Leaning On Him...

2011-11-01T20:12:00.005+04:00

Greetings from beautiful Michigan! As we watch the transformation of the trees as fall colors appear, we are aware of our ongoing need for God’s transformation in our own hearts and lives.

It has been so long since our last update. Except for Roz’s updates on her father’s physical condition after his nearly fatal car wreck, news from the Sullivans has been little. Please forgive our lack of communication. The past 13 months have been a blur, to say the least! Our journey of re-adjusting to life in the US has been full of life’s ups and downs, as is to be expected, according to His perfect plan and for His purpose. We’ve been trusting Him to redeem it all for His glory in spite of our stumbling and failures.

The summer alone was a whirlwind with our ministry responsibilities and other activities. Among them, we had the great joy of hosting two of ' our ' Russian guys, Misha N. and Sasha R., for the summer. Also, Galya K., who was hosted by friends in Ohio, was able to spend several weeks with us at various times throughout the summer. We praise God for how we saw Him at work in the heart of Galya, Misha, and Sasha. The Lord mightily used Galya to minister to Misha by sharing her testimony and walk with the Lord and then Misha re-invested in Sasha’s life. It was wonderful to reminisce as well as make new memories. I had the privilege and joy of baptizing both Misha and Sasha as they individually realized their need to take the next step of obedience in their relationship with the Lord. They both shared their testimonies and publicly proclaimed before a cloud of witnesses to be a follower of Christ through believer’s baptism. Please pray for Galya, Misha, and Sasha as they have returned home to their mission field.

Another quick email that we sent out in July was regarding our surprise trip to NY with the Yankees as our hosts. As we wrote earlier, the purpose of the trip was to reunite Andrei with his childhood friend, John Lahutsky, also formerly a Russian orphan. John was nominated as one of the recipients of the Yankees HOPE week award. He had shared the only thing from his childhood that he thought about still was to be reunited with Andrei. The Yankees coordinated and hosted both John’s and our family (John-David, Misha, and Sasha included!) for a long weekend. It was full of surprises and we were thoroughly blessed by their generosity and warm hospitality. We trust the Lord was glorified as we were given opportunity to share the many miracles of Andrei’s adoption and life. We also had the joy of meeting John’s mom, Paula, and some of their close friends. The entire trip was truly a phenomenal gift from God.

Another highlight of the Sullivan summer was the visit of Arseni S. A week after the other three returned to Moscow, Arseni was able to come visit for a few weeks. It was great to have him with us to see and hear all God has been and is doing in his life. He took the baton from us regarding orphanage ministry when we left Moscow last fall. He continues to reach out the fatherless, being sensitive to the needs of ‘the least of these,’ all the while seeking the will of his heavenly Father. One of the opportunities he had prior to coming to the US was to spend about 3 weeks in ' ___stan ' ministering to fatherless Muslim children. He coordinated the Bible lessons and activities with a team of young people who were willing to use part of their summer break to minister to the needs of others. Arseni graduated from his university in June and is now seeking the Lord’s will for a job when he returns to Moscow later this month. His desire is to be able to work and also have the time to continue in ministry. Thanks for praying for God’s provision for him.

As most of you are aware, my Dad passed away in June and Roz’s father was in a serious automobile collision in July. In the midst of our activities, Pastor's Retreats, and family responsibilities, Roz and her two siblings have rotated their visits in caring for their Dad. Once released from the hospital, Don has continued with physical and occupational therapy 3 times a week. He hasn’t been given clearance to drive so his children have ministered to him and provided continual care during this time. We stand amazed at God’s hand upon him and his relatively quick and miraculous recovery thus far. Roz was recently there and is grateful to report that his brain surgeon was very pleased with his progress and doesn’t need to see him for another 6 months unless something changes. Please continue to pray for his healing. We are so grateful for those of you who have faithfully been praying for his recovery. God has certainly shown Himself ABLE and honored the many prayers lifted up on behalf of Don.

Since we are highlighting the summer, another big event was John-David returning home to live with us. He continues to seek full-time employment while working part-time. We are re-adjusting to being together as a family after about 10 years! We are pleased to have him with us and look forward to what the Lord is going to do in and through him. Please continue to pray for God’s provision for him through full-time employment.

Sarah is still working in Life Action Ministry’s offices, now as the Project Manager & Communications Coordinator for the Communications Group. She also continues to volunteer as a counselor at the Niles Pregnancy Care Center and babysits in her free time!

Andrei enjoyed his summer by working with the lawn care team with the ministry. Now that school has started, he is enjoying the challenges of studying again at a local community college. Since the NY trip, God has opened several doors of opportunity to share all that God has done in his life.

Our involvement with Life Action has been incredible. We have seen the move of God’s hand in so many ways. Our responsibilities at The Lodge have been behind the scenes for the most part. We are doing what He has been training us for over the years. Our Lord has given us a heart for hospitality. In our case, we are privileged to continue serving within a hospitality team whose heart is to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those the Lord brings. I’ve included below just a few of the testimonies of Pastors and their wives, as well as other couples whom God has met, touched, and changed as a result of their visit and time spent with Him at The Lodge. We are grateful He has trusted us to be His vessels to express His love to the couples He continues to bring our way. Along with our ministry to our Russians, God blessed us with full retreats throughout the summer with more ahead through the end of November.

During the past year we have been very encouraged to hear of pockets of revival taking place around the country and even in Canada. As we watch and listen to hundreds of personal and corporate transformations through repentance, recommitment, and surrender, we stand in awe of the move of God. Desperate circumstances call for desperate measures of action. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Are we as individual followers of Jesus Christ desperate enough to humble ourselves before God and man? Are we willing to repent of our religiosity and our man-made church practices and return to the path God has set before us through His Word? Are we courageous enough to recognize our wicked ways and turn from them? If so, God promises to heal marriages, heal broken relationships within our families and community, and restore us to Himself. There is nothing too difficult for Him!

We are grateful to those of you who continue to faithfully support us in prayer as well as financially. As we are so often reminded through our own frailties, without Him, we are nothing. We then realize when we are weak, He is made strong. We are ever mindful of God’s faithfulness to us through His people. May your heart be encouraged today as your ponder the testimonies of His hand at work.

'We came dry, discouraged, and disillusioned. This week offered us an opportunity to revive, restore and rest. We had "life" spoken into us and truth shared with us. We go back with a new perspective and a renewed passion.'

'God used this retreat to renew our spirits, our focus, and our passion for prayer and for His presence. Our marriage has been renewed spiritually. The friendship we built here will last well beyond this retreat time.'

'We were treated like royalty - meals, snacks, the Villalbas and Sullivans and Oswalds were so warm and welcoming. Over and over they were looking to our every need and comfort. Appreciate their availability and eagerness to know us, encourage us, and befriend us.'

We are thankful for the many opportunities He provides to serve and encourage His faithful messengers. The Apostle Paul urges us in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, concerning Pastors and church leaders, “to recognize those who labor among you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake”... Please pray for us to be discerning to the needs of the visiting Pastors and for us to be enabled to ’highly esteem them’ in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.

Romans 12:9-13 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”

With grateful hearts and much love,

Tom, Roz, and family

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HE IS RISEN!!

2011-04-24T00:13:00.002+04:00

Greetings dear loved ones,

We trust you are all well and preparing your hearts for the celebration of our Risen Savior!

This week at a Life Action staff meeting, we heard a young man's testimony of when he died on an emergency room table this past December. He and his newlywed wife are somewhere in their 20's. His wife was standing next to him watching in disbelief as the monitor showed his heart rate of above 200 flat line in a matter of seconds. Just like that, he was gone. She cried out for help and a nurse took action and was able to get his heart beating again. The rest of his long battle was just as dramatic and truly miraculous. The story became personal to us, because he is the son of one of the staff members. It became more powerful because he and everyone else, including the doctors, cannot explain his recovery, other than by the hand of God. His parents, siblings, and wife, shared about the amazing peace they experienced throughout the many days of ups and downs. There was a second time, during the ordeal, when the family was called together to say their goodbyes. His wife of only 6 months, and his family, had the peace of God which passes all understanding. They all agreed, in prayer, that if it was God's desire to take him home or leave him, either way, it was okay. They released him and entrusted him into the Lord's care. Not my will, but Thy will be done, Father God. All of the medical expertise, drugs, equipment, etc., were of no value. The doctors had given up on being able to help him when they shared with the family that they knew of one piece of medical equipment at another hospital, 45 minutes away by air, that might be able to help him. Doctors at both hospitals warned his chances of surviving the helicopter flight were slim to none. They risked the possibility of losing him, trusting God would somehow get him to the other hospital and the life-saving medical equipment. He was, however, never to see or experience that equipment. By the time he was in the air, thousands of people around the country were following the story on Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. Thousands in one accord were crying out to God for His perfect will to be done, and also pleading to intervene with another miracle. The reason our co-laborer never saw that high tech piece of equipment is because God performed an in flight miracle. While in route, he stabilized and began to feel better. When his wife and family arrived at the hospital, they found him in bed sitting up and talking. When they asked the nurse where the special equipment was, she said he was doing much better and they didn't believe he would be needing it. Though he was still in ICU, it was obvious to everyone that he had turned the corner and God had stabilized him.

It was by God's love, mercy, and grace, that this man was able to give testimony of all God has done and is still doing in his life. His restored life has already impacted thousands. With every precious breath, this man and his family gave God the glory. His closing statement, without hesitation, was other than not having better insurance, he would do it all over again. His painful and at times fearful journey has touched many lives. First and foremost, his own.

As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, take it personally. As the state of this world continues to deteriorate, including our own country, God is waiting for us to individually take His death and resurrection personally. He is waiting for us to be on our knees and faces, crying out to Him for deliverance. We must not let it pass by as just another day, another fancy meal, or a mere celebration.

What will you do with Jesus?

He Who redeemed your soul.

What will you do with Jesus?

He Who can make you whole.

Sovereign of all the ages,

Savior of Calvary.

What will you do with Jesus?

He longs to set you free.

What will you do with Jesus?

Conquering Lord of all.

What will you do with Jesus?

Come while you hear His call.

Follow His steps to Calvary,

Humbly before Him bow.

What will you do with Jesus?

Call on His mercy now.

HE IS RISEN!!

HAPPY EASTER!!

It's Cold Outside!

2011-01-28T06:35:00.004+03:00

A brisk 24F with a day full of snow...even the van was coooold! Actually, 24F is warmer than it has been so we're really having a heat wave...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-20T21:56:00.013+03:00

Dad, with his 4 children: Pat, Michael, Tom, and Danny

Dear Loved Ones,

We greet you from snowy Niles, Michigan! The weather reminds us of our many years in Moscow and is absolutely beautiful!

We have been here around 4 months. Time has gone by quickly. As we look back, we can see that God's hand has lead us every step of the way. He continues to use each of you in a special and unique way. It has been through your prayers and financial support that we have been helped in getting settled into this new ministry. We are abundantly blessed to be a part of Life Action Ministries. Every arm, leg, and hand is playing a vital and profitable role in leading our wounded nation back to surrendering all for the sake of Jesus Christ. Testimony after testimony bears witness of what God is doing in the heart of Christians all over this country and Canada, too. It is taking place one yielded heart at a time. As road teams visit churches across our land, individuals in each body are being impacted. As they surrender to the true meaning of Jesus Christ being Lord of their lives, it is causing reconciliation in marriages, families, churches, and communities.

Our involvement in ministering to pastors, their wives, and fellow laborers has been encouraging. We have seen and heard time and time again of God's hand at work in bringing refreshment, healing, and restoration. We are privileged and blessed to be a part of The Lodge staff. It is a unique team of individuals whose hearts are to practice Christ-centered hospitality to bless and minister to church leadership in need.

Recently a new door has been opened to the ministry and us. Over the past few months, God has brought to mind and heart James 1:27. This is significant to us because it was a key Scripture He used in His call for us to go to Russia. 'Pure religion undefiled before God and the Father, is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.' Life Action is answering that call by reaching out to orphans through foster care parents, adoptive parents, and adoption agencies. Though we are still feeling our way down this new path, there is no question that it is God Who has opened this door.

In the midst of our busyness with Christmas activities at The Lodge, Sarah and Andrei were big helpers. When Sarah had time, she joined us in preparing meals while Andrei gave a helping hand with set up and dishes. It has been a real team effort. A few months ago, Sarah was asked to serve in the main office as an administrative assistant. Her servant's heart, talents, and diligence have earned a good reputation and much gratitude from the staff. Andrei has also been busy volunteering his services for anyone who has need. He, too, has gained a good reputation among the staff. He successfully complteted his GED and has begun taking some college courses at a local branch of Lake Michigan College. John-David is still in Charlotte working. We were thankful to be able to spend his birthday and Christmas with him. He continues to volunteer at his church where he is being fed and challenged by the teaching of God's Word. It is a joy to see how God is using each of our grown children to minister to the needs of others.

After spending Christmas with Roz's dad in South Carolina, we traveled to Florida to visit with friends as well as join Tom's dad for his 90th birthday celebration. As he says, he's in pretty good shape for the shape he's in! It was a blessing for all of Tom's siblings to gather together as everyone enjoyed the festivities of the weekend.

It was also a blessing to be able to visit with some of you along the way. We were disappointed in not being able to see all who are dear to us! In planning our visits, we were challenged with bouts of illness as well as working around holiday schedules, however, we trust the Lord will allow our paths to cross in His perfect time!

As we consider the new year that is before us, we are looking forward to all that God has planned. The ministry opportunities are many. Our desire is to be in the center of His will, following His plan. Please join us in praying for clear direction and discernment.

We truly believe that God planted us here in Michigan with Life Action. In the process of getting established and basically starting from square one, we are reminded of God's faithful provision. We are also reminded that God's work, done God's way, will never lack God's supply. Thank you for your faithful prayer and financial support. We are ever mindful of and grateful for the sacrificial gifts He gives through you. May He be the Source of encouragement and strength for your hearts today as you faithfully live for Him.

From Michigan...With Love!

2010-10-04T20:18:00.005+04:00

We are writing with much praise and thanksgiving in our hearts to the Lord for those of you who have been praying for us in our time of transition from Russia to a land that has almost become a foreign culture to us. Things in this country sure have changed, especially during the past year or so. We, as a nation, seem to be in an unstoppable tailspin, full of confusion and uncertainty. This thing I am sure of though, the One that is unchangeable, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, is still on the Throne. There is no confusion in Him, our King of kings and Lord of lords. If we, his people, who are called by His name, will humble ourselves, pray, and turn from our wicked ways, He will hear us from heaven, will forgive our sin, and heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:13-15)

We have made our journey 'north' to Niles, Michigan, and have begun ministering alongside a wonderful and very committed group of servants of the Lord with Life Action Ministries. As we have shared, the focus of our calling here is to minister to, honor, and encourage pastors and their wives...something the Lord, unbeknownst to us at the time, was preparing us for over the past couple of years when He gave us the same burden for our Russian pastors and their wives. ( 1 Timothy 5:17 "The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.")

Last week, we took part in our first retreat at "The Lodge". We are a part of the staff that welcomes the couples, helps them feel comfortable, loved, and well fed, both spiritually and physically. The facilitators for the hosted couples are Ed (Staff Pastor) and his wife, Gail. It was truly an amazing week with a group of 7 precious couples who love and serve the Lord in a pastoral position. They travelled in from several different states. Though they were all strangers prior to their arrival, they had two main things in common. First, all 14 people were servants of the Lord under an intense amount of pressure due to problems in their churches and family. When the enemy is unsuccessful in bringing down the shepherd (the Pastor), he will often change his strategy and go after their children. Needless to say, most of these couples came tired and wounded. Over the course of the week, we stood in awe of how God knit these couples together as like-minded servants with common trials and struggles and became iron sharpening iron. Through their new found friendships, they were encouraged and their spirits renewed to continue shepherding their flocks and loving the Lord with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Secondly, a significant revelation for all of us attending was that we are not alone in this battle. There are others experiencing the same sting of church splits, gossip, and slander against not only the pastors, but also their families. Wednesday night, we could sense the Spirit of God among us in a powerful way. As pastors and their wives broke down and shared their stories and burdens, God ushered in a time of mercy, grace, and comfort. We experienced an intense time of prayer, bearing one another's burdens, and casting all of the cares upon the One Who cares for us. The Lord met each one at their point of need and we were blessed to witness God's faithfulness and the powerful move of His hand upon the heart of each one. On Friday morning, Pastor Ed recommissioned each couple to return to their respective churches afresh and to continue shepherding the flocks God has entrusted to their care. Each of the men were encouraged to keep their focus on Jesus Christ, as well as the power and truth of His Word. It was a glorious week and we were encouraged to be a part of it.

We have since heard from a few that attended that week's retreat. One Pastor and his wife sent us a note of testimony that blessed our heart. "Our Lord's Day was amazing, with 9 people making a profession of faith, and 6 committing to be baptized. The Lord continues to move and affirm that He is at work among us---He is so good and faithful!"

We serve a mighty God and we are humbled to see where He has placed us to reach out to His shepherds, those who hear His voice and are faithful to teach His precious Word. Please join us in praying for His work to be accomplished as Pastors all around the world seek to lead others to genuine salvation through Jesus Christ. Also, please pray for the Lord's hand to be upon their families and that these men of God will be effective ministers of the faith to their wives and children as well. Thank you for praying for us to be sensitive to the needs of those who come to The Lodge and that we would discern how to best minister to them. We desire that God's good and perfect will be accomplished in and through us as we seek to serve Him in this new arena.

As far as family goes, we enjoyed time with Roz's dad in SC and visiting with other family members before heading north. We have not yet seen my Dad nor siblings, but look forward to being reunited with them to celebrate Dad's 90th birthday in January.We had several good visits with John-David and other loved ones in the Charlotte area. Please pray for John-David as he continues his search for full-time work. He has been volunteering with the Production Crew at his church while still working a part-time job. Sarah and Andrei have both been a big help in getting us settled in our new living situation. We are blessed beyond measure with the housing and transportation God has provided for us through loved ones we have known for years. God is so good...all the time. He knows our every need even before we know we have one. Sarah has also been helping us at The Lodge while at the same time thoroughly enjoying being in one place and finally getting unpacked! We are praying about part time job opportunities and online college courses for her. Andrei is still preparing to take his GED to complete his high school studies. Please pray for him as he takes the tests October 18th & 19th. He is excited about his recent opportunity to serve by helping the ministry's lawn maintenance crew.

Please continue to pray for our Russian loved ones. We have had the joy of speaking with several of them via Skype and are grateful to be able to stay in touch. Our hearts are still burdened for them and we are trusting the Lord to care for them according to His promises. We found out only about 3 weeks ago that the ministry there finally received their re-accreditation. This was a tremendous disappointment to us but at the same time, a huge reminder that God makes no mistakes, even in His timing of events. He could have just as easily granted the re-accreditation a year and a half ago when they first started the process as when He allowed it to be granted 3 weeks ago. Our prayer has always been for Him to make it perfectly clear when the door was shut for us. We believe that He kept that door shut until He got us where He wanted us for our next place of ministry. After 11 years in Russia, we are encouraged to know that the work we were involved in there continues and that some of 'our kids' are walking with and serving God faithfully. Please pray they will remain strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Also, please continue to pray for our loved ones there that are pastors and for their wives and families who faithfully serve alongside them as they reach out to the precious Russian people.

May the Lord bless and keep each of you! We are grateful for your continued support, both financially and especially prayerfully, as we minister Stateside. Though the location has drastically changed, our hearts are the same...to be sensitive to His leading and to be found faithful in what He has called us to. May the Lord find us faithful in our endeavors for His glory.

"I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God Who does no wrong, upright and just is He."
Deuteronomy 32:3-4

The Promised Pictures from Our Last Post...better late than never!

2010-10-04T18:16:00.001+04:00

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From...South Carolina...With Love

2010-06-24T14:51:00.021+04:00

Dear Loved Ones,

We trust this finds each of you well and resting in the goodness and mercies of the Lord. We apologize for an extended time of silence. Our summer was extremely full in every aspect! The 90 days we had in Moscow flew by. With visiting the orphanage in Bezhetsk, distributing earthly belongings, getting together with loves ones, and packing and moving, our days were long and full, to say the least! We made it back to the States a day later than expected due to a problem with the airplane but we had no complaints about being delayed! Again, God reminded us of His faithfulness in every detail of our lives. We were blessed with an extra day in Moscow with loved ones and were housed for the night at a hotel where we relaxed and waited for the Lord's perfect timing for our departure.

We are writing from Roz's father's house in SC. We arrived in the US on August 31st and drove here to begin our rounds of visitation! We have not been in one place longer than a week but are so grateful for the love and hospitality shown through so many.

Leaving Russia,the children, brothers and sisters in Christ, and dear friends, has not been easy. Instead of departing with thoughts of goodbye, it was rather 'until we meet again'. Only God knows His future plans for us. Eleven years ago God confirmed His calling on our lives to go to Moscow to love the children and those He would place in our path. He called us to teach them both in word and deed, to make disciples of the Lord Jesus. Our commitment to doing that began with surrendering to Him and His leading. With no home, no car, no job, we followed Him to that foreign land. He promised us that He would use us for His kingdom and glory and that He would meet all of our needs through His riches in Christ Jesus our Lord. As we have been faithful to our commitment, He has blessed us richly and abundantly beyond what we could ask or think. Many of you have been on that journey with us. Your support has come in many different forms. We could write a never-ending list of how God has used you to bless, encourage, strengthen, and enable us for His work. Each expression of support has been received as a love offering through you from God. We are so grateful for your obedience to His promptings. Just as God made it clear for us to go to Moscow, He has made it apparent that our labor for Him in Moscow, for now, is finished. We continue to pray for our loved ones there and trust the Lord to water the seeds that were planted and to bring them to fruition in His perfect way and time. He that began a good work in many hearts will be faithful to complete it. Though leaving has been difficult, we trust Him to fulfill His faithful promises found in Isaiah 55:9-13.

At the same time the door has closed for us in Russia, God has opened another window of opportunity for us to serve Him in America. To make a long miraculous story short, we will be joining the outreach ministry of Life Action. Mid-September we will be traveling to Michigan to join the team of God's servants who have been laboring many years to bring revival to our desperately needy nation. The enemy is working overtime roaming about as a lion seeking whom he might devour. At the head of his list is the Church. It is no secret that Christians in this country, Russia, and around the world are under attack like never before. The ministry members of Life Action are committed to following God's leading to encourage church leaders and the body of Christ to personal true heart revival. We believe that God has called us to join them in that mission, specifically reaching out to Pastors and their families to encourage and strengthen them as they are on the battlefront. We are going with our hearts prepared to be open vessels used by Him to love, encourage and bless pastors, their wives, and families. For more information on Life Action, go to www.lifeaction.org. For a glimpse of the pastoral outreach, go to www.lifeaction.org/thelodge

Though none of us know exactly what the future holds, we are resting in and trusting the One Who holds it firmly and promises that He has a good plan for each of His children. (Jeremiah 29:11) We covet your prayers for us during this time of transition.

As we get re-acclimated to life in the States, we find ourselves starting over in a lot of areas. Roz and I are confident that it is God Who is leading us to this new work. His faithfulness in the past causes us to trust Him for the future. He has already provided us with transportation to Michigan and temporary housing once we arrive. We are so grateful!

Like our work with IBLP, Life Action is also a support based ministry. All of our living expenses are taken care of by God through people like you. If He is prompting you now or at any time in the future to be a vessel through whom He can work, please contact us at sullyfam@gmail.com Financial support may be mailed to Life Action Ministries; PO box 31; Buchanan, MI 49107 Checks should be made out to Life Action Ministries with Tom Sullivan written on the memo line. "God's work, done God's way, will never lack God's supply." Great is His faithfulness!

John-David is still in Charlotte, NC, and working part time as he continues his search for full time employment. He has been volunteering and is involved in his church in several different areas. He is weekly being blessed and challenged through his pastor as well as others in his small group. Thank you for praying for him as he seeks the Lord's will for his life.

What about Sarah? Sarah is still with us and will also be going to Michigan. Though apart, she is still in a relationship with Slava as they seek the Lord on what their future holds for them according to His good and perfect will. She is interested in also working with Life Action as well as taking some online college courses to further her education.

Andrei is studying to take the GED to bring his high school education to a close. He, too, is interested in furthering his education as the Lord directs. He will be working alongside us at Life Action, seeking how he might serve the Lord in that arena. Sept. 1st will mark the end of his medical care with Shriner's Hospitals. For 13 years God has used countless doctors and staff to encourage, help, and challenge Andrei to get to the place physically where many said he would never be. Praise the Lord!

Please continue to pray for the precious children and people of Russia. Though the Lord has physically removed us from there for this time, our hearts are burdened to continue to pray for them and encourage them in their walk with Him. May He draw the distant ones close and encourage and strengthen those who are faithfully seeking and serving Him. We are grateful that the work we were involved in continues in our absence. We hope to post some more pictures soon of our special times with loved ones.

In the meantime, we covet your prayers and support as we make the transition from one mission field to another. The Lord is great and greatly to be praised. He does ALL things WELL and His way is perfect! May the Lord bless you and keep you, make His face to shine upon you, and give you peace.

Russia-June 2010

2010-06-23T21:34:00.002+04:00

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It's Amazing What You Can Pack into 30 Days!

2010-06-02T19:32:00.030+04:00

Dear Loved Ones,

We are overwhelmed by God's grace, His hand of protection, and steadfast love for us. We have so enjoyed the past 4 weeks and look forward to what He will do in the next 8 weeks!

We are attaching some pictures of recent activities that will give you a brief glimpse of great times with those we hold so dear...

Tom and Andrei went to Tarzhok for a weekend to help a local evangelical church with a work project. Some of the older students that have graduated from the orphanage in Bezhetsk were there to help out also. It was fun to see them and we were encouraged to see that they are attending church and growing in their personal relationship with the Lord.

We were able to attend 'Last Bell' (the last day of school) at the facility that was formerly the

Moscow Training Center. Though it is a military cadet academy now, there were a few familiar faces with some staff members as well as students. It was a bittersweet experience, as Sarah puts it, to walk down memory lane. It was a joy and honor to be invited by Egor L. who has for 11 years been like a son to us. Please pray for the Lord's hand to guide him as he seeks to find a university to attend in the fall.

We are planning a reunion, reaching out to any former students, staff, or friends from the Training Center. Please pray for good weather (rain is forecasted) and a good time of fellowship as we gather. We are planning to meet at a local park this Saturday. Our desire is to encourage each one according to their need and simply share the love of Jesus.

Tom had the blessing of teaching a group of about 20 young leaders that will be working at the summer camp in Elna next month. His message encouraged them to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through them to effectively share the love of Christ with the children. It was a good group. Many who attended the camp in years past are now grown up and investing in other children's lives as was done for them.

Andrei and one of our pastor's sons, Ilya, sang a beautiful duet in church on Sunday. It was a blessing to hear them sing of the joy that comes from fellowship with the Lord.

Sarah has been busy helping to pack and repack, distribute, and serve wherever needed. She has such a heart to reach out to her many friends here. She is constantly on the phone planning, encouraging, and seeking ways to help. I grabbed the shot of her on the phone one day while taking a break to admire God's beauty all around us in our yard. Our phone coverage is poor, at best, so she can often be seen 'out the window' trying to catch or keep a signal! From haircuts, to cooking, to planning, and to reaching out, she has a full schedule, to say the least!

We recently made a quick trip to Elna to meet with Pastor Sava and his family. They are looking forward to the upcoming camp. We are planning to help them set up and prepare for around 100 children at the end of June. They have recently sold their apartment to buy a house that is large enough for their family as well as orphaned children. It is a dilapidated structure and in great need of renovating. It has incredible potential and we are encouraged by the desire to deny their own comfort in order to minister to the fatherless. We are trusting the Lord to provide us with the time and energy to help them start working on the building as soon as they get all their documents together. Please pray for the Lord's will to be done and for them to have favor in the eyes of the officials.

Last but not least, we are in awe of God's beauty all around us. It is with amazement that we study His handiwork and we are in awe when we realize how vast His love is for us, how tender His mercies are toward us, and how small we are in comparison to Him.. If you haven't seen it already, the dvd by Louie Gigilo, "Indescribable" is a phenomenal reminder of how great is our God.

We are so very grateful for His love and care for us shown through so many of you. We trust He will bless you with His presence, His provision, and His peace, as you seek and serve Him there in your mission field. May the Lord bless and keep each one.

2010-05-19T10:54:00.012+04:00

Greetings from Moscow, dear family and friends! It has been a long time since we have updated our blog. As most of you know, we were in the US for 8 months. It was the longest visit since we joined the work in Moscow almost 11 years ago. Though it was not our choosing, God used that time for our good and for His perfect purpose. We were able to spend some extended time with family and friends, take care of some medical check-ups, and attend to a few projects that had been moved to the back burner.

The Lord has been prompting me over the past few years write a book recording the many things He has done in and through over lives over the past 15 years or so. Actually, the events of the book had already been written on our hearts and minds. Our job was to simply write it down as His Spirit brought it to mind. The body of the book was completed a few weeks prior to our return to Russia. There is still much to be done with editing. What a blessing and encouragement it has been for us to put down on paper the many lessons we have learned and the miracles of God we have witnessed. Even if it never gets published, the legacy of it all will be passed on to future generations in our family and the lives of those whose stories are shared in the book. To God be the glory.

We were blessed beyond our wildest dreams to be given a home in the Blue Ridge Smokey Mountain area. Some very dear friends allowed us to stay there as a result of the Lord moving in their hearts to offer it to us. God used their generosity in a powerful way to minister to our family by providing a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere for getting some much needed rest and solitude. Other wonderful and gracious provisions were made as we traveled to different areas visiting with family and friends. We are grateful for each and every one of you who opened your home to us to meet not only a physical need but the need for fellowship and rest. God is so good to us! We returned to the US very weary but the Lord faithfully renewed our strength through many of you and equipped us for our return to Moscow.

We were only able to obtain 3 month visas, allowing us to be in Moscow until July 30th. We enjoyed a good and safe flight over. At the airport in Moscow, we were met by Egor L. as well as friends from Golgotha, our church here. Andrei S., a brother from Golgotha whom we work alongside in the orphan outreach, brought our van to the airport so we could go straight home from there. What a blessing that was. We hit the ground running! Misha H. met up with us that same day and he and Egor helped us shift boxes out of 'Drei's room where we had stored them for the 8 months.

We praise God for the time He has already given us with several of our Russian young people. It has been a true source of encouragement to see how some are serving the Lord and ministering to others, including children in orphanages. We were able to make a trip to the orphanage in Bezhetsk and stayed there for 3 days. There were about 18 of us from our church and other churches in Moscow that were able to make the trip. Arseni S. and Galya K. were among those that went with us. What a blessing and joy it was for us to see the children again and to witness the love and sacrifice displayed by the young people who accompanied us on the trip. God is alive and working all things together for good for His people.

We had a great time over this past weekend sharing time with Galya K., Arseni, Egor L., Misha H., Kostya, Sasha G., and his friend Jaana. We made a Mexican meal at Sasha's request and we enjoyed getting caught up with each one. Please pray for those who need to make changes in their lives based on Truth. They know what's right in their heads but need to transfer it to their heart. Pray they will desire to do what is right above all else. Obedience is not always convenient and usually not the easy thing to do, but it is always the right thing to do.

Our prayer request is simply that we would make the best use of our short time here. May the Lord find us faithful in sharing His love and Good News with everyone He brings across our path. May we walk out our faith, knowing that faith is not what we believe but what we do as a result of that belief. We desire that every decision we make in these next 3 months be consistent with what we believe. May the Lord find us faithful followers of Him.

We are so very grateful for the many ways the Lord reveals Himself to us. We are grateful for His faithful provision through many of you, for His hand of protection upon us, and for the blessing of fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. May the hand of the Lord be upon you as you seek and serve Him wherever He places you for His purpose and glory.

HE IS RISEN!!

2010-04-04T16:39:00.004+04:00

PSALM 113:3 From the rising of the sun

unto the going down of the same

the name of the Lord is to be praised!

We praise God for the resurrected life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He has blessed us richly, beyond what any of us deserve. He gave His all for us, have we surrendered all for Him?

CHRIST IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

HAPPY EASTER!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

2009-12-13T00:57:00.000+03:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

A Quick Update...from not so far!

2009-09-09T02:59:00.010+04:00

Our last evening in Moscow was spent at Red Square with loved ones!

Greetings from a little closer... at least for those of you in the US! Our last few weeks in Russia went by in a flash! With packing, preparing our dacha for our lengthy furlough, seeing as many people as possible in Moscow and beyond, the time was gone before we knew it. We were blessed to be able to make a day trip back to the orphanage in Bezhetsk a week before we flew out. The children were disappointed that we had only come for the day, however, all-in-all, it was well worth the trip to give hugs and share the Lord's love with them one more time! We also had the joy of having 15 of our young friends over for a final gathering at our place. We had a cookout and a time of fellowship as we shared with them our love but most importantly, God's faithfulness to and love for them.

A friend from church took us to the airport in Moscow and on the way there we picked up Egor L. and Galya. When we arrived there, we were surprised to find Arseni and another group of friends there to send us off! What an encouragement and blessing it was for us. We felt the Lord had opened the flood gates and poured out His love for us through them. Though it made our goodbyes more difficult, we were grateful to see each and every one of them! Eight months will be a long time to be away, but we are trusting the Lord to fill the gap and meet each one at their point of need in our absence.

Some dear friends, including a Russian, picked us up from the airport in Atlanta and then John-David surprised us by meeting us as soon as we arrived at another friend's home in Gainesville! We are now at Roz's dad's resting and visiting on the east coast of SC for a few more days before heading to the Charlotte area. Since we have been back in the US, we have been able to get caught up on some much needed rest. We think, though we may be mistaken, that we are almost over jet lag!

Thanks to all of you who have been praying for Tom's leg. It is doing great and we are so thankful that medical attention was not necessary. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made... There was a brother in our church in Moscow that saw Tom limping during our last Sunday there and he went and got Tom two varieties of lotion and told him to use it twice a day. We found out later that the lotion is intended for horses, however, the Lord used it to give Tom much relief.

Please read our updated prayer requests to the right. Thanks to all of you who faithfully cover us in prayer regardless of which side of the ocean we are on. Thank you, too, for those who faithfully support our family financially. Our prayer is the Lord will find us faithful to Him in all of our ways.

Bezhetsk Orphanage Camp July 5-12, 2009

2009-07-14T21:57:00.003+04:00

Our return trip to the orphanage in Bezhetsk was a phenomenal work of God. Just two weeks prior, it looked like it would be delayed or cancelled. There were not enough leaders available to pull it all together...but that was looking through man's eyes. God's ways are higher than our ways and His timing is perfect. It was decided to move forward even though there were only a few who had ever had a leadership role in camps before. It was a motley crew for sure! We realized that it was God who called us together and God who wanted to work in and through us. Our main direction was to deny our own fleshly desires and expectations and trust the Holy Spirit to love the kids through us...and love them He did. As you look at the orphans faces, you will see a reflection of the joy in their hearts.

Each day started with a leadership Bible study, prayer, and review of the day's schedule. We then marched to the children's rooms to have some fun rousing them out of bed. The kids, especially the younger ones, loved it! Our days were full of teaching, games, crafts, singing, sports, and lots of fellowship, topped off with an abundance of the love of Christ. The last 3 days we sensed the softening of the older orphans' hearts so we set up a special meeting for both the guys and the girls. This took place after the evening big group meeting. We invited the older guys to join us if they were interested in learning more about the Bible and how to pray, etc. We honestly did not know what to expect. If they came, it would be an open statement of their interest in wanting to know more about Christ. Peer pressure can be very controlling , especially in that environment. They didn't care...they came anyway. Four guys met with me and the other male leaders and talked about faith and how to pray. That same night, the girls had a very special time of fellowship as some of the leaders shared their testimonies and some of the orphan girls shared their life stories.

The next night, after the big group meeting, we asked if the kids wanted to meet again. The answer was a resounding yes! The guys, 7 of them, went until 1am sharing their backgrounds. The stories were heartbreaking. Outwardly, most seemed callous, but we could feel their pain.

The girls met again with Roz, Katya (the camp director), and some of the other leaders. They were able to share with them about God's desire for their lives and the lasting consequences for wrong choices. They shared about how God is the Father to the fatherless and that He has a perfect plan for each of them.

It proved to be a profitable time of fellowship for both groups. Two of the young men repented the next day and trusted their lives to Christ. There were also several of the young ladies whose hearts were softened toward the things of the Lord where they had been rebellious and non-interested at the beginning of the week.

The message that was filtered throughout everything we did was faith~Faith in Christ instead of self or man.

We praise God for His power, the power of His Word, and the power of His love. He is in control and working all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose!

The song that is playing during the slideshow is one of the children's favorites. Tom would take them for rides in the van and they would ask to hear this song over and over. It speaks of loving Jesus and being grateful for all He has done.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Special 4th of July Picnic!

2009-07-14T21:26:00.006+04:00

Andrei and Tom went outside of Moscow with a group from Golgotha Church to fulfill the birthday wishes of a man living in a home for the handicapped. His wish was simple, but for him, to have that wish granted was a dream come true.

As we arrived at the facility, we found an old dilapidated building with a big group of guys walking around a fenced pen...not a very good first impression...Tatiana went to pick up the birthday man, Sasha, and his best friend, Serozha. Both men, 33 years old, are wheel-chair bound but full of joy. They were excited about riding in the van as we headed for Sasha's big birthday celebration~a picnic near the lake. What a glorious day it was! It was supposed to rain and be a bit chilly, but God stumped the forecasters and blessed us with beautiful weather. We built a fire, went for a stroll in the forest, sang hymns to them, and had a Bible lesson. We shared with them that just like Andrei, they were created by God and perfect in His eyes, as He makes no mistakes! We then got down to real business and enjoyed a great picnic lunch prepared by Tatiana and her sister, Ira. Jenya, Ira's husband and their son, Jenya, made sure we had plenty of wood for the fire and a place to heat up the meat. Both Sasha and Serozha were blessed and grateful, as were we, for the time God gave us together.

Our trip to El'na (Yelna)

2009-07-03T21:39:00.001+04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our Visa Trip to Ukraine!

2009-06-23T23:11:00.003+04:00

Thanks to everyone who faithfully prayed for us and provided financially during our visa renewal process! We had a wonderful time visiting with our friends, the Hunsuckers, while waiting for our applications to be processed! Though the slideshow is lengthy, we couldn't leave out any of these! Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Time to Rejoice~

2009-06-23T16:07:00.004+04:00

We are happy to attach a slideshow of Andrei's recent baptism. He repented several years ago but was not willing to face his fear of water (from his years in the orphanage) to be baptized. In the Lord's perfect time, Andrei faced his fear, walked out in the very cold water with boldness and had victory as he followed the Lord Jesus' example in Believer's baptism. We are rejoicing with him in this and believe the Lord will build Andrei's faith as a result of giving this fear to Him!
The recorded choir song is with Andrei and the Golgotha choir singing in church the day after his baptism...It's one of his favorites and is about God's forgiveness.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Giving Thanks!

2009-06-16T00:24:00.002+04:00

Praise the Lord, He has once again allowed us to receive visas to stay in Russia (at least until August 30th)! We had a wonderful trip to Ukraine, visiting with friends while waiting for the paperwork to be processed. We are so grateful for all of you who have prayed for us during this holding time.

We have some wonderful pictures to put in a slideshow that we hope to post sometime this week.

Until then, know that we are back in Russia with grateful hearts!

Rejoice With Us!

2009-05-26T14:36:00.013+04:00

Thank you for praying for us to receive our visa letter of invitation prior to our departure tomorrow! We received word that it is ready and will be picked up today! We are grateful for each one of you who prayed! For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers (1 Peter 3:12a)

We will leave tomorrow afternoon and be traveling two nights on the train. Please pray as we get to the Embassy in Kiev, we will have favor in the officials' eyes and they will grant us new visas. Though this visa will only be valid for 90 days, Lord willing, we will be able to get a one year visa on our next visa trip in August.

We have more pictures from our last trip to Bezhetsk for your enjoyment and encouragement. May the Lord bless each of you whom He works through to allow us to do His work here. We are grateful for your prayers and faithful support. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!

We love you and praise the Lord for you!

It's That Time Again!

2009-05-22T17:23:00.002+04:00

Please pray for us as we prepare to go to Ukraine again for new visas. We are scheduled to leave Wed. night, May 27th, as our current visas expire the 28th. We are still waiting for our letter of invitation for the new visa. If we have it before we leave Moscow, we should only have to be gone for a couple of weeks. We will turn our documents in at the Kiev Embassy and then travel further south again to visit friends in Dneprorudnoe, as we did last summer. We are grateful for their hospitality during our waiting time. Please join us in praying the process will be quick, but also that the Lord's will be done...we are hoping this is His will, but will trust Him and His perfect timing! We are excited to see our friends again and look forward to helping them with some projects!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!...Part 2

2009-05-22T13:45:00.009+04:00

Christ is Risen!!

2009-05-19T12:02:00.000+04:00

A very happy and belated Easter! In Russia, we celebrated the Lord Jesus'death and resurrection a week after the American date of celebration. We praise God for the love, mercy, and grace He has abundantly poured into our lives. We are so grateful for how He continues to use each of you through prayer, encouragement, and giving, which enable us to continue the work here.

Please forgive the lack of correspondence on our part. We had computer problems again and were without easy (at home) access for quite some time. Praise the Lord, we were able to get it fixed with some help from the world's greatest service center... dear friends who were able to walk us through replacing our hard drive, do-it-yourself style- at home! The Lord is gracious in meeting all our needs, no matter what area of our life they appear!

The snow is gone and new life is springing forth. The trees are budding, grass is growing, and the flowers give evidence of life as they push themselves up through the previously frozen soil. It all reminds us of Jesus, His life, death, and glorious resurrection. Let us never forget nor take for granted the price He paid to redeem and save us out of the bondage of our sin. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Over the past few months, we have been encouraged by a handful of guys who continue to spend weekends and attend church with us. There are others that often meet us there. It is encouraging to see that the Lord is alive and working in their lives. Speaking of encouragement, Egor L., after several weeks of local competition, was selected as one of the top English students in all of Moscow. Several weeks ago, he traveled to Smolensk, another city in Russia, to participate in a week long competition with other students from around the country. To think where he was ten years ago and to see him now, can be explained in no other way than a true walking miracle of God. We pray the Lord will continue to use him as a living testimony of His grace, mercy, and power.

While some of the students are doing well, others are struggling. A few have been convicted and recognize the error of their way. Their lives are miserable and they have no peace or joy. They have expressed a desire to return to walking with the Lord, but are unwilling to humble themselves, pray and seek His face, nor turn from them wicked ways. Those are the lost sheep, the ones God has brought back into our lives over the past few months. Please pray for wisdom, discernment, and yieldedness to Christ's leading to meet these young adults in their time of great spiritual need. "Where sin abounded, God's grace abounded much more. (Romans 5:20)

Please continue to pray for Egor G. as he continues to live in a very difficult situation with his mother. Much effort has taken place on his behalf, to free him from the bondage, but to no avail. It will take a mighty move of God's hand to rectify the situation. We are praying for Egor's safety and for his mother's salvation. It has been over 4 weeks since he has been with us and his mother has told him he is not allowed to see us anymore. We are thankful for the time God has allowed us with him and trust that the Truth that is hidden in his heart will keep him from falling into patterns of great sin. (Psalm 119:11)

A few more smiles~

2009-03-12T07:18:00.010+03:00

Slow connections...more pictures as we can get them to you!

2009-03-11T23:55:00.000+03:00

WEEKEND ADVENTURES~

2009-03-11T19:14:00.006+03:00

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Watch, stand fast in the faith,

be brave, be strong.

Let all that you do be done with love.

This past weekend Andrei, myself, and 10 others (which included 8 young adults from various local churches) visited an orphanage about 5 hours outside of Moscow in Bezhetsk. It was truly an outstanding trip. It was so good to see the children again and they were excited to to have us back. It was such an encouragement to see the youth from different churches plan and implement games, activities, and skits that teach God's Word. Andrei was able to step right in and become part of the team. His understanding of God's Word, ability to communicate with the leaders, and interact with the children made him an asset to the group. With all the games, activities, and even teaching, the thing they responded to the most was the love of Jesus shown to them through each of us. God opened the door for me to share with the older children from the Bible about David and his faith. It was through that faith and relationship with God that he was able to do the impossible when he slew Goliath. I conveyed to them that the same God wants to do the impossible for each one of them.

The next night they were able to hear about, see, and touch a living miracle-one they could all relate to. As I shared how God miraculously brought Andrei and our family together, they listened intently as I compared Andrei's situation to theirs. Even with their personal situation of living in an orphanage, God's love for them is great and He is providing for all of their physical and spiritual needs. In the end, many came to the front of the room to show their outward desire to have that same kind of relationship that David had with God. Please join us in praying for these children, especially the older ones. We praise the Lord for blessing, encouraging, and using us to touch these children with His love.

While we were enjoying our time in Bezhetsk, Roz stayed behind to spend some time with three of our guys, Misha H., Misha N., and Egor G. They also had a great time together in spite of a couple of them fighting colds. They worked on some projects, played some games, went for a couple of long walks in the beautiful snow fall, and simply were blessed to be able to spend time together. We praise God for the continual opportunities to share the love of Christ with some of the ones that used to live with us. The boys left with grateful hearts, asking what our plans are for next weekend! Praise the Lord!

Please join us in praying for this coming weekend as we travel to Plavsk and the orphanages in that area. Pray the Lord will open the doors for us to be able to get in to see the children and we would redeem the time for Him. May we be ministers of His grace as we go in Jesus' name.

Praise the Lord, Sarah received her passport and exit visa without any problems. Thanks to Skymiles, she was able to inexpensively fly to the US for her new visa. This saved the expense of one of us having to go with her had she gone to another country. God's hand clearly directed the planning process and allowed her to meet up with John-David this past weekend for a BIG surprise visit to Roz's Dad in South Carolina! On their way back from there, they were able to drop in and visit their dear Aunt Sarah and one of Roz's cousins. Thankfully, today Sarah received her letter of invitation for her new visa. She has mailed it in and is now waiting for it to be processed. During this waiting time, she is able to be with some dear friends and their young children to encourage them while she, too, is encouraged! Please join us in praying for her visa and that all will go according to the Lord's perfect will.

Snowy February Greetings!

2009-02-18T17:33:00.037+03:00

Praise God that we are pretty much settled in our 'new' home! We are about 8km beyond Zelenograd in a small area called Bearcenevka. The Russian name for our type house is a 'dacha' and the English translation, more or less, is 'summer house'. Most are wooden, drafty, and lacking running water inside. The Lord provided us with a 15 year old brick, well heated home with both hot and cold running water! Well, the water is a bit orange and rusty, but we have been able to install a couple of filters to minimize that problem. Our skin and hair have a nice orange hue to them...

Since our return in January, we have enjoyed spending time with many of the students that lived with us over the past 10 years. Every weekend, even starting with our second day back, we have had up to seven of the kids with us. The big blessing is that even though we live so far outside Moscow, they all want to come visit.

Egor G. has been with us every weekend, while some will come Saturday night and then go to church with us on Sunday. We have been so blessed to have Galya, Vera, Nastya, Leanna, Arseni, Egor L., Misha H., Misha N., Serozha, Sasha R., and Kostya as our frequent guests. We are grateful for the home the Lord has provided that can truly be a refuge and place of ministry to these young people.

One of the guys, Misha, is one of 'our' guys from the past. He had a reputation for being a rebel and uninterested in the things of the Lord. He called us 'out of the blue' a couple of weeks ago and expressed a great desire to come see us. He met us at church and said he was really grateful to have been there. Though many of the other students came home with us that day after church, Misha was Tom's shadow, talking about his need and longing to get his life right with the Lord. We praise God for Misha and what He is doing in his life. Please pray for his protection and for him to truly repent and put his life in the Lord's hands. We praise the Lord for the many different people that have invested their time, energy, love, and prayers in Misha's life over the years. He has so many vivid memories of God's Word and Truths that he learned through the Lord's servants. He told us that when he was at the Training Center, he always thought that to be the worst time of his life. "Now, I know those were the best years of my life." Praise the Lord that His Word will not return void but will accomplish that which it is set out to do.

Many of you have met Egor G. during his visits with us to the US. We have had him on our prayer list since our return due to the worsening conditions at home. Due to his mother's continued neglect, the government is stepping in and will most likely be removing Egor from her custody. Please pray for Egor and us as we work through this challenging situation with him and the Russian authorities. Please pray for the Lord's will to be done with his young and tender life. As we have shared before, he has many emotional needs due to his mother's neglect and verbal abuse.

As you know also from our recent prayer requests, Sarah had her passport with visa and other documents stolen about a week or two after our return. Praise God she now has a new passport but has to get another letter of invitation and an exit visa to leave the country for about 3 weeks to apply and Lord willing, obtain a new visa. Please pray for her as she will be leaving the first week of March.

Last week, we had the opportunity to visit an English class where their teacher is a friend of ours from one of the churches we visit. Praise the Lord we were permitted and even encouraged to open and close in prayer and openly speak to the students about God. We were invited to come on a regular basis to interact with them and even help teach. Please pray for discernment as we plan our days.

This past Sunday, our family with 9 young adults from Golgotha Church, visited the orphanage that is very close to where we live. The young people, including Andrei, spent some quality time with the children while Roz, Sarah, and I were able to meet with the director. She appears to be open to us to return as often as we can. Please pray that God will keep that door open and will direct our path as we 'trust in Him with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding'.

We have also gotten involved again with our Thursday evening Bible study group that is held in the southern part of Moscow at Resurrection Church. I am doing a one-on-one Bible study with an American brother earlier on Thursday afternoons and then Roz and I travel down south to Resurrection Church for that time of fellowship and study. It is an encouragement to see the commitment in these brothers and sisters in Christ as we gather weekly to study God's Word and seek to implement it in our lives.

On Sunday afternoons, Golgotha Church has begun an English Bible study group for those who would like to study English. We have been approached to be involved in that and are prayerfully seeking our place there. Andrei continues to enjoy singing bass in the Sunday morning choir and we are grateful he is able to participate and praise the Lord through song.

John-David is still in the US living and working in the Charlotte, NC area. God has so richly blessed him with a family that has given him a home to rent as he tries to get established, two church bodies who are reaching out to him with solid spiritual truths, a car from a brother in our church in Pineville, and a job when times are so economically tough. He still has his heart set on joining Life Action Revival Ministries at some time in the future. We trust the Lord to reveal the right time for that. Please continue to pray for God's clear direction and protection for him.

In closing, we covet your prayers for our future here in Moscow. The business license under which our work visas come, is up for renewal. There are several requirements to be met in order for us to be approved. Our desire is to stay and continue to work with the many young people God has placed in our path over the years. Our commitment is to stay in the center of God's will, wherever that may be and whatever that may mean. We've said it often, but it is so very true...There is no better place to be than in the center of God's will...unless you are in His presence.

Thank you for your continual faithfulness in praying for us and for financially enabling us to be here serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is with grateful hearts that we praise the Lord for each of you.

Greetings from Afar!

2009-01-31T15:53:00.003+03:00

Thank you, dear ones, for praying as we returned to Russia! We had a safe trip and were greeted with temps in the 20's which, now, seems like that was spring! Today we woke to 5 degrees F. and iced windows upstairs, which is the warmest part of the house! Praise the Lord for warm blankets, slippers and layers!
We are in the process of getting a modem so we can have internet access from home. We will be sending an update soon but just had to send out some photos of God's glorious creation that surrounds us in our neighborhood! Enjoy!

2008-12-29T06:41:00.005+03:00

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-25T10:35:00.007+03:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2008-11-27T07:44:00.000+03:00

We are grateful for each of you! May the Lord bless you as you celebrate all He has blessed you with!

BLESSED ARE YOU, LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, OUR FATHER, FOREVER AND EVER. YOURS, O LORD, IS THE GREATNESS, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, THE VICTORY AND THE MAJESTY; FOR ALL THAT IS IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH IS YOURS; YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, O LORD, AND YOU ARE EXALTED AS HEAD OVER ALL. BOTH RICHES AND HONOR COME FROM YOU, AND YOU REIGN OVER ALL. IN YOUR HAND IS POWER AND MIGHT; IN YOUR HAND IT IS TO MAKE GREAT AND TO GIVE STRENGTH TO ALL. NOW THEREFORE, OUR GOD, WE THANK YOU AND PRAISE YOUR GLORIOUS NAME. 1 CHRONICLES 29:10b-13

The Countdown...

2008-10-25T10:20:00.002+04:00

Thanks for continuing in prayer for us. Our days are extremely busy! We are making the final move out of the apartment and into the dacha today, Saturday. We have changed our gathering with some of the students until Sunday afternoon. Thanks for praying for good weather and a special time of fellowship in the Lord.

Once we leave the apartment, we will be without internet until we reach the US with the exception of wifi at McDonald's! Praise the Lord for McDonald's!

We are scheduled to fly out Monday at noon. We are looking forward to catching up on some much needed sleep!

May the Lord bless each one of you. We are particularly grateful for your prayer coverage for our family and our travels over the next few days. God be with you 'til we meet again!

Time is Passing Quickly!

2008-10-17T21:46:00.006+04:00

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers as we continue to relocate and prepare to leave for the US at the same time! Have you ever felt like you are on a merry-go-round? We are grateful for the 'merriment' the Lord blesses us with each day!
Things are going well and we continue to be amazed at God's faithfulness. There have been a few things at the dacha that need some attention but we praise the Lord for the owner's willingness and joyful willingness, at that, to take care of them. Today, he had two men helping him move a massive pile of metal rods from one location to another in the back yard. When we were leaving for the day, I went to go check the back gate and the Lord showed me a beautiful little plot of land where the rods were previously and the potential for a small garden next spring. Ooorah! We can grow our own potatoes, carrots, beets and cabbage for fresh borscht! OK, maybe I'm counting my veggies before they're even planted....however, we are so grateful!
We took 'little' Egor to the dacha last weekend and he loves it...the only thing he didn't like was the sound of the neighbor's dog barking! For those of you that remember the summer he got bit by a protective momma dog, the memory still lingers for him, too, causing a great desire for a good deal of distance between him and ANY dog! We reassured him the dog would not get through, over, or under the fence! We told him tonight that we will spend next Saturday night there and he is very happy! At the same time, he is very sad about us leaving. For him, it will mean going somewhere else for the next 11 weeks. There is a family in our church for whom we are grateful that has offered to host him on the weekends in our absence.
Please pray for us as we plan a get together with some of 'our' kids next Saturday night. It will be our first night in the dacha and two nights before we are scheduled to fly out, but we really want to have a cookout and camp fire with them before we leave. (The owner gave us permission!) Please pray we will unconditionally convey the love of the Lord to them and that HE will meet each one at their point of need through us.

PRAISE THE LORD~HOME SWEET HOME!

2008-10-11T08:08:00.004+04:00

Thanks to everyone who has been praying over the past 6 months for us to find a place to live! The Lord has answered prayer and blessed us with a genuine Russian dacha (house) to live in. It is outside of Moscow and close to the ministry's office in Zelenograd. As the Lord would have it, we are about 10 minutes walking distance from one of the orphanages we visit!

The owners of the dacha are very nice and we are both happy about us being there. Lord willing, all will go as planned and we will sign the contract today and start moving some things. We need to find out what we need to do with communication though! There is no phone or dsl line for internet so we are searching for options. Please continue to pray for us as we move and prepare to depart for the US. We have 16 days to do both!

We are grateful for your faithful prayers and support! Grace and peace be multiplied to each one!

God is in Control!

2008-09-29T01:28:00.003+04:00

~Praise the Lord that we can trust our future to Him~

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. God will still answer prayers according to His perfect will.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL?!!

Special Prayer Request!

2008-09-29T01:08:00.004+04:00

We spoke with John-David tonight for quite some time and he asked that we ask people to pray for him. He is relocating to the Indianapolis Training Center tomorrow, Monday, October 29th, and will be there for the next four weeks. He said, "I need prayer for direction from the Lord and to hear from Him concerning what the next step is". Please pray for this time of transition and adjustment. May the Lord's will be done in his life. May these times of uncertainty be as the refiner's fire.

"It doesn't matter, really, how great the pressure is," he used to say; "it only matters where the pressure lies. See that it never comes between you and the Lord - then, the greater the pressure, the more it presses you to His breast."
(Taylor, Dr. and Mrs. Howard. "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret." China Inland Mission: Philadelphia. 1935. p107)

Thanks for praying!

2008-09-25T13:08:00.002+04:00

Praise the Lord, we got our boxes moved and everything is together in one place! Traffic was great and we were able to get everything finished in about 4 hours, including travel time! We were blessed with two faithful friends who helped us get it done so quickly! We continue to look for an apartment/home and trust the Lord to provide a place in His perfect time. Please continue to pray for provision of a place and discernment to know where to search. Sometimes we feel like we are looking for a needle in a haystack!

Time to Move Again...

2008-09-23T19:42:00.007+04:00

Lord willing, tomorrow morning we will be moving our boxes to the storage area where our furniture is. This will allow us to consolidate things and....further simplify our lives. Please pray for strength, safety, and wisdom to know what we really need to keep and what would benefit others more! Clear roads without traffic would be a big blessing, too, as the storage areas are about an hour from each other...without traffic!

AT LAST.....SEPTEMBER GREETINGS!

2008-09-18T10:16:00.008+04:00

Technical Difficulties~

2008-09-18T00:16:00.005+04:00

Patience is a virtue! (I'm speaking to myself!) Due to technical difficulties, i.e. not being able to figure things out...sigh...our September update will have to wait another day...

Coming Soon!

2008-09-16T22:42:00.002+04:00

Our September update is almost ready! Hold on, it won't be long before we post it!

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

2008-08-07T18:59:00.002+04:00

We have just returned from the Embassy with all of our visas in hand, praise the Lord! We have bought train tickets to return to Moscow tonight, arriving at 1130 tomorrow morning. Thanks so much for praying and trusting the Lord to continue to work all things together for good! We are so thankful that He has allowed us to return to Moscow to serve Him as He leads.

A Surprise Church Gathering!

2008-08-05T15:22:00.017+04:00

Yesterday after the guys finished working on their paint project, we went on a home visit. Brother Petr picked us up to take us to his home in Vidnozhyeno. He was going to make two trips, however, it was determined that all 9 of us plus Petr could fit in his 4 door sedan!

On the way to Vidnozhyeno with Brother Petr

Are y'all okay back there?

A full car even after Tom and Will got out!

When we asked how many people would be at the house, he told us he didn't know, he hadn't been home yet.
When we arrived, Leanna, his wife took Sarah, Jaan, and Raia out to their garden to pick fresh watermelons and white melons. When I went out to see them, she then escorted us to heavily laden apple and apricot trees. What a beautiful sight! After gathering more than enough to take home with us, we were told to load up in the car again to head to the church!

House of Prayer

The Sisters

What started out to be a home visit, turned into an evening together at their village church where Tom was asked to share aided by Will's interpretation. When he finished sharing on the importance of the family and taking responsibility for discipleship within the family first, the pastor asked if anyone had questions or comments. After a few inquiries, one of the sisters had questions and wanted to know what to do about unsaved husbands. Praise the Lord, Tom was able to share with them 1Peter 3 and look at it from God's perspective. Tom had just shared this message with the church body Sunday in Will and Phyllis' church, so it was neat to see the Lord use His Word again to minister to the serious needs of His people. It is a common sight to see the churches both in Ukraine and Russia filled with mostly women with unsaved husbands. Tom shared with the body that all the answers to life's difficulties are answered in God's Word. Praise the Lord He has given us His Spirit to help us and entrusted us with His Word to lead us.The Brothers

Please pray especially for the salvation of the husbands of Valya and Natasha. Pray their husbands will see Jesus working in and through them and for the women to have meek and quiet spirits. (1Peter 3)Valya and Natasha

Visas

2008-08-04T18:04:00.001+04:00

Please pray for our visa situation. We are trusting the Lord to have His perfect way as we prepare to return to Kiev. We will take the night train on Wednesday, arriving in Kiev early Thursday morning. We will return to the Russian Embassy at 2pm to pick up our new visas, Lord willing. If the three of us receive our visas, which is our hearts' desire, we will then catch the night train to Moscow, arriving Friday morning.

Times Together in Ukraine

2008-08-04T17:41:00.001+04:00

Camp Memories from El'na

2008-08-04T13:32:00.004+04:00

Sarah and Olga interpreted during camp
A group shot...
Sarah is one of these girls...which one is she??

Recent newsletter

2008-08-01T16:11:00.001+04:00

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