Pray! Pray! Pray!

From the beginning of this trip, I have seen God work in amazing ways. He has hand picked amazing people to work here and be here, and I know that He is going to do miraculous things at this camp this summer. However, the spiritual warfare very real and very evident and your prayers are greatly needed. Please pray for the things that God places on your heart as often he lays something on your hearts before I can even tell you about it. But in any case just Pray, pray as often as you remember us. Here are a few things to pray for.

1) The Gaws: Matt, Sarah, and Campbell: First, You can only stay in Ukraine for more that 3 months if you get an extension. The person who is in charge of this and who has been working with us quit. We now have to deal with someone who is new, doesn't know us and apparently likes to do things by the book. On Thursday, Andrey goes to Simferopal to get this extension. However, if it is denied, the Gaws must fly hope on Friday. If they choose to stay and pay the fine, they will be black listed and once they leave they will not be allowed to come back to Ukraine for 5 years. Pray for God to miraculously grant this extension. Second, pray for their health. Satan has been trying to physically break them down all year, as they are repeatedly dealing with illnesses. Which is a rare thing for them.

2) Pray for the team: We have had many unexpected situations change the dynamic of the team. First, one person's job changed unexpectedly and could no longer come. Second, one team member received some medical news that may still prevent her from coming. Please pray for this to be a false alarm, or pray for God's miraculous healing, or pray that at the very least the timing is still OK for her to come. Third, pray for Arianne! Arianne has just lost her sister due to a car accident. Do to this she will not be leaving with the team on Wednesday. Pray for her and her family and her sister's five children in this very hard time. Arianne, was looking forward to this trip so very much. Every time she talked of her her eyes would beam with excitement. Pray for her to make a decision if she will join the team after Friday, or if she needs to stay home.

3) Pray for the staff at Hope Center: Pray for them as they still are dealing with the lost of their coworker last week, and also to protect them from all the other things that Satan is distracting them with. I don't know all the stories, but Sarah tells me that this year has been especially hard on many of them for various reasons.

4) Pray for the Kids: I truly believe that God is going to do amazing things in these kids lives this next camp. For many months now I have had the conviction that God is going to move in these kids live in ways I can only imagine. With that often comes some of the most challenging camp experiences. Last camp was very difficult - and God moved in amazing ways and many kids made first time professions of faith. Pray that God starts softening these children's hearts today. Pray that He protects them from all of Satan's distractions. Pray that they will clearly hear God's voice. Pray that they will respond and join God' Royal Family.

5) Just Pray! We need your help, you are just as important in this ministry as those of us who are here. God can do anything. Even though he doesn't need us to work, He wants us to rely on Him and therefore often waits for us to reach out to Him in prayer before acting. Please join us in praying that God displays His power in these kids lives at Hope Center this year. And please join us in Praising Him for all that He does and is doing already!