Cherkassy Conference--Nine Down!!
We just finished our 9th Cherkassy Conference. When we started this thing 9 years ago, I thought there would just be one. I never imagined it would continue or that it would take on a life of its own, something rather different that what it was supposed to be. But that's the interesting thing about life and about missions. We just try to put our lives in the hands of the Father and watch what He does with our feeble efforts. The Conference has blessed so many. Many have been baptized. Many have learned the Scriptures. Many have learned to serve and lead.
More than 30 participated this year as we made our way through the book of Judges. The tone was a little more subdued than previous years. Conference participants are generally now in their mid 20s as opposed to being 18 or 19. So that means we generally get to sleep a little earlier and things are a little quieter. Eleven people led sessions and everyone took turns at cooking, cleaning, shopping, and washing dishes. And for the second year in a row, conference participants paid for everything themselves without outside assistance.
We did have some great discussions and a LOT of learning experiences for those who were organizing the conference. Lena stayed out of the fray this year mostly. I was trying to be more on the sidelines. Of course, I couldn't stay out of the kitchen, though. We were able to organize at least one new outreach, a planned effort to minister to orphans. Please pray for those who are serving there. Paul Prill was also with us. I translated for him quite a bit since most of the sessions were in Russian. I don't think I am meant to be a translator but I gave it my best shot. We also had Vitas with us this year. Vitas is a university student from Lithuania who is dating a Nivki church member. The home we stay in is also owned by the Ouglev family that is partly from Lithuania. For Friday's lunch, we enjoyed some Lithuania cold borshch which was a treat for me. Too much milk in it for my lactose-intolerant stomach.
Enjoy the pics pasted below. More to come later.
More than 30 participated this year as we made our way through the book of Judges. The tone was a little more subdued than previous years. Conference participants are generally now in their mid 20s as opposed to being 18 or 19. So that means we generally get to sleep a little earlier and things are a little quieter. Eleven people led sessions and everyone took turns at cooking, cleaning, shopping, and washing dishes. And for the second year in a row, conference participants paid for everything themselves without outside assistance.
We did have some great discussions and a LOT of learning experiences for those who were organizing the conference. Lena stayed out of the fray this year mostly. I was trying to be more on the sidelines. Of course, I couldn't stay out of the kitchen, though. We were able to organize at least one new outreach, a planned effort to minister to orphans. Please pray for those who are serving there. Paul Prill was also with us. I translated for him quite a bit since most of the sessions were in Russian. I don't think I am meant to be a translator but I gave it my best shot. We also had Vitas with us this year. Vitas is a university student from Lithuania who is dating a Nivki church member. The home we stay in is also owned by the Ouglev family that is partly from Lithuania. For Friday's lunch, we enjoyed some Lithuania cold borshch which was a treat for me. Too much milk in it for my lactose-intolerant stomach.
Enjoy the pics pasted below. More to come later.
posted by Kyivmission at 1:25 AM
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