November is here and more than likely our thoughts have started turning to Thanksgiving Day. For me, every day is a day of thanksgiving when I think of each one of you who make it possible for me to serve in Odessa year after year. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and giving – I could not be here without your generosity and sacrifice!
I thank God for you and pray that you and your loved ones will have a most blessed Thanksgiving!
Denise : )
11.06.2010
VISA AND REGISTRATION
June 13-21 I traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, in order to renew my Ukrainian visa. Praise the Lord, I received my visa in five days. I was able to visit with teammates from my mission, TEAM, during my stay and see the ministries they are involved in Revnice, a town outside of Prague.
When I returned to Odessa, I had to have my car title and car registration renewed at the police department. They only renew my car title and registration according to the terms of my visa, which means every year I have to make a visit to the police in order to be able to drive my car. After being in the country for three months, I was able to have my visa registered with the government authorities until the expiration of my visa next summer. I begin the process again in April 2011 when I will need to apply for a letter of invitation for another year visa.
Prague - City of 100 Towers
When I returned to Odessa, I had to have my car title and car registration renewed at the police department. They only renew my car title and registration according to the terms of my visa, which means every year I have to make a visit to the police in order to be able to drive my car. After being in the country for three months, I was able to have my visa registered with the government authorities until the expiration of my visa next summer. I begin the process again in April 2011 when I will need to apply for a letter of invitation for another year visa.
Prague - City of 100 Towers
BAPTISM AT THE BLACK SEA
Sunday, August 22, two brothers in our church, Oleg and Slavik, were baptized in the Black Sea. God blessed us with beautiful and warm weather. After their baptisms we went to the church for our worship service. Oleg and Slavik had their first communion and our pastor prayed for them individually.
It was a day filled with joy for our church members and our brothers in Christ. Pray for Oleg and Slavik to find their place of ministry in our church.
More photos of baptism on my Flickr Page
It was a day filled with joy for our church members and our brothers in Christ. Pray for Oleg and Slavik to find their place of ministry in our church.
More photos of baptism on my Flickr Page
DISCIPLING DISCIPLES
Two of my disciples, Ira and Ilina, have recently become involved in a program called, “Hope in Education.” This program is designed to help Christian teachers share their faith in the subjects they teach in public schools. Ira and Ilina have been in several cities in Ukraine; Kotovsk, Balta and Odessa, sharing these principles.
Please pray for them as they share their lives and experiences with other teachers. It is currently against the law to teach the Bible in public schools. Pray for the teachers, who are being taught how to share God in the classroom, to be bold in sharing Christian principles with their students.
Please pray for them as they share their lives and experiences with other teachers. It is currently against the law to teach the Bible in public schools. Pray for the teachers, who are being taught how to share God in the classroom, to be bold in sharing Christian principles with their students.
SUMMER CAMP IN LOUBATAIEVKA – August 2-6
In July, our summer mission team began to meet and make preparations for our camp in the village. The team members were Margarita, Ilina, Lena, Natasha, Oleg, Bajenna and me. Margarita, Lena and Ilina are students who attend my Bible studies and who I have been discipling for many years. What a joy for me to be able to do ministry together with them!
We also needed two young people to help us in our skits. Bajenna, our pastor’s daughter, and Oleg, one of the brothers in our church, agreed to join our team. We immediately had unity and everyone seemed to understand what their role would be for the week. We prepared songs, skits, games, crafts and Bible lessons and looked forward with great anticipation for the opportunity God was giving us to serve the precious children in Loubataievka.
Praise the Lord for the 48 children that attended our camp each day. We had 100 degree weather every day of the camp and there was no running water. Our brother, Rooslan, had to transport water in a huge barrel for drinking water, washing hands and food preparation. Our team was absolutely amazing! We had great unity and worked well as a team in spite of the extremely hot weather.
The children were also amazing! My teammates agreed that the children were like angels the whole week. We didn’t have any fighting or arguing. The last day of the camp, when we started our program, the electricity in the village was turned off. At first we were told that it may be only temporary, but it turned out that there was no electricity for the remainder of the camp. This didn’t stop our team or program. We needed electricity in order to perform our skit, so what could we do? I drove my car into the driveway of the church and put the disc in my CD player and turned up the volume as loud as it would go and the show went on!
On the last day, we presented a children’s Bible to each one of the children who attended the camp. Our team would like to thank the Calvary Church ladies in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for sending us crafts, gifts and treats for the children for our camp. Thank you to all of you who prayed for us.
Please continue to pray that God will use the things that were taught during the week of the camp to ultimately bring the children to a saving knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Margarita is already asking, “What are our plans for next summer?”
More photos of camp on my Flickr Page
We also needed two young people to help us in our skits. Bajenna, our pastor’s daughter, and Oleg, one of the brothers in our church, agreed to join our team. We immediately had unity and everyone seemed to understand what their role would be for the week. We prepared songs, skits, games, crafts and Bible lessons and looked forward with great anticipation for the opportunity God was giving us to serve the precious children in Loubataievka.
Praise the Lord for the 48 children that attended our camp each day. We had 100 degree weather every day of the camp and there was no running water. Our brother, Rooslan, had to transport water in a huge barrel for drinking water, washing hands and food preparation. Our team was absolutely amazing! We had great unity and worked well as a team in spite of the extremely hot weather.
The children were also amazing! My teammates agreed that the children were like angels the whole week. We didn’t have any fighting or arguing. The last day of the camp, when we started our program, the electricity in the village was turned off. At first we were told that it may be only temporary, but it turned out that there was no electricity for the remainder of the camp. This didn’t stop our team or program. We needed electricity in order to perform our skit, so what could we do? I drove my car into the driveway of the church and put the disc in my CD player and turned up the volume as loud as it would go and the show went on!
On the last day, we presented a children’s Bible to each one of the children who attended the camp. Our team would like to thank the Calvary Church ladies in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for sending us crafts, gifts and treats for the children for our camp. Thank you to all of you who prayed for us.
Please continue to pray that God will use the things that were taught during the week of the camp to ultimately bring the children to a saving knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Margarita is already asking, “What are our plans for next summer?”
More photos of camp on my Flickr Page
ROOSLAN & VALENTINA’S WEDDING
A lot of you remember Rooslan, one of the brothers who repented in the village of Loubataievka in 2005. He went on to study at the Odessa Theological Seminary and has been preaching in Loubataievka and the Ivanovka region for the past five years.
Rooslan has been praying for the Lord to provide a wife for him the past few years and God answered. With the help of several pastors, Rooslan was able to meet Valentina, a sister living in the town of Vinnitsa. They started to get to know each other mainly over their cell phones because of the distance between Ivanovka and Vinnitsa.
Rooslan and Valentina got married on September 26 and are now living in Ivanovka and serving in the village of Loubataievka. Please continue to pray for them. Their desire is to honor and glorify God in full time ministry.
More wedding photos on my Flickr Page
Rooslan has been praying for the Lord to provide a wife for him the past few years and God answered. With the help of several pastors, Rooslan was able to meet Valentina, a sister living in the town of Vinnitsa. They started to get to know each other mainly over their cell phones because of the distance between Ivanovka and Vinnitsa.
Rooslan and Valentina got married on September 26 and are now living in Ivanovka and serving in the village of Loubataievka. Please continue to pray for them. Their desire is to honor and glorify God in full time ministry.
More wedding photos on my Flickr Page
BIBLE LESSONS IN SCHOOLS
In August, Maria and Angelika called me and asked when I could start the Bible lessons for their groups in the schools. We agreed that I would teach their groups on Fridays this year. Angelika has 18 students and I meet with them at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Maria has 24 students in her group and we meet at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
I have one parent who attended our group to see what her son was being taught. She liked the lesson so much that she asked if she could invite her husband to attend with her! Last year I taught the same lesson to these groups. However, this year the groups have changed and I am teaching different lessons to each group, which means more preparation time for me. I currently have four Bible study groups each week. Please pray for me to organize my time well so that I can spend the time I need in preparation for these lessons.
I am teaching core Biblical principles in one group and the main stories from the Old Testament to my second group. Please pray for God to use these lessons to reach these students for Christ. Also pray for the teachers, Maria and Angelika, to come to know Christ.
I have one parent who attended our group to see what her son was being taught. She liked the lesson so much that she asked if she could invite her husband to attend with her! Last year I taught the same lesson to these groups. However, this year the groups have changed and I am teaching different lessons to each group, which means more preparation time for me. I currently have four Bible study groups each week. Please pray for me to organize my time well so that I can spend the time I need in preparation for these lessons.
I am teaching core Biblical principles in one group and the main stories from the Old Testament to my second group. Please pray for God to use these lessons to reach these students for Christ. Also pray for the teachers, Maria and Angelika, to come to know Christ.
HARVEST CELEBRATION
On Sunday, October 10, our church celebrated the Harvest. This is a day similar to Thanksgiving Day in America. It is a day we set aside to give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings He has provided in our lives. The children sang special songs and recited poetry and we honored God with songs of praise and thanksgiving.
More Harvest Celebration photos on my Flickr Page
More Harvest Celebration photos on my Flickr Page
ORDINATION SERVICE FOR DEACON YURIE AKSUTIN
In November, we are planning an ordination service for our first deacon. If you remember, Yurie was the interim leader in our church for eight months until we called our new pastor, Bronislav.
Pray for Yurie and his wife, Olga, as they prepare to minister to our church in this special ministry.
Pray for Yurie and his wife, Olga, as they prepare to minister to our church in this special ministry.
NEW YEAR CELEBRATION
Please pray for the New Year celebration we are planning in the village of Loubataievka on December 26. New Year’s is the biggest celebration in Ukraine. New Year’s Eve is when Grandfather Frost (a.k.a. Santa Claus) brings gifts to the children.
Thanks to your financial gifts, I will be able to prepare food baskets for the needy families in Loubataiekva and to prepare New Year gifts for the children. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to work with Rooslan and Valentina in preparing a program for this special event.
Thanks to your financial gifts, I will be able to prepare food baskets for the needy families in Loubataiekva and to prepare New Year gifts for the children. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to work with Rooslan and Valentina in preparing a program for this special event.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
We are already beginning to make preparations for Christmas in our church in Odessa. We are learning new songs and the children are starting to work on poetry and a program as well. Remember we celebrate Christmas on January 7.
On Christmas Eve we plan to sing Christmas carols on the street and to invite our neighbors to our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
Pray that God will open the hearts of the people in our community.
On Christmas Eve we plan to sing Christmas carols on the street and to invite our neighbors to our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
Pray that God will open the hearts of the people in our community.
GRADUATION TO GLORY
It is with great sadness that I share that our dear brother in the Lord, Pastor Vladimir, was taken home to be with His Lord on September 22. His funeral was on September 25.
God was greatly glorified as many shared the impact Vladimir’s life had on so many people. In a presentation of his life, there was one photograph that showed him standing in the clouds with his Bible in one hand and the words, “Until we meet at the feet of Jesus.”
Praise the Lord for the hope we have in Christ to meet our loved ones in heaven. Please pray for Pastor Vladimir’s wife, Jane, and their children, Olga and Leonid, for Leonid’s wife, Alonya, and their two children as they grieve the loss of husband, father and grandfather.
God was greatly glorified as many shared the impact Vladimir’s life had on so many people. In a presentation of his life, there was one photograph that showed him standing in the clouds with his Bible in one hand and the words, “Until we meet at the feet of Jesus.”
Praise the Lord for the hope we have in Christ to meet our loved ones in heaven. Please pray for Pastor Vladimir’s wife, Jane, and their children, Olga and Leonid, for Leonid’s wife, Alonya, and their two children as they grieve the loss of husband, father and grandfather.
OLGA
Please continue to pray for Olga who is currently continuing chemotherapy treatments. She is not doing well and has become very weak.
Pray for God to give her strength to finish the treatments and for God to provide healing for her.
Pray for God to give her strength to finish the treatments and for God to provide healing for her.
REMODELING ENDS ?!?!
Can you believe it???
Praise the Lord that our remodeling has come to an end!!!
Of course, minor repairs will always be needed, but at the present we have finished our building repairs. Our entranceway was finished in October before our Harvest celebration. We also were able to purchase bookcases for our church library.
Thank you to all of you who gave gifts towards remodeling. May God repay you for your kindness to us and bless you lavishly!
Praise the Lord that our remodeling has come to an end!!!
Of course, minor repairs will always be needed, but at the present we have finished our building repairs. Our entranceway was finished in October before our Harvest celebration. We also were able to purchase bookcases for our church library.
Bookshelves
Thank you to all of you who gave gifts towards remodeling. May God repay you for your kindness to us and bless you lavishly!
Entranceway
Entranceway
6.15.2010
Dear Praying Friends and Churches
So many prayers have been answered since my last prayer letter that I don’t know where to start! First of all, I want to thank you for your prayers for me and for our church in the Field of Miracles. I think I will start with the most recent answers to prayer and then share what has been happening in my ministry since my last letter!
Grab a cup of coffee or tea and get ready for the adventure!
I thank God for you!
Denise : )
Grab a cup of coffee or tea and get ready for the adventure!
I thank God for you!
Denise : )
NEW PASTOR
INTRODUCING OUR NEW PASTOR,
BRONISLAV ZILKOVSKI and WIFE, DINA
On April 30, I had an unplanned meeting with Pastor Bronislav Zilkovski in his office. We discussed how our church plant was coming along and then I asked him what his plans were, since he was stepping down as Senior Pastor for the Odessa Region Churches. He had served two years as assistant to the Senior Pastor and the past eight years as Senior Pastor. After he explained several opportunities that were possible for him, I blurted out, “Would you consider being the pastor of the Ascent Church?”
He looked at me with surprise and said he would pray about it with his family. About a week later, he told me that he and his wife and children were all in agreement to come and serve with us, if it was God’s will.
Praise the Lord! This past Sunday, June 6th, we called Bronislav to be our pastor. Our church and all of you have been praying for eight months for God to send us a pastor. We never thought or imagined that God was preparing for us such a loving, kind and experienced good shepherd.
Pastor Bronislav and Dina have five children – four sons and one daughter. Their oldest son, Arthur, is 23. Reuben is 21. Bajenna is 15 (soon to be 16 she tells me). Mark is 8 and Phillip, the youngest, just turned 7.
Pray with us during this time of excitement and change as we begin to work together with our new pastor and his family. Pray that God’s Spirit will work in us and through us to reach the lost people in our community. Five years ago, in July 2005, Pastor Bronislav asked our church plant team to organize a church in the “’Field of Miracles.” I believe exciting days are ahead for our church.
REMODELING PROJECT
I’ve started to wonder, “Will this ever end?”
While I was in the States we had some workers lay the tile in our entranceway (pic below). We still need to spackle the walls, paint, put in a handrail and have new lighting installed. Wiring needs to be replaced in most of the building and the stove and range top in our kitchen still need to be wired. Please pray that we can find a qualified electrician who can get this work done quickly.
We will need to replace the drop ceilings in several of our children’s Sunday School rooms after the wiring is replaced.
While I was in the States we had some workers lay the tile in our entranceway (pic below). We still need to spackle the walls, paint, put in a handrail and have new lighting installed. Wiring needs to be replaced in most of the building and the stove and range top in our kitchen still need to be wired. Please pray that we can find a qualified electrician who can get this work done quickly.
We will need to replace the drop ceilings in several of our children’s Sunday School rooms after the wiring is replaced.
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
I will travel to Prague on June 13 to process my Ukrainian visa for another year. I am thankful to the Lord for TEAM colleagues in Prague who will pick me up at the airport and provide housing for me for the week.
Please pray that I can receive my passport back in a timely manner and return to Ukraine to continue my ministry.
Please pray that I can receive my passport back in a timely manner and return to Ukraine to continue my ministry.
TEACHING BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES IN SCHOOLS
Last fall I shared with you that God had opened a door for me to share the Bible in school #73 and school #15. When I returned from the States, I was asked to continue my lessons with these students.
I shared the real meaning of Easter and then started sharing core value principles that Cindy Duff, a Bible teacher at Northside Christian School, shared with me. When I started working on the lessons from the outlines she sent me, I understood that I needed to rework the material to share with students who are not believers. I prepared lessons each week with PowerPoint presentations.
We had lessons from the Bible on respect, excellence, responsibility, gratitude, love for God and others, honesty and obedience.
The school year ended on May 31. During the summer months I need to continue preparation for these classes in the fall. It takes me about eight to ten hours to prepare a 45 minute lesson. Please pray that God will give me wisdom as I share the Word of God with these students who have never heard the Gospel and have never had exposure to God’s Word until now.
At my last class, the students and teachers presented me with bouquets of flowers, gifts and thank you notes. One of the teachers wrote, “Thanks for the joy of having you in our classes. Thanks for the light, for God’s Word you bring to us. Having met you once, Denise, you have a special place in our hearts!”
One student wrote, “Thank you so much for everything you have done. Thank you for fantastic lessons. They were very interesting and useful. Every week there was something new and amazing. Every lesson we talked about things which make our life better.”
I shared the real meaning of Easter and then started sharing core value principles that Cindy Duff, a Bible teacher at Northside Christian School, shared with me. When I started working on the lessons from the outlines she sent me, I understood that I needed to rework the material to share with students who are not believers. I prepared lessons each week with PowerPoint presentations.
We had lessons from the Bible on respect, excellence, responsibility, gratitude, love for God and others, honesty and obedience.
The school year ended on May 31. During the summer months I need to continue preparation for these classes in the fall. It takes me about eight to ten hours to prepare a 45 minute lesson. Please pray that God will give me wisdom as I share the Word of God with these students who have never heard the Gospel and have never had exposure to God’s Word until now.
At my last class, the students and teachers presented me with bouquets of flowers, gifts and thank you notes. One of the teachers wrote, “Thanks for the joy of having you in our classes. Thanks for the light, for God’s Word you bring to us. Having met you once, Denise, you have a special place in our hearts!”
One student wrote, “Thank you so much for everything you have done. Thank you for fantastic lessons. They were very interesting and useful. Every week there was something new and amazing. Every lesson we talked about things which make our life better.”
CHURCH LIFE
For the past 8 months, Yurie Aksyutin has acted as our interim leader. He and his wife, Olga, have shown love and care to our church members and we are grateful for their service. During this time without a pastor, we lost three church members. We have a new family, Alexander and Nina, who are attending week-day services and on Sunday. They are hearing God's Word and are searching for answers. They told us they are not ready to repent. However, we see that God is doing a work in their lives. Pray for their salvation.
We have been praying with one of our sisters in the church for the past three years that her son, Igor, would come to know Christ. He repented recently and was at Bible study this week at church.
Pray for Igor to find a place where he can receive the help and encouragement that he needs in his life. He is a former drug addict and is struggling with an illness.
One of our sisters, Anush, took a position on a passenger ship as a medical nurse and will be gone for eight months.
Our brother, Oleg, is finishing his preparation for baptism and Lord willing, will be baptized in July or August. I’ll send you the details later.
Currently our church has Tuesday evening Bible study, Wednesday evening prayer meeting, Friday evening Bill Gothard’s Video Seminar and Sunday morning worship.
We have been praying with one of our sisters in the church for the past three years that her son, Igor, would come to know Christ. He repented recently and was at Bible study this week at church.
Pray for Igor to find a place where he can receive the help and encouragement that he needs in his life. He is a former drug addict and is struggling with an illness.
One of our sisters, Anush, took a position on a passenger ship as a medical nurse and will be gone for eight months.
Our brother, Oleg, is finishing his preparation for baptism and Lord willing, will be baptized in July or August. I’ll send you the details later.
Currently our church has Tuesday evening Bible study, Wednesday evening prayer meeting, Friday evening Bill Gothard’s Video Seminar and Sunday morning worship.
SUMMER VBS IN LOUBATAIEVKA
Some of my Bible study ladies and I will be having a Vacation Bible School August 2-6 in the village Loubataievka. I want to thank the Calvary Church Bible study ladies who are sending boxes with craft supplies and daily take-home gifts for the children. We are using one of the programs that the Calvary ladies used two summers ago with our church. It is called “Son Harvest County Fair – Growing the Fruit of the Spirit.”
Pray for each person who will be sharing the Bible lessons, participating in the skits, sharing the animal-of-the-day, leading songs, leading games and organizing the crafts. Pray with us that we will be able to work together as a team and share the love of Jesus with the precious children in this village.
Pray that some of the children would make a decision for Christ and that many seeds will be planted.
Pray for each person who will be sharing the Bible lessons, participating in the skits, sharing the animal-of-the-day, leading songs, leading games and organizing the crafts. Pray with us that we will be able to work together as a team and share the love of Jesus with the precious children in this village.
Pray that some of the children would make a decision for Christ and that many seeds will be planted.
STATESIDE MINISTRY
I was encouraged and blessed by seeing so many of you face-to-face during my visit to the States from January 15-March 21. I traveled on 18 planes, slept in 13 different beds, traveled through 9 States, visited 9 churches, saw family, personal friends and made many new friends.
I tried to take pictures of everyone I visited. However, sometimes I forgot. I'm sorry I didn't get everyone's picture!
Go to: http://flickr.com/gp/ukraineministry/c893B3 to see my friends, family and ministry with my churches. Enjoy!
TWO VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE!
Pastor Vladimir Parfenenko, the senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Odessa, had brain surgery on February 16 and is at home recovering. He has seen many dark and difficult days and really needs your prayers for healing. Pray for God to raise him up so that he can continue to minister at the church. I have been friends with Pastor Vladimir and his wife, Jane, since 1994.
Olga Pasmeetna is our sister in Christ from the village of Loubataievka. Olga (below) had tumors removed about six years ago. However, the cancer has returned. She had a mastectomy a few weeks ago and is also at home recovering. She will soon be returning to Odessa for treatments. Pray for God to heal her and restore her health.
Olga Pasmeetna is our sister in Christ from the village of Loubataievka. Olga (below) had tumors removed about six years ago. However, the cancer has returned. She had a mastectomy a few weeks ago and is also at home recovering. She will soon be returning to Odessa for treatments. Pray for God to heal her and restore her health.
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