Having Fun At The YMCA

Rebecca's summer vacation from school is drawing to a close. She has spent many of her days this summer having fun at the YMCA. Rebecca has been involved with the YMCA through their after-school program since we moved to Tamarac. During the school year, that program is located at her school; a special school specifically for children who have serious handicaps. But, during the summer months the YMCA program from her school is integrated with the program that takes place at one of the area middle schools. Rebecca gets a whole summer of fun and play interaction with other kids, disabled and able-bodied.
One of her favorite YMCA events is bowling. Rebecca even has her own bowling shirt. Yesterday, the YMCA took all the kids out for a day of bowling. She loved it as was demonstrated by her squeals and smiles when I got home and asked her about her day.
When Rebecca bowls, she uses a gutter guard, but rarely has to rely on it. Since she cannot walk, she used a ball launcher that is positioned next to her wheelchair. She then uses her right hand to push the ball down the launcher and toward the pins. Rebecca lands strikes, spares, and all kinds of combinations. And like anyone who is excited about their sport, she squeals and screams with satisfaction and delight when the pins fall down.
Next time you are at a bowling ally and you hear some high-pitched squeals, check it out. You never know, it may just be Rebecca enjoying a day at the ally as she travels with her parents.

July 2006 Newsletter

Our July 2006 newsletter is now available online. Click here to go immediately to this newsletter. You can also find this and all our previous newsletters on our website at http://www.YourWorldMissionaries.org/. Click on the "Update" tab and look for the links to all our newsletters on the left side of the “Update” page.

Photos from Ukraine & Russia

New photos from Ukraine and Russia have been added to our Flickr photo blog. Click Here to view these photo archives, as well as our first album from Wayne's January trip to Peru.

May-June 2006 Newsletter

Our May-June 2006 newsletter is now available online. Click here to go immediately to this newsletter. You can also find this and all our previous newsletters on our website at http://www.YourWorldMissionaries.org/. Click on the "Update" tab and look for the links to all our newsletters on the left side of the “Update” page.

The Draper Family - Missionaries to Sebira-Montenegro

Good friends and fellow missionaries Buddy and Kristi Draper and their daughters have a new web site. Check out their site and their ministry to Sebira-Montenegro at http://www.thedraperfamily.org.

Combined Newsletter Editions

Due to a heavy travel schedule, the May & June editions of our newsletter will be combined into one edition that will be published in late June. Thank you for your understanding.

find the forgotten

A fellow A/G missioinary and friend, Nate Sanow, has created a blog called find the forgotten. He is an wonderful man with a great heart for winning the lost for Christ. Check out his writings at http://www.findtheforgotten.blogspot.com/.

Ministering in Russia

Internet access has been difficult to get, so my communications have been less than I desire. I am now in my second week of work in Russia, having spent a week in Moscow and now working in the Perm area. It is very cool here, much more so than in Florida. But the people have been very warm. I am really enjoying my time in Russia.

My work started in a small community north of Moscow. We stayed at a country hotel that was all decked out in USA western stuff. It was really kind of strange to see all this stuff from the old west and having no one who could speak any English or Spanish. Our meetings went well and we will have a wonderful new version of The GodMan that will minister to children across Eastern Europe and the CIS region.

I had my first day of ministry with the Book of Hope traveling team from Perm on Saturday. We went to a little community called Ust-Bub. It is about a 2-1/2 hour drive from Perm. We did The GodMan and distributed copies of the Children's Animated Edition of the Book of Hope. This is the second time that Book of Hope has ministered in this small community. There are about 120 children and youth living here and almost 50 of them came to the movie event. Dozens indicated a desire to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord.

I left Ust-Bub with mixed feelings. I was very happy with the way the movie event went. Technically, everything was perfect. Functionally, our traveling team from Perm are experts in children's ministry and did an outstanding job. Nevertheless, there was a sadness upon leaving. You see, there is no Christian witness in this community. It is miles from any other community and many more miles from a church of any type. Most of the residents have no means to travel the hours it would take to get to church. As we were packing up to leave, they asked if I could stay and live with them and be their preacher. It was heartbreaking. I am called to take the gospel message to children around the world. But someone out there is specifically called to minister to the people of Ust-Bub and the surrounding communities. Where are they? When will they answer God's call and purpose for their life? How much longer must the children of Ust-Bub wait for someone to come and be a constant witness of God's love and plan for salvation to them?

Ministering In Ukraine

Although I am just on my first full day in Ukraine, already the work has been productive. Today, in addition to getting acclimated to the time difference, Tom and I had an opportunity to spend several hours with Pastor Sasha at his church. Pastor Sasha is one of our major partners with Book of Hope and has been a leader in initiating our new movie ministry with The GodMan. It was a thrill to be able to spend time with him learning how the work of doing The GodMan is getting done in Ukraine. Please continue to keep this work in your prayers. Tomorrow and Saturday, we will join Pastor Sasha once again, this time visiting outlying villages where we will do The GodMan in community-wide outreaches.

April 2006 Newsletter

Our April 2006 newsletter is now available online. Click here to go immediately to this newsletter. You can also find this and all our previous newsletters on our website at http://www.YourWorldMissionaries.org/. Click on the "Update" tab and look for the links to all our newsletters on the left side of the “Update” page.