We are so thankful that many of you continue to pray for us even when we haven't written as often as we should.
Construction at the homeless shelter continues. The roof that the team from Texas put on keeps the building dry, and the residents have added a utility room on the back. This is where the wood/coal heating system will be housed. It will be a radiator system, yesterday we purchased all the radiators, pipes and fittings that are needed. The boiler itself was donated from a local church. The center has the money they need to buy a pump. So soon the house will be warm as well as dry. Our prayers for the center are being answered. Please continue to pray for favor with government officials as we need more documents.
The Bible School here has just completed another session. Tonya got to use her translation skills while working with Dr. Arnold Lastinger and his wife Joy. Tonya also translated for Kara Cusic, a missionary with AGWM lives and ministers in Ulan Ude (in Siberia about 1,400 miles west of us).
Elf has arrived! Elf Potter is from Pennsylvania and will be with us for a year. She is studying Russian, living in a Russian dormitory and doing ministry among the students. Please pray for door of ministry to open for her among the students and staff. That's Elf on the right, Tonya in the middle, and Joy Lastinger (who taught at the Bible School) on the left.
The Lord has given us a large apartment, and we have dedicated it to his service. Two weeks ago a local church had a special service they call a harvest festival (kinda like Thanksgiving). Since our living room is larger than their (very small) church, we allowed them to use it for the service. It was a great time of worship, fellowship, and thanksgiving with 49 in attendance. Some of our neighbors joined us, for some it was the first time to ever attend a church service. We also found a turkey, and so they got to taste Turkey for the first time.
Deanna had a toothache so we took her to the dentist. The dentist did not take an x-ray. Rather the dentist drilled a small hole in the tooth, put in a little poison to kill the nerve, had us come back in one week to remove the poison and fill the whole. Hey, no toothache anymore. Tonya confirms this is the normal way it is done in Russia. Cecil has decided he will swim back to the States if he gets a toothache. Actually, he is filled with gratitude for healthy teeth.
Eight months ago the government refused to allow us to become a foster family (because one of us is a foreigner), so we started the adoption process to get a child. Deanna has been with us for several months now, but we had no documents other than a temporary release from the orphanage for her. We were for some reason invited to the government office to apply for to become foster parents. When we arrived we were very surprised to find the paperwork had been already completed and we were handed flowers and watched the city vice-mayor stamp documents making us a foster family. So now we have legal rights and can take her out of the city on trips. We even receive government financial support for her! Praise the Lord.
This is all separate from the adoption process. Tonya needs to complete a medical commission. This is a major undertaking. We did it at the beginning of this year, but it expired after three months, so it need to be done again. After seeing nine different doctors at five different clinics (not to mention giving blood, etc.) she only has one more doctor to visit. This visit is with the psychiatrist. Cecil has met him and in Cecil's opinion his man needs some treatment himself. So please pray for us as we finish this process.
Anyway. Deanna is living with us now. She fits right in with this crazy family. That's her on the left.
Aaron and Beth Barnes are busy helping to start Royal Ranger outposts here. They've been forming contacts with leaders and one outpost has started having meetings. Others are being formed. The key is finding good Russian leadership. Please pray for Aaron and Beth to come in contact with the right people and for outposts to get off to a good start.
Beth also has a heart to minister among the many Chinese who live in Khabarovsk. Before they came Cecil tried very hard to get a copy of the Alpha course in Chinese (Alpha is a good basic discipleship course on DVD). He was unable to get his hands on a copy (or even find somewho who could help him). So he quit trying. A couple weeks ago someone handed him and entire set for free. Wow.
Please pray for us and the entire AGWM team here in Khabarovsk, that we may be effective, in unity with one another, and in tune with the Holy Spirit.
In Christ,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna.
