Final week

We're into our last week here in Ukraine. We've moved into the pastor's apartment so ours can be used for a team from Sweden who are on a short missions trip. I killed my first ever cockroach last week (all part of the missionary training). Slightly milder weather (still hot) with occasional thunder storms (very brief).

We got moved on again when doing the outreach (free Tea&Coffee). Different type of policemen this time so it's probable there has been a policy change. Had another couple of drugged-up people at the new location. They weren't disruptive, but we just had to be aware and careful in handling them (good training!).

Henrik (pastor) almost got hit by a lorry, which then hit Christina's suitcase breaking it. Thank God for His protection over us. The driver just didn't see, I think.

Please pray for:

Swedish teenagers on an 11-day missions trip. Please pray for God's protection over them and that they'll learn loads about Him and His heart for them and others. Pray for us as we lead meetings for them and take them to the 'orphanages'. Doing several out-reaches this week.

Saying goodbye to people here, particularly the non-Christians who come to the various meetings and clubs. Please pray for opportunities to pray for people and talk about Christ.

Us. Feeling like we're coming to the end of ourselves on personal issues we're struggling with. Please pray that we will allow God to make full use of this time to do His work in us. Pray for us to be healed and set free.

Skirmishes

The prayer day went well. Usual mix of reactions to the meditation; those who can't picture anything and aren't sure what to do with it, those who thought it would be helpful with some practise, and those who really doing liked it.

We had a really good example of the need to pray for protection the last time we gave out free tea & coffee on the street. Right at the end of a really successful time, one drugged-up guy turned up and almost caused some disruption, and then some police turned up saying we should have a permit to 'sell' stuff on this street. (The police had always been OK with it before, we're sure a permit is not required for giving away free things – the police here aren't as consistent as in UK).

Please pray for:

Outreach this Saturday (2nd June) – giving out free Tea & Coffee (& flowers ?!). Pray for God to send along people who want to hear about Him and for protection from the enemy's attempts to frustrate this.

English Club: We are making good contacts via the English club. I'm finding that I'm gradually getting more opportunities to say something about following Christ to people. Some come just for the English and then start asking more why we're here and what we believe.

Me: Still, looking forward to going back to UK. Had a really good weekend away on the beach and God 'spoke' to me about something I've been struggling with. Feeling more on top of it now and inspired to seek God to change me so I can deal with it. Please pray that I continue to grow in this area (to do with standing up against evil Christ's way) and that I'm able to make the most of the opportunities to talk about Christ. Really looking forward to going to St Stephen's Uni in Canada now (decision made!).

From Christina: Wanting to stay out here! Pray for guidance and peace concerning what comes next. Also, to experience more of God's love and care and be able to trust Him more.

Future thoughts from Dan

Hello, this is Dan,
I have been praying for a suitable job for when I return to Washington this summer. I do not want to return to my previous job (El Gaucho, a restaurant in Seattle). I spent the last three years working there, and found it to be a very well paying, but extremely difficult and stressful environment. When I left the restaurant, I felt that I might one day return, but as the months have been moving on, and I have been in this discipleship course, I feel very strongly that the restaurant business would not be a good environment to return to.
The money factor and a healthy living environment are the main things that I would like prayer for. Also please pray that I can really trust in God, and will be able to listen to Him, and do what He wants me to do when I return home.
Thank you,
Dan.

Prayer Requests for the Church here

It's really hot out here now, both during the day and at night. Played with some children (+teens) at a local 'orphanage' today; went well. Looks like we'll be doing that each Thursday now.

Prayer requests:

The church planting team (the Swedes/Finns + us) are going on some sort of weekend away this weekend. Please pray that God would bless us and speak to us.

On Tuesday next week, myself and Helena (Finnish) are doing a prayer day for the team. This will include me introducing some of them to guided meditation (think I'm going to try them out on Ignatian style). Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Father's heart as we pray about Ukraine, contacts here and the future of this plant.

For me: To be honest I feel pretty bored at times and I'm looking forward to going home. Please pray that I'll learn all God wants me to from this time and be able to focus on Him and what He wants me to do.


John

We are well!

To whom it may concern,

Sorry for not posting for a while,
I'm not very fond of writing sometimes. Here's what we could use prayer for:

One of our team members (Helena from Sweden) will be returning home in just under 2 weeks. Prayer in her direction would be much appreciated!

A girl in our church (Sonia) is struggling with neck and back problems. Please pray for her healing, and ability to withstand the temporary pain and stiffness.

I was nibbled on the leg by a street dog, and will be taking 6 rabies vaccination shots for the next couple of months. Please pray for the cost of the hospital visits and that the doctors don't jab me too hard, or inject me with the wrong medicine.

I will be returning home to Washington State at the end of July. Please pray for the money/job/living conditions for me. John and Christina could also use prayer for the same things.
Thank you,
Dan.

Finding our feet...

We're now into our third week here and have found our way around the essential shops and got used to using the crowed mini-buses (12.5 pence for about a 4 mile journey). The driver's still don't understand my attempt at saying “3” (to pay for the three of us travelling) – the Russian sounds like “tree” but with a rolled 'r' – which I can't do!

First rain yesterday, other than that the weather has been much like England (mild air temperature, warm – hot sun). I bought a bread roll from a street vender, it had pickled cabbage inside as though it were a doughnut – “it's not wrong, just different”

The Vineyard church here put on their first public music/worship event over the weekend (which we helped with). Much of the previous week was spent giving out flyers (with free biscuits and sweets) at the universities; people actually read the things when you give them out and like you speaking in English. 105 people at the first gig (30% - 50% non-church goers) and about 50 the following evening for the worship event (20% ? not Christian).

... shredded pickled cabbage inside a bread roll!?! WRONG, plain WRONG !!!

The Vineyard church meets on Wednesday evening (20 odd people recently), has an English club on Thursday nights and a film night on Saturday. They have quite a few Ukrainians who are not believers yet but coming along and getting involved in the church.

Please pray for the Ukrainian contacts they have here, relationships are growing. It seems we've come at the point where they're starting seeing the fruits of their labours in building relationships. The church is made up of Swedes, a few Ukrainian believers (some who are involved in other churches here as well) and people who like hanging around them.

Please pray for the non-Christians who came to the concert. A lot of people seemed to be really touched by it.

Please pray for the other Christians in this city. The worship concert really blessed some of the visitors from other churches. Pray for the relationships between the churches here; for a spirit of mutual blessing and support.

Pray for us. Grace and empowering for the things God has for us and guidance into what they are!

(We only have dial-up connection (which we're grateful for) in the appartment - so no picture this time)

BACK TO ODESSA

Hi,

Thanks for your continued prayer support. The team have just returned to Odessa after a few days in Kiev - I'm sitting in an internet cafe in downtown Kiev before flying back to the UK this evening.

The first couple of weeks in Ukraine have been great - lots of good relationships formed and stepping out in areas of gifting. John acted as a tour guide for some of our Swedish friends whilst in Kiev, Christina has been a blessing to many with her rapidly developing Russian skills - I can say "ya nee panameeyoo pa russkee" ("I don't understand Russian") with incredible fluency - and Dan is learning to hear God's voice, share His heart with people and pray. Our Kiev trip has been packed with fun and interesting experiences - from a Vineyard worship event to walking through crowds of people demonstrating with old Soviet flags!

My laptop battery is about to run out so I will post more fully in a few days time and the team will begin posting more frequently too.

Blessings,
Andy

3 Days In...

Wow!

The last week has been eventful to say the least. I am now in Odessa, Ukraine with Christina, Dan and John.

God is doing a lot in Peter's life at the moment and as a result he made the brave and wise decision to stay in the UK. Although I firmly believe this was the correct decision it feels like something is missing. Please pray for him back in the UK that he would encounter the fullness of what God has in store for him.

I will try and give you a few updates over the next couple of days but for starters here's a taste of our journey to Ukraine:

We set off from Birmingham at lunchtime on Thursday and arrived in Kiev - the capital city of Ukraine - after a short stopover in Amsterdam. Arriving in Kiev we endured the mildly intimidating welcome of customs and immigration. Ukranian people are wonderfully friendly...with the exception of strangers in uniform who are trained to avoid smiling at all costs! Eventually we all got through unscathed so that we could pick up our luggage. Christina thought she had seen her luggage but then it disappeared. The rest of us retrieved our bags without any problem but Christina's was nowhere to be seen. The terminal slowly emptied of bags and people and we were left with the likelihood that somebody had walked off with Christina's luggage. Great start! So we prayed. The situation was outside of our control, there was very little likelihood of the suitcase being returned without God's intervention so we needed Him to come through for us. Before you can say 'amen' a lady runs back into the terminal and exchanges Christina's bag for her own. Now that is a great start to a missions trip!

Unfortunately the internet connection I am on does not allow me to upload large files so pictures will have to wait until I return to the UK.

Please keep praying for vision, health, energy and good relationships. All of the team are picking up Russian phrases quickly and Christina's linguistic abilities are a fantastic asset.

Paka! (Bye)