July Monthly Update 2007

It's Not Just About Ukraine

Let me take you east of Ukraine through Asia, drop south of China, and nestled to the northeast of India you will find Bangladesh. Just 144 000 sq kms, with a population between 130-150 million, this means about 1000 people live in each square kilometre.

Economically, Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world. And spiritually they are very needy. The country is 86% Muslim, 13% Hindu, leaving just 1% for Buddhists, Christians and other groups. Moreover, there is just one missionary for every 366 000 people in Bangladesh.

The church of God must look outside its four walls. Wherever you are in the world reading this, please tap into the heart of God for the poor and needy of this world. Please consider what you can sacrifice this month to assist the spiritual and physical needs of the less advantaged. Pray for Bangladesh and let God work in your heart.

Summer Camp - Love and Go
This is my number one priority for the next two weeks. This week is set up camp and finish preparing the studies. Please pray for both of these aspects. Please pray especially for the studies. Pray now that God will work in all of our lives so we leave the island with a greater love for God, for our neighbours, and a challenge to go to all the world in the power of Jesus and share the Good News about Him.
Pragmatically, please pray for the boat motor. Last week I took the boat out, didn’t make it very far and ended up rowing back home. I am meeting a man at 6 am tomorrow to try and get it fixed. This week I am carting loads of firewood and tents and tools to the island to set up. We are expecting about 100 people.

Weddings in the West
This week is crazy. During the middle of setting up camp, I’m driving Thursday night to L’viv in Western Ukraine. My friend Natalie is getting married on Friday, and I will then drive home again Friday night. Pray for safety driving. Pray more for Natalie and her husband Alyosha. I have known Natalie for a long time and she is a good friend. She knows that I pray for her. We have had some conversations about faith. My desire is that she would meet Jesus and worship Him for who He is – our Saviour.

Pray also for my Scottish mate Simbo who is getting married two days later, a little further west in Poland. Unfortunately it clashes with camp so I cannot go. Simbo and Asia will be living and serving God in Ukraine after they are married. Pray for God’s blessing upon their marriage.

Graduations

June is graduation month for the local Technicums. This year Sergei, Sasha and Nadia completed their diplomas. Sergei will work through the summer and then sometime in autumn will commence his compulsory military service. Please pray that his faith will be very strong before he heads to the army. Sasha is from another town. He may be living with me for the summer – is still making up his mind. He hopes to enter university in the autumn. He is a mature young man with a good faith. I would like to get to know him better. Nadia has finished a chef’s course. She makes great cakes. She is one of my English students and I don’t know what her plans are for the coming year. Please pray for these three young people.

Rural Ukraine Foreign Language Services
I guess I was too hasty in saying the registration process was almost complete. Everything has been pushed back til after camp. Through a friend, I have contacted two ladies who will come to Rzhyshchiv and believe they can do the process in one week. This time I’m the doubting Thomas but I’m going to ride with it. I can see the benefit of having the process finished before I leave here in October. It will be good to come back here next year ready to get things rolling.

Lessons have progressed well. We are in recess now til September. I will teach again for one month before I leave. Please pray about a replacement teacher for the time I am away, it would be great to be able to keep the students I already have going. Please pray for the students I teach. Pray for opportunities for “God conversations”.

What Ya Readin'?
I finished “Through Painted Deserts” by Don Miller. It was not as good as his first book, it kept me going because it seemed like it would get better but didn’t quite deliver. 3/5

“Pollution and the Death of Man” by Francis Schaeffer has been an intellectual but worthwhile read striking a cord in a new area of interest for me. Schaeffer is amazingly current for a book written before I was born. A challenge to Christians. 3.5/5

Prayer and Praise

• Bangladesh
• Summer Camp 120
• Natalie
• Simbo and Asia
• Sergei, Sasha, Nadia
• Mum – she broke her ankle recently

Thanks

• To every one of you who pray for me. I am overwhelmed. Thanks for encouraging me by telling me you pray for me.

Love Jono
Keep Looking Up

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