baptism service. What an exciting time for our Church! Four girls got baptised. After our Church service all of our Church headed down to the beach and had a Baptism service there. Dasha and Alena, two of the girls who were baptised, invited their parents who are unbelievers to come to their baptism and they did! They are nice people and it seemed they enjoyed the whole thing. Please join us, Dasha and Alena in prayer for the salvation of their parents.

What’s next?


What’s next?
Anneke and I left for my hometown to have the baby there. The new chapter in our lives is about to begin and we are excited about it. The due date is somewhere between the 18 of September till the 7th of October.

Answered Prayers

Answered prayers:
*Please pray for all of the little details as far as the camp planning goes.
Everything worked out great. All of the logistics and small details worked out and we were able to have wonderful camps.
*Please pray for safety at the camps.
No one got seriously hurt or sick at camp. Praise the Lord!
*Please pray for strength for Anneke and I as we go through camps.
The Lord has given Anneke and I sufficient strength for both of the camps (she has done such an amazing job!)
*Please pray for Mikael’s and Anneke’s health as they serve at camps.
Both Anneke and Mikael stayed healthy throughout the camps.

Current Prayer Requests-Aug-Sept

Please pray :
*For Anneke and Mikael to stay healthy.
*For the safe delivery
*For all of the arrangements with the doctors and the hospital to work out.
*For all of the paperwork for Anneke’s name change and registering the baby would work out.