General Updates

Once a year we gather our bible school directors and teacher for a time of training, encouragement and fellowship. This we held the conference on the 14-16 of December.

Naomi enjoying herself in the snow.

In the park across the street from our place

Sleds were the perferred mode of transportation for the 6 and under crowd.

With all the snow came shortages in bread. It seems the people panicked and when ever a bread truck did arrive there were lines of 100+ people waiting.

One of the things we look forward to most this time of year is our annual conference for our bible school directors and teachers.

Pastor Anatoliy is a graduate of the Church Ministries Institute. He is currently invloved in his second church plant.

This Sunday we celebrated the last Zhatva of the year in our home church, Hope for People. Naomi and Mishael participated in the children’s program.

Two roads diverged in a yellow field and I, I took the one less traveled by and … unfortunately that made all the difference!

Naomi was kind enough to share with us a little of what she wrote in her diary on Sunday. Below is a picture of Naomi and Noelle standing in front of the opera theater in downtown Odessa on Sunday.

We had a great time yesterday at our first Zhatva (thanksgiving) It rained on Saturday so we weren’t sure what the weather would be like.

This morning we were invited to attend the wedding for our secretary at the CMI. The wedding cerimony took place as part of the morning worship service in their church.

This morning I snuck out before sunrise and took a walk down to the Black Sea shore in Yuzhne. I was pleasantly suprised by the beauty of God’s creation.

The village of Shamanovka is about 25 km outside of Odessa. The only way to get there is by driving throught the fields following the dirt path left by tractors and a few cars.