Odessa Odyssey

Birthday Party for All at our Bible Club May 27, 2017

Every year we celebrate all of our children's birthdays who attend our Bible Club during the year. We had a special puppet show this year and special songs and games. We then had hotdogs, juice and birthday cake! Our children love this day as they are celebrated for being special and they also receive a small gift. This is the day we announce the children who had good attendance and good behavior and they all received a trip to Odessa at a fun park in June. So thankful for the opportunity we have to share the love of Jesus with our children.

May 21 - Tanya's Repentance

Praise the Lord for one of my young mom's, Tanya, who came to know Jesus on May 21. Tanya had been attending our Bible study for more than a year and she said she wanted to make sure that she understood what it meant to accept Jesus as her Savior. Tanya is growing in the Lord and is already serving with us in our children's program and is helping with a new young mom's group that I started in the fall. Please pray for Tanya to grow in the grace and knowledge of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Tanya's Spiritual Birthday

Tanya with her son, Vova

Annual Easter Egg Hunt 2017

We had our annual Easter egg hunt on April 15 and were blessed with 102 children this year. Every year we share the Easter message that Jesus died for our sins and He rose again! Our children were filled with anticipation for this wonderful day in the life of our church.

140 Cupcakes

102 Children

Our Sweet Girls

Oh! The Anticipation!

My Birthday in Ukraine

After returning from the States I celebrated my birthday on March 26 at our church in Petrovka. One of my friends made a beautiful and delicious birthday cake for me. It was a special day to be back in my church and with my friends and teammates.

Kristina and Dasha wishing me a Happy Birthday

Home Assignment 2017 - February-March

What a blessing to be able to visit with my supporting churches and individual supporters while I was on home assignment. I visited supporters in Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan and Florida. I was also able to visit with my father, my brother and sister's families and with my daughter and my granddaughter. I also attended Global Focus Week with my home church, Northside Baptist.
I spoke to the Church in the Pines in Venice, Florida. I was able to speak at my friend's church in Pennsylvania and to a ladies' Sunday School group. God blessed me with a dinner hosted by Two Fish for my friends and supporters in Michigan. I'm so thankful for my friends, supporters and for all the new people I met and for those who promised to pray for our ministry in Petrovka.

Helping Families in Need

Thank you to my supporters who gave gifts during the Christmas season so that we were able to help poor families with food, coats and gifts for the holidays. Some of these children received Christmas gifts for the first time. What a joy for my team and me to be able to share with these families.

Oleg & Igor with Groceries

A Special Family

Two Brothers

A Brother and His Cousin

Christmas with the Angels - Ukrainian Christmas 2017

We celebrated Ukrainian Christmas on January 7, 2017, and our children's choir were dressed in angel costumes that a dear friend made for this special occasion. Our children sang songs and recited poetry about how the angels celebrated the first Christmas when Jesus was born. It was a Merry Christmas!!!