Once again we are preparing for our season of summer camps, this year we have even more opportunities to serve both in Kompas Park and, if you are hardy, in some village locations. We are also able to offer more places as we shall be integrating the UK and USA volunteers with the Ukrainian leaders, in a bid to build relationships and work closer together.
If you, your Church or Housegroup are interested in joining us this year please contact either myself (Jon) or Frank and Lin through the Southampton office. We will be happy to come and speak to your church to help encourage support and make it a “Church event”. There are many ways in which Churches can support those being sent and we would encourage you to include as many as you can.
Last years Widows Camp was called “an assembly of lonely people”, and Larisa wrote how good it was to be together, to encourage and help each other. The slogan of the camp was ‘I came for you; you came for me, so that God’s love would increase again and again’. There was also a song that helped the group always to be happy, not to grumble or complain, encouraging a time of rest for lonely people.
Arriving at Kompas Park the participants were faced with their first question – ‘what would you do if you were told Jesus was coming in 2 hours?’ the answers varied from praying, rejoicing or waiting to telling others. Everyone helped, Frank gave some advice, Phoebe prayed as the group made their way to ‘the mountain’, but then it was found there was no electricity! Eventually Lin found the right switch and all was well again.
Each day the Sermon on the Mount was studied, and much wisdom learnt as the group shared together. In fact Larisa commented that we are all the same, Ukrainians, English and Americans, because there is but one God, and He is loved by us all, and in the same way we love one another. In fact that love was shown when one of the men, Vasyl, proposed to one of the ladies! Dusia who said ‘yes’ and their wedding took place on 18th October.
Each morning there were exercises led by Anastasia, and on the second day the group had to gently tread the ‘path of sin’. Each person had to tread through string, to which bells were attached, and not make them ring.
In honour of Frank and Lin becoming grandparents there was a competition of grandfathers; they had to dress a baby (a doll), and unfortunately some of the clothes were put on upside down! In the end, Ukrainian Ivan and American AC did the best job.Then each evening a different team gave a report on the events of the day and showed off some of their talents. Each team did very well and were a good example to the others.
Much fun was had on the fifth day, there were dramas followed by a film about what we had done during the week, filmed by Frank. It was all so much fun that we did not want to say goodbye. May God continue to bless all who participated in the camp, and if He allows us to come together again, it will be a great joy for all in Kompas Park.
After the camp many wrote letter of thanks, such as Nikolai who wrote, “my wife died recently, and I felt it was it was the end of my life too. The Deacons encouraged me to go to camp with some of the sisters from our Church. I could not hold back the tears when I spoke about my wife, and nobody tried to comfort me, they all cried with me. Then, later I played like a child, I laughed, was an actor, competed for my team and shared the Word of God. I felt better, knowing we were all even, and came to realise in the camp that my life didn’t stop, it continues. Thank you, to all who make it possible”.
As Christmas approached the local churches in Cherkassy were asked to
help the children in the orphanages by giving a present for one child.
Natasha is a member of one of those churches and this is her story.
01.05.2012 Pray for the music group Zozulenka, and their teacher Natalya, as they busily practice for their return tour here in November
02.05.2012 Pray for preparations that are being made for the cycle tour this summer, and for opportunities for the participants to share their faith as they cycle around the villages
03.05.2012 Pray for Brenda and Ksenya as they speak today at the meeting of the Oasis Group at Locks Heath Church
04.05.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they attend the Baptist Assembly annual meeting in London until 7th
05.05.2012 Pray for our students at Universities and Colleges as they complete their studies for this semester and take their end of year exams
06.05.2012 Pray for all those who receive food packages through the feeding programme, that no needy person/family is overlooked
07.05.2012 Pray for David John as he completes his preparations for the teaching sessions at the Pastor’s Conference next week
08.05.2012 Pray that we will have full teams of volunteers for all the camps that will take place this summer at Kompas Park
09.05.2012 Pray for the young people from Rainbow House in South Africa, and for Margaret Ferguson as she supports them in their studies
10.05.2012 Pray for the work of the mobile medical unit, and for Dr Doreshenko to fully recover following his recent illnesses
11.05.2012 Pray for the ongoing support of the Mission Fund, which undergirds all the various projects that we have, that adequate funds will be received each month
12.05.2012 Pray for Larisa and the work she does with the family support group, which encourages mutual sharing and prayer
13.05.2012 Pray that the Humanitarian Aid system that we use to send money to Ukraine becomes quicker and more efficient
14.05.2012 Pray for Anastasia Vovk as she plans camps in various villages around Cherkassy, and pray she finds a team of helpers to assist her
15.05.2012 Pray for safety in travel for Jon, David Reddaway and David John as they travel to Ukraine for the Bible School Graduation and for Ksenya as she returns to Ukraine to help Alla at Kompas Park
16.05.2012 Pray for the ongoing work of Cherkassy’s first sheltered accommodation, especially now plans to renovate the house have been drawn up and the costing received
17.05.2012 Pray for the Church twinning programme, that more UK Churches will offer to twin with a Ukrainian Church for mutual support and encouragement
18.05.2012 Remember before God all our children in cottage homes, thanking God for the security and love they receive from their foster parents as they grow up in these Christian families
19.05.2012 Pray for the work party travelling to Ukraine today, to prepare Kompas Park for the summer season
20.05.2012 As Jon, David and David return to the UK, pray for the newly graduated students as they take up their responsibilities back in their churches
21.05.2012 Pray for the children in the orphanages we support, and for Larisa and Misha as they oversee our work in them
22.05.2012 Give thanks for all our volunteers who come in and help with the monthly mail out, and do other jobs so willingly, often without being asked
23.05.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali to be refreshed as they take some time off together and have a break
24.05.2012 Pray for ex-prisoners who are now leading churches and serving in their communities that they will be faithful to what God has called them to do
25.05.2012 Pray for the young people in our pre-independence homes, that they grow in confidence as they study and plan for their future
26.05.2012 Pray for Vika Lavrenko and Stanislav Dyachenko, sponsored children who celebrate their birthdays today, also for the quiz at Ashley BC this evening in support of our work
27.05.2012 Thank God for our Board of Directors, whose support of the work of Hope is so encouraging; pray especially for the two new Directors to become more familiar with Board matters.
28.05.2012 Pray for Alla Kostyunina and her team as they prepare in detail for the planned camp activities at Kompas Park during the summer
29.05.2012 Pray for Misha in
all the work he does at Alpha House and in the Ukrainian Office of Hope Now; pray also for the plans he and Lena have in using Alpha House as a summer day camp in August
30.05.2012 Pray for Vlad Serdyuk, one of
our sponsored children, as he celebrates his birthday today
31.05.2012 Pray for Cyndee and Darrel Knight and the Hope Now supporters in America, especially in their plans to visit Kompas Park this summer
