Missions Update  -

+ 1 - 2 | § ¶English Club/Chercassy -

hey, I just wanted to show you a picture of some of the English Club members...outside of my house!  I gave them a ride downtown, yes, there were 7 people in my car at one time - fitting with the "american/ukrainain theory" that Lloyd Hanebury came up with..."there is always room for one more" when giving Rides to people in Ukraine.  I call my car, Rick's Taxi...and so you get the idea:).  Anyway, also, I am including a few fun pictures from my time in Chercassy.  Also, Pastor Sasha, asked me to speak for a few minutes on Tithing...and it went well...Tanya's mother said she gave all her money to the church so she didn't have enough to buy lunch for us on the way home, of course it was a joke, but anyway,...it was fun.  Blessings to you and yours...that's for reading the updates:)

+ 3 - 0 | § ¶Russian School All-Class Meeting

Every Month or 6 weeks or so...our Russian School, which is made up of several 4 students, one teacher, classes...meets altogether to sing Russian Songs, present skits, or just tell a story about ourselves or a story from the Bible.  My class is the newest...so there were really only about 4 beginners there...but we had a good time.  Here are some pictures of my Class, with me teacher, Irena, and studies Eric and Lisa on the two ends.  They are a married couple that moved here in December.  John, who is in other pictures on this site, but wasn't at this meeting, is the other student in my class.  Good times...keep praying I can learn this language without going crazy, as it feels like I will somedays:)

+ 1 - 2 | § ¶The Restaurant in Chercassy for my Wedding

This is the place that we have pretty much chosen to have our meal at after our wedding on July 8th, 2007.  It is a traditional Ukrainian restaurant with all the waitresses in traditional Ukrainian dress...we will have a pretty traditional Ukrainian meal too...which will be cool for sure!

+ 1 - 2 | § ¶John's Engagment and Birthday party 3-24

This is just a little update on what I wrote before about my friend John (who studies Russian with me) and what his engagment party looked like.  We actually ate at a Chinese Resturant, which I didn't know existed in Kiev...and it was actually a good price.  I think Tanya and I could eat a lot for around $15 dollars there.   So this is the place I want to take everyone after my court wedding in Kiev...because I think we can feed everyone for around $300-$400.  Of course, the main wedding meal will be the next day in Chercassy which will cost easily $1,000...man...what's going on?  Can you imagine spending that much in Ukraine, just to feed about 50 people?  Well, it's true.

+ 2 - 0 | § ¶April Newsletter Update

Thank God for Spring (and Spring break)!  The trip to Poland is a go...

March is over?  Well, the good news, I probably learned more Russian this month than any other– although I am burned out now—and can’t wait for Spring Break (from Russian classes) next week.  On top of my classes, I studied many extra hours with my friend John Johnson (who has class with me and pictured on the back with his fiancé).  Also, I hired a tutor to help me learn more and type out Russian conjugations of verbs for flash cards.  This Friday, March 30th, is an all school meeting where we must speak and sing in Russian and even do skits, etc.  I’m a little nervous about “performing in Russian” in front of 20-30 others...so I was thinking I should just mime:)  Anyway, I will share some story of my life–in some way, and probably learn in the process.  Keep praying for my studies and strength!

As always, a month in Ukraine is filled with many activities.  There was helping a drunk guy home who was on his hands and knees in the freezing snow.  There were a few birthday parties, several English Club meetings (and meetings outside of English Club with some members to increase our relationships).  There were dinners at my house. Traveling to do some insurance claims on my car and wasting over 20 hours in traffic (over a few days time) to get all the papers work (only to have them tell me they won’t pay for most).  There was church, meetings with the heads of some Kid’s Organizations, and fun things like “International Woman’s Day” - where Tanya and I went with 2 other couples to a Russian Movie, a long walk, then back to an apartment for dessert and I actually played guitar (wrote some funny songs and we worshipped the Lord a while).    Of course, there were the 2 days of food poisoning...after eating the fish here again.  Also, going to a new home group from my church—and thinking and praying about doing more at the ICA (International Christian Assemblies) church that I attend.  I plan to have a meeting with the pastor next week (He is actually from Green Bay, WI) - which is just plain cool. 

The month of April will start with a trip to Poland for a “weekend” essentially.  Ukraine requires that I leave once every 6 months in order to live here, which is strange and sometimes makes no sense to me—I wish I could just stay 7 months, then leave for my honeymoon.  So, my only “free” time will be this first week in April because of Spring Break at the Russian school.  Therefore, 5 others (3 from the school), Tanya, and Raya will be going to Poland, leaving April 5th and driving back April 9th.  It is about a 12 hour drive with an additional 4 hour border crossing:(  I hope to meet up my with old Polish church friends from 11 years ago and see the famous concentration camp called Auschwitz-Birkenau, which was the largest camp in Europe.  Also, in April Tanya and I will become “officially” engaged by God Embassy, the largest church in Europe, if I can finish the 70 essay questions, meet with the pastor again, and answer some questions on stage.  We finished our marriage classes last week.  So, looking forward to married life in July and ORU mission teams coming in May, etc. 

Current prayers!

· Ukraine...its Government, people, churches, and salvations/open hearts.

· Safety for traveling to Poland and back  April 5-April 9, 2007.

· The English Club—pray for additional funding as things are going well—we have between 5-10 every week and I am making more friends all the time.

· Russian School—Pray for the learning process, funds for school ($160 a month), and safety in travel. 

· Mark and Catherine Dieter’s Family.

· Becky Schwendinger’s health and the health of her unborn baby, due soon.

· Thomas Urbanski and Aaron Cudworth –who were shot by someone, but lived and need God’s Healing.

· PRAISE GOD—Britney Wall –gave birth to a healthy baby boy!  Elijah.

My church is having a MONTH OF PRAYER IN APRIL– and so we are going to fast and pray this month.  I have many more prayers listed on my website and hope you will join us, I am praying for you and your families. THANKS!