Back in Mississippi . . . . .

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been so faithful to pray for us over the last few months that we have been in Ukraine.   Now we are back at home in Mississippi, we arrived in Ripley about 3:30am Tuesday morning.  After we get settled back into life here I hope to post more stories from this summer in Ukraine that I didn’t have time to share while we were there.  GOD bless and please continue to pray for us and especially all the people of Ukraine! 

Headed home today . . . .

Please pray for our family today as we fly back to the U.S.A.  Thanks so much for all your prayers over the last few months.  We had such a blessed summer in Ukraine.  I will share more about this summer in upcoming post.  God bless!  Please pray for the people of Ukraine.

Photos from today at "RED WAY ". . . .

We have been working in the RED WAY area of Poltava for about two months meeting with kids and teens every Friday. There is no organized Church in this region but there are a couple of familes in this area who are believers that we work with and five kids have been saved here over the summer. Please pray for them and for their growth in Christ as well as future ministries there.  Below are some photos from Fridays meeting, our last meeting with them for the summer. 

I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

This week is our last full week of ministry for the summer.  We have been busy going to our daily ministries at the hospitals, the three villages that we visit weekly and different areas inside the city of Poltava where we do kids day camps.  As in years past we brought as many Frisbees as we could get into our baggage.  But these are not just any regular Frisbees, they are very special, they are called slip discs.  There is a ministry in Arkansas (http://www.slipdiscministries.com/) that makes this disc with the Gospel on the inside top of the disc.  There are several choices but we have been using one that tells the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 (in Russian) and the gives a presentation of the Gospel and how to be saved by GOD’S Grace.  These are wonderful ministry tools for children, youth, and adults alike.  They will pass through many hands over the years and can be read by so many family and friends of the kids when they take them home.  Please pray for each person who has received a disc this summer, that they will be like that lost son and realize their spiritual condition, then remember that the FATHER loves them, then repent and turn to HIM with an attitude of brokenness and humility and be saved.  May GOD bless you and your families, please remember us in your prayers.

Mixed emotions; Happy and sad . . . .

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.  Psalm 126:5-6

 

Mixed emotions; that seems to be what I always feel about this time of year.   Happy and excited about going home to family and friends but at the same time sadness about leaving the people and the ministries in Ukraine.   We have one more week here  and then we will be going back home to Mississippi, LORD willing.  I would like to ask all of you to pray extra hard for this last week of ministry.  Since May we have been meeting with people weekly in many different places around Poltava and in several villages in Poltava oblast.  Each week we have been storying through the Bible, we started with creation, shared several Old Testament stories, taught the Ten Commandments, shared about the birth and life of JESUS, looked at several parables that teach about HIS Love and GRACE, we have taught about sin, what it is and the consequences of it.  We have attempted to do our best to share the Story of JESUS in the power of HIS SPIRIT and in a Biblical way.  We are not asking people to raise their hand in a moment of emotion but we are challenging them by HIS GRACE, to follow HIM for a lifetime, to step out on faith, receive HIS GRACE, HIS finished work on the CROSS with the attitude brokenness and repentance.  We are so thankful that HE has trusted us to take part in this ministry.  Please pray for us that we can finish well next week, that we will be pleasing to HIM and HIM alone.  Please pray for all the people who have heard HIS story this summer, that in GOD’S time they will come to true repentance.  Please pray for all the Ukrainian believers in Poltava who will continue to work in this great harvest field. 

Photos from todays ministry at Za Vorskala village

Little Children . . . . . photos from todays ministries

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.    Matt 18:1-5