In the cold, Ukrainian February of 2005 I visited our ministry partners in Kyiv and Vinnytsya. In Kyiv, I was able to visit the recently completed drop in center of the new Street Kid’s Ministry and see the improvements our funds made possible, now kids who live at risk can find warmth, clean clothes, hot food and a hot shower. Having met these physical needs, our co-laborers can invest time with these kids sharing the love of Jesus and the wholeness of a life lived in Him.During this trip, I slept in Kyiv at Father’s House (FH),our original partner in Ukraine. I worked with them on a long range project in which we are consulting with educators to helping develop Christian Education which emphasizes academic excellence in Ukraine. At FH, I visited the developing foster family program and see what a great job they are doing in meeting the needs of former street kids who are now being brought up in a loving Christian environment. I was privileged to address the staff of Father’s House and encourage them at a staff worship session in the Training Center. I am very excited about the Training Center because it is being used to bring uniformity of excellence in care to these at-risk kids all over Ukraine. Our partners at Father’s House are recognized by their government as a model and they assist the government in an advisory role regarding the problem of street children. We know that its not just good organization but Christ at the center of this ministry that makes it work so well for so many kids. On this trip I was able to begin working with them on the editing of their English version web site!
Leaving Kyiv, I traveled to Vinnytsya to visit the leaders of our partner camp, The Stream of Love.Over the previous months we had worked together to form a board of directors who would provide oversight and spiritual leadership to the camp. CEO committed at this meeting to provide the funds for the salaries of the camp staff. Thanks be to God, we have kept this commitment. I was able to visit three shelters that are managed by Pilgrim Ministries, a friend of CEO; we were able to assist them in their ministry to orphaned kids, I was greatly encouraged by this visit and the great work which is being done by our ministry partners.
2005 found a new dynamism in Hungary! Not only did 2005 find Arden Campbell as busy in ministry as she has ever been: with teaching, Bible Studies, and ministry at the Szeged children’s home, but she was instrumental in the forming of a trans-denominational worship group which holds a monthly praise and worship meeting in Szeged at which believers and seekers come together. Arden was also the host in May for a well attended conference which brought God’s message of hope and care to Szeged. Many people learned of the Father’s love and desire for them to be whole through His offer of redemption and healing. Arden has had a busy and profitable year. Doug and Lea Coppage joined the list of CEO partners this year. After several months of preparation, God paved the way for them to move with their daughter Karen to Vác, Hungary to pursue a ministry among the deaf.They have hit the ground running and are well on their way to establishing their home, finding a group with which to worship and connect with fellow servants of God and people who need Him.
In June on the tenth annual mission trip to Szeged, I was amazed to see about thirty teenagers, among whom were our team, in a huge semi-circle in the center of the Szeged surrounded by cafés and restaurants with people looking on. These Hungarian, Chinese, Korean and American young people were singing praise songs to Jesus! This is an example of why team EE05 was one of my favorite teams. This group of young people really understood the mission and gelled well as a team. They did a great job of using English teaching as platform to build relationships which led to their sharing the gospel. They pursued many opportunities to share the gospel both in individual meetings and on their own initiative in group settings. In addition to service in Szeged, a small group traveled with me to Croatia over four days in which we ministered in three churches through singing, testimonies and preaching to young and old. In Ukraine the team fell head over heals in love with the kids at the camp. We worked at the 8-12 year old week at the Stream of Love: playing games, singing, giving testimonies in small cabin groups and in the combined worship. These were great days of ministry! Many of these team members have already applied to rejoin me on EE06 to Eastern Europe in ’06!Our Lord is moving among our partners in Eastern Europe. We are honored to help them serve Him. In addition to taking applications and laying the ground work for the summer trip to Eastern Europe in 2006, we are currently planning a conference in Vukovar Croatia in February. Vukovar was crushed by the war in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. There remain many buildings which are marked by huge holes in walls where they were shelled. In some apartment buildings, one must pass through uninhabitable space to get to your floor as you carry wood up the stairs to heat your apartment. There is virtually no one in this city of thousands who does not carry the scars of this brutal war in which ethnic cleansing was a regular factor. To this place, Laci and Keri Nemeth have gone from Szeged, Hungary to minister. Last summer the Lord gave us the idea to bring a Christian counselor who has missionary experience to Vukovar to bring the gospel and biblically based counseling principles to help the people of Vukovar, many of who suffer from or have loved ones who suffer from Post traumatic Stress Syndrome. The Lord has provided just such a leader and so in February I will take Chris Martin to Vukovar to spend six days among the people in Laci and Keri’s church, may the Spirit move through these servants to bring hope and peace to these needy folks in Vukovar. As we plan the mission trip for 2006, we plan extended times of service in Szeged, Vác and in Croatia before moving on to Ukraine and our partner camp, The Stream of Love. Thank you for being our partner, we thank God for what He is doing among our friends on the field and what He will do through them in the future. Please continue to pray for us. As the Lord leads, please continue to support us through prayer!
read about 2004
kingdom travelin' 