Sevastopl

Yesterday I received an update from our team in the Ukraine, who have been on the move! Here it is in it's entirity:

Sorry things have been a little quiet on our end for a few days. God, and the team have been very busy.

We moved from Kerch up to Sevastopl. A very long van ride where Gwen road on the luggage on the floor for part of her birthday, it was as close as we were going to get her to a massage! Amazing how much stuff and people can fit in a van. A little excitement arrived with a police man who pulled over the van driver for failing to go through the turn-about properly, no wonder, they have added lights to the turnabout (there seems to be only one light in Kerch) and I don't think our driver was familiar with the technique. So the police made the van go back and after some discussion and whatever, had him do it all over again. But we arrived safe and sound.

Our bus pulled up to the gates of the church and we were greeted by a horde of lovely people who were waiting for us, to help us carry luggage, welcome us with arms of love. It was certainly different than the last greeting and we very much appreciated it.

We are actually staying at the Baptist church in Sevastopl. It is a wonderful congregation, a large population of young people. The pastor Misha and his wife are lovely. Please pray for his wife Veronica, she is struggling with a very busy life but wants to come and talk. However, things keep coming up so she has scheduled a time for tonight. Please pray that Veronica will find freedom in talking. Pastor Misha is a good man who obviously relates so well to the youth. There is another couple here, from California, doing seminars on "What is a profit". That's right. I didn't spell it wrong on the cyrillic keyboard that I am becoming very familiar with. He was scheduled to preach. But we had an amazing time of worship in the morning. They have a fabulous young worship team lead by Vadim, who is becoming the youth pastor and his wife Anya. Actually, we really need prayer for Anya's mom, Larissa. She is in such pain and is upstairs now, praying with Gwen and Jacquie. Anyways the worship was great and pastor Misha led a time of prayer for a family who lost their father this week. A young wife was there whose husband died in a freak accident, he was ship's captain whose ship ran into power lines and he was killed. He was 46, same age as Larry and Gwen had a very brief chance to share with her.

Actually, I need to go back a bit. On Saturday night, we had a service where women came and we were able to share our stories. It was an amazing time ofprayer and opening of doors. Each team member shared a part of their story and they seemed to resonate with different women throughout the congregation. At the end of the service we invited the women to come back Sunday night at 6 (which I talked about a bit already), Monday from 10 - 2, and then again at 6, Tuesday we are having a day off! Wednesday from 10 - 2 and 6 and then finally on Thursday from 10 - 2 and again at 6. It is busy but people just keep coming. I can't share all the stories here but one big theme that is breaking people's hearts right is abuse. There is a great deal of spousal abuse and God is bringing it to light. Last night, the ladies asked practical questions about abuse, what do they do if they are abused, where do they go, is divorce wrong? Wow, huge questions. And yet, God was able to speak through Gwen and the team to provide responses to these concerns. We are encouraging the women to support each other, to begin to share their stories with each other, and with their pastors. Pray that God will continue to reveal his answers to these women struggling with this heart-breaking pain. Bottom line, Gwen told them that it is not God's plan that anyone should abuse another. Pray that even that truth be something these women can accept as their first step to freedom.

Two of our team went to another church yesterday, Kathy Kennard and Carrie. This church has a great vision and we think there will be amazing synergy between our two ministries. This church is already working with prostitutes in the toughest part of the city. The pastor's heart is broken for this group and he is also working with the AIDS patients in his community. It is in the roughest part of the city. Pray that the whole team, and especially Gwen, will have an opportunity to meet with this pastor.

Ok, one more prayer request for now. For L. She is the cook here and has been taking such great care of us. But she lives with a very physically abusive husband. The first night we were here, she left late because there were so many women needing prayer. She got in a great deal of trouble. Herhusband does not want here here talking with us. Pray for her safety and pray for strength that God will tell her what to do right now today.

Finally, pray for the team. We are exhausted. This has been a good trip, but non-stop, and the pain of these women is almost unbearable. Pray that as intercessors we can shoulder their pain and then release it to the greathealer. Pray that we will have the words to say and also know when to be quiet and encourage these women to ask for what they need. Pray for health for the team and energy.

Sevastopl is absolutley beautiful. Though technically it is Ukraine, it is actually a Russian port city. The Russian navy is housed here and everyone here considers this place Russia. We have heard stories of great pain from women whose husbands have been in the army and the navy. Continue to pray that God's light will grow brighter through the churches that are already doing such a great work here. And pray for courage and continued strength for Pastor Misha and Veronica.

Ok - enough from me. I might be able to write again soon.

We love you all! Thank you for your continued prayers. We really really need it. You are just as much a part of this as those here. Please keep us in theLight!

Great to hear from you Dana (We love that Taiwan is praying for us) and Marlene. Continue to invite others to pray.