Team Kharkov Prayer Requests July 31st-August 6th

"Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you....." (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

We praise Him for the opportunity to minister to Ukrainian people in the Kharkov region in many different ways, and are thankful for those the Father calls to work alongside us through prayer, and through volunteer teams. We know the seeds of the Word that have been planted in the hearts of many in this region are "watered" by your prayers. Join us in praying His Word will take root in those hearts, bearing the fruit of repentance, then spreading rapidly throughout this land to bring glory to the Father!

Sunday, July 31st Pray for Keith as he preaches at New Hope Church in Saltavka today. Ask the Lord to cause His Word to penetrate the hearts of those who hear, leading each of us to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts. Pray many in this densely populated region of the city will be drawn by the power of His Word to the cross of Christ.

Monday, August 1st Pray for Linda as she meets with Vika today to read and discuss the Bible. Ask the Lord to open the eyes of Vika's heart to understand His love for her, and to receive Him in salvation.

Tuesday, August 2nd Pray for Amanda and Natasha as they meet this evening to continue studying "Experiencing God" together. Intercede for clarity of heart and mind as Amanda leads them in the study in Russian.

Wednesday, August 3rd Please continue to intercede for Keith, Wendy, and Ryan as they wait for all the paperwork to be processed for their transfer to another country for service. Pray the Father would cause all to be done in His perfect time, granting them peace in the process.

Thursday, August 4th Pray for Stacie and Lena as they translate the material from Amanda and Linda for the women's retreat in Donetsk. Pray they will be guided by the Holy Spirit as they translate our thoughts into Russian in a way that will speak clearly to the hearts of the women. Pray these would be done in a timely manner to give Linda and Amanda opportunity to become comfortable presenting it in Russian.

Friday, August 5th Pray for Linda as she begins packing for the move to the company-owned apartment in the center of the city. Ask the Lord to cause this process to be one filled with joy and fellowship with some of our sisters from New Hope who will help as they have time.

Saturday, August 6th We praise God for the volunteer teams already making plans to join us in the summer of 2012. Pray for Amanda and Linda as they continue to learn how to do the many things necessary to organize and host volunteers. Ask the Lord to grant them His vision and wisdom in strategically utilizing those who will come, that His Word will spread rapidly and be glorified throughout the Kharkov region.

Thank you for your prayers for us last weekend as we travelled to celebrate the wedding of Sergei and Marina Dotsko's son, Aleosha, and his new wife Vika. The Lord answered our prayers by providing safety in travel for not only us, but also for many of the "family" from Living Hope Church in Kharkov (shown in the picture above).

Team Kharkov Requests July 24th-30th

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." (Col. 2:6-7)

I've spent much of the last week digging deeper into what it means to be "rooted and built up" in Jesus in preparation for an upcoming retreat with Ukrainian sisters. I realize more than ever that I need to know Christ - the "mystery of God" (Col. 2:3) - if I would have my roots go deeper and deeper into Him. He is causing me, through the study of His Word to the Colossians, to desire, long for, and seek Him first, so that everything else in my life will be a reflection of Christ. May that be the cry of each of our hearts throughout the days ahead.

This will be a very short prayer letter, because I am on the road and limited in internet availability. Please join us in praying for the following needs this coming week:

- Pray for Wendy, Keith, and Linda as they travel back to Kharkov on Sunday and for Ryan and Amanda as they "hold down the fort" in Kharkov in our absence.

- Pray for Linda and Amanda as they continue to work on the material for the women's retreat the end of August. Ask the Lord to fill each of them with exactly what He would desire all of us - Amanda, Linda, and our Ukrainian sisters - to hear from His heart. Intercede for the Lord to enable both to complete our writing this week so materials can be sent to translators in a timely fashion.

- Pray for Keith, Wendy, and Ryan as they continue to say "good-byes" to friends in the Kharkov region and prepare for their move. Ask the Lord to provide them with His place to live in their new city. Pray for times of sweet fellowship in their last weeks in Kharkov.

- We praise Him for raising up folks with a desire to bring volunteer teams to Kharkov in the future - some for the very first time. Pray for Amanda and Linda as they seek to know His will and His plans for each team. Ask the Lord to continue to send those whom He has chosen to share His love with Ukrainians in the Kharkov oblast of Ukraine.

- Ask the Lord to raise up Ukrainian believers in this region with a passion and a vision for church planting with whom we can work. Pray for open doors in small cities throughout the Kharkov region, as well as the city of Kharkov itself to share the gospel with those who have never heard.

Thank you for your partnership in prayer! We continue to expect the mountains to move, and the way made straight for His glory, honor and praise!

IMPACTing the Kharkov region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!

Team Kharkov Requests July 17th-23rd

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed...." (Proverbs 16:3 NIV) Success! It's something most, if not all of us desire in some form or fashion. Often, as I labor alongside my teammates, volunteers, and Ukrainian partners in the "hard places" of Eastern Ukraine, the Holy Spirit reminds me that the results and success of our plans is determined first and foremost by my (and our) commitment to Him. This morning, that success was defined ever further in my heart as I read in Isaiah. "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." (Isaiah 26:8)

Throughout this past week, 6 Alabama believers committed themselves to the Lord each day through sharing the love of Jesus with children and laboring in construction at Spring of Life Baptist Church in Rogon every morning (shown on the right above), and again every afternoon sharing that same love with children on the grass beside the shell of a concrete building in the small village of Biskvitna (on the left above). Each of the 50 plus children experienced His love, and His name was made known through Word and deed every day. Now we wait expectantly for Him to reveal the extent of that "success" through lives changed eternally by the power of His love.

Sunday, July 17th Give praise for the 10 children who answered Pastor Alexei's invitation to commit their lives to Jesus the last day of VBS in Rogon (shown in the inner circle in the picture below.) Pray for Pastor Alexei, his wife Tonya, and other workers at Spring of Life Church as they visit the parents in the homes of each of the children who attended VBS. Ask the Lord to draw parents and children alike into fellowship with Him through the body of Christ in Rogon.

Monday, July 18th Please pray for Vika, a young woman from The Book Club, who wants to resume Bible study with Linda after several months away. Ask the Lord to cause His Word to minister to Vika's heart. Petition the Lord to work by the power of the Holy Spirit to enable Vika to begin to grasp how greatly she is loved by Christ.

Tuesday, July 19th Amanda continues to meet with Natasha on Tuesday evenings to go through "Experiencing God" in Russian. Pray their time of study and fellowship will be an encouragement to both. Ask the Lord to enable Amanda to speak His Word clearly into Natasha's life, and to grant Natasha a heart willing to listen and obey.

Wednesday, July 20th Thank you for joining us in asking the Lord to restore the health of Wendy's mom. Join us in praising Him for His answer. After 11 days in the hospital in Missouri, she is now home and day by day her strength and health are improving. Please continue to pray for her and for Wendy's family in Missouri who are helping her mom Gloria until she returns to full strength. Pray the doctors will have wisdom as they adjust her medication levels and continue to treat an on-going kidney problem.

Thursday, July 21st We (Amanda and Linda) continue to seek the Lord's will and way for future ministry in the Kharkov region of Ukraine for us as Team Kharkov as well as for future volunteer teams. Pray He will make His desire known to us, that we might be in the center of His will individually and corporately.

Friday, July 22nd Pray for the Woffords and Linda as they travel to Kiev today to attend the wedding of Sergei and Marina Dotsko's son Alosha in another city. Pray for safety on the roads and times of sweet fellowship throughout the next couple of days with one another and with our Ukrainian friends during this time of celebration.

Saturday, July 23rd Please continue to pray for Amanda and Linda as they prepare their materials for a retreat in Donetsk region in late August. Pray for clarity of heart and mind as we seek to encourage and strengthen our sisters in Christ through opening the Word in Colossians. Ask the Lord to enable them to complete this part of the preparation in a timely manner so it can be translated to Russian for the conference.

IMPACTing the Kharkov region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!

Team Kharkov Requests July 10th - 16th

"The Lord Almighty has sworn, 'Surely as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.'" (Isaiah 14:24 NIV) "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure." (Isaiah 46:10b NASB)

I am so thankful for His assurance that He will accomplish all He has chosen to accomplish! There are times when the tasks before us seem so very overwhelming and impossible to complete. Yet, if we know we are walking in obedience to Him, if we are on the path He has chosen for us, we can walk with the assurance of His promise that HE will complete all that HE has purposed! What a privilege and joy to give Him the glory, honor, and praise every moment, knowing that in the realm of eternity, his plans are already completed!

However, that spiritual reality does not mean our prayers are not part of His plans! And as you join us in praying for our team, for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, and for those who have yet to respond to His invitation for new life in Christ, you become an integral and necessary instrument in those plans! Thank you as always for uniting your hearts with ours, that every person in the Kharkov region of Ukraine, and beyond, would hear and have an opportunity to accept our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Please continue to pray for Wendy's mother, Gloria Leeson, as she remains in the hospital in Springfield, Missouri with a blood clot in her lung, as well as other possible issues (yet to be diagnosed). Ask the Lord to dissolve the blood clot, and give the doctors wisdom as they seek to know why it appeared in the first place. Pray for Wendy's sister Melissa and her family, as well as Shelby who has returned to Missouri, as they minister to Gloria. Pray His peace will cover all of this family as they wait for Gloria's healing.

Sunday, July 10th Pray for the team from Prattville, Alabama as they prepare for their week of ministry in the city of Rogon and the village of Biskvitna. This morning (10:00 a.m. Ukraine time) we will worship with believers in the "Light of the Truth" church in Rogon (shown in the photo above). Pray this time of worship will be filled with His presence, penetrating our hearts, and drawing people from throughout this small city to desire to know Him. Ask the Lord to grant the team from the states a good night's rest as they prepare for VBS and construction work for the next 4 days.

Monday, July 11th Each of the next 4 mornings, the Prattville team and Team Kharkov members will travel to Rogon for VBS and construction work on the church building, then on to the small village of Biskvitna for afternoon VBS. Pray for safety as the team travels and labors throughout the week. Intercede for children and adults in both of these locations to have hearts prepared to receive the seed of the gospel through the hands of His people. Pray for the 3 translators - Arash, Stacy, and Vika - to have the ability to effectively communicate to the children on behalf of the American team. Pray for Arash as he translates for the men doing construction.

Tuesday, July 12th Biskvitna is a very small, poor village just across the highway from Rogon. The area where VBS is being held has two small concrete apartment buildings with multiple families living in very poor conditions (shown above). Many of the adults are unemployed, suffering from addictions to alcohol and/or drugs. Some will sit and listen each day as the team shares the love of Christ with their children. Pray for a harvest in this community that will change the lives of future generations. Pray for the believers from Kharkov who come each week to lead the small church that meets in Biskvitna.

Wednesday, July 13th Pray for Pastor Alexai and his wife in Rogon as they seek to reach out to the community and to the students in the agricultural university nearby. Ask the Lord to give this young couple wisdom as they seek to know His plans, and walk in obedience to His voice. Pray the Lord would use this young couple in mighty ways to reach the young families in Rogon.

Thursday, July 14th Pray the Lord would add to His body of believers in both the Rogon church and the outreach that meets in Biskvitna even this day, as the Prattville teams completes their week of ministry. Pray the "Light of the Truth" church would truly be a lighthouse in the community and a place for students from the agricultural university to come and find Truth.

Friday, July 15th Pray for the Prattville team as they begin their journey back to the states today. Give praise to the Father for all He did in and through their labor of love in Rogon and Biskvitna this past week. Pray the seeds planted in the hearts of children and adults alike will bring a harvest in both of these communities.

Saturday, July 16th Pray for Amanda and Linda as they prepare to lead a conference in the Donetsk region in late August. Ask the Lord to speak to their hearts and minds as they write their individual teachings from the book of Colossians. Both will read/speak in Russian for the conference. Pray His words of encouragement, hope, love, and Truth would flow onto the page so that the lessons can be translated soon, leaving time to truly learn the material in Russian.

IMPACTing the Kharkov region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!

Team Kharkov Requests July 3rd - 9th

"And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

Thank you so much for your continuing prayers for our team as we continue on in the "race that God has set before us" individually and corporately! The process of going through change is often uncomfortable, and even heartbreaking as relationships that we have grown so used to are changed by the will of our Father. While our faith assures us that He is working in and through the changes, that does not necessarily eliminate the grief of letting go. Yet I am so very thankful for the calm assurance He grants each of us!

As this is being written (Friday), the Wofford family are all in Kiev, with three of them recovering from what was apparently food poisoning. Only Wendy escaped the illness that affected all the others. As a result, Shelby changed her flight to give her time to recover. She will now depart from Kiev on Monday, so please pray for all of the Wofford family as they regain their strength after 24 hours of illness!

Also, our picnic scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) has been moved indoors due to daily rain this week. Pray the Lord would grant us a great time of fellowship as The Book Club meets for the last time this summer, and that the Lord would lead many of the International students to join us for fellowship and games.

Sunday, July 3rd Pray for Keith, Wendy, Shelby and Ryan as they have one more day together in Kiev before Shelby's departure tomorrow. Ask the Lord to continue to restore the health of Keith, Shelby and Ryan following their illness.

Monday, July 4th Give thanks to the Lord for granting us as Americans independence through the sacrifice of so many! Praise Him for granting us as believers freedom through the perfect sacrifice of His Son! Intercede for Shelby as she begins her journey back to the states today from Kiev, and for her family here as they return to Kharkov following her departure.

Tuesday, July 5th We praise Him for the opportunities He is giving us (Amanda and Linda) for ministry together at a women's conference in Donetsk in late August. Pray for us as we prepare the conference materials from Colossians. Ask the Lord to lay across our hearts and minds His words of hope, encouragement, and renewal for the women we will meet. Pray those words flow from our hearts and minds into documents for translation.

Wednesday, July 6th Please continue to pray for the Wofford family as they prepare for their move in August, and for Linda as she begins the process of packing to move into their apartment after their departure. Pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual endurance needed to complete this part of the "race" in a way that brings Him glory.

Thursday, July 7th We praise Him for the fellowship of believers we have in Kharkov. Pray for Amanda and Linda as they prayerfully seek His opportunities for working with our brothers and sisters in Christ in our new roles. Ask Him to grant us wisdom and knowledge of His will for us individually and as “Team Kharkov” as we labor in His love and for His glory in the Kharkov region of Ukraine.

Friday, July 8^th Pray for the team from Prattville, Alabama as they begin their journey today to Kharkov for a week of VBS in Rogon and Biskvitna. Ask the Lord to grant them a smooth and restful journey in preparation for the work ahead. Pray for Keith as he makes all the final preparations for the team.

Saturday, July 9^th The Prattville team is scheduled to arrive in Kharkov late this afternoon. Pray the Lord would prepare hearts in Rogon and Biskvitna to receive the Truth as this team shares throughout the coming week. Ask Him to give each team member a good night’s rest tonight as they settle into their host homes.

May your days this week be filled with a knowledge of His love for you, and His delight in calling you His own!

IMPACTing the Kharkov region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!