Sunday Lessons

Another Sunday has past.  They go by so quickly!  This Sunday was the third Bible lesson that I have given.  It has been so exciting to give these lessons and God gave me a good "pupil".  Gala gets so into her lessons and everything is so new to her.  It makes it even more fun for me.  But at the same time it has been humbling and I almost cry at the end of every lesson.  Why?  I can't exactly put that into words.  I'm just so excited and nervous.  Please continue to pray for me that God will give me the words to say and that the Holy Spirit will give her the understanding and conviction to be saved.  She already readily admits she is a sinner, so that's a step.  Also pray that the kids behave during this time.  Our second lesson was a little harder for me because I had one sick kid and the rest kept needing something too.

Following services and Bible studies, Eric brought all the kids with him except Anna and Abigail to bring everyone home.  Anna and I enjoyed this girls' time alone and took advantage of it to play a game of Go Fish. 

As you can see, I am quite awful at it...or I have a little card shark on my hands.

Then we had some fun with the camera.  

 She took some silly pictures of me too, but don't think I'll be posting those. ;)

When Lydia got back she decided to try her hand at GoFish too.

I think I just may be their favorite person to play against.

I'm still planning on sharing with you pictures from when our visitors came in September.  We had such a great time with them and they were a HUGE blessing.  Tonight though, I am too tired.  Hopefully I can get to it this week.  Even though Abigail is 3 months today, we are still haven't seemed to find a routine for our family and because of that my computer time is limited to a few minutes here and there.  I think we're getting there.

VBS

Since we are so behind in updates, we have created a new facebook page which will hopefully help us to better keep you posted with pictures and updates.
In July we had our VBS.  We had about 17 kids coming almost regularly and one young lady professed Christ as her Savior.  It was a fun, yet exhausting week.  If you would like to see pictures I have posted them here at this link...VBS pictures .

Also, we had a safe trip to and from Kiev.  The trains are MUCH nicer then they use to be and they are quicker.  It only took us 4-5 hours instead of the 8-10 it use to take!  The toilets still were dirty so Lydia still refused to use them, but a lot better than before.  There are also a few Dominoes Pizza restaurants in Kiev now!  We are still not eating breads, sugars or processed foods, but we were willing to break it for that...boy was I disappointed when I found out it would take 45 minutes to get there and cost about $35 - one way. :(  I know my husband would have gladly done it for me, but I guess it will have to wait for another time.  We did find a KFC there, which made Eric and Lydia VERY happy.  I must admit it didn't cut it for me, but I had been planning for months to break my diet for a nice big piece of Dominoes Pizza.  I think I need to go make me some cauliflower pizza - in the end, I'd probably decide that I liked it better anyways.

Abigail Grace

 

Abigail Grace was born on August 20th and weighed about 6 1/2 pounds.  As you can see, we are all in love with her.  But who wouldn't be?  Daniel especially seems to adore his baby sister.  She was so tiny!  At her 2 month visit she was double that!

 

She is now almost 3 months and lights up our days.  She seems like our smiliest and giggliest...but it could just be my memory (or lack of).  

(Almost 3 months)

So many exciting things have been happening and I am looking forward to getting you caught up...just a little at a time.  We already have Abigail's Ukrainian papers, now we will be working on her birth abroad,passport, and SS.  We leave on the train for Kiev tomorrow morning at 6:45 AM.

Where is the Red Glare?

Intently he peered into the night, hoping for glimpses of the stars of freedom.  His persistence was rewarded as the thunderous noise of bombs burst into a red glare, illuminating our flag stating, "Freedom is still here!"  Anxiously he searched the shoreline as the early light of dawn cracked the horizon.  Our flag?  Our freedom?  Our America?  Was it still there?

Sitting on the banks of another shore, I peer into the approaching night to see if our flag is still there, searching for some evidence that we truly are still the home of the free and brave, but America is silent.  There is no light to the night sky.  The darkness of night quickly closes in, the colors of those broad stripes and bright stars start to fade, my heart cries out, "What happened?  Where are our brave?"  But there is no reason to question, I already know the answer why.  Not too long after our fathers fought and died, losing houses, lands and families for the freedom of our land, we started concentrating on ourselves building bigger homes and surrounding ourselves with comfortable things.  As we busily built up our homes, we ignored the little red flags as we really were busy and "I'm sure someone else will take care of that."  Our comfort zones became bigger and we could not stand up for truth, not for fear of losing our lives, but for fear of a raised eye brow.  And though I will still cry each time I hear our Spangled Banner sung as I fear I will not see the flag flying as the dawning approaches, I cannot spend my time searching for that beautiful flag of freedom.  No.  I must press forward while there is yet time, impressing the Bible upon my children's hearts and minds and compelling the lost, occasionally glancing to see if our flag is still there.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Open House

Wow!  It has been a LONG time since I have been on here!  In fact, I was told 2 months!  It has been a full, busy, exciting two months with welcoming a new baby, VBS, preparing for school and preparing a room for our visitors from America (who just arrived TODAY!!! YAY!!!)...it will take me a while to update you on all of that.  I will, but I thought since I have been promising a home tour for a year to my family and we are welcoming visitors into our home now, I would let you come for a visit too.

As we open the door you'll be greeted by this sight with a bench inviting you to sit down and take your shoes off...plus about 4 excited kids hopping about with books for you to read, favorite toys for you to see, new lost teeth....we like visitors.

Once you are able to get past them and take your shoes off, we will make our way into the kitchen.

Where we would probably stop to grab a cup of tea or coffee, if you prefer

.
While the water gets hot, we will take a peek into the boys' room then pick up our cups of tea (or coffee) and head to the living room.

If they were sleeping this peacefully when you came in, then it was pretty easy to get your shoes off.

In the living room you can see our precious Abigail who never lacks in arms wanting to hold her and is always surrounded by adoring brothers and sisters.  She is one spoiled little girl...or maybe it is loved.

Make a quick stop at the bathroom.

Then make our way to the girls' room,

It still needs some order, but if I waited until every room was perfect to have visitors I'd never have visitors.  Before you leave I'm sure the kids will convince you to cuddle and read a book or two.

God has blessed me greatly with a beautiful, little home and a sweet family to enjoy it with.  I hope you had a pleasant visit and will come again.  The door is always open - even when there is some laundry on the couch, which is usually the time when company pops in. :)

Bogdan's Story

Do you remember Tamara?  We first came in contact with her in October 2009.  In January 2010, Eric started visiting her son, Ruselan, in prison and doing Bible lessons with him.  His wife and two sons were living with another man at the time.  This past year while we were in the States, he was let out of prison and reunited with his "wife" (they are technically divorced).  The Whites and Lina visited with them many times and the boys, Bogdan and Nikita, started coming to Sunday School and the Bible clubs they held.  Over the past year or so, he has heard the message clearly presented, but he never seemed to really pay attention.  I know Lina has wept for them and her desire (and ours) was that they would be saved.  As I mentioned, during our recent Bible Club, he raised his hand saying that he wanted to talk to Lina about being saved.  We were all bursting with excitement!  While everyone was busy with free time and pickup, Lina and Eric pulled him aside and talked to him.  They said he was very serious about it and readily admitted that he was a sinner and could not save himself.  About 30 minutes later, Bogdan bowed his head and asked Jesus to clean his heart!  When he came out, he was glowing, but definitely shy about all the attention.  We are praising God for this decision that he has made.

It is not going to be easy for him, though and we greatly covet your prayers for this young man and his family.  What does he have to go home to?  A father and mother who are hardly ever home...unless they are drunk.  It has also been gossiped that his mother sleeps around.  Please, please pray for them.  They have, on occasion, expressed a desire to change and even called this week wanting to meet with Eric and get their lives right...but they did not show up because they were drunk.  Bogdan is often called the "bad boy" in the family and is treated very harshly.  Pray that there will be an evident change in Bogdan that will draw the rest of his family to God.   

Bible Club

Women's Day, Men's fishing trip...the kids were begging and wondering when it was their turn.  So this past Wednesday we had a Bible Club or "Children's Day" for them.  We started inviting kids, planning (Lina did most of it...she is amazing.) and picking up supplies.  The kids were all very excited and it was looking like we would have close to 15!  Wednesday morning came and it started to look like it would only be our kids and Max.  Our neighbors, Nastia and Masha couldn't come because Nastia was grounded and about the only fun thing they can ground her from is church activities.  When Eric went to meet Tanya and David (who was bringing a friend), they weren't at the bus.  He called and found out that they had missed it.  The other kids who were supposed to come couldn't for different reasons.  We got to the church maybe a little discouraged but decided we'd have fun anyways.  We were thrilled when Bogdan and Nikita showed up and I think their excitement got us all excited again.  Lina started out with a lesson on salvation, something they had heard her present clearly many, many times.  When she gave the invitation asking those who would like to talk with her to raise their hand, Bogdan's hand came up shyly, then scratched his ear and rested on his hat.  As she continued the invitation, his hand slowly came out away from his face.  Lina acknowledged it and closed the lesson.

Next was craft time.  I have never seen kids who like to make crafts so much!  We helped them all to make "wordless book" bracelets.

 

Then on to the games.  First there was fishing.

After a few organized games, it was time to "get Pastor Eric!"  This was most likely the highlight of the day for them. hehe

The last game we played was volley ball, with water balloons of course.  I think the kids' goal was still "get Pastor!"

We ended the day with food, chips (boy, do these kids LOVE chips!), free-play and pickup for the evening service.  It was a great day and the kids were already asking when the next one will be.

What about Bogdan?  Well, I'm saving that for my next post. :)