Losers

 For several months, through newsletters and this blog and I have shared about and solicited prayers for my women's small group. On January 9 Olyona made a public profession of faith , or January 26 Alina followed her. These two salvations have had a very personal effect on me. I've seen them change so much in the three months they have attended. When Olyona first started attending, anytime pray time came around she always did something to distract herself. When she did pray, the words were forced and awkward. Anya's prayer were eloquent and empty. I was completely intimidated by the both of them, and baffled by their regular attendance. In the past three months they have never missed a meeting. I don't know when the changes started coming, at first they weren't noticeable, they started opening up more at tea time sharing more about what was really going on in their lives. Then there were the set backs, gossip and jealousy, the two diseases that no church group is immune to. I worried that they would become disillusioned or disappointed in "believers". I seem to always underestimate the Lord. And of course among the seven nonbelievers, that I was fervently praying for at that time, I thought they would be the last to be saved. They were the first. After Alina's repentance, her teenage son and daughter most made professions of faith. And I am continuously humbled and amazed through this whole process. If I had any misconceptions before that the the success of the prayer group had anything to do with me, the Lord has certainly removed them. I'm going through a pruning process myself right now. And it's painful, but the fruit has been worth it.
The work here is alive and growing, each day I wake up with the wonderful question, "who will be saved this week" It has nothing to do with Andrey, or I, or what great ministers we are. No, He uses in spite of how lousy we are are. Sometimes I feel like He's saying, "because you mess up so much, I will bless you". I"m grateful to Him for His loving kindness. I grateful that He has a soft spot for losers!

On Thursday

Today's Thursday. Thursday, means cleaning house, meeting one on one with ladies from my prayer group, and on Thursday evening we have our small groups for couples. This group is actually not lead by us, but by one of our local pastors. We meet in his apartment which is located on the fifth floor of a still underconstruction apartment building. Which means no working elevator. You have to climb five flights of stairs to attend small group. You have to want to attend small group.
At the small group, Andrey and I are the entertainment. I don't mean wisecracks and jokes, although there is plenty of that coming from Andrey's side of the room. What I mean is that, when forming this small group we were asked  to facilitate activities outside of the usual small groups meetings. We're the party planners! Which is usually what we do best, and what we do throughout most of this year. We help plan banquets, church picnics, Christmas parties, retreats, family nights, camps etc. And yet, here it is, almost an entire year as gone by and we haven't done any bonding as a group.
Last spring we planned a small group picnic, that fell through, so we postponed it to fall. That never panned out. When we mentioned Christmas party, threre were no takers.Yes, I admit, we did not even have a small group Christmas part!!!. We have a group here that is not bonding! And it's hard to figure out why. To generalize and sterotype Ukrainians, Ukrainians are very socialable. They love socializing! Dropping in for tea, can last three to four  hours. Last week we had a family over for lunch after church, they stayed still supper. Usually when we invite someone over for dinner, I go ahead an make up the guest bed. That's one of the things I love best about Ukraine. It's easy, for the most part, to bond with these guys. Which is why it's a mystery to me, why this group isn't clicking.
Not to say the group isn't successful. We've already seen fruit in this group, so far we have had three professions of faith. The group is growing and interested.  But there is still a bit of a barrier, we don't feel like family. Maybe socializing it too overrated. I certainly don't think it should ever take the place of spiritual growth or indepth Bible study, but it does have it's place in the unity of the body of Christ.
So tonight we meet once again. We're studying how to become an effective parent in a deffective world. There will be tea, sandwhiches, cookies, and fellowship. Then we will all go home, and  not visit with one another until next Thursday, when we climb the five flights of stairs once again, with new hope that maybe soon, this group will bond.

Up and going

After over a month of interenet trouble, (I don't think Mubarak had anything to do with it) our high speed internet is finally back. So hopefully our blog will be better updated in Feburary. January was a great month, two ladies in our prayer group made public professions of faith this month. And a man that has been attending the soccer ministry made a profession of faith last Sunday! This has been a great start for 2011!
There is still one faithful member of Laura's prayer group that has yet to make a profession of faith, her name is Lilya* . She lives in a one room apartment with her four kids. Her husband lives with his mother because the kids "annoy" him. I have been a little surprised by her faithful attendance, because she still has lots of doubts about Christianity. She holds to the philosphy that all paths lead to God. When she began attending the prayer group we started praying that the Holy Spirit would reveal to her that Jesus is the only way. The last two months have been a joy, as each week she comes and shares how God is answering the prayers needs she brings to the group. (Usually within a few hours after praying.) This is an answer to prayer within itself. Lately she has been arriving about an hour early  to read and ask questions before the group starts. Tomorrow our topic is confessing our sins before the Lord. Please pray for Lilya, that she will make a decision for the Lord soon!


*name has been changed