We completed our 9th Cherkassy Conference the first week of August. When we started this thing 9 years ago, I thought there would just be one. I never imagined it would continue or that it would take on a life of its own, something rather different that what it was supposed to be. But that's the interesting thing about life and about missions. We just try to put our lives in the hands of the Father and watch what He does with our feeble efforts. The Conference has blessed so many. Many have been baptized. Many have learned the Scriptures. Many have learned to serve and lead.

More than 30 participated this year as we made our way through the book of Judges. The tone was a little more subdued than previous years. Conference participants are generally now in their mid 20s as opposed to being 18 or 19. So that means we generally get to sleep a little earlier and things are a little quieter. Eleven people led sessions and everyone took turns at cooking, cleaning, shopping, and washing dishes. And for the second year in a row, conference participants paid for everything themselves without outside assistance.

We did have some great discussions and a LOT of learning experiences for those who were organizing the conference.  I was trying to be more on the sidelines. Of course, I couldn't stay out of the kitchen, though. We were able to organize at least one new outreach, a planned effort to minister to orphans. Please pray for those who are serving there. Paul Prill was also with us. I translated for him quite a bit since most of the sessions were in Russian. I don't think I am meant to be a translator but I gave it my best shot. We also had Vitas with us this year. Vitas is a university student from Lithuania who is dating a Nivki church member. The home we stay in is also owned by the Ouglev family that is partly from Lithuania. For Friday's lunch, we enjoyed some Lithuania cold borshch which was a treat for me. Too much milk in it for my lactose-intolerant stomach.

Back in Kyiv after the conference, we had a good-bye meal for Paul Prill and took him to the airport on Sunday.  And finally, a few days to rest from a long week at the conference.  Since August is the vacation month for Ukraine, the UEC is closed for two weeks and there aren't many people around.  We spent time with the Broadways who were in and out of Kyiv and helped host Oleg's birthday party at the UEC. We also enjoyed a number of long conversations with dear friends and fellow believers. 

About mid-month I got a bad case of food poisoning.  It seems I annually have food poisoning.  This year was no exception. 

As people began to return to Kyiv, we had several meetings with ministry leaders.  Oleg is leading up the cell/small group ministry; I have enjoyed seeing him work hard at organizing the new groups and being able to give advice and encouragement.  We have also been encouraging Lera and Vitaly as they lead up the student ministry this year.  They also have been doing a great job.  We have enjoyed several good conversations with them. 

In August the church planned to actively support 4 ministries: small group ministry, student outreach, orphan ministry, and street evangelism.  We also have the on-going prayer ministry.  All these ministries are being led by church members.  I am enjoying encouraging them, lifting them up a little when things get difficult, and trying to help prevent major mistakes.  Pray for these ministries, that they will grow and thrive. 

Near the end of the month, Joshua and Maurie Hanauer, former UEC interns, came for a visit and brought English Bibles for us to give out to first-year university students. We enjoyed spending time with them during their brief visit.

We also received an email from someone in Franklin, Tennessee, who knew someone who had baptized a Ukrainian exchange student this summer, and she was returning to Ukraine and would be studying in Kyiv.  Somehow, they sent us her cell phone number, Lera at the UEC got in contact with her, and she was at church a couple of Sundays ago!  She lives rather far out of the city.  We are concerned that it will be hard for her to be a part of community life but we do pray she will join us for the journey.  Pray for Alisa. 

Please visit our blog and click on August 2006 for pictures from Cherkassy Conference and other events. 

Thank you for your continued support. It’s more important than ever.  Our landlord just raised the rent again—it’s almost doubled in the last two years. And we had been hoping we could move to a larger apartment. Guess that’s not going to happen anytime soon.  God bless all of you.