Here we go again!

God has blessed me in so many ways!

1) I get to return to Ukraine, my home away from home, and serve God with people that I consider Family. For a moment I thought that this would not be the case.

2) I have the privilege of leading this wonderful team for Camp 2 at Hope Center. In the Picture above from left to right we have Jason & Leah Anderson, Darren & Naomi Lieser, Morgan Jackson, and Mattie Theis (At camp we will be join by Steve and Melody Thomas of Texas)

3) I get to bring my husband with! For those of you who don't know. He proposed to me in the airport upon my return from Ukraine last year. and now I get to show him first hand what has been such a huge part of my life these past 7 years.

4) God has graciously and faithfully met all our financial needs. We have been working through fundraisers and support letters to raise the nearly $15,000 for the team to go. We felt as if we were reaching the end of our resources. As of Sunday Morning just 6 days before we leave we had still $3000 left to go. We did a final fundraiser and God work through the lives of many to help meet ALL these needs within 24 hours. Nothing is too big for our God!

Trip Details:

We leave on Saturday, July 16th and Return on Friday July 29th. Travel Both ways is 1 hour ride to the airport, 4 flights (Minneapolis to Chicago to Frankfurt to Kiev to Simferopol) and a 4 hour van ride to Hope Center. Doesn't sound too bad, until I mention with layovers it is about 34 hours of travel, could be longer but not shorter :o) Which leads us to our first prayer request. Please pray for safety in all travel and that we make all connections smoothly.

Our schedule looks like this:

July 16-17 Travel to Hope Center (Arrive about 1 am on the 18th)

18th Sleep, adjust to the 8 hour time difference and prepare for camp

19th the Kids Arrive!

20th Day 2 of camp, but first Full Day and First Bible Lesson

Day's Highlight: Opening Ceremony

21st Day 3 of camp

Day's Highlight: Bible Ceremony - Every Child is gifted a Bible

22nd Day 4 of Camp

Day's Highlight: Morning Bible Lesson Skit: I'm Choosen! "King of Hearts"

23rd Day 5 of Camp

Day's Highlight: Biffer - This kids love this game ask me about it some time

24th Day 6 of Camp

Day's Highlight: Salvation Message

25th Day 7 of Camp

Day's Highlight: Movie Night (And the team's possible sightseeing excursion)

26th Day 8 of Camp

Day's Highlight: Closing Ceremony, Bonfire, & Slide Show

27th Kids go home and we help Clean Camp

28th-29th We travel Home (Similar schedule as before only backwards - Total travel time about 40-42 hours)

Each day we start at 7 am and go till about 10:15 pm with about 1 to 1/2 hours of rest some where in the middle. Which Brings me to our next prayer request. Please pray for spiritual, physical, and emotional strength and endurance through the entire camp, and trip. This is an action packed week plus, with little down time.

Other Prayer Requests:

Please pray for the children. They all come from backgrounds that we wouldn't wish on any child. Almost all from poverty at some point or all times of their lives. Many from neglect (some cases to the extremes you couldn't imagine) and abuse of all kinds. Many from single mothers, and many from alcoholic parents. Some without parents at all. Some from state orphanages others from smaller orphanages, some from extremely disadvantaged homes. All of these things help the children to put up walls in their lives from letting any one else in who could hurt me. Please That God would soften their hearts quickly to learn of and accept His amazing Love and Grace. So they can take with them the Hope of Christ.

Also Pray for the Ukrainian Volunteers, Interpreters, and staff. Some are not from church family's and although they come to serve the children of Ukraine they have not yet devoted their lives to our God and Savior. Pray we bring Gods message of Love and Salvation to them as well in everything we do. Also Pray for that the translations are accurate in words and message. Some times our sayings hold a different meaning than the direct words themselves, pray that the meaning is related not just the words. This is also tricky if the interpreters are not Christians, as we use a vocabulary that they may be very unfamiliar with. Pray God gives them the words, and us the words to explain things in a new way if needed.

Please pray for unity. Pray for unity within the team and also between the team and the Ukrainian staff. Pray that culture differences bring excitement and joy instead of division.

Thank you for your Prayers, they are the backbone of any mission trip. Without them we struggle. Oh how God loves to hear the prayers of many! And He is so faithful to answer!