Summer Kids Camp 2009

We started meeting for the Summer Kids Camp. We had another meeting with the kids camp two weeks ago. Started brain storming for the theme for the Summer Kids Camp. I will be sending out solicitation letter to raise funds for the kids camp this Summer. Please pray that God will touch people to give for this camp. And that it goes well from the preparation, planning and to the execution of the program. We need to raise $3,000 for the kids camp.

Praying and waiting to hear from the US embassy this month. Hoping that we will hear from them this week. I am fasting this week, seeking God’s favour in the processing of the fiancée visa.

Wade rang the Immigration in the US and he was told that our application will only be processed this month of June. He was told that there is a queue in processing the applications. That means, we might not hear from them until August, which means I might be leaving for the US sometime late August or September.

But we trust God, and we just lift this up to Him and let Him take care of this matter. It is out of our control, but not from God. He can speed it up or we just have to wait until His perfect time comes for me to leave for the US either way, we seek His will and perfect time in this matter and not ours.

So, I might be here during the kids camp, not sure yet, it all depends on the processing of the visa. Will see and wait. Will let everyone know when we have more news about it or if there’s a progress on it.

Prayer Requests:

1. Funds for Summer Kids Camp
2. Preparation for moving-out (emotionally and physically)
3. Favour in processing needed documents for the US embassy
4. Processing of Fiancee Visa (we are still trusting God that we will hear from the immigration this month)
5. Plan visit to LCC Philppines on December, that God will provide the finances for it, especially for the Pastor and his family and other Ukrainians couple that are planning to come.

Thank you for all your prayers and support all these years in the works here in Ukraine. Praying and trusting God, that He will take care of the ministry here, even if and when He put me somewhere else for a time. Everything has its own time, and my time to leave Ukraine is coming soon. And a time for new season and adventure of my life is ahead of me. Looking forward to what God is in store for me and Wade. Excited about the future and to unknown, but trusting God that He will continue to lead us to His perfect will in our lives together.

On the Move

Those were the days: Me with some of the members of the youth group. (Photo taken during my first year in Ukraine.)

It has been a while since I last updated this blog. I’ve been really busy. Thanks for your patience.

Here are some updates:

• I‘ve been spending quality time with my friends and ministry co-workers here in Donetsk. Bonding with them is very important since they are like family to me already.

• I’ve been sorting things out in my flat in preparation for the big move to the US — things to keep and things to give away. In short, I’ve been doing some intensive spring cleaning! You will be amazed at how much I had accummulated all these years. Even though I normally do this spring cleaning annually, I still find myself very much surprised at how things pile up quickly year in and year out. Thankfully, I’m almost done sorting out my things. But somehow I know that this will be an ongoing process until my last week here in Ukraine. Some of my stuff were already given to individuals in need, while the others were donated to the church here for its humanitarian aid program.

• I’ve also attended to some documents needed by the US Embassy in Kiev. At the moment, I’m still waiting and praying to hear about the status of the processing of my fiancee visa. My fiance Wade and I are hoping and praying to hear from the embassy this month. Please keep us in your prayers. We trust that everything will go well according to God’s will and plan for us. We will only know the date of our wedding once I get the fiancee visa.

Thank you again, dear readers and supporters, for all the much needed prayers. Know that it is much appreciated!

Time of Reflections and Turnovers

We all don't know what's at the end of the flowing river or what’s under the calm waters.

I was just reflecting on my years and time here in Ukraine and the thought of leaving — that is, not using Ukraine as my base — makes me sad.

Ukraine (Donetsk) has been my homebase for almost seven years now. I had gotten used to living and working with the locals, whom I have grown to love.

The major change of plans involving my personal ministry in Donetsk will take place this year. I recently got engaged and this will cause change in terms of my work, my base, and my life in general.

After telling the core leaders the big news, I’ve been spending more time doing visitations with the church people. I had been gone for five months (I attended a community development course in the US), and so I’m trying to reconnect with the people.

The thought of me leaving Ukraine makes me sad. Sad that I will not be able to see and have fellowship with the church people and do more for the ministry once I’m based in another country. You see, there are still lots of things I wanted to do here in Ukraine. But I know and believe that there’s time for everything, as what is stated in the book of Ecclesiastes.

This is probably the time to change my role here in Ukraine with regard to ministry/work. I know God has other plans for me; to accomplish things with a partner, whatever they may be. I trust God completely with my life. And whatever it is that He has in store for me, I know in my heart that it will all be for the best.

Turning over some ministry tasks slowly but surely was actually done three years ago, knowing that I would not be in Ukraine forever. I believe that it is my part to train the pastor and his leaders and establish ministries, and later allow these trained leaders to take over when the right time has come. And I’m happy to say that for the last three years, the locals have been the ones who have been attending to ministry needs. I’m confident that they will be able to continue the task at hand, all with God’s grace.

Of course, I’m having mixed emotions now as I prepare to leave Ukraine and face the forthcoming changes in my life. However, I feel that that my involvement in the Ukraine ministry will not end here. It won’t be like how it was before, that is for sure, but I might still be involved in many ways. I can, for example, help bring a group of young volunteers to assist in the church’s summer kids camp. Or I can organize leadership/discipleship trainings and seminars whenever I’m in Ukraine.

I have always believed that healthy things grow, growing things change, change brings pain, and pain brings gain. Progress always brings about change. And to gain something, it will cost something. I also read that “the only thing that doesn’t change is change.”

I will keep you updated in the coming days on what’s happening, and I will definitely share with you the new adventures that I will have with God in the coming days.

Blessings!