Team Kharkov Requests October 30th-November 5th

"But if I say I'll never mention the Lord or speak in His name, His word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it!" (Jeremiah 20:9)

We have some dear friends, Zhenya and Natasha Molodchy, who exemplify this passage of Scripture so well!  I have never been with them when they were not telling me about opportunities they have had to share with others the Living Truth.  And their question, when we talk with them about what we are doing, is always:  "and how are you able to share the gospel with them?"  I always come away from our times of fellowship and prayer with His Word burning a little hotter in my heart, looking for those people He will put across my path that need that same Fire in their lives.

Part of the Lab we Amanda and I will be involved in the next 5 days with colleagues will involve taking Christ in us to the streets.  We don't know yet how our leaders will guide us to use those times, but my heart's desire is for His word to be burning so fervently within me that I cannot hold it in!  May He fan into flame a passion for Him that consumes all within us that is not of Him!  Pray we will all find ourselves overwhelmed with the desire to share with each and every person we see in this coming week some part of Who Christ is in our lives!

Sunday, October 30th  New Hope will have International Student Day today in their 2:00 p.m. service.  This church is strategically located in the Saltavka region of Kharkov, and next to 2 universities, and thousands of apartments.  In the past, students from 20 or more countries have attended services on this day.  Pray the Lord would draw the nations to New Hope today, and lead many of the students to join them in services throughout this school year.  Ask the Lord to raise up many Ukrainian believers in the Saltavka region to grow spiritually and go out into the region through New Hope.

Monday, October 31st  Pray for Amanda and I as we continue meeting with colleagues until Wednesday evening this week in a Lab designed to help each of us get back to focusing on keeping the Main Thing (Christ) the Main Thing!  Ask the Lord to use this time to encourage, restore, and renew all of us as we gather.  Pray for Mike and Linda Ray, our team supervisor and Eastern Ukraine leaders as they facilitate and lead our group in Kiev before traveling on Friday to lead a Lab in Romania for personnel there.

Tuesday, November 1st  The Father is granting many opportunities for Zhenya and Natasha to take the Word into prisons, rehab centers, as well as other places we are not free to mention right now. (They are shown in the picture with their 2 children Jon and Masha - Zhenya in the white shirt, and a friend in the striped shirt.)  Zhenya is also missions pastor at Christian Life church in Kharkov.  Pray for the Lord to grant them wisdom and knowledge of His will for the many doors that seem to be opening in their lives for ministry.  Intercede for their financial needs to be met by the Father in ways that magnify His glory.

Wednesday, November 2nd  Amanda has been invited to be a part of the leadership team for the youth group at Christian Life Church. Pray for this small group of youth as they haven't met at all in a long time and are trying to get started again. Ask the Father to give them direction and to empower Ruslan, who is the youth leader, to move boldly into the role of leadership the church has given him.

Thursday, November 3rd  Amanda and I are scheduled to arrive back in Kharkov around 12:30 today, then host the Book Club this evening for English conversation and Bible study.  We praise Him for all He is doing in all of our lives through our discussion of the book of Romans.  Pray for Amanda as she leads the Bible study tonight, beginning Chapter 9 of this book.  Ask the Lord to give her the energy she needs after a long trip, and the words He desires to be spoken into the lives of each person coming.

Friday, November 4th  Nadia Morokovetz, women's ministry leader for the Kharkov region, has asked our team to conduct leadership training for women in ministry in this region in December.  Intercede for us as we seek His wisdom and discernment to know how the Lord would have us conduct this training in a way that inspires and encourages the women leading groups throughout the region.

Saturday, November 5th  Baptist women in the Kharkov region, including Amanda and I, will gather today at Central Church in Kharkov for a day of prayer for the country of Ukraine.  Pray this will be a time for each of us to encounter the Father as we lay the needs of this land before His throne.  Ask Him to take the prayers of His precious daughters and move the mountains of unbelief in the hearts of multitudes in this land.




Zhenya and Natasha - opportunities they have to go into usually "closed" places in the Kharkov region to share Truth; "School without walls" 9-16 students, amy just coming out of rehab; meeting with women at rehab center through Red Church;