This past Saturday I had the honor of photographing a team of men from Calvary Chapel of Melbourne and Viera who were spending their Saturday helping the flood victims at the Lamplighter Village. They truly have a servants heart. The one thing that touch my heart was not just the way they were helping these people whose homes and lives have been so destroyed from the high water but their love for each one to make sure that they also met their Spiritual need by praying with each one.
In all the years I have lived here I have never seen the water so high. It was a concern for all. Thank Jesus this storm finally decided to leave Melbourne. We had rain for two days.
Paul and Gretchen have been in Ukraine for the past 8 years I believe and the time finally came when God said it was time to come home. They have done such a wonderful job with the church and from what I could discern the church is more than ready to stand on their own.
Our team of six stayed with Paul and Gretchen during our missions trip. Wow they were awesome. Gretchen is one great cook and fed us everyday like we were royalty. What a wonderful servant she is. Paul doesn't cook but he eats well. Paul kept trying to make me drink something called kwas and it tasted like nothing I have ever had in my mouth before. I do believe I spit this across the room and the next morning I put a note on the bottle that said, "Do not drink - poison" it was bad! Well Paul thought this was funny so every time I turned around I am looking at this drink. Remember Paul you are coming home and I will get revenge. This was really the only thing that I had while there on my visit that I truly hated.
Paul and Gretchen have three wonderful children. How cute they are and what a blessing to be around. They are very well behaved and would make anyone want to have children. Great job Paul and Gretchen on being parents. You have done a great job.
I know the church there will miss them greatly but Paul and Gretchen will carry them in their hearts forever. What a joy to have met Paul and Gretchen and the children and to had the opportunity to have spent sometime with them.
For brief couple of hours we were able to minister to these wonderful children. When they first came there were no smiles but within minutes both teams began ministering with face painting, games, Balloons and crafts. There were smack that our dear Gretchn made for them including ice cream. Some went swimming in the little pool at Paul's and Gretchens. What a wonderful time we had with the children. These children have already gone through more hardships in their hort lifetimes then most of us have in a lifetme. Pray much for them.
I took a portrait of each one and printed it out for them. For some it was the first time they have ever had their pictures taken that they could keep. They were very excited about this. I still stand amazed at how God used my camera over and over again to minister to people It was a great tool. Once you take their pictures they want to talk to you and then we had the opporunity to tell them about Jesus and offer them free salvation from our Lord. What a day this was!
The Florida Team and Nezhyn Team visited several orphanages. All of the orphanages we visited were clean and the children well cared for. The problem is once they turn 16 they are put out on their own again. The government do what they can but there are so many. Sometimes the government will gather all the street kids and take them back home to only be put back out on the streets the next day. Pray much for these children and for ways that we may help.
We in America have no idea how hard life is for so many children who have been placed in the streets everywhere in the Ukraine. So many children are abandon every year. While in Nezhyn we had the opportunity to witness to some of these children
We had a group of streetkid come to Paul's and Gretchen home for a time of fellowship with them. We had crafts, face painting and Balloons and some food. For a short period of time they could forget everything and just be kids.
I had the awesome opportunity to speak to these children about bitterness and anger towards the parents and life in general. I told them that Jesus loved them no matter what and that He wanted them to growup to be strong men and women. I had their full attention the whole time I spoke. It was amazing.
My heart hurts for these children. I know that many want to help in Ukraine but so many of them just cannot. They barely can take care of their own. Tanya one of the translators wants to open a home for some of these kids. I pray I can see that happen and help in anyway I can.
Thank you Lord for Jesus I know the pain of the children has been seen and heard by our Lord.
Today I want to introduce you to Olga and Marina. They both attend college in Nezhyn. These two girls are sisters and look like they could be twins but they are not. They both have a heart to serve the Lord and have such a sweet presence about them.
Olga and I spent allot of time together and she was always there to help me whether it be translating for me or helping me get down that huge steep street in Keiv. It did not matter what I needed she was there.
I never got to spend allot of time with Marina but felt that she would have been much like her sister, sweet and loving and most helpful.
Both girls have a great love for children and you can see this in the way they interacted with all of the children. I am looking forward to seeing what God will do with both of these girls.
I did not get to spend allot of time with Oksana because we were so busy but the time I was with her I truly enjoy. She is a beautiful young women who truly loves the Lord and seems to be ready to serve whenever and where ever that God would want for her.
Oksana lives and works in Keiv. I know that she has a great work to do for the Lord and in His time He will reveal to her all that he has for her to do.
Again, I feel so honored and blessed that I got to spend (little as it was) time with Oksana and hope that someday I can get to know her much better.
Today I want to talk about my new friend Tanya. She is now studying Law. Tanya is a beautiful person and loves children so very very much. She has a huge heart to work with and to help the orphans of Ukraine.
I believe in time Tanya will be able to do things that has never been done before in her country. She loves Ukraine and wants to do all she can to help the people and to make it a better place for all.
It was my honor and privilege to meet and get to know Tanya. I am so full of joy to have her as a friend. I pray and wish the very best for her as she pursues ways to help the Ukrainian people.
I am most grateful to our Lord to have meet Tanya. My life is much fuller and rich because of it.
Today I want to write about Vadim and Tanya. Vadim is the new Pastor for Calvary Chapel in Nezhyn. He and his wife Tanya have such servant's hearts. I watch them both all week as we went from one Ophanage after the other and to the home for the Elderly and I was amazed at how much love they have for everyone. They both have very real and deep servant's hearts. The church will do well with Vadim and Tanya as their leaders.
They have a new baby and right now I cannot think of her name but she is so very precious and they are so very happy with her.
Vadim has a deep love for the Word of God and can deliver very good messages. He gave his testimony that in the beginning his wife Tanya was not a Christian and made him make a choice Jesus or her and he said he loved them both but decided that he had to choose Jesus and God was so wonderful because he brought Tanya to Himself also giving Vadim the best of both worlds. She is an awesome Pastor's wife.
They both came by to see us before we left and to tell us they loved us. I shall always have a special place in my heart for them.
Lena was my translator while in Ukraine and wow what a translator she was. I grew very close to her throughout our trip because she was my voice. She was there beside of me when I did my first photography Seminar ever and I was totally scared to death. She did great! Then later she translated every word for the Abuse Seminar and did a wonderful job. Can you imagine trying to translate for me with my southern accent? She did it and was awesome. We also spent time together at the orphanages and the home for elderly. We witness to many people about their salvation. We met a lady that allowed us to pray the sinners pray with her and to tell her the story of salvation and we both felt the lady truly accepted Christ that day. Lena was so excited and after that I told her just go for it and I will pray and it was amazing to watch the Holy Spirit to take over her entire being and use her as a tool to share the gospel. It was amazing and I was so very proud of her.
Her husband Choc is the assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel of Nezhyn. He will be helping the new Pastor nurture the church as Paul and Gretchen have left and have now placed the church back into the hands of the Nezhyn Nationals.
Lena was to start working with people with addictions and I know she will do a wonderful job. I can see her in the future working in the counseling ministry in which I pray will get started with the material I left for them. Since she was translating the message that day on abuse she will have a good feel for what to say.
I fell in love with them both and pray that they will do great and mighty work. They have only been married for a couple of months. The picture above is Choc and Lena Wedding picture. God Bless you both and I know God will use you greatly.
This is a young couple I met while in Nezhyn. Will and Ira Mcintosh. Will is from California and I wish I had the time and space to tell their story completely. I will try quickly to do so. He came to Nezhyn on a Mission trip and there he met his Ira. They fell in love and so began Will's quest to get back to his Ira in which he finally did and they were married. He even wrote and published a book about their love which he gave her on their wedding night. There is only one copy of the book and Will made a beautiful wood box to keep it in. It is a beautiful love story but their love does not stop with one another. They both have a great love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Will and Ira will be cominng back to the states soon to raise support money so they can continue to work full time for the Lord.
Ira speaks English wonderfully and was one of our translators. She worked with me durng a session working with abused girls and was awesome in how she handled the quesions and translate the deep hurts of these young girls back to me.
Will loves photography also and I must say has a very wonderful talent for it. I hope he persue's this as part of his ministry. Ira sings and plays the guitar and has an voice like an Angel. I urged her to continue with her music and it is such a wonderful gift from God.
I came to love both Will and Ira with a deep affection for them because of their love for one another and for Jesus! I am proud and honor to have met them and became their friend.
Well I decided today to start a blog! Why? Well I just need a place to write down all of my blessing. I was just reading a blog from a dear friend in the Ukraine "little Viky" and she so touches my heart. Her love for Jesus just overwhelms me sometimes. As I read her blog I realized that she goes through lots of struggles but holds on tight to our Lord.
I just visit Ukraine and met some wonderful people there. I think that is partly why I wanted to do a blog. To share all the blessings that God brings to me daily though many wonderful people.
I will start with Little Viky. Like her name she is little. Loves photography and has the sweetest most wonderful spirit about her and all of the people I met in Nezhyn had. I came home with a special place in my heart. I am not sure I will have the opportunity to go back there and the thoughts of never seeing them again would be heart breaking if it were not that I know I will have an eternity with them . But each one of them have craved a special place in my heart. Maybe tomorrow I will talk about another new friend.
