July 20, 2002

 Dear Faithful Friends and Family,

             I have recently returned from Ukraine, where I spent 16 jam-packed days!  I taught nine or more English classes in the University, as well as several classes in the Charter School, and a huge middle school near Poland, visited 2 grade schools and made presentations, and I was taped for National T.V. when I toured a kindergarten!  I also went to the orphanage I had previously visited, with toys for the children there. My other activities included meeting with the Mayor of Rudky town, and the Director of Social Services of Sambir, and preaching in a small mountain village church.

 All in all, I gave out 1000 Gospel Friendship Bracelets, toys, several hundred pieces of candy, and provided two large boxes full of teaching aids to the University and Charter School, which had been shipped ahead of my arrival and were waiting in Ukraine for me.   One of the teachers, one of my 4 interpreters and a young boy I met, all prayed and asked Jesus into their hearts.  I also had an opportunity to share with and encourage two of my interpreters, one who is a young Christian.  What a joy to pray together and watch God move on her!  The other is a young man who is very tender and God is wooing him…

At the University, I was given the unique position of being asked to discuss and “explain” Mark chapters 14-16!  What an open door!  The Presence of God was “awesome” to say the least.  "This after Satan tried to shut me down from sharing.  Please pray for all who have heard the Good News and especially for those who are under conviction that they will surrender their hearts to HIM!"  God not only prevailed, but He had the Dean of Foreign languages himself requested my input!  Glory!  Please pray for anyone that may be under conviction - that they will surrender fully to the Lord.

Additionally, I distributed over 1400 packages of vegetable seeds to the poor Babushka’s (grandmothers), the orphanage, and to schoolchildren to give to their families.  I also handed out flower seeds.  (Flowers are very dear to their hearts, as they brighten up an otherwise harsh existence.)  

You should have seen the faces of these old Babushka’s when I gave them the seeds.  First I’d hand them the vegetable seeds and they would look rather dumbfounded.  Then I would pull out a package or two of flower seeds and they would begin to thank me profusely and almost cry.  The vegetable seeds will put food on their tables and they were very happy to get them.  But the flower seeds deeply touched their hearts and were the “icing on the cake”!

The Director of Social Services has requested aid and help with education of their young people and new parents in the area of birth control and child rearing.  I am working on providing them with programs from America through Josh McDowell’s “Love Waits” program and also from Dr. James Dobson, who is one of our nation’s leading Christian psychologists on families. In fact, Dr. Dobson’s organization has donated 2 Russian videos to us on some of these subjects!

I’ve also received requests for visual aids and educational toys for the kindergarten and reading materials for the English classes at the University.  We’ve begun amassing books for an English library at the University.  I could use help with the kindergarten items.  If you have any educational toys or know of some elementary school teachers who are replacing visual aids (window and wall decorations, and things for bulletin boards) please pass this request on to them!

          We continue to collect clothing, vitamins, and common medical/hygienic supplies like Tylenol, cold medicines, soaps, shampoos and baby things, etc.  We divide everything and box it up.   Some boxes are taken to a warehouse where they will be put into a container and shipped to Belarus.  The rest we take to a shipping agency and pay for shipping to our contacts in Ukraine and Romania. 

          Speaking of contacts, this past trip to Ukraine has netted a very important contact.  I met a young man who works with UNICEF over there.  He has arranged an agreement between our organization and his to provide free distribution of all humanitarian aid we send over!  This is a major breakthrough for us, as we believe it will save hundreds of dollars in custom fees!  They have also sent me an “official” invitation to come to Ukraine, which I hope will allow me a 3 year visa!  Pray this is so!  That would be so much more cost effective.

          Future endeavors for this year include a “back to school drive” for Rudky, (we want to give them knapsacks along with pencils and paper and portfolios) and the reading materials needed for the University, the visual aids, and Christmas to the orphanage in Ukraine.  For Belarus, we hope to send used clothing and shoes, medical supplies and vegetable seeds in the fall for spring planting.

          There was much relationship building this trip and planting of wonderful seeds.  Pray for them to all spring forth into a grand harvest of souls!  If you have any questions about how you can help, please don’t hesitate to call us.  Shalom!

                                                  We love you, 

                                                  Nancy & Tom