(Updated on July 3, 2009)

•  The Nikolaev church (where I used to serve) is experiencing another significant crisis.  Their pastor, Alexei, is experiencing a very significant faith struggle; he is even questioning the existence of the God of the Bible.  As a result, he is currently not acting as the church’s pastor.  No official steps have been taken yet in this very shocking and sad development.  Please pray for the church’s leaders and for the national church’s leadership as we seek to care for the needs of the congregation and Alexei & his family.  Please pray that the Lord will open Alexei’s eyes to His own beauty and majesty.  Pray also that the congregation in Nikolaev will emerge stronger from this crisis.

•  Our week-long English camp is only three days away!  We are in the last (frantic?) stage of preparation before we (our family and other helpers) leave on Sunday (July 5) to prepare for students’ and other staff’s arrival on Monday.  My personal responsibilities include an explanation of the basic message of the Bible (throughout the camp), daily music, and oversight of the camp as a whole.  Please pray for all the pieces to come together very well.  Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the almost 50 students’ hearts and lives, and to bind us all together into a close-knit group.

•  We have been able to set up a separate fund specifically for our English camp expenses.  Since students pay only about 20% of the immediate camp costs, we have to use our team funds and other funds to cover this very large expense.  If you would like to contribute funds to help cover the English camp expense, you may send money earmarked for Account # EC87800 to Mission to the World at P.O. Box 116284, Atlanta GA.

•  Our two-month “Leoplis Green” project is going well.  The five U.S. students who have joined us for a summer of learning and serving in a cross-cultural setting seem to be adjusting well and enjoying the project.  They will also play a significant role in making the camp happen (along with four summer interns from Odessa and one intern from last year’s Leopolis Green).  We pray that the time we invest in these students’ live this summer will have a long-term positive impact on them and their service in the kingdom.

•  Anya and Juliette have finally returned from spending time with Anya’s parents in Nikolaev.  It’s great to have them back in L’viv (especially Juliette, whom I hadn’t seen for five weeks!)!  Juliette’s English has digressed after more than a month of only speaking Russian....  They are both healthy and doing well. 

THANK YOU FOR JOINING IN OUR MINISTRY IN UKRAINE THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS!