+ 2 - 0 | § ¶Newsletter for September, October, November 2010
Falling for-word...Can you believe that Fall is here? As some of you begin to think about school and maybe busier schedules, or maybe this summer was stressful for you...it is wise to remember the words of Christ. He said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” He continued to say, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” These verses in Matthew chapter 6 need to sink down into our souls. We should focus on Jesus, His Kingdom and His plan...and not on our many “cares, worries, or even needs”. God has placed this on my heart — to show more faith in His Abilities and relax.
The CHURCH, The MISSION.
The Lord has been good to me, in many ways, and Living Faith Church has been part of that blessing. There is definitely satisfaction that comes from the Lord letting us join Him in His work. Serving part-time in in this church has brought me closer to the Lord and more aware of His work throughout the world. It is also great to learn from others. There was a mathematician who wrote in 400 BC that, “the sum of the parts is greater than the whole”, in other words: synergy. The truth is we all add something to the table of Christianity, we have and can share different gifts and views that make the “whole” much better. In short, it’s all good!
THE MISSIONARY MONTH: (recap)
In July, there were 2 missionaries visiting us. Pastor Charles from Cameroon, Africa and Raya from Kiev, Ukraine. Charles updated us on many things, including that he has drilled a 240-meter-fresh-water well in East Cameroon for his school, teachers, and Children. His yearly budget is over 90,000 dollars now—God is really moving there in East Cameroon.
Raya—who was only here for a short 5 days raised around $1,500 for the Father’s House orphanage in Kiev, Ukraine—A HUGE THANKS TO ALL THE CHURCHES WHO ALLOWED HER TO SHARE AND FOR YOUR GENEROUS GIFTS! Also, for your generous gifts to Pastor Charles! Blessings upon you.
TRIP BACK TO UKRAINE: Sept. 8 - Oct. 4
It’s time to go! There are so many things to get ready—but we are excited for this mission/family trip back to Ukraine. As you might know, Tanya’s brother Artem is getting married September 11, 2010. But we are also going to reunite with friends, churches, pas-tors and orphanages to plan the Christmas Projects. We have raised over $2,500 for gifts to orphanages & church “street children” projects! However, I feel like I underestimated how much this trip was going to cost to go there with 3 in the family (instead of one). The plane tickets were $2,500, plus expenses there and bills here. It would be a blessing if you could give to our trip cost!
Current and Urgent prayers!
Prayers for children in Ukraine and Haiti as they are suffer-ing in these times!
Prayers for safe travel for our family: Rick, Tanya, Ksenia, Artem & Ira, Luba & Alex.
Pray for the poor and hurting that need to see the salvation of the Lord and boldness to preach in Ukraine!
Pray for wisdom in all things financial and relational, in the lives of my family, churches, and Christians in these more difficult times. So we can help the lost!
Prayers uncle Dan who needs healing from colon cancer.
Prayers for Julie & family (my dad’s sister) who lost David last week.
Continued Prayers for Phillip Schwendinger, who needs healing from a life-threatening Cancer.
OUR BUDGET for Missions:
1. All gift go to Children, unless marked otherwise. 2. You can mark your check for “TRIP” to help us get to & from Ukraine. 3. You can mark your check, “LAND” to help pay for the land and future building.
+ 0 - 2 | § ¶My wife's WEBSITE
If you want to see the best photos...if you want to see how my Ukrainian princess takes pictures - please check out www.preciousmoments.org Tanya's website
thanks, Rick
+ 0 - 2 | § ¶June/July/August 2010
Let the Summer Begin...Praise God for all His GOODNESS to us! Many changes have been taking place and there are plenty of updates. First, we must recognize what God is doing in our lives. God is blessings but He is also CALLING! God is giving, but he is also drawing us closer...to His more perfect plan. Lately it has been in my heart that we must really live for and with Jesus. We must make the time, take the time, and give a sacrifice of time to Jesus! God desires that we LIVE out our Callings! Each person has a destiny, yes, to Love God and People, but also, to accomplish only what they can Accomplish in the Kingdom of God. Just as we have earthly Jobs, we also have Heavenly Jobs/Kingdom placement. We are called as Apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, helpers, givers, admonishers, etc. Are you living in your calling? Test yourself!
The CHURCH, The MISSION.
We have been busy this past month preparing our church building. Each week, we are able to accomplish some small task, whether buying tables, a projector, or improving the building. However, the main focus is preparing ourselves to LIVE OUT OUR CALLINGS before the Lord to a greater extent. The Bible doesn’t talk about retirement, or giving up—but PRESSING ON—towards the prize of the upward calling in Christ Jesus!
Therefore, it has been exciting to be speaking at Living Faith Church these past few months, but even more exciting is remembering what God called me to do. After realizing that the word “missionary” doesn’t occur in the Bible (at least not that I know of) it was a revelation to me to find out that the term Apostle means “sent away for a mission”. We might have changed the word in the 1600’s, but understanding who missionaries are, gives me a great respect and responsibility to God’s WORD.
THE MISSIONARY MONTH: JULY
In July, Apostle Raya Shelashskaya (Ukraine) and Apostle Charles Sagay (Cameroon) will be visiting several churches in the area. My elder brother Charles already spoke at Lancaster Congregational & Bethlehem E&R, and God has really blessed him through them.
Raya will speak at both those churches on July 4th, then Blue River Valley Church, Wednesday night, July 7th, and finally Living Faith Church Sunday morning, July 11th. Apostle Charles will be preaching Sunday evening, July 11th and Monday, July 12th, at 6:30PM.
TRIP BACK TO UKRAINE: Sept. 8 - Oct. 4, 2010
The dates are set for the first family trip to Ukraine with Ksenia! Tanya hasn’t been back to Ukraine since May 2008. There are TWO REASONS for this trip. 1. Tanya’s brother Artem is getting married September 11, 2010. 2. To reunite with friends, churches, pastors and orphanages to plan the Christmas Projects. It is quite beneficial that we have $2,000 raised for orphans already, so we can take it with us and start developing the projects NOW! These next few months of gifts will help, Thanks!
Current and Urgent prayers!
Prayers for children in Ukraine and Haiti as they are suffering in these times!
Thank you those who give to these Children and for your prayers.
Pray for safe Travel for Pastor Charles as he flies/drives around the USA and back to Cameroon in a month or so.
Pray for Raya, our missionary from Ukraine as she flies to the States and then to Wisconsin to speak at a few churches to help raise funds for a great Christian orphanage called “The Father’s House’.
Prayers for Bishop Spero, who was diagnosed last month with cancer of the pancreas and liver, and is currently taking Chemo.
Prayers for Phillip Schwendinger, who needs healing from a life-threatening Cancer.
OUR BUDGET for Missions:
1. All gift go to Children, unless marked otherwise. 2. You can mark your check for “TRIP” to help us get to Ukraine. 3. You can mark your check, “LAND” to help pay for the land and future building.
+ 7 - 15 | § ¶May-June Newsletter 2009
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
It's very exciting that my wife is 6 months along, because this is her first Mother's Day! However, I am still very happy to say; "Happy Mother's Day" to all you supporters/friends that have played a motherly role in my life and in the life's of many others (of course, including your own children)! Anyway, good job - for all your hard work, including carrying your babies for 9 months, as I know better now, that it is very difficult work! Blessings and thanks for all your work and mothering:)
Introducing Bi-monthly Newsletter
We have been doing a great deal of soul searching—as it seems to be part of a Christian’s life almost daily, but part of our soul-searching always includes missions. A few of our dreams were “smashed” when Tanya lost her job in April. We have been saving money for our mission and the land purchase, but now we need to scale back a bit. Therefore, we have decided to send out a Bi-Monthly Newsletter, instead of monthly. What does this mean?
It means that we have to trust God and our supporters more. We know it is work just to send a check, if you send it monthly, so we tried to make it easier with our self-addressed envelope that we include every month.
However, you can always convert to automatic withdrawal from Checking or Credit Card by going to: www.bgitulsa.org
Supporting—and the Land.
To support automatically, you will need to go the BGI website and then click on Ukraine on the Map or find MISSIONSUPPORT (Rick Schwendinger) in the ministry list on the right side—(or click here http://www.bgitulsa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=798&DataID=35>If you do this process once, it can save you a lot of time and stamps in the future and you won’t have to worry about receiving a “self-addressed envelope” every month. Our newsletter costs about 100 dollars a month to send out; therefore this will help keep costs down to save for the mission.
Last year, we spent about $10,000 out of our pocket for ministry expenses, with travel, preaching, newsletters, office supplies, etc. This year we will spend the same or more, as we are traveling farther and farther to churches to raise support. However, we managed to save enough to purchase that 25 by 100 meters of land 40km from Kiev on a nice road, from our personal income (not including the land money given to use). However, we need to use expense money from the General/moving fund 4 travel. Keep praying!
Current prayers!
Pray for our government/leaders!
Prayers for Roy Shambow—healing!
Prayers for supporter’s successes!
Prayers for Pastors and churches to grow in Mission’s giving!
Prayers for ShopWurld, its success and that Charities prosper!
Prayers for orphans and orphanages.
Prayers for Services in May/June—driving to Kansas City and Maryland. Possible trip to Tulsa, too.
Prayers 4 investments and land!
+ 16 - 8 | § ¶March Newsletter 2009
We are Marching on...
How good is God? He is infinite in his wisdom and grace! He is above every circumstance and more powerful than any trial! We have started to see God move in our circumstances in more powerful ways, since our decision to show God how serious we are to be missionaries.
My wife and I have become more consistent in praying together and have declared a “Daniel’s Fast” until Heaven breaks-through and we reach our goals. And we have seen Him answer some major financial prayers already. We’ve prospered in buying and selling, we’ve won battles with insurance companies, and a new business has almost literally “drop in our laps”, which has a great potential to meet some of our mission’s goals as well.
Your prayers are working and we are praying for you, press on...
God’s Ways…
I don’t pretend to know all of God’s ways, for they are certainly HIGHER than mine. However, I have learned, if I submit to His Ways then we can be much more successful. First, we must submit ourselves and praying to OUR FATHER is where it all begins. Second, fighting the spiritual battle and winning in the “heavens” is how to get things accomplished on earth. Since declaring the fast February 1st, God has been answering our prayers seemingly faster and better than we even imagined. Third, we are learning not to say “no” to what God shows us, and to say “yes” to where the Spirit moves us.
Please join us in PRAYER! It was a true revelation one day when I learned that asking for prayer for this mission is ACTUALLY MORE IMPORTANT than asking for funding. Sure, I have always asked for prayer, but now, I realize it is MORE IMPORTANT that YOU PRAY FOR US than anything! Please pray for these things in addition to our list on back.
Our current investments to return and land, building, apartments and tools to be purchased for the mission & life. Our budget to be reached 100% Our health, baby, and jobs—including raises, bonuses, and new supporters.Current prayers!
Increase in spiritual gifts! Prayers for Roy Shambow—healing! Prayers for supporter’s successes! Prayers for Pastors to call back, book us, and understand our mission and goals—prayer partners. Prayers for our new business and how to grow it. Prayers for orphans and orphanages. Prayers for Services in March, 2 churches in IA, one in Illinois.OUR BUDGET for Missions:
Moving Expenses Received: $5,700
Moving Expenses Goal: $20,000
Monthly income received: $500-700
Monthly Income Goal: $5,000
OUR IMI Land Fund Rec.: $6,000
IMI Land Fund Matched: $1.000
IMI (the parent ministry) will match dollar-4–dollar for land/building. We will keep you informed to that amount also.
Next year Christmas Projects: $210
********WE MAY HAVE LAND IN UKRAINE, pray 4 wisdom and price.
+ 9 - 11 | § ¶February 2009 Newsletter for IMI- Europe
And the shock is...IT’S FEBRUARY!
Greetings my friends and thank you for all your support and gifts that made this past Christmas so special for so many orphans! There are more pictures and great gifts given, but I have limited space to share them. The Father’s House and Grace Evangelical Church in Kiev received most of the money...in order to do these projects. They preached, had fun and games, and handed out your gifts! Of course, there is always more that can be done, but in these tough times, these gifts meant a lot more. As you might have heard...the world is in a financial-crisis. However, Ukraine is a leader in bad economic news. The prices of apartments has dropped in half in the past 6 months, and will most likely drop 50% more by the summer. This makes it difficult for Ukrainians, but it is our opportunity to buy—land, buildings, and/or apartments with God’s help and yours!!!
My thoughts: economy
There have been quite a few wrong predictions in history. In 1901 Wilbur Wright said that man would not fly for 50 years. Henry Ford’s banker told him “The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty a fad.” The manager of the Grand Ole Opry fired Elvis Presley and said, “you ain’t goin’ nowhere son.” And a Los Angeles surgeon said that “For the majority of people, the use of tobacco has a beneficial effect.”
Back in the middle of 2006 I heard that the prices of homes started to fall in the coastal areas. I started to read different reports as they would try and predict the future. Every six months economists would predict the bottom in 6-12 months. In mid-2007, we started to prepare, which is one of the reasons we moved back to the USA, to raise-support and work jobs to get extra funds for when houses hit the bottom, here and in Ukraine/Eastern Europe.
Low-and-behold, the bottom never came, as predicted heavily for the summer of 2008. We were not surprised! We have been planning for 2 years that the bottom would be the Summer of 2009. However, economists are now predicting 2010...of course. We all know very little in the way of predicting. However, God’s economy is bigger than ours...and He has Tanya & I here for many reasons, but He knows our hearts and our goals. I believe that this year is going to be the best of this decade to buy land/buildings/houses, etc. Please pray, as we need additional supporters, and our current investments to do well. Thanks!
Will you please pray for IMI to get new supporters and for our current investments to work, so we can buy!
Current prayers!
The global financial crisis. Prayers for John Johnson, a friend. Prayers for supporters that they INCREASE in their lives, businesses, jobs, families, health, and walk with the Lord! THANKS TONS! Prayers for Tanya’s pregnancy, and all the kids in orphanages. Prayers for practical business ideas, sales, and increase in wisdom! Prayers for the lost and hurting. Prayers for Services in February, Edmond E-Free, Livingston Methodist, and Willow Springs!
OUR BUDGET for Missions:
Moving Expenses Received: $5,000
Moving Expenses Goal: $20,000
Monthly Income received: $500
Monthly Income Goal: $5,000
OUR IMI Land Fund Rec.: $5,788
IMI Land Fund Matched: $1.000
IMI (the parent ministry) will match dollar-4–dollar for land/building. We will keep you informed to that amount also.
Next year Christmas Projects: $210
