Cherkassy, Ukraine

Today is Friday, 15-December, 2006. I just finished teaching my 3rd class. God has really been with me. I recruited my driver to teach the little ones today. Vladimir is a Christian from the church here in Cherkassy who is currently unemployed. He offered to drive me daily to and from this 1 orphanage as long as I paid for his gas. Good deal. But today was the 1st day we split up the group by ages. I wasn’t able to tell him I wanted him to teach the little ones until we were on our way there! He was fine with it. God bless him. He did coloring books and Nativity finger puppets with the 3 to 8 group. Losha (Alex) and I got to teach the older kids, up to 16 y/o. They are so open. Yesterday God gave me a skit to do about a bunny in a stroller! Actually he just gave me that much and I wrote a skit around it. The bunny always wanted to become part of a human family because he always saw families walking in the park. The skit teaches children how to become part of God’s family. Cheryl, I think you’d be proud of me! It went over awesome!!! The kids did their parts great the first time without rehearsing! And I really think they got the message! Praise God!!
OK today. These older kids are very open and many seem hungry for God. It is not, as I thought earlier, the first time they have ever heard about the Gospel of Christ. But there are orphanages in far away (not too far) villages that never get visited by churches or missionary groups. Guess where I’m going next week!! But the kids we taught today do get visits from Baptists, and other Christian groups, as well as Ukrainian Orthodox Church. I am so happy to have this opportunity to give them just the Bible straight! I have, of course, been preparing them to give their lives to Jesus. I am taking tomorrow off (day of rest, I think will be good). Maybe on Sunday or Monday I will give them an opportunity to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Please pray abundantly for me and these children. Pray that the Holy Spirit will draw in their precious hearts. Meanwhile, my driver, Vladimir is teaching the small ones. I noticed one child in particular that I am asking you to pray for: Vitalie. He is 3 or 4 years old and always upset or crying about something. The staff said he is a problem child. I don’t know if I buy that at the moment. Maybe they just aren’t giving him what he needs. Vladimir is VERY GOOD with the little ones. I’ve asked him to pay special attention to Vitalie and tell me what’s up. And I am going to pay attention and hug this little boy and give him some unconditional love! Pray that God will reveal to us how to help this very sad kid. My last prayer request is about the Orthodox Church. I will not be allowed to teach in one orphanage here in the city. Reason? The Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Baptist missionaries come there and teach from time to time. The director does not want the children to be confused by different religious messages. They have also taught there. I, of course, explained my non-denominational, Biblical Christian background. But she said they were too busy preparing for the St. Nicholas holiday on 12-19, anyway. She has however, invited me to observe this celebration, but not to teach. This is a very common occurrence. The Orthodox Church teaches people to be afraid of God. To confess to the priest, and that salvation comes through works. Of course we know these things are not biblical. Please pray that God would break through this religious and political stronghold so that the true message of grace and salvation can reach all Ukrainians, children and adults alike.

16-December. More about my friend Alex (Losha) from Azerbaijan, like I said he's helping me translate. He talks about the horrible conditions and the way they treat people in his country. He is trying to become a Ukrainian citizen. It is interesting that I ran into him and he's helping me with the orphans, because he too was an orphan since the age of 13. He is 27 y/o now and has been a believer for I think more than 10 years, because his math teacher invited him to Greater Grace Chapel Church one day in Azerbaijan.There are other cool connections that are being made. The secular agency, who invited me here, was delayed in meeting me, but I finally met him yesterday. His name is Alex, too. He has a wealth of information about orphans, orphanages, aid programs, adoption services, etc here in Cherkassy and the surrounding regions. He did not know of this Church here in the city center, which has a ministry to orphans. So I am going to introduce them to each other. And I'm sure this will be a mutually beneficial meeting that will allow more networking and produce greater fruit for the orphan community. Interesting their offices are both located here in Cherkassy, Ukraine, but God sent me from Massachusetts to get them together!!And as I said briefly in yesterday's email, the orphanages in the outlying areas are the ones that need the most help (financially and spiritually). Alex will be taking me to some of these and I am very excited about this. These apparently don’t get attention from missionaries or other help organizations, like the ones in the city center do. And they don’t have the same kind of funding, so their facilities are lacking in some areas. I will tell you more about this in my next posting.

For the children in Jesus’ Name,

His Servant,
Al

Zhitomir, Ukraine

I've spent 5 days in Zhitomir. I like it very much. I feel better here than I did in Odessa. Maybe because I am now in a place where I feel I am fulfilling my purpose. Pastor Viktor is a very devoted and focused man. God told him to plant a church here about 10 years ago; his church is 5 years old. He wasn't sure at first if it was God, but then God told him again about 2 months later. He now has about 40 members and has just planted a church in Korostishew. This town is Pastor Viktor's home town. His parent live there. This name means "city built on rock". It is a large quarry for high quality granite. I can't help thinking about belief in Jesus that Peter had, as being the rock upon which the church of Jesus Christ was built. Pastor Viktor now works with many orphanages and invalids and oversees 3 churches in the region. But he has had to curtail some visits to orphanages in more distant locals due to limited finances. He said for years he had this vision and began it, but he prayed and prayed for someone to come and help him. One day while checking his emails, he found among junk mail and viruses, the first email that I sent him. And the rest in now unfolding. There are many things that are definitely God happening. Like my flat I am renting. At first Viktor could only find something far a way. Then the flat above the church secretary became available and that is where I am staying! And Viktor walks to me every day. And we take bus to his church or to the orphanages.

Because of my visit here to Zhitomir and Viktor's church, the children under the guidance of their children's teacher, Olga, made a very nice puppet shows and skits and songs which were performed at the orphanages that we visited this week - 2 so far. With the money that all from our Vineyard church and others have donated, we were able to buy, childrens books, laundry detergent, candy and secondhand clothes (very cheaply) for these children. It was wonderful seeing their smiles as we gave them these things. I also gave out "colors of faith" bracelets which I brought with me. Also interesting is the logo or emblem of Viktor's church is a bunch of grapes, of course reminding me of the Vineyard. I have many great pictures. I have prayed for healing of two severely handicapped girls this morning and a woman a few days ago. Of course we prayed for complete healing but so far they have all reported feeling warmth in the heart as we prayed. I continue to pray for healing for this woman and girls: Leda, Julia, Elena. During our visit to Julia, Viktor led her alcoholic brother to Jesus. Praise the Lord! I ask you to pray for these handicapped women.

Again, I am very impressed with Viktor a man following God's direction. He shared a vision with me last night for expanding his ministry for older children that graduate from orphanages and they are basically send out into the street without a home, without job training, without food and maybe the clothes on their backs at 17 y/o. Please continue to pray for this ministry and bless it with your offerings as God leads. There is no doubt in my mind that this is where God wants most of the funds to go, and I have given much already and will send him more when I return home. Thank you all for your prayers and gifts.

With love from Ukraine,
His servant,
Al

1st message from Ukraine Orphans trip

Hello from Ukraine,

I had hoped to post a letter or two about my trip to Russia last May, but that will have to wait until later.

I arrived safely in Odessa, as planned on 3-Dec-06. While in Prague I thought I left me passport on the plane. I was very worried and asked if they could check the plane. They did and found nothing and said maybe I could get an emergency passport to continue on to Odessa. But if not, I'd have to fly back to USA. God help me! This can't be, I prayed. So I tore apart both carry-on's and there is was tucked safely inside my Bible. I told 3 officials at the airport where I found it. One security checker said, "Interesting, you were saved by the Bible." Yes I was, I thought, save by the Good News of Jesus Christ! Thank you God! I'm on my way!

These first couple days I had no real plans other than visiting a Pastor friend, Roman. As it turns out he is moving his church to a larger location which is in the middle of construction. And I was put to work yesterday and today installing the flooring. And 2 nights I shared at their prayer meetings so far. The night I arrive, I shared on my calling from God to minister to the orphans. And tonight I shared my testimony of how I gave my life to Jesus. Through translators the messages were well received.

More later. Thanks you all for your prayers and well wishes.

Al