Odessa
I have just completed a tough bout of ministry in Odessa, Ukraine. It has been amazing seeing the poor coming to the Lord in big numbers. The ministry to the poor and the orphans has been strenuous but very fulfilling. It was a joy to teach a group of hungry students (from many different areas – Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Crimea etc) at a Bible School near the Moldovan border, as well as conduct a series on Prayer and Fasting that to my amazement was attended by 7 different churches.
On Saturday I met up with Yulya (the little 8 year old girl in the old photo from when we started ministering to the kids living in the drains). She is now 18 and was visiting Igor in hospital when we arrived. She is in good shape with a little baby girl of her own. Here are some of the other guys from the center visiting Igor as well. He had surgery on his broken kneecap. What a happy time that was, seeing them well, off drugs and caring for each other.
We are close to getting a decision from the Odessa City Council about the sale of the Homeless Kids Centre to us. Then we can renovate it properly for the kids.
I have just got off the plane in Latvia to begin the programme of checking on the orphanages here (it’s been snowing already) and conduct the outreach seminars to the military, navy and air force for the next week and a half.
From Latvia
I got off the plane in Latvia Sunday night 17th to begin the programme of checking on the orphanages here (it’s been snowing already) and conduct the outreach seminars to the military, navy and air force.
The first day I ministered at the Riga Military Base where the response was wonderful. We then drove two hours east to Cesis to the Baptist Church to equip the believers in evangelism. The next day in Aluksne near the Russian border I had four seminars at this Commando Military Base where hundreds of troops heard the gospel.
The following day we drove 5 hours across Latvia to Ventspils where I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with the Latvian National Basketball Team. They were very respectful and appreciative.
We then drove 100 kms south to minister at the Liepaja Naval Base. Here I addressed the staff and navy seals for the third time in a year. What an honour. So many are coming to the Lord.
We then drove back to Ventspils for an evening meeting at the Baptist Church to equip the church in how to win their families, friends and colleagues to Christ. The next day saw us again at the Lielvarde Air Force Base sharing the gospel challenge with the top pilots and staff.
Last Saturday morning, I led two seminars to a group of needy men seeking God’s healing touch in their lives and family relationships. One 34 year old man named Maris (in the photo) told me that God had begun to heal him of the trauma of being molested by his father from childhood until he was fifteen. So tragic but God was very gracious to him.
Last Sunday I travelled an hour south to minister to the inmates of the big Jelgava Prison where most of the men are now believers. After that I was privileged to share with the poor of the area in the church pastored by the Prison chaplain, Janis.
Through this last week I have been teaching on “Power Evangelism – using the gifts of the Holy Spirit to reach the unchurched” at the Baltic Bible School that has 40 young students from all over Latvia and Lithuania who are training for ministry.
The 5,500 orphans we support in Eastern Europe are struggling with the onset of an early cold winter. I’m getting a lot of urgent calls for help from them already.
Please stand with us to meet these needs. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.
