"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Ministry update

1. Discipling 1on 1

Since we have moved to a suburb it has been difficult to meet with our guys 1on1. We decided to change the format of our meetings. We decided to do our meetings over the phone. Everyday we call each other and talk for about 30 minutes and share what God is doing in our lives and what it means for us. It’s become a great substitute for the time that we used to spend together. One of our students has graduated from school this year, and he is praying for the opportunity to serve God with us.

Please Pray:

Sasha, Andre for there desire to serve the Lord through sport ministry.

2. Youth group (Thursdays)

A whole year has passed since we started having youth group. It’s been a great experience! We’ve built close relationships with many young people, relationships based on Jesus Christ! One young man (SERGIY) came to Christ through our group. Pray for him, as he is going to be baptized in August.

3. ABL(Amateur Basketball League) FINALS  May 13                                

The day before the finals, we were running around the city to try to get everything together. It was just crazy. It felt like we just organized this league and it’s over! God made it, and we are Worshiping Him for that! We had 10 teams and over 140 players. When we started, we set up goals to share the Gospel with all of the players and coaches! But God set up His goals, and we just realized that they are different from ours. Instead of just sharing the Gospel, we become good friends we coaches and players, through different conflicts we become advisers for them, through all of this year we shared our lives with them. Our last words were that “there is more then basketball in life, God who is waiting for you”. A number of people said it was great. We are Praising God for this.

 Please pray:

For the coaches and athletes in Rivne and Ukraine.

4. English ministry (Monday - Thursday)

            As the students have been learning more and more English, we have been working on practicing our speaking. For that reason, their lessons have become a great time of getting to know them better and experiencing their life with them, asking questions of them and challenging them to think of what God might have for their lives and not simply what is in front of them.           

Please pray that God would continue to direct our times together and challenge us to know Him more.

5. FLASH October 2008 – May 2009

FLASH(basketball team) – God took our team through some serious work. We started our season way behind. We lost 4 games in a row. You can image what was in our minds. Our team was devoted to God! Before, in, and after the game we worship Him. One of our new believers (Andre) came and said: “I have a message for our team that the body has many parts that work together toward the same purpose.” It was great to hear the response from our non-Christian friends on the team. After that our game changed. We became one body with many parts and with One Spirit that lead us! We finished the league 5^th place out of 10 teams. But our team became one of the best teams in the league, because we played for GOD. He is the King of the game.

Please pray for our team that God will teach us how to play/live for Him everyday

6 Church Small Group  (Sunday after church)

            After moving to a suburb and what seems like constant scheduling conflicts, our small group has not met very regularly. With the women’s conference ending and Andre gone to a basketball tournament, we just figured that we’d cancel group for this week as well, giving everyone a chance to attend other groups. However, the group said they still wanted to meet. So, even though all of the women had been at the conference and were a bit tired, we met on Sunday night to eat together, read the Bible and pray for each other. It was truly a blessing to see their initiative and desire to be with one another.

Please ask God to give us wisdom to know what to do with our group for the time that we’re in the States. 

7. Translation

I (Yana) have had a lot of practice in translating during this year. I really enjoy translating for people when they talk, but God also teaches me to be more patient and responsible with written translation, which is not quite as exciting to do.

Please pray that God would give us opportunities to use the translated materials.

8. Administrative

While organizing many different camps, tournaments and clinics, we always build some relationships with different people. And sometimes it’s really hard when you don’t see how God changes them or whether He changes them at all. During the last month I talked to two young athletes, who were in our camps a few years ago. They were very interested in knowing why we don’t do such camps anymore. They also said that they had one of the most wonderful experiences in that camp! I (Sergei) praise God for His work, even when we can’t see any fruit!

Please pray that God would show us which camps and projects to do.

Projects:

Rugby tournament (April 4)                                                               

This tournament was organized by one of our volunteers, Pasha, who is a professional rugby player. This was a tournament for small children and a totally new experience for us. We’ve been able to build new relationships with rugby coaches and referees. But the most exciting part was to watch those kids playing, trying so hard to win. We hope that this tournament becomes the first step for some of them toward God.

Please pray that these children will find God.

2.   1^st Christian International Basketball Tournament (April 26 -28)

6 tall guys jammed into our car and headed 2 hours to Zhitomyr. Until that day, we didn’t have enough players to go to the tournament and participate, even though we helped with the organization of it. The morning we were supposed to leave, 2 players agreed to go with us! We got there safe and sound and went straight into our first game. The purpose of this tournament was to get our non-Christians friends out of their comfort zone and talk about God! We sat down to eat our first dinner together, and just like at home I pulled out my hands for prayer and my Christian friend put his hand in mine, and I just said lets pray! Some of the guys were a bit shocked, after that everybody waited for each other to pray together at each meal! God just blessed us in many ways that we had time to share what the Bible says on different topics in our life!

Please pray for Igor and Denis - for their relationships with Jesus          

3. Training ISLT (March 14-17)

We received this great opportunity to learn more about sports ministry and meet new people by going to the International Sports Leadership Training, Level 1, in Kiev. Andre went with 2 of his students, and it was awesome. Through that time of playing and learning God has spoken to us and fired us up again for the ministry that we can do here in Rivne! I (Andre) love to see these guys whom I’ve been mentoring since they were 15 years old now talking about how they want to serve God! Love it! Praise God!

4. Women’s Conference (May 15-17) 

We just finished our 3^rd women’s conference. The topic was relationships between men and women. It was amazing. We split up into two groups, married women and unmarried women and had a great time of learning what God thinks of these relationships and what we need to do to please him in this area of our lives. We also had wonderful fellowship, a time when many women built friendships in our church for the first time or dug deeper into friendships that already existed. God was truly good to us during those 2 days. Praise Him!!!

Please pray that God would continue to work in the hearts of the women in our church.

Please pray Sasha, Liosha, Dima, Pasha, Andre – for there heart for the Lord and His work!!!

Please pray for our future:

-         May 29-30, Kiev. Helping churches using sports to share the Gospel

-         Yana and Pasha are going to ISLT level 2 for the month of June.

-         2 summer camps in July.  

-         Kravtsov family as they prepare all of the documents and finances for Nikita’s visa to go to States.

In Depth Update and Pasha's Story

We are doing well, really well! God is blessing ministry so much! We decided to give you all a more in depth update on what's going on in the ministry here:

1. Coaching Youth (Rangers) – This is going slowly but surely. I have been coaching these young guys (ages 14-16) for a year and a half. God has been working through practices and games, especially when we get to go with them to a different city for a tournament! It’s a great time in the hotel to be around them and share our lives together. We are praying for open hearts. The sad part is that I can’t really be completely open and invite them all to church, because of the policy of the sports club and because the kids are under 18 and parents get upset. But the Gospel is still being preached to them, and we pray that God would move in their hearts to make a choice to come to church themselves! I’ve been getting to know coaches and trying to share with them as well.
            Please pray for the kids in the Rangers team!
            Please pray for the coaches at the school, and my friend Igor, with whom I coach!

2. F.L.A.S.H ministry (a team of guys over 18 that Andre plays with in an amateur league in town)- The guys are great! Before a couple of games, I offered to pray, and they said that was ok. We are trying to share with them 1on1. Our record in the league is not that great, but we are growing in relationship with each other! And that is awesome!
            Please pray for the team FLASH that they would hear God's word!

3. Studying the Word - Myself and 4 of my guys are going through a study together using the book WINNING God's WAY by Rod Olson! I’ve translated almost the whole book, and it’s awesome! The guys are really excited about it. Three of them want to get baptized this spring or summer! Praise God!
            Please pray for our Spiritual Growth.

5. Basketball ministry at public school led by Pasha – This is a new ministry that we have taken on. Pasha, one of my guys is leading it. A few people from around town that want to practice their basketball skills come to the public school once a week and play basketball with Pasha. This gives him a chance to build relationships with them and to share about God. It’s great to see Pasha take on this new venture.
            Please pray wisdom in ministry

4. Projects:
These are the projects we are preparing for:
-1st Sports Chaplains Annual Basketball tournament in March. Coach Dave and his Team will be coming from the States to play against some of our amateur teams. During the tournament and preparation we will be sharing our faith whenever we get the chance.
-Rugby tournament in April for kids under 16.
-Streetball indoor tournament in May.
-Basketball camps around Rivne region in June.
-Mission trip to Central ASIA, Belarus, and gypsy villages in Ukraine  (to play and share Gospel) (July / August)
-Streetball outdoor tournament in town near Rivne (August 24).
-We would like to create a Sports Ministry conference in September or October to share how to do sports ministry with those that are interested around Ukraine.

Please pray for wisdom, volunteers, and financial support for these projects as we prepare. Our goal is that God's Name will be known and will be glorified in everything that we do.

Below is Pasha's story. He is one of the 4 guys who are working with us here in Ukraine. (We've also posted Dima's story below this, in case some of you didn't get that one before.)

Pasha Rozhkov was a name teachers once dreaded seeing on their class rolls. The known troublemaker was popular among his peers for all the wrong reasons. Cigarettes, alcohol and glue-sniffing were his preferred ways of
escape, and Pasha had no interest in changing. But in the summer of 2002, Pasha signed up for KidsGames, a mini Olympic-style event hosted by a local mission in Rivne, Ukraine. With 3,000 other children, Pasha competed in sports, listened to Bible lessons and participated in group discussions. His leader’s thought-provoking questions challenged his rebellious heart. He was hungry to know more and began attending a church youth group. For months, a battle ensued between the quick highs of his old life and the promises of something greater through Christ. Then, one night at youth group, a leader shared the Gospel by nailing sins to a wooden cross. In the back of the room, the young man who used to make his teachers cry was himself crying: crying a prayer of repentance and acceptance of Christ as his Savior.

Truly, “the old has gone, and the new has come” in Pasha’s life. He has served as a sport trainer in Christian summer camps. When KidsGames was held for a second time, Pasha’s smiling face could be seen at every event – this time as a coach, cheering for his team,

Dima