The week of classes is over

Well, we had a great week.  Before the class, the Kharkiv IP team had 3 English + Bible classes.  Now they have 4 more!  Their total number of weekly small group Bible discussions is now 1 Beginner, 2 Elementary, 3 Intermediate, and 1 Advanced.  Also 1 Volleyball + Bible, 1 Bible study in a nearby village (where they experience resistance from the village leaders), and one home church Bible study.  Every night there's at least one small group Bible study!

Please pray for our students, who will continue their studies in the following weeks and months.  They will come to understand more and more what Christ did for them on the cross.  Please also pray for the local team of missionaries - Sergey, Luda, and Marina - and their families.  They work hard and long, and serve unselfishly.  Their follow-up with new seekers and new believers is critical.  It is a real honor to work alongside them.

Please also pray for the local church, and for those who have come to Christ through this ministry.

 Dave Croft's Group

John Kirwan's Group

 Dave Leonard's Group

Judi Davis' Group

..Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

1 Peter 3:15

Finally, we have internet access and can publish an entry

Thursday, 28 October, we left Richmond for Newark, NJ, then Düsseldorf, Germany, then Kyiv, Ukraine.  We arrived Friday evening and after a good night's sleep at the flat of Nick & Maia of International Partnerships we had a quick tour of Kyiv to orient a new member of the team.  On Sunday morning we worshiped with old friends in the local church.  Then we went to the airport to fly to Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine.  The landing was very rough, and the airplane nearly flipped over from side to side.  The good news was that we had a chance to share Jesus on the flight with Vika, a young wife and mother of a 3 year old daughter.  Please pray for her.

On Monday we had our first classes.  The response to IP's advertising for our English plus Bible school was excellent, and we have a total of 60 participants.  The focus of the week is the purpose-driven life.  Dave Croft has the pre-Elementary class, John Kirwan has the Elementary class, Dave Leonard has the pre-Intermediate class, and Judi Davis has the Intermediate class.  The first Bible discussion was about personal goals, and used Proverbs 3 as a text.  The second night focused on careers, and used Matthew 25:13-29.

We don't preach, since Ukrainians were told by the Soviet government what to think for 70 years.  We look at life issues and explore what the Bible has to say.  Our goal is to show that the Bible is relevant to their lives, and let the scriptures and the Holy Spirit speak directly to their hearts and minds.