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LUMglobal #095 ---- 5/31/11

#1 · May 31, 2011, 6:21 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on May 31, 2011, 6:21 pm
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>



        Bi-Monthly Praise and Prayer Letter Of

            Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver

                Life Unlimited Ministries

        "Touching Nations Here and Abroad"

                       Number 095

                        May 31, 2011

Dear Friends, Family, and In-Pact Partners:

Apology! Apology! Apology! It is nearly beyond comprehension to realize it has been over three months since we sent our last letter. Our only excuse is that we were either extremely busy at the time we thought to write, we forgot, or we were just too dull of mind to write. At any rate, here's our latest report.

+ Since Our Last Letter:

> Update on Bob's Health ---- In a nutshell, all of Bob's medical tests came back with good reports. In fact, the minor plaque build-up that had been detected five or six years ago was nowhere to be found. He has had no recurrence of dizziness, chest/arm pain, or anything else . . . other than still not having the endurance he used to have. Now that Spring has arrived and Summer is just around the corner, he's been able to get more outside exercise, and we anticipate improvement in physical fitness . . . for both of us.

> Interim Pastorate -- Last March the Pastor Search Committee approached Bob about possibly becoming permanent senior pastor. After extensive thought and prayer, we felt the Lord leading us to agree to the call. Even though a very different scenario than we had envisioned when we returned to the U.S. two years earlier, we were comfortable with the idea and the Lord began changing our hearts and moving them back toward the role of a local pastorate. There was so much enthusiasm by the active members that, when the church was set to vote on the recommendation, it appeared to be purely a formality.

However, when the vote was taken, it fell two votes short of the required approval percentage the church's bylaws require. We were stunned, as was the church as a whole. Over the next few weeks, the Lord turned our disappointment and disbelief into a peaceful satisfaction that our future was still in His hands. We still believe the Lord wanted us there, but are now very excited over another future He has planned for us. Several weeks after the vote, Jo Ann noted the command of the Lord to His disciples in Luke 10 when He sent them out. If they were not accepted, they were to move on, realizing that "the kingdom of God has come near", but had not entered that town.

"Near, but not here" . . . a sad and troubling thought that reminds us of how easy it is to miss God's greatest blessing for something else. Like those disciples, though, we have also moved on, continuing to serve as interim to a disappointed but still loving and supportive group of believers. All of us are anticipating the next step God has for each of us, as the Pastor Search Committee continues to receive and evaluate the various resume's that have been sent to them. We'll keep you posted.

> House Projects -- After waiting for warm weather to arrive, we have now completed updating the bathrooms by having new tile floors laid and new toilet fixtures installed in both bathrooms. By covering the oak flooring in the master bathroom (see pic on left below) and replacing the carpet in the hallway bathroom, cleaning is much easier and the rooms look much larger. We're grateful for Gerald Brown, a professional tile craftsman in the church we're serving, for quality work. It's far more beautiful than the pictures show.



> Family Update -- Cindy, Kevin, and Christopher continue ministering in Medellin, Colombia, and are seeing God do some extraordinary things as events characteristic of the Book of Acts take place. Cindy's health is good since her earlier surgery. She now has a "ladies only" Facebook and Blog devotional ministry that is very good. Debbie and Rachel are still in Ft. Worth (Sarah is in Austin, TX, and Abby in Columbia, MO) where Debbie continues involvement in ministry to children and others while Rachel prepares to graduate from high school in a couple of weeks. Cheri and Bob remain in St. Paul, now grandparents for the third time, and keep involved in a house church group that meets Sunday afternoons (Katya & her family remain in Mnpls, Misha is in Northwood, IL, Seriozha continues military training in TX, Anya recently had her second little girl and lives in Ft. Worth, and Roma recently moved to Ft. Worth to live with sister Anya). Deanna, Jim, Michael, and JoyLinn remain in Galesburg, IL, as Jim pastors in nearby Knoxville. Before Bob found out he wasn't supposed to take any pictures, even without flash, he captured a few, including these. JoyLinn played the role of orphan "Minnie" in a community little theater performance of "Annie". She's directly in the center in the middle picture, and dancing in the background in the picture on the right.



> Numerous Changes of Plans: If anything characterizes the past three months, it is the phrase, "change of plans". A Spring that we anticipated being quite busy, ended up very different from what we anticipated. A planned conference on prayer in a church near Kansas City was postponed until possibly next Fall, we opted out of a March trip back to Cuba because we anticipated being called as permanent pastor at the church where Bob currently serves as interim, and two other ministry engagements were likewise cancelled. Additionally, bad weather caused either delays or cancellations of various house-related and personal plans. Through it all, however, we have remained content . . . though generally curious about all of this, and sometimes a little restless and impatient to understand it all.

> Writing/Preaching/Teaching Schedule: Bob has been able to continue writing on a number of subjects, and also has been able to create teaching/study notes on the books of Romans and Ephesians. He finished teaching through Romans in the Sky-ble study several weeks ago. He is preparing to complete the same study on Sunday nights at church and will soon begin a short series, "Birthmarks" on the biblical evidences of a person's salvation. There are four general categories of "birthmarks" . . . Internal, External, Fraternal, and Eternal. He has several other writing projects in the pipeline, and is just needing some time to begin them. Jo Ann continues serving as pianist at the church, and enjoys the blessing of selecting the music and working with the church's "praise band" (Tammy on flute, R.A. on tenor saxophone, and Dick on baritone). They, along with Dennis the music director, are a great joy to work with, and a great blessing to the church. FYI, R.A. is in his 80's and Dick is 92. Never too old to serve the Lord!

> Personal Time: One of our favorite nearby places is Silver Dollar City, just outside of Branson, MO. Last month we attended our most favorite time there . . . WorldFest . . . when performing groups from around the world present daily programs from their respective countries. It was a special treat to again see fabulous Russian/Ukrainian music and dance routines. We especially enjoyed the amazing performance of the Marikov Russian Circus. We also attended two special performances by world renowned Russian comedian, Yakov Smirnov. What a delight to experience the beauty and splendor of Russian dance and juggling. We even had a chance to shock some of the performers by greeting and thanking them in their native Russian language.



Then, last week we were able to return to Branson to spend time with Jo Ann's sister and brother-in-law (Dortha and Bill) at Silver Dollar City at the "Bluegrass/Gospel Festival". We attended church services at Skyline Baptist Church where our friend Norm Howell pastors, spent time with Joel and Irena Colon (fellow missionary colleagues in Kiev), and also attend the amazing acapella vocal performance of SIX, a team of six brothers who not only sing, but produce sounds of musical instruments with their voices. An amazing performance.

+ What's Going On Now:

> Sky-ble Study -- In spite of several necessary cancellations, we continue meeting weekly on Skype with our Bible study group. We have concluded our study on Romans and are now going through the amazing Book of Ephesians. This is always a joy as we maintain connection with several of our "Timothy's" and "Esther's" from our past work in Kiev. Every time we meet or have to postpone, we miss them even more.

> Hunger: There is a small but searching group of people at the church we're serving. Some of our most meaningful times together are on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Bob is resuming our Sunday night study of Romans after a few weeks of having no evening services because of school graduations and holidays. Such is life in small towns. There is a growing hunger for God to move in powerful ways, and it appears that this small group is showing increasing desires to move into deeper levels of devotion to the Lord.

> KIBC in Kiev: The church in Kiev is facing a momentous time as again it sees a change in leadership. Doug and Kay Clark are returning to the States the end of June, and this leaves Mohammad as the one remaining member of the Pastoral Leadership Team (PLT). Unfortunately, there is some unrest within the body as two or three have forgotten the founding purpose of the church and want to implement a different agenda. Additionally there is very small but vocal opposition to Mohammad assuming the role of lead pastor after Doug and Kay leave. We are confident that he has both the abilities and the call of God upon him to take that role, but we are no longer part of the decision making process.

In spite of this transition time, the church continues reaching out through evangelistic Bible studies, worship services, and other activities. The PLT has asked one or two men to come on board as part of the leadership, but they have not made their decisions yet. This is a matter of great concern both there and here.

> More Projects: Finally, after two years back in the States, we're able to do some serious improvements in our yard. We've always enjoyed the beauty of our Red Bud, Dogwood, Bradford Pear, Wild Cherry, and Flowering Crabapple trees, and have wanted to add more. Recently we were able to add more Sand Cherry, a Red Dogwood, a Pink Dogwood, and three Lilac trees/bushes to our collection, and we're excited to see how they will look next Spring. With all the rain and traveling keeping us from outside yard work, our grass is nearly 24" high in some areas. During one of our recent very intense rain storms, Bob happened to walk out on the porch to survey things, and saw this poor bedraggled squirrel huddling against the foundation of the house trying to avoid the water. Then, just last Friday, we found this enormous black King Snake out on our walkway. It was well over six feet long. The table is four feet in diameter. Can you see the snake working it's way to the top of the table?



This week we hope to finish planting some perennials and get the grass cut. Then Bob will tackle some tree trimming, completion of the deck steps, putting the workshop back in order after last Fall's flooring repair, sealing and furnishing the storm shelter/basement room under the sun room, and repairing and sealing the flagstone patio we installed a year ago. So, it's going to be a very busy Summer.

+ REPORT FROM MAX: Max continues living and serving in Bangkok, Thailand. Here are two brief e-mails we received from him last month and this. As he says, he's not into long letters (like ours . . . 😉 ), but his thoughts will bring you up to speed.

I am hoping that everyone is doing well these day. I would like to give a short report on my recent trip to Ukraine due to VISA issues. While in Kiev I applied for a business visa in Thai council. To my surprise there weren't any Thai people at all. And the "honorary Thai council" was Ukrainian, which is very weird. I had all necessary documents with me. But they asked for two more documents which was impossible to get at that time. After a bunch of explanations, my visa was denied. I got mad a little, grabbed my passport, slammed a door twice and left. If you are planning on visiting Thailand, please, DO avoid that "Thai council" in Kiev. Those people are qualified in street sweeping.

To make a long story short. I am back in Thailand and have to start over a procedure again. There are many steps that I have to go through, and I've decided to take only one step at a time:
1. This week I am leaving a country again, but not for Ukraine, and going to applied for the same type of visa.
2. My employer will send an official letter to the University in Ukraine to get a confirmation about my education, which is important to get a work permit.
3. With all these prepared documents I will have to go to the ministry of employment and submit them.
4. It is going to take about one or two months to get everything done.

All of these days have been very stressful to me and it makes me very angry most of the time. I feel like I need to get into a fight to relieve a tension. Please, pray for me as I need Jesus especially at this time. And especially not to be controlled by anger!

I hope this letter finds you well! Thank you for your time reading. I never do long letters because I know how frustrating to read.

- - - - - - - -
While in Kiev I got to be at KIBC and saw people over there as well as those who are no longer members of the church. Had a good time!

I am teaching (not English by the way, but In English) health subject and will probably start Social studies in one of private schools in Bangkok. I love doing that, I am surrounded by a wonderful group of people of Thais as well as Internationals who have been very helpful and supportive. Unlike in my previous government school. They are not Christians, but I see a good potential for a ministry. I have wonderful relationships with people and I am planning on taking some of them to church.

As for a village ministry, my friend is a part of Thai church in that area and she helps them a lot. Unfortunately I don't have much of that time of being there. But I have resources and can help with whatever need they might have. I would love to be there myself but have a lot of challenges on my plate at the moment.

- - - - - - - -
As I told you before there are 4 steps for me to go and finally receive a license which will allow me to stay longer. A week ago I left for Laos and re-applied for a visa and got 6 months stay, which is fine so far, it gives me more time to prepare everything I need.

Within a month of May and beginning of June I am going to submit the documents in a department of education and then later on in the department of labor, and there they are going to give me a certificate and a license. As I have been told once I get it I am going to be a flying freeman. I won't have to enter re-enter the country, waste time a money, pay for a visa extension etc. So the next two months are going to be very intense and exciting. I know I have been hesitant to do it earlier. I am a little slow. But better late then never. It must be done anyway. Its' like taking out an appendix in some cases, a doctor snaps it once and there you go.

So, I would like to give a note of appreciation to all. You have always been helpful and supportive in good and bad times. There is more to come, stay tuned!

May God bless you,

Max

+ REPORT FROM MOHAMMAD: We received the following report from Mohammad more than a month ago, and are sad that we didn't get it to you sooner. He is in the process of writing a new report soon, so we'll have even more news soon. Please read with interest and prayerful intercession:

- - - - - - - - - - - -

 Persian Conference/Concert ---- Persian conference/concert was one of the most amazing Evangelistic events we had ever held. We had given out 1000 invitations and as the result; we got around 50 people including many non-believers. Father’s House worship team began the concert by singing several worship songs, and it was followed by the testimony of 2 other believers. Then we had another set of Worship songs where I along with another brother played 3 songs. Another set of testimonies followed afterwards.

Overall, we had 4 sets of music and 3 sets of testimonials. At the very end, around 12 Iranian believers went on the stage each holding a placard. On one side of the placard, there was one phrase describing who they were before Christ, and on the other side, another phrase about who have they become in Christ. Each person first showed the first side and then turned the placard around and showed the other side. Some of the placards showed:

    “I stabbed people with knife. Now I love them from deep within my heart”

    “I was an alcoholic. I’m free in Christ now”

    “I wanted to commit suicide by burning myself. Now I love life because of Jesus”.

At the end of the conference, two Iranian students got saved. One student approached me right after the concert and said, “Just tell me how to commit my life to Christ.”   There was another Iranian who told me that he was going to India in about 3 months to become an ascetic, but before that, he wanted to hear who Jesus is and so he attended our concert.

 Mission trips to Pakistan and Malaysia ---- For a long time, we have been praying for the Lord to open doors for us to reach out to Iranians who are located outside Ukraine. Recently, we’ve been offered to help reach out to Iranians who are living in Pakistan and Malaysia. There are tens of thousands of Iranians who live in these 2 countries. As for Pakistan, “V” has expresses interest to go on a mission trip. We are planning to find a publisher in Pakistan that would publish 5000 Farsi Bibles for us so then we could give those out to Iranians there. “V” has found some contacts there that would help him get the job done. But it’s very risky and dangerous because the city he’s going to is not far from Muslim extremist base. It’s not still clear if he would go, because there are so many logistics such as visa, finances, publisher and so on that need to be taken care of.

In Malaysia, there are more than 60000 Iranians, and so the field is very wide. Like Pakistan, we are planning to print Bibles there and then give them out in different places. We are thinking and praying about these mission trips and now are in planning state.

 Online Bible study via Skype ---- “M” is still actively involved in Skype Bible study and reaches out to Iranians in Malaysia, Pakistan and India. In fact it was through this online Bible study that Iranians got saved in different countries and now are inviting us to go there and share the gospel with many more.

 3-day seminars ---- Last week, we held a 3-day seminar on basics of Christianity for the new converts. The seminar covered many topics such as faith, salvation, dealing with sin and etc. There were more than 10 new converts that attended it and benefited from the word of God. We’re planning to do these types of seminars more often.

 Sending Bibles to Iran ---- One thing that always amazes me is how devout Muslims are touched by the message of the gospel and how they respond to the truth. We have a very devout Muslim friend who has been attending our Bible study for the past several months. I used to meet with him in his hostel from time to time and discuss the word of God and answer his questions. Couple of weeks ago, he had decided to go back to Iran to visit his family. “V” joked with him and asked him if he would be willing to take some Bibles with him via airport. Everyone knows it’s a very risky business and if one is caught with Bibles in his luggage, he might end up in jail. And to our surprise, “M” answer was: “Yes, I think many people will benefit from the word of God. Why don’t you give me around 10 Bibles, and I’ll take them with me.”

He took all the Bibles through airport and handed them to “F” in Iran. “M” is now back in Ukraine and he called me around 2 days ago, asking me to resume meetings with him.

 “S” believed in the Lord ---- Few weeks ago, we had a 50 some year old Iranian who visited our church. He had moved to Ukraine in search of a better life and was surprised that prices are higher than U.S, and salaries lower than Iran!

So he was so disappointed when he had spent all his money in few weeks, and had to go to UN office to declare a refugee case. After the sermon, he came to us and asked how to put his faith in Christ. So we spoke to him and shortly after that he repented and accepted Christ. He now struggles with lots of difficulties, but is happy that Jesus has saved him. He regularly attends our meetings.

 New comers ---- We’ve been getting several new comers that are interested to hear more about the Lord. In one of our Evangelistic events in one of the hostels, we met several Iranians who are planning to come this coming Wednesday to our Bible study.

 Mission trip to Kharkov ---- Next week, we are sending “M” on a mission trip to Kharkov. He’s going to be sharing the gospel with some of the new students and encouraging the believers there. His trip will last 3 days and we are sending some boxes of Bibles with him so he could give them out in hostels. There are believers there who have expressed their interest in helping “M” in giving out the Bibles.

 Prayer Requests ---- Please pray for:

 New believers to grow strongly in the Lord

 Mission trips to Pakistan, Malaysia and Kharkov

 Online Bible study and those who attend it every week

 “S” to grow in the Lord and become a strong leader

 New comers who are coming to visit us this Wednesday

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

+ PRAYER REQUESTS: At this stage of our lives and ministries, we are keenly aware that we face unprecedented days ahead. These requests, then, become much more than simple prayer requests, and we ask you to give them particular notice and engagement through prayer and thoughtful consideration:

    > Pray for Max and his ministry in Bangkok. He has served faithfully, often coming up against dead-ends, and with little visible fruit to see. It is easy under circumstances like he faces to be overwhelmed with the mundane. Pray that he maintains confidence and a clear sense of purpose and vision.

    > Pray for Mohammad and Ira as they continue providing leadership and consultation to the Farsi leadership and groups. Pray that he will withstand opposition and obstacles as he considers his future role both with the Farsi church and also KIBC. Pray that their serious financial needs will be met so that they can devote themselves entirely to the ministry.

    > Pray for Doug and Kay Clark as they return to the States next month. They have no specific plans in place for the next phase of their ministry.

    > Pray for KIBC and its future. Pray that it will rediscover it's founding mission of reaching internationals, training new believers, and planting churches. Pray that God will raise up the right men to assume roles on the PLT.

    > Pray for FBC, Osceola, as they continue seeking the mind of God for a new pastor. Pray for us that our ministry will be fruitful, effective, and helpful in getting the church ready for its future.

    > Pray for us as we continue serving in various venues, and as we anticipate the next ministry the Lord may have for us. The idea of doing nothing is beyond comprehension for us. Pray that we will know at the right time exactly what God has in mind, and that we will step out in obedience promptly.

    > Pray for our financial needs. The generous compensation from the church will end when our work there concludes. In anticipation of that, we seriously need an infusion of support into our regular ministry support which has dropped by some 60% since our return from Kiev.

+ Looking Ahead:

Next Tuesday we will be joined by daughter Cheri and husband Bob, and grandchildren Michael and JoyLinn, to make a mad dash to Fort Worth, TX to see our granddaughter, Rachel, graduate from a specialized performing arts high school where she has been schooled not only in the generally expected subjects, but also in quality performing arts such as music, dance, and drama. We will see her in a final performance on Wednesday and then will enjoy her graduation on Thursday before quickly heading back home on Friday. We are looking forward to the trip in which we'll also see dear friends, Jim and Jane Hylton, grandchildren siblings Roma and Anya, and two great grandchildren.

Nothing has motivated us in many years like the current global conditions have. The Middle East situation, the Administration's deteriorating attitude toward Israel, the economy, the spiritual condition of the western church, . . . all of this drives us with a sense of urgency that far exceeds our abilities and our resources. We don't know what the future holds, of course, but there are several things on our minds. We feel we need to make one or two trips overseas in the next year. We have a special sense that we need to return to Cuba to minister there again. We also have a desire to spend some extended time ministering in the West and Southwest. We just need to hear from the Lord when the time is right for the next opportunity of ministry to be opened.

Finally:

We thank you for your friendship, support, and faithful encouragement. We never take you for granted, and we praise God for you. Please let us hear from you.

In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom,

Bob and Jo Ann

The Tollivers

"Touching Nations Here and Abroad"

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Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

Bi-Monthly Praise and Prayer Letter Of

Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver

Life Unlimited Ministries

"Touching Nations Here and Abroad"

Number 095

May 31, 2011

Dear Friends, Family, and In-Pact Partners:

Apology! Apology! Apology! It is nearly beyond comprehension to realize it has been over three months since we sent our last letter. Our only excuse is that we were either extremely busy at the time we thought to write, we forgot, or we were just too dull of mind to write. At any rate, here's our latest report.

+ Since Our Last Letter:

> Update on Bob's Health ---- In a nutshell, all of Bob's medical tests came back with good reports. In fact, the minor plaque build-up that had been detected five or six years ago was nowhere to be found. He has had no recurrence of dizziness, chest/arm pain, or anything else . . . other than still not having the endurance he used to have. Now that Spring has arrived and Summer is just around the corner, he's been able to get more outside exercise, and we anticipate improvement in physical fitness . . . for both of us.

> Interim Pastorate -- Last March the Pastor Search Committee approached Bob about possibly becoming permanent senior pastor. After extensive thought and prayer, we felt the Lord leading us to agree to the call. Even though a very different scenario than we had envisioned when we returned to the U.S. two years earlier, we were comfortable with the idea and the Lord began changing our hearts and moving them back toward the role of a local pastorate. There was so much enthusiasm by the active members that, when the church was set to vote on the recommendation, it appeared to be purely a formality.

However, when the vote was taken, it fell two votes short of the required approval percentage the church's bylaws require. We were stunned, as was the church as a whole. Over the next few weeks, the Lord turned our disappointment and disbelief into a peaceful satisfaction that our future was still in His hands. We still believe the Lord wanted us there, but are now very excited over another future He has planned for us. Several weeks after the vote, Jo Ann noted the command of the Lord to His disciples in Luke 10 when He sent them out. If they were not accepted, they were to move on, realizing that "the kingdom of God has come near", but had not entered that town.

"Near, but not here" . . . a sad and troubling thought that reminds us of how easy it is to miss God's greatest blessing for something else. Like those disciples, though, we have also moved on, continuing to serve as interim to a disappointed but still loving and supportive group of believers. All of us are anticipating the next step God has for each of us, as the Pastor Search Committee continues to receive and evaluate the various resume's that have been sent to them. We'll keep you posted.

> House Projects -- After waiting for warm weather to arrive, we have now completed updating the bathrooms by having new tile floors laid and new toilet fixtures installed in both bathrooms. By covering the oak flooring in the master bathroom (see pic on left below) and replacing the carpet in the hallway bathroom, cleaning is much easier and the rooms look much larger. We're grateful for Gerald Brown, a professional tile craftsman in the church we're serving, for quality work. It's far more beautiful than the pictures show.

> Family Update -- Cindy, Kevin, and Christopher continue ministering in Medellin, Colombia, and are seeing God do some extraordinary things as events characteristic of the Book of Acts take place. Cindy's health is good since her earlier surgery. She now has a "ladies only" Facebook and Blog devotional ministry that is very good. Debbie and Rachel are still in Ft. Worth (Sarah is in Austin, TX, and Abby in Columbia, MO) where Debbie continues involvement in ministry to children and others while Rachel prepares to graduate from high school in a couple of weeks. Cheri and Bob remain in St. Paul, now grandparents for the third time, and keep involved in a house church group that meets Sunday afternoons (Katya & her family remain in Mnpls, Misha is in Northwood, IL, Seriozha continues military training in TX, Anya recently had her second little girl and lives in Ft. Worth, and Roma recently moved to Ft. Worth to live with sister Anya). Deanna, Jim, Michael, and JoyLinn remain in Galesburg, IL, as Jim pastors in nearby Knoxville. Before Bob found out he wasn't supposed to take any pictures, even without flash, he captured a few, including these. JoyLinn played the role of orphan "Minnie" in a community little theater performance of "Annie". She's directly in the center in the middle picture, and dancing in the background in the picture on the right.

> Numerous Changes of Plans: If anything characterizes the past three months, it is the phrase, "change of plans". A Spring that we anticipated being quite busy, ended up very different from what we anticipated. A planned conference on prayer in a church near Kansas City was postponed until possibly next Fall, we opted out of a March trip back to Cuba because we anticipated being called as permanent pastor at the church where Bob currently serves as interim, and two other ministry engagements were likewise cancelled. Additionally, bad weather caused either delays or cancellations of various house-related and personal plans. Through it all, however, we have remained content . . . though generally curious about all of this, and sometimes a little restless and impatient to understand it all.

> Writing/Preaching/Teaching Schedule: Bob has been able to continue writing on a number of subjects, and also has been able to create teaching/study notes on the books of Romans and Ephesians. He finished teaching through Romans in the Sky-ble study several weeks ago. He is preparing to complete the same study on Sunday nights at church and will soon begin a short series, "Birthmarks" on the biblical evidences of a person's salvation. There are four general categories of "birthmarks" . . . Internal, External, Fraternal, and Eternal. He has several other writing projects in the pipeline, and is just needing some time to begin them. Jo Ann continues serving as pianist at the church, and enjoys the blessing of selecting the music and working with the church's "praise band" (Tammy on flute, R.A. on tenor saxophone, and Dick on baritone). They, along with Dennis the music director, are a great joy to work with, and a great blessing to the church. FYI, R.A. is in his 80's and Dick is 92. Never too old to serve the Lord!

> Personal Time: One of our favorite nearby places is Silver Dollar City, just outside of Branson, MO. Last month we attended our most favorite time there . . . WorldFest . . . when performing groups from around the world present daily programs from their respective countries. It was a special treat to again see fabulous Russian/Ukrainian music and dance routines. We especially enjoyed the amazing performance of the Marikov Russian Circus. We also attended two special performances by world renowned Russian comedian, Yakov Smirnov. What a delight to experience the beauty and splendor of Russian dance and juggling. We even had a chance to shock some of the performers by greeting and thanking them in their native Russian language.

Then, last week we were able to return to Branson to spend time with Jo Ann's sister and brother-in-law (Dortha and Bill) at Silver Dollar City at the "Bluegrass/Gospel Festival". We attended church services at Skyline Baptist Church where our friend Norm Howell pastors, spent time with Joel and Irena Colon (fellow missionary colleagues in Kiev), and also attend the amazing acapella vocal performance of SIX, a team of six brothers who not only sing, but produce sounds of musical instruments with their voices. An amazing performance.

+ What's Going On Now:

> Sky-ble Study -- In spite of several necessary cancellations, we continue meeting weekly on Skype with our Bible study group. We have concluded our study on Romans and are now going through the amazing Book of Ephesians. This is always a joy as we maintain connection with several of our "Timothy's" and "Esther's" from our past work in Kiev. Every time we meet or have to postpone, we miss them even more.

> Hunger: There is a small but searching group of people at the church we're serving. Some of our most meaningful times together are on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Bob is resuming our Sunday night study of Romans after a few weeks of having no evening services because of school graduations and holidays. Such is life in small towns. There is a growing hunger for God to move in powerful ways, and it appears that this small group is showing increasing desires to move into deeper levels of devotion to the Lord.

> KIBC in Kiev: The church in Kiev is facing a momentous time as again it sees a change in leadership. Doug and Kay Clark are returning to the States the end of June, and this leaves Mohammad as the one remaining member of the Pastoral Leadership Team (PLT). Unfortunately, there is some unrest within the body as two or three have forgotten the founding purpose of the church and want to implement a different agenda. Additionally there is very small but vocal opposition to Mohammad assuming the role of lead pastor after Doug and Kay leave. We are confident that he has both the abilities and the call of God upon him to take that role, but we are no longer part of the decision making process.

In spite of this transition time, the church continues reaching out through evangelistic Bible studies, worship services, and other activities. The PLT has asked one or two men to come on board as part of the leadership, but they have not made their decisions yet. This is a matter of great concern both there and here.

> More Projects: Finally, after two years back in the States, we're able to do some serious improvements in our yard. We've always enjoyed the beauty of our Red Bud, Dogwood, Bradford Pear, Wild Cherry, and Flowering Crabapple trees, and have wanted to add more. Recently we were able to add more Sand Cherry, a Red Dogwood, a Pink Dogwood, and three Lilac trees/bushes to our collection, and we're excited to see how they will look next Spring. With all the rain and traveling keeping us from outside yard work, our grass is nearly 24" high in some areas. During one of our recent very intense rain storms, Bob happened to walk out on the porch to survey things, and saw this poor bedraggled squirrel huddling against the foundation of the house trying to avoid the water. Then, just last Friday, we found this enormous black King Snake out on our walkway. It was well over six feet long. The table is four feet in diameter. Can you see the snake working it's way to the top of the table?

This week we hope to finish planting some perennials and get the grass cut. Then Bob will tackle some tree trimming, completion of the deck steps, putting the workshop back in order after last Fall's flooring repair, sealing and furnishing the storm shelter/basement room under the sun room, and repairing and sealing the flagstone patio we installed a year ago. So, it's going to be a very busy Summer.

+ REPORT FROM MAX: Max continues living and serving in Bangkok, Thailand. Here are two brief e-mails we received from him last month and this. As he says, he's not into long letters (like ours . . . 😉 ), but his thoughts will bring you up to speed.

I am hoping that everyone is doing well these day. I would like to give a short report on my recent trip to Ukraine due to VISA issues. While in Kiev I applied for a business visa in Thai council. To my surprise there weren't any Thai people at all. And the "honorary Thai council" was Ukrainian, which is very weird. I had all necessary documents with me. But they asked for two more documents which was impossible to get at that time. After a bunch of explanations, my visa was denied. I got mad a little, grabbed my passport, slammed a door twice and left. If you are planning on visiting Thailand, please, DO avoid that "Thai council" in Kiev. Those people are qualified in street sweeping.

To make a long story short. I am back in Thailand and have to start over a procedure again. There are many steps that I have to go through, and I've decided to take only one step at a time:
1. This week I am leaving a country again, but not for Ukraine, and going to applied for the same type of visa.
2. My employer will send an official letter to the University in Ukraine to get a confirmation about my education, which is important to get a work permit.
3. With all these prepared documents I will have to go to the ministry of employment and submit them.
4. It is going to take about one or two months to get everything done.

All of these days have been very stressful to me and it makes me very angry most of the time. I feel like I need to get into a fight to relieve a tension. Please, pray for me as I need Jesus especially at this time. And especially not to be controlled by anger!

I hope this letter finds you well! Thank you for your time reading. I never do long letters because I know how frustrating to read.

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While in Kiev I got to be at KIBC and saw people over there as well as those who are no longer members of the church. Had a good time!

I am teaching (not English by the way, but In English) health subject and will probably start Social studies in one of private schools in Bangkok. I love doing that, I am surrounded by a wonderful group of people of Thais as well as Internationals who have been very helpful and supportive. Unlike in my previous government school. They are not Christians, but I see a good potential for a ministry. I have wonderful relationships with people and I am planning on taking some of them to church.

As for a village ministry, my friend is a part of Thai church in that area and she helps them a lot. Unfortunately I don't have much of that time of being there. But I have resources and can help with whatever need they might have. I would love to be there myself but have a lot of challenges on my plate at the moment.

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As I told you before there are 4 steps for me to go and finally receive a license which will allow me to stay longer. A week ago I left for Laos and re-applied for a visa and got 6 months stay, which is fine so far, it gives me more time to prepare everything I need.

Within a month of May and beginning of June I am going to submit the documents in a department of education and then later on in the department of labor, and there they are going to give me a certificate and a license. As I have been told once I get it I am going to be a flying freeman. I won't have to enter re-enter the country, waste time a money, pay for a visa extension etc. So the next two months are going to be very intense and exciting. I know I have been hesitant to do it earlier. I am a little slow. But better late then never. It must be done anyway. Its' like taking out an appendix in some cases, a doctor snaps it once and there you go.

So, I would like to give a note of appreciation to all. You have always been helpful and supportive in good and bad times. There is more to come, stay tuned!

May God bless you,

Max

+ REPORT FROM MOHAMMAD: We received the following report from Mohammad more than a month ago, and are sad that we didn't get it to you sooner. He is in the process of writing a new report soon, so we'll have even more news soon. Please read with interest and prayerful intercession:

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 Persian Conference/Concert ---- Persian conference/concert was one of the most amazing Evangelistic events we had ever held. We had given out 1000 invitations and as the result; we got around 50 people including many non-believers. Father’s House worship team began the concert by singing several worship songs, and it was followed by the testimony of 2 other believers. Then we had another set of Worship songs where I along with another brother played 3 songs. Another set of testimonies followed afterwards.

Overall, we had 4 sets of music and 3 sets of testimonials. At the very end, around 12 Iranian believers went on the stage each holding a placard. On one side of the placard, there was one phrase describing who they were before Christ, and on the other side, another phrase about who have they become in Christ. Each person first showed the first side and then turned the placard around and showed the other side. Some of the placards showed:

“I stabbed people with knife. Now I love them from deep within my heart”

“I was an alcoholic. I’m free in Christ now”

“I wanted to commit suicide by burning myself. Now I love life because of Jesus”.

At the end of the conference, two Iranian students got saved. One student approached me right after the concert and said, “Just tell me how to commit my life to Christ.” There was another Iranian who told me that he was going to India in about 3 months to become an ascetic, but before that, he wanted to hear who Jesus is and so he attended our concert.

 Mission trips to Pakistan and Malaysia ---- For a long time, we have been praying for the Lord to open doors for us to reach out to Iranians who are located outside Ukraine. Recently, we’ve been offered to help reach out to Iranians who are living in Pakistan and Malaysia. There are tens of thousands of Iranians who live in these 2 countries. As for Pakistan, “V” has expresses interest to go on a mission trip. We are planning to find a publisher in Pakistan that would publish 5000 Farsi Bibles for us so then we could give those out to Iranians there. “V” has found some contacts there that would help him get the job done. But it’s very risky and dangerous because the city he’s going to is not far from Muslim extremist base. It’s not still clear if he would go, because there are so many logistics such as visa, finances, publisher and so on that need to be taken care of.

In Malaysia, there are more than 60000 Iranians, and so the field is very wide. Like Pakistan, we are planning to print Bibles there and then give them out in different places. We are thinking and praying about these mission trips and now are in planning state.

 Online Bible study via Skype ---- “M” is still actively involved in Skype Bible study and reaches out to Iranians in Malaysia, Pakistan and India. In fact it was through this online Bible study that Iranians got saved in different countries and now are inviting us to go there and share the gospel with many more.

 3-day seminars ---- Last week, we held a 3-day seminar on basics of Christianity for the new converts. The seminar covered many topics such as faith, salvation, dealing with sin and etc. There were more than 10 new converts that attended it and benefited from the word of God. We’re planning to do these types of seminars more often.

 Sending Bibles to Iran ---- One thing that always amazes me is how devout Muslims are touched by the message of the gospel and how they respond to the truth. We have a very devout Muslim friend who has been attending our Bible study for the past several months. I used to meet with him in his hostel from time to time and discuss the word of God and answer his questions. Couple of weeks ago, he had decided to go back to Iran to visit his family. “V” joked with him and asked him if he would be willing to take some Bibles with him via airport. Everyone knows it’s a very risky business and if one is caught with Bibles in his luggage, he might end up in jail. And to our surprise, “M” answer was: “Yes, I think many people will benefit from the word of God. Why don’t you give me around 10 Bibles, and I’ll take them with me.”

He took all the Bibles through airport and handed them to “F” in Iran. “M” is now back in Ukraine and he called me around 2 days ago, asking me to resume meetings with him.

 “S” believed in the Lord ---- Few weeks ago, we had a 50 some year old Iranian who visited our church. He had moved to Ukraine in search of a better life and was surprised that prices are higher than U.S, and salaries lower than Iran!

So he was so disappointed when he had spent all his money in few weeks, and had to go to UN office to declare a refugee case. After the sermon, he came to us and asked how to put his faith in Christ. So we spoke to him and shortly after that he repented and accepted Christ. He now struggles with lots of difficulties, but is happy that Jesus has saved him. He regularly attends our meetings.

 New comers ---- We’ve been getting several new comers that are interested to hear more about the Lord. In one of our Evangelistic events in one of the hostels, we met several Iranians who are planning to come this coming Wednesday to our Bible study.

 Mission trip to Kharkov ---- Next week, we are sending “M” on a mission trip to Kharkov. He’s going to be sharing the gospel with some of the new students and encouraging the believers there. His trip will last 3 days and we are sending some boxes of Bibles with him so he could give them out in hostels. There are believers there who have expressed their interest in helping “M” in giving out the Bibles.

 Prayer Requests ---- Please pray for:

 New believers to grow strongly in the Lord

 Mission trips to Pakistan, Malaysia and Kharkov

 Online Bible study and those who attend it every week

 “S” to grow in the Lord and become a strong leader

 New comers who are coming to visit us this Wednesday

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+ PRAYER REQUESTS: At this stage of our lives and ministries, we are keenly aware that we face unprecedented days ahead. These requests, then, become much more than simple prayer requests, and we ask you to give them particular notice and engagement through prayer and thoughtful consideration:

> Pray for Max and his ministry in Bangkok. He has served faithfully, often coming up against dead-ends, and with little visible fruit to see. It is easy under circumstances like he faces to be overwhelmed with the mundane. Pray that he maintains confidence and a clear sense of purpose and vision.

> Pray for Mohammad and Ira as they continue providing leadership and consultation to the Farsi leadership and groups. Pray that he will withstand opposition and obstacles as he considers his future role both with the Farsi church and also KIBC. Pray that their serious financial needs will be met so that they can devote themselves entirely to the ministry.

> Pray for Doug and Kay Clark as they return to the States next month. They have no specific plans in place for the next phase of their ministry.

> Pray for KIBC and its future. Pray that it will rediscover it's founding mission of reaching internationals, training new believers, and planting churches. Pray that God will raise up the right men to assume roles on the PLT.

> Pray for FBC, Osceola, as they continue seeking the mind of God for a new pastor. Pray for us that our ministry will be fruitful, effective, and helpful in getting the church ready for its future.

> Pray for us as we continue serving in various venues, and as we anticipate the next ministry the Lord may have for us. The idea of doing nothing is beyond comprehension for us. Pray that we will know at the right time exactly what God has in mind, and that we will step out in obedience promptly.

> Pray for our financial needs. The generous compensation from the church will end when our work there concludes. In anticipation of that, we seriously need an infusion of support into our regular ministry support which has dropped by some 60% since our return from Kiev.

+ Looking Ahead:

Next Tuesday we will be joined by daughter Cheri and husband Bob, and grandchildren Michael and JoyLinn, to make a mad dash to Fort Worth, TX to see our granddaughter, Rachel, graduate from a specialized performing arts high school where she has been schooled not only in the generally expected subjects, but also in quality performing arts such as music, dance, and drama. We will see her in a final performance on Wednesday and then will enjoy her graduation on Thursday before quickly heading back home on Friday. We are looking forward to the trip in which we'll also see dear friends, Jim and Jane Hylton, grandchildren siblings Roma and Anya, and two great grandchildren.

Nothing has motivated us in many years like the current global conditions have. The Middle East situation, the Administration's deteriorating attitude toward Israel, the economy, the spiritual condition of the western church, . . . all of this drives us with a sense of urgency that far exceeds our abilities and our resources. We don't know what the future holds, of course, but there are several things on our minds. We feel we need to make one or two trips overseas in the next year. We have a special sense that we need to return to Cuba to minister there again. We also have a desire to spend some extended time ministering in the West and Southwest. We just need to hear from the Lord when the time is right for the next opportunity of ministry to be opened.

Finally:

We thank you for your friendship, support, and faithful encouragement. We never take you for granted, and we praise God for you. Please let us hear from you.

In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom,

Bob and Jo Ann

The Tollivers

"Touching Nations Here and Abroad"

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