Greetings From Your Joshua Team
Dear Friends,
We have been unable to blog since the Internet was not "communicating" properly here in Odessa.
Here is our story so far:
We arrived in Odessa with no problems. Of course with the filling out of all the forms our Team was some of the last people through the Customs Stations with our passports. Then we retrieved our bags (all 20 of them) and headed to the X-ray machines. This is the part where we were most concerned! However, as we began to place our bags on the belt and walk through the Scanner, we realized that the Inspector was not watching the screen. He and the 2 other Inspectors were concerned with the luggage of two Ukrainian women. The Inspectors were saying that they couldn't bring some item into the country. There was much yelling, crying and general mayhem, which allowed us to get our bags and walk through without any being checked. Thanks to the diverson, all of the medicines, medical supplies and gifts came through with no problems. We knew you were praying for us, but we didn't know how God would work this time. Each time is so very different...this time it was an hysterical young woman. It is always a surprise!
On the way over we learned that one host family had a medical emergency and that the Wrights, Gail Jenner and Terri Bolt would all be staying with one couple. We were a little concerned at first that this might put a burden on the Balaban family; however, it has been a great blessing. They are having a wonderful experience with the extended Balaban family of 4 generations in one home!
Tony and Danner Neal and the Proctors are being hosted by Pastor Igor Bandura and his wife, Anne. I think Danner is going to have a hard time leaving the Bandura children. They have stolen her hearts.
The Joshua Team has visited 2 of the ministries of Grace so far: the Farm/Orchard and the Transition House construction site. At the farm we learned that they harvested 90 tons of wheat and 10 tons of barley this year. We watched them bag some of the grain before going out to pick our own apples and sample some of the fruit grown this year.
A blessing of visiting the Transition House was getting to meet a team of 13 men from Wales who were at the house installing ceilings on the first floor. I'm going to let Allan Wright share his stories of the visit with you! Asked him how things are built in 5 days when you see him. This group of 13 men came from a church of only 22 members! Their pastor had met Igor while they were both in Ireland studying and he decided his church should come and help with the build. Since they only have 22 members, he saw this as an opportunity to invite some skilled laborers who were not members of the church to come with them and see how Christians assist each other. They were a laughing, happy group who were excited about the progress they had made in just one week. They were open to sharing with us how they had felt God's call to come and work. It was a joy to be in their presence. We may never meet again this side of Heaven, however, those men made quite an impression on all of us.
The Team has also met with one Prayer Group and we have had our first meeting with some of the church leaders to discuss our plans for this week. We have learned that they have many of the same challenges we have in our ministeries; however, we have learned they have a growing age group of 18 to 30. It's very exciting and almost too much to write about here.Tomorrow is Harvest Sunday - a big event in the life of the church. I am going to try to upload some pictures of the decorations for the front of the church. It's simply amazing what they are doing. Both morning and evening services will be videod so we hope to bring the DVDs back with us.
On Monday we will spend the day at the Black Sea Camp/Conference Center with the staff and key church leaders. It will give us an opportunity to meet in small group sessions to talk about our key strengths and our key challenges as churches so we can seek how God might lead us to work together in ministry.I wish you could talk with Gail, Terri, Danner, Allan, Tony and John right now. Each has their unique perspective on what they have seen. Each has a joy and excitement about what God has shared with them and each of us is awed by what can be done for the Kingdom with so little.
God bless each of you and may He prepare your hearts for service beyond the walls of Walnut Hills.
We have been unable to blog since the Internet was not "communicating" properly here in Odessa.
Here is our story so far:
We arrived in Odessa with no problems. Of course with the filling out of all the forms our Team was some of the last people through the Customs Stations with our passports. Then we retrieved our bags (all 20 of them) and headed to the X-ray machines. This is the part where we were most concerned! However, as we began to place our bags on the belt and walk through the Scanner, we realized that the Inspector was not watching the screen. He and the 2 other Inspectors were concerned with the luggage of two Ukrainian women. The Inspectors were saying that they couldn't bring some item into the country. There was much yelling, crying and general mayhem, which allowed us to get our bags and walk through without any being checked. Thanks to the diverson, all of the medicines, medical supplies and gifts came through with no problems. We knew you were praying for us, but we didn't know how God would work this time. Each time is so very different...this time it was an hysterical young woman. It is always a surprise!
On the way over we learned that one host family had a medical emergency and that the Wrights, Gail Jenner and Terri Bolt would all be staying with one couple. We were a little concerned at first that this might put a burden on the Balaban family; however, it has been a great blessing. They are having a wonderful experience with the extended Balaban family of 4 generations in one home!
Tony and Danner Neal and the Proctors are being hosted by Pastor Igor Bandura and his wife, Anne. I think Danner is going to have a hard time leaving the Bandura children. They have stolen her hearts.
The Joshua Team has visited 2 of the ministries of Grace so far: the Farm/Orchard and the Transition House construction site. At the farm we learned that they harvested 90 tons of wheat and 10 tons of barley this year. We watched them bag some of the grain before going out to pick our own apples and sample some of the fruit grown this year.
A blessing of visiting the Transition House was getting to meet a team of 13 men from Wales who were at the house installing ceilings on the first floor. I'm going to let Allan Wright share his stories of the visit with you! Asked him how things are built in 5 days when you see him. This group of 13 men came from a church of only 22 members! Their pastor had met Igor while they were both in Ireland studying and he decided his church should come and help with the build. Since they only have 22 members, he saw this as an opportunity to invite some skilled laborers who were not members of the church to come with them and see how Christians assist each other. They were a laughing, happy group who were excited about the progress they had made in just one week. They were open to sharing with us how they had felt God's call to come and work. It was a joy to be in their presence. We may never meet again this side of Heaven, however, those men made quite an impression on all of us.
The Team has also met with one Prayer Group and we have had our first meeting with some of the church leaders to discuss our plans for this week. We have learned that they have many of the same challenges we have in our ministeries; however, we have learned they have a growing age group of 18 to 30. It's very exciting and almost too much to write about here.Tomorrow is Harvest Sunday - a big event in the life of the church. I am going to try to upload some pictures of the decorations for the front of the church. It's simply amazing what they are doing. Both morning and evening services will be videod so we hope to bring the DVDs back with us.
On Monday we will spend the day at the Black Sea Camp/Conference Center with the staff and key church leaders. It will give us an opportunity to meet in small group sessions to talk about our key strengths and our key challenges as churches so we can seek how God might lead us to work together in ministry.I wish you could talk with Gail, Terri, Danner, Allan, Tony and John right now. Each has their unique perspective on what they have seen. Each has a joy and excitement about what God has shared with them and each of us is awed by what can be done for the Kingdom with so little.
God bless each of you and may He prepare your hearts for service beyond the walls of Walnut Hills.
posted by K. J. Proctor at
9:26 AM
1 Comments:
Thank you for blogging! I know you are tired out and yet you still stay connected to us here at WHBC. Sounds like all of you are having amazing experiences!
By
Marsha, At
September 29, 2008 10:27 PM
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