Odessa Mission
February/March 2004 Newsletter
From Odessa With Love!
Nope, we haven't forgotten about you and I'm sure you haven't forgotten about us either. At least we hope not! Our stay in the US was short, but very sweet indeed. It was a joy to see family and friends, as usual. It was also nice to worship in English for a change. Since our arrival back in the saddle I've been listening to more American worship CD's than ever before. Being home was refreshing, enjoyable, way too short, and yet successful too. We're not sure when our next US trip will take place, but it'll be lengthier and we'll definitely plan to see more of you. In fact, we're already looking forward to it. To be honest, flying home to the States, despite the seven-hour difference, didn't seem to bother us much. Granted, I did wake up at about 5 a.m. for the first few days, but we didn't feel fatigued at all. Maybe we were just too excited. The return trip, however, was another story altogether. It took both of us almost a week before we began feeling relatively normal again. I kept thinking: "Boy, shouldn't I be used to this by now?" Whew, what a whirlwind!
Ira and I were fortunate enough to speak to three supporting congregations during our stay: Northampton (VA), Fairview (VA), and Community Christian (NJ). It's always nice to share in person, especially since we're usually so uplifted by all the hugs and encouragement, and this time around was certainly no disappointment! Special thanks goes out to those three churches for having us. Roanoke Bible College also invited us to speak to the students there. One missions student, Hope Walker, emailed me recently and said that she'd not only like to be added to our mailing list, but even indicated that visiting us in Odessa is a thought that she just can't seem to shake at the moment. Perhaps, with your prayer support, she'll consider joining the team tentatively planning to visit Odessa in May of 2005. (For further details on that trip please contact Al Kunkel or myself. By the way, you're also invited to the party.) Furthermore, Marj Hubbard, a retired member of Olivet Christian Church (VA), arranged a meeting with me while I was in town. She explained that God has been tugging at her heart ever since she heard about our hospital ministry. As a young mother, Marj suffered the devastating effects of losing a beautiful three-year old son to Leukemia. Although it's unlikely that she'll ever fully recover from that loss, at least she's finally at a point in her life where she's confident that her experience and her faith in God can benefit others in similar circumstances. After talking with Marj, I can't help but think that she's right. Her example reminds me of Paul's words about the "God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Please do remember both Marj and Hope in your prayers.
While Stateside, I also got a chance to visit with our friend, Sveta, who has been attempting to translate my book into Russian. Unfortunately, the project has turned out to be a bit more than she can handle. Thankfully, we recently found someone in Ukraine who has agreed to tackle the assignment. We're planning to print approximately 2000 copies and are presently searching for the best available publishing options. Hopefully, we'll have some published copies in our hands sometime later in the year.
We recently obtained permission to develop Christian programs for the kids at both the hospital ward as well as at a special school for children with muscular dystrophy. Many of the kids at the school have been abandoned by their families and actually permanently live there. The Lord pointed us in that direction because one of their kids, Volva, was also a cancer patient at the ward for a while. Through Volva, we were able to get acquainted with some of the staff members at the school and discovered an unrivaled level of receptivity to the gospel. We're initially planning biweekly programs at both facilities and will definitely keep you posted. Moreover, in just a few days I should receive the Word of Life Church's official invitation letter that will hopefully help me obtain my religious visa. We have found an appropriate facility in which to meet on Sunday mornings and look forward to beginning our work in that respect too. Always remember that your prayers are making the difference and never forget how much we love and appreciate you.
Blessings in Christ, John and Ira - The Odessa Mission