My wife Nastya and I have been living and serving in CC Svetlavod'sk with Ben and Lena Morrison since the 26'th of may. The Last nearly two months have been wonderful. Everything from lots of ministry, to good fellowship and even swimming a couple of times :).
As far as ministries go, I am doing the youth group, which is a true blessing. A youth group is like a little body inside of the congregation. There is a great importance because, Lord willing & if He doesn't tarry, these kids will one day be leaders in the church. So for now they're getting stuffed full of the word, worship & we also have some plans to help the community this summer by cleaning a beach up and other outreach possibilities. Right now we're taking our time going through the epistle of colossians and just being blessed by what the Lord is doing in our group. If you would, please pray that the Lord would give me vision on how to best serve the kids and help them to grow in there walks with the Lord. Also, everything is in Russian which is another good challenge for me. Thankfully, I have a wonderful wife who helps me prepare. :)
Worship team. For me, even though I've been blessed by doing worship for several years, this is the first time I've ever been a technical worship leader. I'm used to just me and a drum, so personally this is a good growing experience that I'm happy the Lord has blessed me with. Right now it really is just ben and I playing, but soon, as the Lord leads, there is a boy named Phillip who will be joining the team playing the guitar and possibly singing. That is a really exciting prospect. Right now, we're just seeking the Lord and His vision for the worship team here in svetlovod'sk and keeping our eyes open for any additions to the team. Prayer requests for that end of it would be that the Lord would grow me in my own (from the Holy Spirit of course) musical ability and the He would grow the team as He sees fit.
From the first through the sixth of July, Ben and Lena went to a regional conference/rest at the beach and Nastya and I stayed back in Svetlovod'sk. I had the opportunity to teach four times in one week. I will admit that it was very hard, but the Lord used it greatly in mine and my wife's lives.
Other than that, I just try to be open for any small ministry opportunities in or out of the church.
Nastya has been helping by translating certain things into russian & other office-type work. Praise the Lord for her! she amazes me!
Being with the Morrisons has been wonderful. As I said, I taught 4 times in one week and Nastya helped me prepare the messages, but it astounds me how the morrisons are able to do all of the ministry that they do on top of having two children. They have been/are being a great example to Nastya and I on being a faithful family and being faithful ministers! Praise the Lord for their openness and faithfulness to the Lord! Please pray that the Lord would unite us more and more as a team and bless the great friendship that we have with them.
The Lord is proving Himself day-by-day to be faithful in every way. My heart is that as Nastya and I are here, that the Lord would cause us to be more rooted in His grace and affective in the ministry.
Ofcourse there are many more things to be written, but that's about the jist of it :).
God bless you and thank you for your prayers!
