+ 8 - 4 | § ¶August Newsletter 2008
August...it’s vacation month in Ukraine!
If you didn’t know, most of Ukraine takes a whole month of vacation...during August. Can you imagine that? Of course, while working construction, this is one of the better months of the year to make money and take no vacation. My wife and I are surviving in this tough time of rising prices and constant work, but for a moment I dreamed of being in Ukraine again...with a whole month of vacation! I know we “glorify” work in America and we are certainly not afraid of it, but there needs to be time for family and relaxation, at least once in a while. This month I officiated Paul and Cara’s wedding, my cousin got married, and I preached every Sunday (expect the first Sunday of the month, which is always in Lancaster) at Blue River Valley Church. It has been a busy month, but I am thankful to be taking some time to think about UA...
Where are We Going...and When???
This August...I am heading out on “airline miles” to Portland, OR. My life-long best friend from ORU lives there (Jeremy Wallace) and my Ukrainian missionary friend Oleg (shown in the picture below, on the left side) is visiting Portland with orphans from the “Father’s House” that we do Christmas projects at. This will be a great weekend to plan the future and reunite with Ukrainians and people I believe in.
In October, Tanya and I have been invited to a Missionary Conference in Switzerland! Yes, that sounds like a great place to meet other missionaries and pray and seek God’s face for the future. Again, we have saved up Airline miles to enjoy this trip at a small expense, and the organization putting on the conference is supplying a hotel and food for us. Our desire is to come back with a renewed focus to know exactly how to proceed with our lives as missionaries.
Next, I have been getting some questions as to “when” we will be moving back to Ukraine. To tell you the truth, we still don’t know the exact time or date. However, we have been pressing hard to know from GOD which direction, organization, or way to raise funds to get back there. The past several months I have been preaching regularly at churches that need pastors...Blue River Valley Church, Lancaster Congregational, and Bethlehem E & R to name a few. It seems like Southwest Wisconsin has several churches that are in need of pulpit supply for one reason or another at this time (this could be a part of the reason God brought us back at this time).
If you didn’t know, some supporters have dropped, probably waiting until we go back, in order to start supporting again. We were hoping support would stay at the level as before, SAVE THAT MONEY, and INCREASE IT, so that we could move back. However, now we are working hard to find the CORRECT, GOD-LED way to get back without interruption in Support. My Ukrainian friends tell me living cost are up 40% this year there...so as you can imagine, we are praying hard and working hard...to let God teach us the time and way to return!!!
Current prayers!
Ukraine...pray for all the people to see the TRUE JESUS and turn to HIM!
The English Club Members that I speak to on my Russian website which is kind of like “MySpace”.
Pray for Victims of dictatorships who everyday have to fight to survive because of their ignorance!!!
Keep Praying for AMERICA—and our elected officials that need Christ and wisdom to lead us in the right path, and for all the upcoming elections.
Pray for money to pay for the Car and my wife’s teeth that are bad!
THANKS for your prayers, we are focusing on how and when to go back to Ukraine, but need so much help and funding, that we need your continued prayers...everyday!!!
Pray for the preaching and reaching out to people in Wisconsin!
Pray for travel in August…
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!
