Team Kharkov Requests July 29th-August 3rd

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," (Hebrews 12:1 NIV) 

Amanda & Linda in Ouranoupoli, Greece  

Thank you for your prayers for our meeting in Greece last week.  The Father blessed us with great times of fellowship, renewal, refreshment, encouragement, and worship as over 1100 gathered together in one place.  We praise him for inhabiting the praises of his people as we worshipped in our own language with others who simply wanted to exalt him, praise him, and worship before his throne.  

It was also an opportunity for me to meet with colleagues to discuss future work in Kharkov after Amanda leaves the field to be married this fall.  I came away from our time there with a renewed passion to "run with perseverance the race marked out for" me personally, and eager to return to discover the plans he has for reaching those who are not yet believers in the Kharkov region of Ukraine. 

Sunset over the sea

Amanda and I have just concluded a four day vacation in an area outside of Thessaloniki, and are preparing to fly now to Budapest to renew our visas, where I will also have my annual post-cancer check-up.  Please join us in praying for our visas to be processed without any difficulties, and for my check-up to be completed quickly.  We need to get back to Kharkov to begin the new registration process, so we are praying the Lord would grant both of us visas and opportunity to return to Ukraine, and to Kharkov within the coming week.

While we are in Budapest, Amanda and I will be prayerfully working on teachings in Colossians for a women's retreat in early September.  While we will be using some material from last summer's retreat in another area, we will have 2 more days of sharing from Colossians with the women than we had last summer.  Ask the Father through the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts and minds as we prepare.  

I (Linda) will continue to schedule my stateside time through the coming weeks.  Pray for me to have wisdom in scheduling my time, and that I will know where he would have me to go to share about the Kharkov region of Ukraine while in the states..  

As soon as we return to Kharkov, we will begin meeting with pastors in the Kharkov region in preparation for volunteer teams, and possible partnerships with Ukrainian churches when I return next January.  Intercede for me to have knowledge of his will - eyes to see, and ears to hear - as I begin to build relationships with pastors and women ministry leaders in the Kharkov region.

Your prayers are so very vital to tearing down the multitudes of strongholds in Eastern Ukraine!  Thank you for continuing to be partners in this labor of love through the power of your prayers!

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

Team Kharkov Requests July 15th-29th

"I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."  (Galatians 2:20) 

This verse from Galatians is our "theme" verse for our upcoming gathering in Greece with  our colleagues from throughout Europe.  We are privileged and blessed to have the opportunity to meet together to refresh, renew, encourage, and pray for one another.  

As Amanda and I prepare to depart on Tuesday morning, we are also getting a team from Green Valley Baptist in Birmingham into place for construction ministry at Living Hope Church in Kharkov.  Tomorrow they will attend and participate in 2 services - in the morning at Living Hope (Pastor Sergei Datsko), and tomorrow afternoon at New Hope (Pastor Vitaly Sorokun).  

We give praise to the Father for the 12 men and women who arrived safely in Kharkov this afternoon.  On Monday, 6 will work alongside our Ukrainian brothers at Living Hope on construction, while the rest of the team will travel to a children's camp to work with a ministry to orphans.  

Join us in praying for the Lord to be lifted up during this week through the ministry of their hands and hearts.  Ask the Father to grant them safety as they work on construction at Living Hope.

Pray for our journey from Kharkov, to Kiev, then on to Athens beginning early Tuesday morning our time.  We will be in Athens for 2 days where I (Linda) will meet with other prayer coordinators from our European affinity, while Amanda will have some time to see the city.  We will prayerwalk in Athens on Wednesday afternoon.  Ask the Lord to grant us opportunities to share the love of Christ with people while in Athens.  Pray with us as we prayerwalk, that barriers to the gospel will be demolished by the power of Christ through our prayers.

From Thursday, July 19th to Tuesday, July 24th we will be with over 700 colleagues and their children.  Each day we will have the opportunity to sing and worship, as well as hear the Word proclaimed in our heart language.  We will also meet with those within our own "cluster" (the Black Sea Orthodox Cluster) and in small group training sessions covering a wide range of topics.  

I also covet your prayers as I (Linda) meet with supervisors to discuss future ministry in Kharkov following Amanda's upcoming wedding.  Pray this time away would allow my heart and mind to focus on His voice, His Word, and His plan for the year to come.

Petition the Father to grant us a wonderful time of renewing relationships with friends who live throughout Europe.  Pray for each of us to experience a refreshing through the Holy Spirit and that each of those attending, colleagues and volunteers from the states, would leave this time with a renewed passion through being "crucified with Christ."

Tuesday, July 24th, Amanda, Joe Ragan, and myself will embark on a 4 day vacation to Thessaloniki and other sites in the area.  Pray for us as we travel by bus, train, and automobile throughout the day.  Intercede for each one to have a sweet time of fellowship with one another and with the Lord through the days of rest.

We will return to Athens on Saturday, July 28th, then fly to Budapest on July 29th for visa renewal for Amanda and I, and for my annual check up.  If possible during the next 2 weeks, I will try to share updates on our blog and/or Team Kharkov page on Facebook.  Please cover us, our colleagues, and all the volunteers with your prayers for safety in travel and throughout our time together.

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

Team Kharkov Requests July 8th-14th

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil. 2:13).

Pastor Rustan of Merifa praying for new believers

Thank you for joining us through your prayers last Sunday as we traveled to attend services at a Roma (Gypsy) church in the city of Merifa.  The day before, they baptized 3 new believers, and had a time of praying a blessing over them during this service.  Following the prayer, the new church members were given the Lord's Supper, with the rest of the church participating after they were served.  

After the service, we had a time of fellowship and visited with the pastor and his wife, Malina.  The church has been meeting for 10 years, and is one of only a few Roma churches in the country.   Our journey was for the purpose of discovering new places we might be able to work in the future to encourage and strengthen believers.  Please continue to pray for the Father to work in us to "will and to act according to his good purpose."

Yesterday (Saturday, July 7th) we had our annual July 4th picnic - this year inviting not only our English group, but also New Hope International and New Hope Ukrainian churches.  Amanda's fiance Oleg prepared Armenian shaslik (pork "chops" that are marinated overnight in onions and seasoning, then grilled like a shish-k-bob).  

Over 40 people attended, enjoying an afternoon of eating, playing softball, and a relaxing time of fellowship.  Pastor Vitaly shared a short devotional before we sat down to eat, casting the seed of the gospel into the lives of the not-yet-believers who came.  We hope to have another picnic in August or September to bring these 3 groups together again.  

(You can view a slideshow and additional pictures from the picnic at this link:
http://www.flickr.com//photos/37981119@N06/sets/72157630473858678/show/)

Thank you for your prayers for the sports outreach organized and led by the youth at Living Hope Baptist church.  Pastor Sergei Datsko said they had around 600 people attend the final match and evangelical services last Sunday.  The authorities were amazed with how well everything went, and how clean the park was after the events.  They have invited the church to provide activities in the park in the future - a park located very close to their new church.

Pastor Sergei also shared that they have a great desire to start a small rehabilitation center for drug/alcohol addiction, but are waiting for the man called out by the Father to direct and lead this ministry.  Petition the Father to work on the hearts and minds of those he has chosen to begin this ministry through Living Hope.  

We are blessed to have a volunteer construction team coming from Green Valley Baptist Church (Birmingham, Al) to work alongside believers at Living Hope Church (.  Ask the Lord to grant them "uneventful" flights and entrance into Ukraine as they leave the states on Friday, and arrive in Kharkov Saturday afternoon (Kharkov time).  Intercede for the members of Living Hope as they prepare for a week of construction work on their church and grounds.  

Pastor Vitaly Sorokun (New Hope Church) shared today that they only have 2 days to prepare the official legal documents to send to the Supreme Court of Ukraine to seek a reversal of the decision of the Kharkov courts.  He asks that you would pray for Pastor Andre (Grace) and himself to have wisdom to know whether or not this is the Lord's plan.  As they have studied the ruling of the court further, they now know that the ownership of the building is not in question - it is still considered as "owned" by the church.  However, the cost of securing the proper documents for the church (official documents that were not gotten years ago) is so great that they may not be able to pursue them.  Thank you for continuing to pray for the Lord to work in the hearts and minds of those in authority in Kharkov and beyond, as well as in His people as they discover His plan for the church.

There is so much more the Lord is doing, and for which we need to pray, but we praise Him that He already knows our needs and His plans for us!  We look forward to sharing with you how He answers in the days to come.

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