Jono Miller

The following is an email asking for people to pray. It has been edited so as not to be incriminatory.

Dear Friends

I’m asking you to pray for a situation that has arisen here in Rzhyshchiv concerning UTSIM (the language school)

It looks to be simple and stupid to the logical mind – but things here are not always logical.

There is someone who it seems may cause us big trouble.

The details I will not disclose here, but there have been some threats to our language school which now currently serves more than 50 students.

The first thought into my head was: “The God we serve is able to save us from the furnace. He will save us from your power, O king”.

I’ve had lots of feelings of righteous indignation or anger. I think the way to go will be with humility and an attitude of wanting to listen and understand.

But please pray – I guess I didn’t really know what I was signing up for when I started all this.

Love Jono

Keep Looking Up

A search for teachers for UTSIM

In 2007 God gave me the desire to start an English teaching business. The aim being: to bring glory to God using the avenue of language teaching, focusing on small towns and rural Ukraine. Since then God has enabled us to start the Ukrainian Centre of Foreign Languages (known as UTSIM). We have completed one year of teaching averaging 25-30 students. We are looking to grow and we need teachers.

Who are we looking for?

· Ukrainians with pedagogical degrees.

· Native English speakers with TESOL accreditation or an Educational Degree.

You must have a desire to teach English to kids and/or adults and love them with God’s love.

This is the Ukrainian acronym for my business. Yesterday we signed our first contract. Here is a photo of Katya - the first student to join our classes. We signed up four students yesterday and have another sign-up evening today. Classes will start next week, and I expect they will grow by word of mouth.

Please praise God with me. I'm not normally a nervous person. I have been more nervous at various times this week than I can remember in a long time. I am very much aware of my inabilities and my desperate need for reliance upon God. Praise God for all He has done so far, thank Him for the many people who have helped thus far.

The lychee is a small fruit with a red rough skin incasing a white wet flesh that looks like an eyeball and tastes slightly better. But for the last week I have been donning the yellow rubber gloves, climbing my ladder and picking these little fruit.

It's been fun, tiring, slow, boring, interesting and a host of other interchangeable adjectives.

God had a surprise for me; I've been working with Bec Adams, a girl I knew from years ago in Sydney and Maclean. We have had some great encouraging conversations. Picking is finished now, God has another plan for next week. I won't be disappointed to finish picking lychees but I'm glad I had the experience.