Summer 2013 – dreams come true

    This summer God has been doing amazing things in my life and in my ministry among the students.  I want to thank Him and praise Him – that’s why I am sharing it with you.

    The first part of my summer I spent in the US raising support for the ministry. I experienced multiple blessings and all the prayers were answered. At my last ministry presentation God lavishly provided the exact amount of donations to reach the goal I set.

     While I was in the US  our students were turning the world of a student ministry upside-down. They did take their challenge seriously. Every week they had  at least four activities: a team meeting, a team prayer, a Bible study and a weekly meeting. In the end they did the analysis of their leadership and set new goals for the new semester. 

The movers of Odessa Ministry

I was amazed to see how much they grew emotionally (they learned the lesson how to work as a team and we all know how challenging it can be sometimes) and spiritually (they knew there was no staff around to help them so all they had to do – fully rely on God).

Getting together for a Bible Study

And what is even better – when I got back home - few of our new students that accepted Christ this year told me they wanted to join such a team next year and asked me to let them be active in the Ministry. Oh my goodness, I DID  NOT  HEAR THAT BEFORE. I am used to offering that opportunity and challenge students  but I am not used to being asked for it. So our spiritual student leadership movement has started. The boldness and dedication of our leaders was influential and compelling to other students around them. I can’t wait to see what else is going to happen this fall having such a team of “miracle makers” in Odessa.

But the things God has done haven’t stop there.

   Next blessing was an English Summer Camp 2013. Since 2002 (a year when I became a believer at the same kind of camp) I have been dreaming to continue such camps in Odessa. Since 2009 we tried organizing it but we didn’t have enough people signing up(nor Americans nor Ukrainians). This year we had about 45 students from Ukraine  and a wonderful group of 10 Americans from Kansas  coming to help us.

American group

Here are some pictures of our activities at the camp

Learning to play baseball

They loved American football

Baseball was both fun and confusing for Ukrainians=)

Crafts

Climbing Goverla - the highest mountain in Ukraine (1,30 miles)

English Classes and Bible Studies

Americans were sharing the Gospel and their testimonies

 At the camp we talked a lot about the spiritual growth and development. At the camp fire many students said that it was the first time in their life they actually thought about their spiritual life and witnessed how God changes lives of people. Here are few feedbacks:

Nadya: "It was the best week of my life"

Nataly: "I want to apply everything
I heard about God at this camp".

Vika is going to get baptized in the end of this month. She brought a friend to our Camp with her and she was praising the Lord for what He was doing in her life.

Kate: "It was actually the first time
in my life I talked to somebody about God." 

Dima: "After a year of coming to CRU meetings I give up - I want to know more about your God after this camp."

Nadya signed up for our camp one week before it started and miraculously got the tickets on the train. Her life will never be the same now.

Igor: " I now believe". He became a Christian at the camp.

Please pray with us

   1.   We are aware of the spiritual war and just like we fought for their souls – our enemy is going to do the same. May they never stop thinking about God and when we start the semester in September – may they come to continue growing in their faith.

      2.  Pray for our planning time with the team of staff and with the student leadership team. May God give us  ideas for evangelism this year,  wisdom how to form Bible study groups and more leadership teams.

      3.   Please pray for the repentance of my father and my step father. This is the only thing on my life that brings sorrow to my heart.

Thank you for being my faithful prayer worriers and supporters.