home now

Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalms 90:2 (NKJV)
These are some photos we snapped out of the plane window. These were taken somewhere over Iceland on the way home. Just another reminder of HIS AWESOME GLORY in creation.

Hello and GOD bless! Just wanted to let you all know that we are now back home and doing well. We have been home for about a week and the re-adjustment process is going really good, just kind of behind on a lot of things as you can imagine. Two and a half months of everything, mail, work, seeing people, ect . . . It will take us a while to catch up so please pray for us. It’s not like we are full time missionaries in Ukraine so we have two worlds to live in and try to manage. The girls will start school next week and Felesha will start back to work at the pregnancy center next week also. I started back at the Church last Monday around lunch and things seem to be going very well. I am so thankful for all the people who step in and do my job here at Springdale so my family and I can follow Christ call to the Ukraine. A special thanks to Bro, Randy, our pastor and especially Bro. Stacey our associate pastor, he carries almost all of my responsibility while I am away. Also a very big thanks to Terry Stanford and the Sav-A-Life board who work with Felesha in such a great way to let her go for the summers. We definitely could not go if it were not for the LORD using these people as well as many others in our home Church family who sacrifice so we can be away. Thank you all so much!
LORD willing as I begin to catch up on things here I will post more blogs from over the summer. I only wrote about a very small part of what we actually were involved in and have many, many stories of how we have seen JESUS working in Ukraine this summer. HE is so amazing! May GOD bless you and your families. Hope to see and talk too many of you soon!

Only a few days left . . .

So sorry for not keeping ya’ll up to date over the last 8 or 9 days but I have not had any extra time to write. I will try to do some extra blogs about the ministries I didn’t get to share with you over the summer . . . . but will probably have to do them after we get home.
Please pray hard for our last few days here and for our trip back home to Mississippi. We will leave Saturday morning at 4am (8pm Friday night Mississippi time), LORD willing. Please pray for us tomorrow as we will be in a village doing a one day children’s camp and assisting some with a medical clinic. GOD bless!

It was kind of crowded in our apartment tonight when the Sports ministry got rained out. Many of the students ended up at our house watching a Movie (we actually busted in on the girls night) but it all worked out great and GOD blessed. This is only part of them, couldn’t get the 7 or so people who were behind me in the photo. We were all very wet but it felt really good, it’s been very hot here, even hotter than the weather back home but with no AC.

I was sick and you visited ME . . . Matthew 25:36

On Mondays we normally go to one of the Children’s hospitals here in Poltava. We have been going there for the last two summers. The kids we meet with are there for some long term treatments and are usually able to go outside in the play area behind the hospital. It’s not really like the kind of hospital you would think of in the States but some of the diseases that would be easily treated at home can turn into a much bigger problem here. Anyway, most of the children in the photos are recovering from these kinds of diseases and are taking some long term treatments ect . . . also many of them are orphans so please pray for them and all the nurses that try to help them. These range in ages from 2 to 18 years old and some of them come from different villages throughout Poltava Oblast (State) so please pray that they will be drawn to Christ, that the LORD’S Spirit would work strongly in their hearts bringing forth salvation and that they would take HIM back to their area of Ukraine. Pray for us as we share HIM through backyard Bible studies at the hospital. A normal meeting for us goes kind of like this. Today for example: We all played together for about 15 minutes or so with a parachute, then sang some songs about JESUS in Russian, played some games, had a Bible story, then split into teams and rotated fromm crafts to sports ect . . . . . then met back together for a closing song and prayer. Pray especially for next Monday, it will be our last meeting with these kids and we will really miss them a lot. GOD bless!

My GOD is so Big!!!!

Our team - Loshka,Vlad,Tuesdae,Nastia,Felesha,Mindy,Page,& Kayla

Vova is always lots of fun, please pray for him.

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matt 19:14



Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

Sunflowers

Hello and God bless! Just wanted to update ya’ll on what’s happening this week in Poltava. We have been busy with our regular ministries plus trying to spend more time one on one with people during the day practicing English and sharing our faith with them. All our classes are over now and we have more free time to spend with students. We only have a couple of weeks left so please pray hard for us and for those the LORD has put us in contact with.
Yesterday when we were riding back from a village the fields were so beautiful. We had about an hour to travel and passed field after field of bright yellow sunflowers. Some of the fields are so huge that they almost look like a yellow ocean. These big sunflower fields give me mixed feelings, on one hand their beauty is amazing but on the other hand they make me kind of sad because I know every year when they begin to be in full bloom it means it’s almost time for us to head home. Don’t get me wrong now, I love Mississippi and miss everyone there so much but like these huge fields of sunflowers that will soon need to be harvested, there is a huge field here to work in, multitudes of people whose lives are rushing by so quickly without Christ, lives headed for eternal destruction unless they repent and turn to HIM, JESUS, the only hope, the only way, the only true Salvation.

As we were riding I jotted down some notes, I’ll call it my sunflower sermon ok? You know us missionaries or pastors, always looking for a sermon, anyway here are some lessons I’ve learned from sunflowers . . . . Because we can clearly see HIS hand in all creation.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse . . . . . . . . Romans 1:20

1.Sunflowers follow the Sun
Every morning the sunflowers eagerly wait for the sun to rise from the east and they tilt as the sun goes across the sky following it all day until it sets in the west. Then overnight they reset again to the eastward position, waiting for the sun again.

I believe we would do very well as Christians to follow the SON like these sunflowers follow the sun. By keeping complete focus on HIM, JESUS, we can avoid many of the sins and snares of life. This verse came to mind: . . . . let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, . . . Heb 12:1-2

2.Sunflowers close up to the darkness
I researched this but couldn’t find out for sure if this is true with all sunflowers or maybe just some types but several of the people here have told me that the flowers close at night. Anyway, I know when darkness appears in my life that I need to close my heart to it. (Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Prov 4:23) It’s so easy to just begin to let a little darkness in but we should be people of the LIGHT, people who take in only light and put out only HIS LIGHT. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7

3.Sunflowers bear lots of seeds (fruit)
Each huge sunflower (some types can grow up to well over 10 feet) comes from just one small seed. Just think about what JESUS said in the Gospels when HE talked about one small seed that falls on good receptive ground, . . . But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matt 13:23 if we work in the field, preparing the ground with love, preaching repentance, and planting the true Gospel of JESUS Grace, we are sure to have true fruit in HIS timing. Not just show fruit that doesn’t last but real fruit that produces more fruit. Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. Psalms 126:5-6

4.Sunflowers look like the one they follow
Have you ever noticed a child’s drawing of the sun? Its cool how the sunflowers look like a child’s drawing, they look like the one they follow all day. In the same way Christians should take on the likeness of the SON. How many people do you know who say they know and follow the SON but have no resemblance of HIM in their lives? People who are so caught up in their lives that they have lost the true meaning of LIFE. Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. Mark 8:34-35 If we truly know the SON we will be about the SON’S business, our lives, dreams, plans will be laid at HIS feet in loving, humble submission and HE will reveal to us the joy, peace, and fulfillment that comes through real life in HIM. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12
Do you look like the SON? This reminded me of a poem I heard that really convicted my heart.

No Scar?
By Amy Carmichael
"For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ,
not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."
Philippians 1:29

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;
I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And piercèd are the feet that follow Me.
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hast no wound or scar?

Things to pray for . . . . this week

Please pray for our weekly Sports ministries and also the girls who come and make bracelets or crafts on the sidelines and talk about the Bible.



Please continue to pray for English club. This week’s theme was 4th of July – Independence Day in America. We had games, dramas, music, Tuesdae gave her testimony, and we talked about Spiritual freedom. If the SON sets you free . . . . . . Please pray for next week as Maya, one of the Ukrainian girls who was saved about 5 years ago will be sharing her testimony of how she was drawn to Christ through the English club.

Please pray for my meetings with Alton. His story is so cool to me, a true divine appointment. The week of our children’s camp in Chutiva (about a month ago) Kayla, Andrew and I were doing the sports station. A young man walked up in the field and said he heard some Americans were in the village and he wanted to practice his English. He had never spoken with native speakers before. We talked with him for about 30 minutes or so but didn’t really have too much time because we had like 86 kids that day and we were very busy. Chutiva is about an hour or so outside Poltava and has about 6,000 people. Anyway I kind of forgot about it all then one of the teachers from the private school we help with came and ask me to meet with one young man to help him practice his English. (Now remember, Poltava has about 400,000 people in the city.) So I said sure we will meet with your student and try to help him. Now guess who it was, the same young man from Chutiva. He comes to Poltava 3 times a week by bus to take some classes and his teacher just happened (the LORD had it fixed) to be the one we also work with. We met this teacher 5 years ago when he was a student in the university himself. You see God’s ways are higher than our ways and His plans are working together even when we can’t see HIS hand. Please pray for my meetings with Anton. We meet for one hour or so every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Pray especially as we are going over the meaning of Grace and the four Spiritual laws.
I’m out of time but please also pray for:
• The Children’s Hospital - Mondays
• English club – Tuesdays
• Sports - Wednesdays
• Chutiva village ministry - Thursdays
• Girl’s movie night – Friday nights
• Also for us as we meet people during the day to practice English. All our
classes are over now but we have lots of connections built and we are
trying to meet with people during the day to build relationships and share
more about Christ with them.
• Pray for me as I will be preaching at Salvation Church tomorrow, LORD
willing.

Erinitchka

Last week we lost our Erin or Erinitchka (Slavic people put an ”itchka” on the end of names when they want to show affection) Many of you know about Erin Brassart from previous post or just from hearing us speak about her at home. Many of you have also been praying for her since she came here almost two years ago.

Erin came here through the journeyman (or woman) missionary program with the International Mission Board. She worked here in Poltava as an English teacher. She worked in cooperation with the Ray family, many of you know and pray for Mike and his family, who are oversee all IMB work for East Central Ukraine.

God has used this young lady so much here over the past two years to touch the lives of many students and teachers as well as lead many volunteer teams from the states to do work in the city of Poltava. We have been so blessed to work with her over the last two summers and already miss her tremendously! She has made such an impact on the lives of my two daughters, Tuesdae and Page. God has used Erin’s example so much in the life of my family and we cherish every moment we got to spend serving with her here in Poltava. Our family has an extra special bond with her because GOD has placed such a deep love for the people of Poltava in both of our hearts. It’s a bond that we share with her like no one else. This city is so special to all of us and we long to see the LORD’S hand continue to work here.

She is the kind of person who doesn’t want any recognition so I had to wait for her to go back home to Alabama to write this. She will probably get on to me but it’s ok, I know she will forgive me cause she tries her best to stay as close as she can to JESUS.

The thing that’s special to me about Erin is that I was praying for her long before I met her. I know several other people who prayed for her to, even though we didn’t know who she would be. People like the Ray family, Salvation Church and probably many more who were praying for someone like Erin to come and live in Poltava and help bring in the harvest here. That’s the hardest part of coming here to me, the leaving, the not knowing if we will ever get to come back or not, the wondering, will there be someone to continue to plow the seeds we try to plant or will they fall by the wayside, be stolen. You see here in Poltava just like all over the world “the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are very few.” (Especially compared to growing up in Mississippi and Alabama)

Please pray for Erin as she makes her adjustment back to life in the U.S.A. Please pray for all the Ukrainians here who miss her very much, and please pray especially for all the seeds that she planted during her time here in Poltava. If you would like to read more about her ministry here over the last two years you can go to http://erininukraine.blogspot.com/

Erinitchka, if you read this I publically apologize for all the Alabama jokes. Most of them I heard on Mississippi, I just changed the names. When we get back home I would like for you to show us how to run an Alabama power point though, harashaw?
We miss you ochen, ochen, much ! GOD bless you!

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Prov 31:30

This week in Poltava, Ukraine

Please continue to pray for the ministry in the village Chutiva, we continue to go there every Thursday to do youth and childrens ministries.

We have American Sports every Wednesday night in our area, please pray for all those who come.




These are all photos from the private school we have been helping all summer. We were able to take the younger students to a park and have an end of the year party with them, as well as their teachers. It was great, everyone seemed to have lots of fun. We were able to give each one of them a frisbee with the Gospel printed on the inside of it in Russian. Please pray for these kids and their parents. We will miss them so much, we really got attached to them. Please pray for next Tuesday, will will do the same with the older high school students at this school.











The girls have girls night every Friday night, they usually watch a movie, eat some snacks, and try to share some some spiritual truths with the girls who come. I usually go play basketball with some of the guys close to our apartment. It's a great way to meet and share with many non-beleivers.

Erin, this photo is just for you! We miss you so,so (ochen, ochen, ochen) much!!!

This is close to the Private School we have been teaching at - We need one of these balls in Ripley.

My favortie street in Poltava - so beautiful, I like how they paint the trees white!

Maya's story

About five years ago we were here for our first summer and the LORD opened up a door for us to go to the Agricultural University here in Poltava. We go and do E.S.L. activities in classes to help students practice their English. Many of them have never spoken with native speakers before and it gives them a great opportunity to test what they have learned and gives us a great opportunity to meet students and invite them to meetings like English club, where the Gospel will be shared. Now you know that’s a GOD thing, GOD using me to help someone else with English, those of you who have heard me speak can say Amen. Reminds me of this verse: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, . 1 Cor 1:27 (NKJV)
In one such class we met a young first year student named Maya. I remember the first time we had her in class. She was a very smart, popular young lady, kind of a leader in the class with very good English skills. We had a good class with her and invited the class to our English club. Maya had been to one of the English events earlier in the year when a group of American students (Through IMB and Ray family) had come to share on her campus and have ministry outreach at night through a Christian club called the S.M.S. club. This is like texting in the States (S.M.S.) it is a club put on by Salvation Church youth Ministry.
Anyway, Maya and some of her friends began to come to our Club regularly and also to some of our sports nights. Over the summer we began to have a very strong friendship with her. She would come by our house and spend time with the girls, take walks, just building a relationship. She became so dear to our family. Sadly the first summer came to an end. We were down to our last English club and it was going to be so hard to leave all the people we had grown to love. That first summer was very special to us. The last night of the English club we showed the last chapter of the Hope movie. We had shown one or two chapters of it every week. It stories through the Bible in a very simple but powerful way. After that last chapter, which included a call to salvation, I stood and shared the plan of Salvation as simply as I knew how. I explained how Salvation is a free gift and it is available to all who will humble themselves, repent, and call on HIS name. That night Maya turned away from herself and to JESUS. Not to a denomination, not to a religion, not to a set of legalistic rules, , but to JESUS. The SPIRIT of GOD had drawn her to the point of the new birth. (Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 (NKJV)

Over the last five years we have watched the LORD transform Maya and give her a new life. (Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17 (NKJV) She is one of the strongest believers that I have ever met. God has blessed her with many gifts and she uses them faithfully for HIM here in Poltava.
She is extremely gifted in the area of music. Some of the photos are from her music exam. We went to watch her at the Ukrainian Musical University where she attends here in Poltava. She sings and plays a national Ukrainian instrument called the Bandura. Some of the other photos are of her singing in the Salvation Church choir (praise team) Maya is engaged to be married to the Youth pastor of Salvation Church (Vova or Vladamire), the wedding will be sometime in September I believe. Please pray for them as they begin their family and as they serve the LORD here in Ukraine. Please pray for Maya as she will be sharing her testimony at our English club next week. She can truly indentify with those who are there, she was one. She is just one of the wonderful stories that the LORD is writing here in Ukraine. Please pray for us as we attempt to share HIM here, that there will be more and more stories like hers. GOD bless!

The night Maya was saved at English Club - look how much we have changed in five years



Just acting crazy and having fun at our house

Maya singing in the praise group at Church

At Maya's Music school - her exam with the Bandura. She made an A+ by the way.
She represents her University in many competitions and has won several of them.