Current Matters - March

Personal challenge/reminder:

This past month we have been challenged and reminded of the great need that is around us and which is hidden by others presuming that no one cares. So often people would choose to say I am fine, even though they are not, and we choose to believe this answer, just because it is convenient! I sat next to a girl, member of our Church, at the English Club and thought I would “bug” her with questions as to how she is. I was shocked and overwhelmed. She seemed to be well and happy and once asked intentionally she shared that her family has gone through the divorce this passed year, father moved out and what a traumatic experience it was for her. It was going on for one year, and I had no idea! I choose to be satisfied with “I am fine” answer through out the year and was missing an opportunity to be intentionally loving and caring for that sheep.
I was humiliated by this challenge but I am grateful for it. What about you? People you see daily and weekly, most of them are hurting in some way (the fact that they seem fine, doesn’t mean they are), what will you choose to do about it?

Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Current Prayer Requests - March

Prayer requests:

*Arkadiy was asked to teach a few seminars on discipleship and counseling at one of the Churches in Odessa, from our Church Association, please pray for wisdom

*For the follow up for the English Outreach

*For us to continue to be mindful and intentional about the need which is around us

Thank you so much for being a part of our ministry and helping us to move forward to the goals the Lord, we believe, established.

Dear friends and family!

It has been a while since we have written and updated you as to how we are and what is happening in our lives. Would you please forgive us for that? I hope this little update will bring you up to speed as to what is happening.

Looking back on Jan/Feb

Looking back…

As we mentioned in our last newsletter we were planning on leaving for South Africa for 7 weeks. Well, we did and now we are back. We are grateful that the Lord gave us this time to rest and to look back, debrief as to what He was doing in our lives, what were good things, what were bad things, what does He want us to change, how does He want us to grow. We did not realize how exhausted we were until we actually found ourselves in SA. It is only after the first 4 weeks we started feeling human again. It was nice to be with the family again. The greatest blessing to us was the local church. We felt loved, cared for and encouraged by them, God has used them in a wonderful way in our lives. We are infinitely grateful. 

Ouma and Little Mikki having fun in the sun :)

Mommy and Mikki enjoying the great outdoors

                                          In our back garden....

no these were all taken at the Lion Park :)

Mikki started with swimming lessons while we were there :)

Mikki discovering that diapers can be used for more than one thing :0)

Current Matters

What about now…?

We had mixed feeling when we were leaving SA: we were sad to leave our family and friends behind, but we were happy to get back into our permanent ministry location. Now we are back and we are getting back into the ministry routine. Christian University opened up again and we were able to have our first Bible Study there of this semester. It will be interesting to see how the Lord will use it in our lives and in the lives of those who come. Essentially the series we covering now are on stewardship helping people to learn how to manage time, money, work, health etc God’s way. In Church we have started working through the Spiritual Gifts series.

Looking ahead:

Looking ahead…

From the 12th of March till the 20th we will have a team from Iowa come and join us in the ministry here. We are looking forward to serving together and are asking the Lord to provide us with many opportunities to make His name and plan known to those who don’t know Him. We are excited to see what He has prepared for us.

Current Prayer Requests:

Please pray:

For us to get back into a swing of things quickly

For us to be obedient tools in the Lord’s work

For wisdom as to which relationship to invest into

For the preparations for the ministry with the Iowa team

For the hearts of people to be opened to learn about spiritual gifts and stewardship

For us to keep focusing on people and not projects