Camp is good.  The health department hasn't been bothering us too much the past couple of days, so that's good.  Last night was alter call night and it was really great.  There were a lot of kids who prayed to receive Christ and a really great time of worship and celebration afterwards.  God is doing big things; He is changing lives.  And I am honored to be here and to be able to see Him move among these people who I love so much.  Tomorrow these campers will leave and Monday new ones will arrive...but please be in prayer for the kids who accepted Christ last night and that there will be follow up that happens with them.  I don't want this to be a camp thing for anyone, but a life change. 

 

God is doing cool things EVERYWHERE. (He's good like that)

This is an e-mail that a girl named Beth who Calyn and I know from Russian club at FSU sent.  She has been in Peru for the past year and will soon be in Ukraine.  But, it's just SO encouraging to hear from people who are seeing God move in different parts of the world...and it really reminds me of how connected we really are.

Hello!!

I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long for the results of the “Dreams of Ivory” theatrical production. I only had one week total afterwards in Peru, and the time that wasn’t taken up by the conference or huge youth catch was spent with friends that I probably won’t see for a long while.

Final count on those saved from the first four theater showings: 630.    I really don’t know what to even say after that; our most important goal was to portray face-to-face encounters with God and lead them to a closer relationship with Him—and I’m happy to say that it’s a mission accomplished! Thank you SOO  much for all your prayers; even more opposition and problems came up the last couple days before opening night (and even during the week), and God made it very clear that it really couldn’t have gotten off the ground without Him. I did all I could and had to completely trust Him while seeing things like the curtain that was supposed to open in half an hour wasn’t even finished being put up yet and having to change the actor who played Prince Emmanuel [Jesus] ONE day before…

The things that each actor was dealing with in regard to the message portrayed by their character became testimonies and victories (each one is amazing!), and many of their family and friends met Jesus that week. During the part symbolic of the Cross, I heard from people each night that many in the audience were crying. I heard so many stories of how people’s lives were impacted, even how Christians were able to understand God as a good dad more or of how we should really accept everything the King gives us and live as children of the King! The play will also continue to run long after me leaving, and I look forward to sharing with you the additional number of souls won to the Kingdom.

God really brought the whole team together as we “fought” side by side that week, and now they are some of my closest friends. We had a celebration afterward and they threw a going-away party for me, and I was so blessed hearing all the ways God used my life to impact theirs and the gift that they all pitched in to buy—a red fur (Peruvian alpaca) cape to wear as a pastor and director in cold places like Ukraine. It was really such a special time, and I’m working with them to transition to the next leaders of this new ministry in the church. I’m just so proud of them and God; I think only the pictures can give you a better idea of the emotion and the closeness I feel with them.

To end, let me just say that I’m back in America now (for a much-needed vacation with my family), and I already have the next challenge: helping to lead the team of 11 Americans in the huge event for the pastors and their kids in Ukraine next month. For now you can just pray that all the details and scheduling get worked out, and that this would fall on open ears and hearts. This is probably most important and strategic thing we’ve done yet!!

Thank you so much again for everything, and I’ll try to figure out how to make an edited, English-subtitled copy of the play available to any who ask. And hopefully I’ll see most of you while I’m here!

Many blessings,

Beth

 

~Please take a moment to browse through the pictures! www.zorpia.com/Ivory10

~If you would like the opportunity to give financially, either one time or regularly, put "for Beth" in the memo line and make check out to:

Koinonia Ministries

PO Box 121660

Clermont, FL 34712

 

Happy Independence Day!

Hey guys, camp is amazing!  We're already almost done with camp 2 and it's going by so fast!  Dennis comes by to visit a lot and Katya has been here the whole summer so far too!  There are some kittens here and Cliff and there have been a few problems with the water but it's all good. God's still working here and so is Daniel, and even though God complains a lot less and isn't a jerk I'm kinda glad they're both here.  Oh, and yesterday I saw a butterfly and today we had a 4th of July picnic in the woods.  We cooked chicken and played with balloons and Johnny's here so he sang that "1814 took a little trip" song and it was pretty cool.  Did you know that Radooga is French for "Rainbow"?  Well now you do!  Anyways I gotta go so peace out, y'all!  -Lori

(actually, that was Daniel pretending to be me, but I'll post it anyway b/c I think Daniel is pretty amazing most of the time :o)

I (the real Lori) want to say that today we had a picnic in the woods and one of the Americans who is here this camp named Johnny started singing "the Battle of New Orleans" song and it made me so happy.  That is my daddy's favorite song, and I don't know anyone else who knows the whole thing.  It was great to get to sing it with him and made me wish I could be singing it with my dad.  But, it was a great 4th!

And for those of you who are praying about our water situation here at camp, the test results are in and we are well within the norm.  The Health Department still has not been by, but have said they may come by on Friday which would be great because that is the day that the campers go home.  Keep praying for us about that.  Technically we are not supposed to have kids here right now. 

Also, tomorrow night Oleg (the camp director and our speaker this week) will be giving an invitation, so pray for us tomorrow--that God will speak through him and change the lives of these kids.

Oh, and Team 3 arrives tomorrow, so pray for safe travel for them and that all their luggage will arrive.  :o) 

Thank you guys so much!  I will try and keep you updated as much as possible! 

E-mail me and let me know what's up with you.  lori@radooga.net

Peace out!

 

 

Hi from camp :o)

Ok, so camp one is over and camp two has just begun, but life is good--and God is amazing.  There has been a lot of opposition already, and we covet your prayers, but we've no doubt that God will work and we will all stand in awe of who He is and what he has done.  If the internet stays up, I will try and update everyone more regularly. 

On that note, today was the first full day of camp 2 and though we only had 4 American's signed up to work when we moved to the campsite, we ended up with 10 (well, 9 Americans pluss our friend Leo who was an interpreter last week and he has lived in Canada for a long time so this week he is 'a Canadian' :o)  So cool.  The kids really seem to enjoy the new English class format which is really encouraging for me.  Calyn is AWESOME at leading Outdoor English Sessions, and she seems to enjoy it...she's not near as stressed out as she was the summer she led Rec.  So all is good.  There is a little boy from Nigeria who is here this week and he speaks no Russian, which is interesting.  He's so cute.  His name is Clinton.  Roma, Calyn and I had a tea party today in the office and it was so much fun.  I love just chilling with them and it was good to breathe for a few minutes...sometimes I forget to breathe.  Ok, well, it's time for Party Zone...or for those of you who know Valera "TWO LINES"

Peace out.