College Class

Our Campus Ministry is off to a good start. I am teaching at the Language Institute each Thursday. I have second year students and I am in charge of their home reading assignment. We are reading the novel The Shack and discussing a couple of chapters each week. The students are enjoying it and we will soon be deep into the book and dealing with rather complex theological issues. It has been a long time since I was allowed to teach theology at the Institute.

On Thursday nights we meet at our worship room for a couple of hours. We play games, eat a meal, have a time of worship and then have a lesson. Right now we are studying the life of David. It is well attended and we hope that deep relationships will develop with some of these students.

Last Thursday one of the guys brought a cake! He said, after the good meal you fed me I just had to bring something back to you. That sense of appreciation and generosity took me back over 15 years to my first visit to Ukraine. (This young man was about Lexi's age then!).

We will have our congregational retreat this week in Yalta. Please keep us all in your prayers for safety and a great retreat.

Campus Ministry

One of our goals this fall is to work with the Language Institute and reach out to the many students who study there. Last week we began hosting a class for students on Thursday evenings at the worship room. This week I began teaching three groups of students at the Institute using "The Shack" as a textbook and planning discussions based on the book and passages from the Bible. I had a total of thirty-six students in classes this morning and we had about twenty for the class tonight. Lora cooked Lasagna for the students which - as typical college students - they enjoyed immensely.

Children's Bible School

Children's Bible School 2008 was a great success. We averaged 60 students per night, and had a lot of parents attend with the younger children. Our theme was "Stories Jesus Told: Love God, Love People." We focused on learning the Lord's Prayer and the verse to love God with all your heart, soul., mind and strength. The church family worked diligently to make Bible School a special event for the children. Enjoy the pictures...

Babushka Tea Party

As a spiritual family, our focus for Fall 2008 is to grow deeper in our faith and reach out to those who do not know Jesus. To help reach out to some of our neighbors, the Babushka Class that meets on Wednesday decided to host a "Neighborhood Tea Party." We had twenty two people present and eleven of them were visitors (ten babushkas and one diadushka). Everyone had a great time and we hope that some of our neighbors will begin attending classes and worship with our spiritual family. Please be praying that we will grow strong and larger as a spiritual family.

Congregational Picnic

Greetings from Gorlovka! Sunday afternoon, August 17, we had a congregational picnic at the ponds. More than 30 folks attended and had a wonderful time. We played lots of games, ruled the volleyball court, cooked hot dogs over a fire, ate lots of watermelon and enjoyed one another's company. Enjoy the pictures...

News From Ukraine

Summer is in full swing in Ukraine and the baby hospital is full! Thanks to everyone who is sponsoring children - your help makes a real difference in the lives of these precioius children.

The church is doing well. Thanks to Sergey Korotya and Vanya Litvinov for carrying the preaching load in my absence. The Payne family arrives back in Gorlovka on August 5th. August will be a busy month for the church family as we try to cram a full summer of activity into just four weeks!

Thanks again to all who are part of the Cross Culture ministry family. Your sacrifices and prayers are changing many lives in Gorlovka, Ukraine.

Pictures of ABC Kids and Caregivers

Dasha sent me some pictures of the precious ABC Children and their caregivers. Thanks to all our sponsors who donate so that we can provide for the daily needs of these children. Please pray for the children and their caregivers, especially that the children will find their "fovever families."

Abandoned Babies and Children

We currently have 25 children we are providing for at Hospital #2 in Gorlovka, Ukraine. They range in age from newborns to toddlers. While the Payne's are in the United States, Dasha is in charge of purchasing and delivering the supplies needed each month for the children. Dasha is doing a great job and learning a lot as well. Please keep the children in your prayers, especially that they will find "forever families."

Passing On the Faith

On August 20, 2005 Valentina, one of the babushka's in our church family, was baptized into Christ. She had been attending classes and worship for several years when she decided to give her life to Jesus. Less than six months later Valentina and her husband moved to Russia to be closer to their children. While she was excited to be closer to family, she hated to leave her church family. Recently she visited with us while in Gorlovka. She met with the babushkas at class on Wednesday and shared an interesting story. These are her words through translation...

"When I moved I missed my spiritual family so much. I sat and cried for many days. For almost a year I was sad and feeling depressed because I missed my church family and I could not find another one in the city where I now live. Then it occurred to me, I can start a spiritual family. So I talked with several of my neighbors and invited them to my flat for a Bible study and for tea. Now we have about five ladies who gather every week, just like we did in Gorlovka."

She asked me if I could give her some resources to help her lead the studies with these ladies, which I was glad to provide for her. Please be praying for Valentina and her group of students. I am reminded of the passage in Acts that says, "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." (Acts 8:4)

The photos are of Valentina with Katya and Valentina (far right) with six other ladies who were baptized on the same day.

The ABC Children

This week I bought pampers for the Baby Hospital and took pictures of some of the children. For those who have never bought pampers for more than 30 children at a time, I included a couple of pictures of my car with the pampers loaded. Please keep the children in your prayers that they will be healthy and that they will soon have forever families.

Church Family New Years Eve Party

Our Annual New Years Eve Party was Sunday evening December 30th. The Sunday School class enacted the Nativity Story for us to enjoy. We had a talent show, a great meal and played "Dirty Santa" (a perennial favorite here!). We had a great evening of fun, food and fellowship.