At the beginning of this month, we were able to hold a baptism at our church, Promise Land! Many of you have read our book, “Dreams Come True If You Believe”, and now another dream of mine has come true. Our adopted son, Salli, his biological brother Batakomb, and another one of our adopted sons, Adza (many of you are familiar with these names), entered into a covenant with the Lord through water baptism!
We have been sharing the Gospel with them since they were just a little older than Miroslava, and now they have families, wives, and children who also serve the Lord. Don’t give up! Sometimes you see the fruit immediately, and sometimes you have to wait. But take these words as a sign—keep praying and witnessing, even when it seems hopeless. The Lord is doing His work in people’s hearts.
Right after the baptism, we went to the base of *Youth with a Mission* in Lae, where I had the privilege of teaching at the Discipleship Training School (DTS) on the topic “The Holy Spirit and His Role in the Great Commission.” It was an unforgettable time when we were able to learn together at His feet!
Right now, these 13 students have gone on the practical part of the course in the Enga province, which was recently affected by a natural disaster. They are bringing the light of the Gospel and the love of Christ to the people there.
Also, this month, we were able to visit the local hospital and prison several times. It is a privilege not only to share the Gospel but also to bless the prisoners and the sick with food, soap, and Bibles.
The evangelization of non believers on the Khan side of the Yamal Peninsula has been ongoing for decades. As soon as the Iron Curtain of atheism fell, compassionate followers of Christ began to actively participate in missionary work.
One day, preachers on the shore of the Ob Bay encountered an unusual tourist who was traveling along his route on a dog sled. As the travelers drew closer, the brothers began to testify to the lone traveler about Christ. He listened attentively to the evangelists, and then, breaking the silence, said, “You found me even at the ends of the earth! My mother is a believer, and she tells me about God every day. I thought I wouldn’t hear about this in the Arctic latitudes, so I embarked on this long journey with my dogs… But you found me even here!”
The owner of the dog sled turned out to be a Finn. He had been inspired by a long-held dream since his youth: to independently traverse the northern coast all the way to Chukotka. No one knows if he ever fulfilled his dream, but the Lord certainly reached him, even at the edge of the earth!
Misha, Nastya, and Petya lived together in a large family and loved each other very much. Unfortunately, their parents suffered from alcohol addiction and were unable to give the children the attention and care they needed. The large family of six lived in a small room, which eventually led these three wonderful children to come to us at the “Children’s Ark.” This place played an important role in their lives because it is a place that helps children and families in difficult situations. Here, remarkable people work tirelessly to relieve the pain and sadness from children’s hearts and help them reintegrate into family life.
Despite all the care and effort, the children still dreamed of returning to their parents. We realized that to help the children, we needed to help their parents as well. So, we began working with the parents to help them change their lives. Before the children could return home, it was crucial to engage the parents in the process. In the case of these children, the parents needed to overcome their alcohol addiction, find employment, and take steps to improve their living conditions. They went through rehabilitation, received a new apartment, and importantly, found jobs. Finally, the day came when the children could return home. Their faces were so full of joy! We hope that we were able to instill in the hearts of the children and their parents a faith in the living God and give them hope!
We have witnessed an amazing transformation. A woman who was once strongly opposed to Christians, even demanding back everything she had ever given to those who became Christians, has started attending our Bible study. Remarkably, she and her husband have decided to follow Jesus and have stopped worshiping spirits.
We now hold Bible study sessions at their home, where they are eagerly learning how to pray and study the Word of God together. This is a significant change and a serious decision for them, especially since many of their family members are not yet followers of Christ.
Please join us in praying for this couple and for a few other families who are open to learning more about Jesus—some have even started coming to church! We are also thankful to God for the elderly couple who have joined us in serving. They have been a tremendous blessing, especially in reaching out to the elderly in our community.
1,000 Reasons to Be Thankful
As I wrote before, there has been a war in our neighboring country for many years. Last week, we had the opportunity to visit refugee children in schools and camps. Most of these children have lost their parents and the places they once called “home.” Now, they live in huts, tents, or even under the open sky, holding onto hope for a better future.
One of the places we visited shelters 500 children who are clinging to God for their daily food. Most of these children are aged three and up, with only a few adults to care for them. Despite the extreme heat, lack of fans, and visible hunger and fatigue, the children were singing:
“Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son!…”
In moments like these, it’s hard to find any words to say, except to join them in prayer to our Heavenly Father, asking Him to provide for their needs, and reminding myself of 1,000, and even more, reasons I can be thankful to God!
With God’s help and the support of Christians like you, Avoda was able to send food aid to these children. Ladies from our church baked 600 cookies to bring some joy to them. God is good!
We are deeply grateful for your financial support, which helped us send cookies to these children. We invite you to be part of this important work in Thailand:
1. Pray: Ask God to send more partners to provide food aid for children in desperate need.
2. Participate: Join a team to run children’s programs in the refugee camps, share the Gospel, and bring joy and hope.
3. Donate: Contribute to providing nutritious cookies for the children, and witness the joy it brings them.
4. Spread the Word: Tell others about this ministry and how they can be part of it.
We are preparing, by God’s grace, to visit again in August. Please pray for the right people to join our team!
We are very grateful for you. May God richly bless each of you, provide for all your needs, and remind you of the 1,000 reasons you can be thankful!
In previous letters, I wrote about a girl who was suspected of having cancer and asked for prayers for her. I want to share the continuation of her story. I met Natasha through social media. One day, she called me and said she was in the hospital. When I arrived to visit her, she was very weak, pale, and had great difficulty moving. She was in a serious condition, but the doctors couldn’t diagnose her. During the diagnostic process, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, and a biopsy was taken to confirm it. Together with Natalia, we began to pray for her complete recovery and healing. Some time later, the test results came back, and the diagnosis was not confirmed. When she was transferred to another hospital, the new doctors reviewed all her tests, and although dark spots were clearly visible on the scans, the fresh tests were clean. She has now been discharged and is fully recovering. The Lord has shown His mercy once again and healed this girl. Thank you, Jesus, that the power of His Blood is still at work in us today, for “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
Thank you for praying for the ministry in Lebanon. I need your prayer support so that the Lord will continue to lead and guide the ministry among Slavic women. May the Lord open the hearts of people, and may the sown word bear fruit. I also ask for intensified prayers for peace in this region of the Middle East, that God’s protection will be over the people. May God’s Word spread throughout the earth, changing lives and destinies. I thank God and you for the opportunity to be His witness
After the summer, the rains and monsoon season will start again, and we’ve told you about our need for a means of transportation (a vehicle), for which we already have half of the funds. We still need $5,000 more. In the fall, we have planned evangelistic trips to Laos and Cambodia. We’ve made such trips in rented cars (very expensive), on mopeds (very challenging—1300 km), and by bus (24 hours to the destination—difficult, and our legs swell up). Recently, two teams came to help with evangelism, and while one part could travel by moped, the other couldn’t. We needed to move a lot, but due to the lack of transportation, not everyone was able to fully participate in the ministry.
Therefore, dear friends, we ask for your help in acquiring a vehicle (through prayer, financial support). May the Lord be glorified in this matter. Even if you can donate $10–20, it will still be a contribution to the work of evangelism. We always remember you in our prayers, thanking you for your labor and participation in spreading the Word of God in Southeast Asia. We are glad to serve with you. May the Almighty, Omnipresent, and Unchanging Lord and our God bless you with an abundance of His grace, meeting both your needs and ours.
