April 2008 Outreaches

Team Report

The Team

Sign reads "Belogorsk"

Our team was blessed in many ways. The team was made up of Vitalik, Vika, Matt, Jamie, Anna, Lena, Sherrel and local members as well.  In Sevastopol Galya and Ira joined the team. What a blessing.  We arrived at 6 a.m. Sunday, met with Nalya and Valentina, went to church at 10 a.m. with Galya, then we went to Internot #1 and had a program, then on to Distky Dome 1 where we played for a couple of hours with the children. At 6 p.m. we had Alex, Sveta, Elijah and Karina over for dinner. We were joined by Vasya and Arcade. We had a great time of fellowship!!!!  Monday Galya, Vasya and Ira met us for breakfast. Galya made arrangements for us to have a program at an orphanage we had not been to before. The kids were GREAT!!! We were not allowed to visit Orphan House #2. The team spent the rest of the day traveling to Belogorsk and working on programs for Tuesday.

Belogorsk:

 In Belogorsk we stayed with Pastor Yuri and his family. We were able to have 15 programs plus visit several missionaries from Tuesday through Saturday. Yuri, Masha, Costia, Nastia and Alina joined the team. Tanya, Vadim and Sergey were able to receive permission form the orphanage Directors to be with us the week we were in Belogorsk.  What a blessing they were and are!!!

One day between programs Costia said we were going to visit some missionary brothers. He said we only had a few minuets so we would not be late for the next program. Well, after about 2 hours of INCREDIBLE PRAYER we rescheduled the program we missed for the next day. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was powerful. We were so blessed during this time of prayer!!!

We visited the Mental Internot, Foster Family, TB Hospital, many Kindergartens and Children’s Clubs. Each one was special with many children hearing the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST!!!

Sunday we had joint services with many of the missionaries in the area. Pastor Yuri and I shared God’s word and again we had a wonderful, powerful time of prayer. After church we left for Kerch.

Testimonies:

By Matt Coleman

I stand amazed at how the Lord has opened doors and blessed our contacts with favor in the Belogorsk Region. It is a predominately Muslim region with many Tatar villages. The fulltime Ukrainian missionaries in the region have worked so hard to sow the seed of the gospel and to reach out in friendship to the Tatars. Having served in the Caucasus region of Russia I know the strains of the Muslim world. The fact that dozens of schools, and kids clubs and orphanages have opened their doors to us for programs is astounding. We are running ministry programs that would not even be allowed in the States – and more doors are opening all the time. The Muslim world is ready for the Harvest. Pray for more workers who will reach out with patience and love.

By Jamie Yeoman

One of my favorite times in Crimea was with a local foster family, who has taken in 12 orphaned or abandoned young kids – many with major mental and emotional issues. They live simply, but have such joy. In the midst of seeing so many kids who are left alone and in bad situations, to get to hang out with 12 who have been given an incredible chance, was really encouraging. Not only are they well cared for, but they grow up in a home where they learn about the Lord and how to know him. It was incredible to see how much that couple has sacrificed to give these kids life. 

 Foster Family

Kerch:

 In Kerch we were back to an eight-member team. Five of us stayed at Camp Hope and three stayed with Vika. At the big Internot we had programs Monday thru Thursday. We went early each day so we had time to play and fellowship with the children. At Distky Dome 2 we were able to have programs Wednesday and Thursday. Tanya Frolov set up a program in a TB Internot for children. We had not been there before. The children even put on a program for us. They were so excited to have visitors. Sergey and Tanya made a celebration for us to celebrate the great success of the Fruit Program this year. Vika and her team from both Pastor Frolov and Pastor Homenko’s churches were able to have full Christian Programs in Kerch Kindergartens, and then they gave each child a bag of fruit & the Good News Book. Can you imagine Christian programs in our schools!!! They also had programs and gave fruit to many orphans. We have estimated that approximately 1800 children were reached with the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!

On a sad note we found out that Pastor Homenko is suffering from we think is Bells Palsy. We visited him at his home and prayed for his quick recovery. Please continue to pray for him. 

Testimonies:

By Matt Coleman

I am always deeply affected when visiting the large orphanage in Kerch.  The foundation of the gospel message that had been built there year after year is evident in the way that the kids meet, pray, listen, and praise the Lord.  In an place flooded with over 300 kids, around 40 kids (despite teacher opposition and persecuting slander) gather to have ‘church’ with us each night. And to hear these kids pray, and deal with life’s tough issues, and interact with dramas, songs, and testimonies – is simply amazing. A miracle.  Kids, that the world has completely turned their back on, praying for their fathers in jail and their alcoholic mothers and their teachers who bring them down. Kids, that have very little chance at a bright future, asking questions about our lives as believers and thanking God that He sent us there to tell them about His love and grace. Just kids. Kids who are growing up with conviction in their hearts, a hope of a new way.  Of course I have my favorites. We all do. Mine are Tanya, Pasha and Nastia. We met everyday to play and talk together. One of my favorite times this year was making dozens of photos we had taken of them into post cards with a border, the TLOT logo and a verse on them “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We urged them to hold one another up and pray for each other and to also read the entire chapter of Romans 8. Saying goodbye is always tough.  They always break down and the hugs go on forever. We take so much for granted.

By Jamie Yeoman

The day before our last program in Kerch, I met a little girl named Tanya. I started talking with her and asking her how she was, she started crying and said "I want to go home!!"  She told me that it was only her second day at the orphanage and that she wanted to go home. She didn't know anyone. She had a small knit cap on because her head had just been shaved – as happens with all new kids at orphanages – their cruel practice of dealing with lice. She was convinced it was a mistake that she had been taken from her family. They had evidently gotten very drunk at their own anniversary party among other things. I was so sad for her as she was talking and wondered how to encourage her, and what to say. We talked a little bit about God, and that I would be praying for her, but she was still so sad. 

The next day, she came running up, excited to see us and ready to participate in the program. I know that the Lord brought us to Kerch at the right time for her. God is continuing to use The Least of These at that orphanage and I know that she will grow in her faith and I thank the Lord that she was introduced to so many believing kids on her first two days and I know that she will grow in her knowledge of God, and hopefully come to know Him. At the same time, I was so encouraged to see God bring us there at just the right time to encourage her and bring some light into what was one of the hardest times she has known. In the midst of her first, hard days in a totally new world, we were able to be there for her.