My friend Vanya

One of the great blessings I receive from living in Ukraine is the friendship of so many wonderful people. Our church family is close knit and vibrant. Here is a story from one of my teen friends, Vanya, concerning a recent lesson and its application...

Do you want to hear an illustration for your sermon on false commitments? Yesterday after the class I took Dasha and Masha home. I visited a little and when I decided to go home it was about 10:20 p.m. I was going to the bus stop thinking how nice it would be if the bus would come at once. It's not very pleasant to be waiting in the cold. I was about 200 metres away from the bus stop when I saw the bus there! I started running asking God to make the bus wait for me. I didn't have much hope, because I was too far and buses do not stay for more than a minute. I was running and the bus was still there! So to my great joy and surprise I got to the bus praising God for the miracle. But my surprise got even bigger when I found out that it was a WRONG BUS! I almost felt God laughing! I realized how foolish I was! Instead of asking God to help me get home quickly and safely, I asked for that crazy bus to wait for me, because I thought I knew better!
Today before the Lord's Supper I told the Church this story and the point was that luckily, our Lord didn't ask me how I wanted to be saved!

Successful Trip...

I am now back in Panama City, Florida after a short trip to Gorlovka. I was accompanied by Ray Wilcox and Tim Spencer. Ray is a video production specialist who is working on a DVD for the Family Care Center project. Tim is a friend from the Palo Alto Church of Christ who accompanied me to help with whatever projects came up! He did not know before going the kinds of projects that can arise in Ukraine...

We had a great trip and Ray and Tim were both favorably impressed with their Ukrainian experience. If you would like to read about their adventures in Gorlovka click on this link: http://www.ukraineorphanage.blogspot.com/ I think you will find their blog enjoyable.

The church family is doing well in Gorlovka. All our services and classes are well attended despite the severe cold. I will attach a few pictures of recent events with the church family.

Please keep the Family Care Center project in your prayers. We have an ambitious schedule that will only be possible with your prayers and God's blessings.

Grace and peace,
Kenny Payne

Bowling with the Youth Group

Recently a new bowling center opened in Gorlovka. Most of our youth group have never been bowling so we decided to plan a little party for them. On Monday afternoon 18 of us went and bowled for about 2 hours. It was a great time and I just wanted to share some pictures with you.

Baby Stories

(Tim with Sasha Korotya) (Child found last week in Gorlovka)

I have had the opportunity to visit with Sergei and Luda Korotya a couple of times in the past week. It has been very enjoyable to hear of their "new life" with Sasha. He is growing and is a very plesant baby. They are so thrilled to have him in their family.
When Sergei and Luda took Sasha home from the hospital, some of the nurses who work with Sergei thought they would move so that no one would know that Sasha is adopted. There is a stigma here about adoption and many people do not know the joys of adding a child to their family. Well, time has passed and Sergei is being a faithful witness to the power of adoptive love. Now one of the nurses on his floor is interested in adotping a little boy who was recently found abandoned on the street in a plastic shopping bag. We are praying for her famiy as they begin the process.
Yesterday Luda told us about her cousin who visited in Gorlovka recently and discovered that the Korotya's adopted Sasha. She was quite surprised. Then Luda said, "You should really consider doing it. You need a little girl in your family." Well, her cousin looked at her like that was the worst suggestion she had ever heard. But a day or two ago, she received a call from her cousin who said, "I have been dreaming about your suggestion. Each day as I walk to work I imagine holding my baby girl. I have already figured out where to put her bed. We are coming to Gorlovka soon and getting a baby!"
Please pray for our precious children and the families that God has in mind to adopt them.