We have returned to the US and specifically Ohio where we began our journey May 3. We can only have grateful hearts

  • Safe travels over 9,000 miles

  • Many good meetings and many kindnesses along the way, whether in the USA or Canada.

  • Strength and energy to endure the rigors of travel and meetings.

  • Fellowship with people who love the Lord and are deeply committed to Him and to prayer.

  • No difficulties returning to the States despite an expired passport (Diane’s).

  • And now a lovely place to call home during the next two months until we fly out August 31. A small town has its own measure of peace and Amy, who prepared this place for us, went above and beyond to try to make it feel like “home”, even printing out pictures of our family and friends from the past 3 or so years and putting them in frames and placing them around the house!

How blessed we are!

Our church meeting last Sunday was in Faith Church in Kitchener, ON. What a privilege to worship there and to realize this church has supported us perhaps for 10 years and this is only the second time we have ever visited! And everyone was so engaged and already praying.

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  • And another precious meeting Monday morning with various leaders (from EMCC) before we headed to Niagara Falls, and yes we did take a little time to enjoy the falls before we headed to Ohio on Tuesday.

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THE NEXT STAGE

We have many more meetings over the next two months to present the need in Ukraine, just less miles to accomplish that.

As I write this—we are both pretty exhausted. Yesterday I just could not function as far as trying to attend to things like prayer updates and communications, and issues that need to be dealt with in Ukraine as we still have a team of people working there. Instead of trying to work I just spent some time enjoying our surroundings as I sit at the back of the house, praying, meditating —and that is where I am as I write this too. We do need some refreshment for body, soul and spirit, and hope to have that over the next few days, barring Sunday when we will be in Canton at Eleventh St Church of God.

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Please pray for Abe as he confirms the meetings arranged and contacts other churches who would like to have us to see if something can be done mid-week. We so need to stay connected to the Lord and what He is doing and what He wants to do with us, through us, in us.

Pray that my passport would be processed ASAP. Even though we sent in the application as soon as we crossed the border expedited, they show a turnover time of 5-7 weeks. That is plenty of time for us to fly out, but we also need to address the issue of what has happened to our Ukrainian documents since we left. And of course without a valid passport we can’t proceed.

And yes, the war continues. How sad it makes us. Russia has sent missiles into Kyiv again a few days ago. On Monday they bombed a shopping center in the middle of Ukraine and 19 people were killed and many injured. Russia seeks to terrorize and intimidate. And it is hard to persevere in prayer, isn’t it? We totally understand how far away this war is to people in the west and how life must go on. But nevertheless we must persist in prayer—not just for us and the funds we are trying to raise for Ukraine (and we are so grateful with how you surround us with prayer)--but for the people who are suffering such loss and that God would intervene. And yes, that God would use the suffering, even suffering, for His glory. Always, always, may He receive glory—in the good and in the bad.

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