Dealing with disappointment, while never easy, says something about who we are. Now there are a group of Ukrainian musicians who are having to do this as they come to terms with the decision of the British Border Agency to refuse them visas for entry to the UK in October to help us with the Silver Jubilee tour. Neither the jazz group nor the folk group can come, so we have invited concert pianist, Andrii Vaskevych to return in their place.
Andrii too is dealing with his own disappointment, after the newsletter appeal for help in raising £12,000 to make it possible for him to accept the place for a postgraduate year at the Royal Northern College of Music. By the deadline, we had received just £20, so, regretfully, I had to inform him that he could not proceed. I was able to sweeten the pill some, by giving him £1,500 to continue a further year at the Tchaikovsky Music Academy in Kyiv and he hopes that one day he will be able to go on to study in Moscow. In the meantime, he has agreed to tour with us in October.
Also, joining the tour will be Tim Thompson, from Nashville, who was the winner of the 2008 International Finger-style Guitar Championship. He will bring with him his 16 year old son Myles, who will also feature as a violinist. (see for yourself on You Tube – type in “Tim and Myles Thompson, ‘Red Haired Boy.’” And others)
We still need volunteers in each of the locations. (see programme) If you would like to help and live within a 10 mile radius of one venue, contact me on vic.jackopson@mac.com. We need you to help us advertise the events in your area! Let me know if you need some posters or leaflets. (demo with this newsletter)
I started with a disappointment, which has turned into a greater opportunity. Now I want to share something really exciting. If you had been walking along the shore of the River Dnipro, in Cherkassy, in the early morning of 4th July, you might have seen between floating floral displays the sight of people dressed in white going out voluntarily to be met by five waiting men, stood up to their chests in the water. You would have heard, again and again, declarations of faith in Jesus and then a splash in unison as believers were plunged beneath the water, re-enacting the ancient rite of believers’ baptism.
Among that number, would be some who trace their spiritual walk back, in some measure, to Hope Now. For example, there was Myroslava, whom we sent to Birmingham, Alabama, three years ago for two major operations to correct the curvature of her spine. She and her companion, Ira, are both products of our cottage homes and live at Alpha House with Misha and Leyna Vishemirskyy. Ira wrote to me today and said, “ I am thankful to the Lord for this wonderful gift (of baptism) in my life and for my big Christian family, thanks to whom I came to God. The life I have now is a real blessing!” With them was a young lady called Leyna, to whom I had the privilege of sharing the gospel last year. Add to that Sasha and Pavel, orphans whom we took into Cornah House, pre-independence home. Also Angela Lavrenko, another of our rescued young people who came into the care of Pastor Kuzin. Like so many of our young people, they came in ignorance of any spiritual values but have learned the gospel from those who care for them most. Their faith is vibrant and enables them to face the challenges of tomorrow with confidence. We who pray for the work in Ukraine, share the sorrow of those who have suffered disappointment and rejoice that still, God is at work blessing the efforts of our staff and volunteers. Thank you for all your support.
During the past ten years Vera and I have visited the Day Care Study
Centre in Cherkassy to oversee and play a part in the refurbishing and
equipping of classrooms to better serve the needs of the students who
have physical or mental disabilities and their teachers.
I first got to know about Hope Now 20+ years ago at St Helen,
Bishopsgate. Working in the nearby Lloyd’s Building, I would go to
their Tuesday lunchtime services.
During May, as the 2010 holiday season approached at Kompas Park (KP),
Khreshchatyk deep in Ukraine, the annual pilgrimage of work teams from
the UK took place.
01.02.2012 Pray for Alla, Lena, Ksenya and the team presently working in Calcutta for another two weeks with Tear Fund projects
02.02.2012 Pray that the Mission Fund, which undergirds all that is done both here and in Ukraine, will have the finances to meet all our obligations
03.02.2012 Pray for all the older people that came to our Christmas party in Cherkiassy, that the Lord will bless them whatever their situation or background
04.02.2012 Pray for those who had a well installed last year, that as they share their water they will get opportunities to share their faith also
05.02.2012 Pray for all those who are attending the Bible School that they can give adequate time to studying, working and being with their families
06.02.2012 For all the foster parents of children supported by Hope Now, that they will have patience as they have to deal with problems that occur from time to time
07.02.2012 Our auditors visit the Southampton offices today to audit our accounts – pray that all will be in order as figures are checked
08.02.2012 Give thanks for all the volunteers that come into the office and give of their time so sacrificially, doing jobs at times without even being asked
09.02.2012 Pray for Frank and Lin as they plan for the summer at Kompas Park, and visit churches to speak about the varying areas of service possible
10.02.2012 Pray for Misha and all the staff at the Ukraine office as they consider all the requests from those asking for help
11.02.2012 Pray that all the plans for the Annual Weekend Away next month will come together well, and that people will register early while rooms are still available
12.02.2012 Pray for Alla Kostyunina, Director of Kompas Park, that she will be given wisdom in her decisions and management of the Park
13.02.2012 Give thanks that the young people in South Africa are doing well with their education, and pray for wisdom for Margaret Ferguson as she guides and directs them
14.02.2012 On this St Valentine’s Day, pray for the students we support who are in relationships, that they will be sensible and keep up their studies
15.02.2012 Pray for David and Valerie Reddaway as they oversee the Bible School, and the Church planting and twinning programme
16.02.2012 Pray for Jon as he attends a Men Meet meeting in Milford on Sea this evening
17.02.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they travel to Buckinghamshire to attend the Vetinerary Christian Conference this weekend
18.02.2012 Pray for Maria Shevchuki of Kuchkivka village as she celebrates her 86th birthday today
19.02.2012 Pray for the Directors and Staff of Orphanages we are involved with, that they will look after their children with love and dedication
20.02.2012 Pray for the young girls in Swindon House, and boys in Cornah House as they learn new skills which will prepare them for their futures
21.02.2012 Pray for Jon in his many responsibilities, that he will have wisdom in each decision that he has to make
22.02.2012 Pray for Lidia Savelieva and her vision of a sheltered home for older people to be realised, and pray for finances to come in for this project
23.02.2012 For Larisa Vovk in her work of overseeing the work being done with children in the orphanages and cottage homes
24.02.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they travel to Carlisle for the Northern Vet’s Christian Conference
25.02.2012 Pray for Cyndee and Darrell Knight and the work they do in the American Office for Kompas Park
26.02.2012 Pray for the Food Programme in Ukraine, especially through this winter time, that all those in need will receive help and no-one will be overlooked
27.02.2012 Pray for Vitaly and Ludmila Sidenko in their work with the African Students at 2nd Baptist Church, and Ludmila’s work with the deaf community at the same church
28.02.2012 Pray that we may be able to assemble a team of dentists and nurses to treat the children in the internats
29.02.2012 Give thanks for all our supporters who pray regularly for the work of Hope Now, and give sacrificially month upon month – pray the Lord will bless them as they bless the people of Ukraine
