Odessa Odyssey

Easter Evangelism at English Courses in Odessa

I was invited to share the true meaning of Easter with 35 students who study English with one of my friends, Angelina, who is the director of English courses in Odessa. I used the Resurrection eggs and was able to share about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Please pray the seeds that were planted would grow and bring fruit.

Hot Cross Buns!

English Class

Baby Shower for Nastya and Zinove

It was a great privilege for me to host a baby shower for my teammates, Nastya and Zinove, on February 24. We had a great time playing games, singing songs and sharing a devotional from the Word of God.

Nastya and Zinove

Samaritan's Purse Gifts for Children in Petrovka

On February 13 we had the opportunity to share Christ with the children at the Petrovka public school and to present each child with a gift from Samaritan's Purse. Thank you to everyone who prepared these special gifts for children in other countries.

Gifts from Samaritan's Purse

Children Receiving Gifts

My Teammates

I thank the Lord so much for my teammates who serve together with me in Petrovka. We have Misha, our pastor, and his wife, Tanya, and their son David. We have Oleg who preaches every Sunday and is responsible for the church property repairs and remodeling. He also works with our children's program and youth ministry. Igor is our tech guy and also helps in keeping up the church property and works with our children's program. Natasha heads up our children's program and works with our teenage girls. Zinove and Nastya got married last June and had a baby boy, Timothy, in March of this year. Unfortunately, they are living in Russia right now with Nastya's parents and they aren't sure if they will continue ministry with us. Julie and Tanya, two girls from First Baptist Church of Odessa, helped us in our summer camp last August and they both felt a burden for the children and the people in Petrovka. When we started our children's Bible club in the fall of last year, both Julie and Tanya expressed an interest to work with us. This year in the spring they both said they believed God was calling them to work with us full time. Tanya has already joined us on Sundays and she plays the piano and sings and is a great addition to our team. Julie plans to join us at the end of June full time and will be the coordinator for our children's camp this summer.

Natasha, Nastya, Zinove, Denise, Misha, Tanya, Oleg

Igor

Julie and Tanya

David

Ukrainian Christmas 2014

Ukrainian Christmas in Petrovka

On January 6, 2014 our church had a Christmas Eve service with all the traditional Ukrainian dishes. We had a blessed time of fellowship as everyone shared what Christmas means to them.

Ukrainian Christmas Eve Service

On Christmas Day, January 7, we had a wonderful Christmas celebration. Our children had a special program and we shared the true meaning of Christmas through songs, poetry and preaching of the Word. After the service we had a blessed time of fellowship. We then went from house to house in our town singing Christmas carols and giving everyone a Christian calendar from our church.

Our Sweet Children

Our Children Receiving Sweets

Christmas Caroling

Harvest Celebration

Our Petrovka Church had so much to be thankful for at our Harvest Celebration this year. We had a great summer camp in August with 43 children. We have new people coming to church every week and we see signs of growth in our new believers. Julie, who came to know Christ in September, has been growing grapes every year since she can remember. She would make wine and sell it to people in the town. After her repentance, as she was studying the Word, she felt that she should no longer make wine. Her dilemma - what to do with her grapes? After prayer and much consideration, Julie called one of her husband's friends and asked him to come and take her grapes to sell. Of course, we also had the opportunity to eat some of these wonderful grapes.

Summer Camp

Julie's Grapes

On October 12, we had our Harvest celebration and our children took part in reciting poetry and singing praises to God.

Harvest Celebration

We are grateful to the Lord that we have the opportunity to share Jesus every week to the children who attend our Bible club on Saturdays.

Children's Bible Club

New Believers - Julie, Igor, Alina and Valik

God has blessed our church plant with four new believers. On September 8, 2013, Julie came forward in the church and repented of her sins and received Jesus. She studies her Bible with another sister in our church every week and is faithful to all our services. She found out that she had cancer in the spring of this year and had to have surgery. She was a wonderful witness for Christ to all the ladies in her room before and after the surgery. Pray that she will have a full recovery from her cancer surgery.
On October 20, 2013, Igor repented. Igor had been working with us for over a year. We were praying for Igor to come to know the Lord and he kept saying he wasn't ready. When he repented he shared his testimony and then dropped on his knees and asked the Lord to forgive his sins. What a blessing for us! Please pray for Julie and Igor as they begin preparations for baptism. On February 2, Alina repented of her sins and is helping in our children's program. She studies the Bible two times a week with one of the sisters in our church and is growing in her love of the Lord. One of my friends in the States had written me an e-mail and said that she believed someone would come to know the Lord on Sunday, March 23. Valik was standing next to the window. When our pastor said that anyone could pray to receive the Lord, Valik began to pray and ask forgiveness of his sins where he was standing. Our pastor, Misha, called Valik to come up front and he placed his hands on him and prayed for God's blessing on his life. It was a precious moment for our church family. Pray for Julie, Igor, Alina and Valik to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus.