Dear Friends,
thank you so much for your prayers. First of all, we've only had one
police visit at Hope Center since we sent our last update to you. It was was
visit from the special "department of extremism" and they didn't seem to find
any problems. We did, however, have a local pastor who used to be a lawyer give
the rest of us a training on how to deal with police visits. Anyway, things
seem to be back to a normal again.
I have not yet received my resident permit. It seems the delay is caused
by the fact that the person who is supposed to issue it to me has been on
vacation for the last month. While making inquiries, we were told that there
are "no problems" with it being issued. We're hoping that the permit will be
given as soon. Until then, we continue to pray.
On Saturday we hosted the monthly Birthday Party (this time for the April
birthdays) for a local orphanage. Songs, cake, games, presents and a
presentation.
The children's basic needs are taken care of at the orphanage (food,
clothing, shelter, etc.), but they don't have much extras. They get cake twice
a year: during the orphanage's anniversary celebration, and during the birthday
parties we host.
The Life Skills lessons for graduating orphans has continued to go great.
Lessons our latest lesson was on communication. We also have cooking lessons
every week.
Yes, that last one's a skit showing how to communicate well (and how not
to).
We truly praise the Lord for giving us such a good team to work with every
week to teach Life Skills. They have various backgrounds and talents; and they
love the Lord. We feel that they will be able to continue lessons this fall
while we are back in the States. So far we don't have anyone to take over the
monthly birthday parties. Please pray the Lord of the Harvest to put together a
team that is willing and able to continue the parties, and provide the
transportation for them?
The last year Nastia has been spending week-ends
with our family. Increasingly this year she has not been coming, and
two months ago stopped coming at all. At the orphanage where she lives she has
been very rebellious and causes problems for the staff. The direction she has
begun to take looks like a path of self-destruction. Would you be willing to
pray for the Lord to touch her heart, open her eyes, and somehow save her from a
dead end?
Sasha is a young man who graduated from an orphanage several years ago.
Even though the law requires the government to give a living place to orphanage
graduates, there is a lot of paperwork and waiting involved. As of yet he is
living on the floor of a warehouse where he has a job. While his girlfriend was
pregnant, he made a life-change and began to follow Christ. Before the child
was born she broke up with him. When their child was born - just a little less
than a year ago - she placed the baby in the orphanage system. While Sasha
continues to wait to receive a living place, he is struggling to know what to do
and how to be a father to his child. He doesn't want his daughter to grow up in
an orphanage like he did. Please pray that Sasha would be given legal
permission to visit is child and that he would get a place to live. We have
gotten to know Sasha quite well since attends the same church we do and is there
for every service that he can come to.
The beginning of April we took a weekend and headed north for a two-day ski
trip. The kids all got lessons and learned pretty quick. I haven't been skiing
for years, but it came back and I really enjoyed myself. Nicole came along with
us. Tonya and Nicole became "ski bunnies" without the skis.
The kids also made some friends on the trip.
One last prayer request. While we should be preparing to return to the
States to spend four months itinerating and speaking at churches, ministry
opportunities keep coming up and we just don't seem to be able to force
ourselves away from ministry. So... please pray for us to be able to let go of
things here and focus on preparing for itineration, also, that we would be able
to fill the schedule with speaking engagements.
May the Peace of the Lord be with you!
Blessings,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna
