HOPE4KYIV #049 ---- 11/03/06
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
The Monthly Praise and Prayer Letter Of
Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver
Missionaries to Kiev, Ukraine
Number 049
November 3, 2006
Dear Friends, Family, and "InPact" Prayer Partners:
If we ever get our writing and reporting schedule down before the Lord's return, it will be a miracle. Nonetheless, thanks for letting us bring you up to date on what's been happening in Kiev.
Updates on Past Matters:
+ Well, there is progress in Ukraine, . . . sometimes. We now have a light over the stove so Jo Ann can see when she cooks. However, we still need lighting under the overhead cabinets so she can see when she prepares food. There are beautiful lights above, but their positioning casts shadows both from the cabinets and from the food preparer, so other than heating the back of her neck, they don't do Jo Ann much good. The motion sensor entry light is installed and operating, and that makes it much better for climbing the steps to our apartment. However, the interior entry light and the exhaust vent in one room are not yet in.
+ We thought we had the internet service finally resolved ---- actually got ten hours of fantastic high speed internet service last Friday, and another ten minutes last Monday morning. But, nothing else since then. We just keep spending more money and dealing with unreliable and possibly ill-trained technicians. We keep hoping that someone will come yet today or tomorrow and get it finally resolved (Nobody came.). So, please don't send us large files yet. If this isn't resolved by the time we go to the States next month, we'll probably settle for dial up; there are apparently no other alternatives available for us unless we want to spend $3,000 for a line from another company.
+ Clothes dryer hook-up is promised, but it won't be until after the final inspection on the building. That's supposed to happen in the next few weeks, but we're not holding our breath. We figure maybe in January or February it might happen. We've only been in the apartment since September, 2005.
+ Recent Events and Developments:
+ The sound system is installed and functioning wonderfully. It is awesome, and big enough to last us for years. The dealer told us it was powerful enough to fill a room four times the size of ours with sound. We still have some miscellaneous parts to purchase, and two or three special needs, but it is a fantastic piece of equipment, and the guys are learning to use it more efficiently every week. To those of you who participated in this project financially and in prayer, we say a hearty "thank you!" for your involvement. It's because of you that KIBC is so blessed.
+ Bob finally finished the study on Salvation last week in his Timothy Fellowship. The group remains strong and steady in attendance. Normally six to eight are faithful, and another four to six come and go. Some of the guys who used to attend are now unable because of new job or class schedules. He wants to put some finishing touches on the material, and then make it available as a teaching/study syllabus. Currently it's about 50 pages long, and will probably end up being between 55 and 60 pages in length as a Word document. It's very comprehensive. The study has been refreshing for him as well as instructional for the guys.
+ Jo Ann's Esther Fellowship is going well, and growing. They meet the same time Bob's group meets in a different room. They've been studying John 15, but have ended that. Both groups will meet together beginning next Wednesday and will view a series of studies called "The Blessed Life" by Robert Morris in which he teaches on how God blesses us in proportion to how we as stewards learn to not only manage His resources, but also give away our time, giftings, energies, testimony, and possessions. That study will last until we return to the States next month for about five weeks.
+ The Persian and Chinese ministries continue growing with amazing proportions. Paul and M. are having continuing great influence on Persian speaking young men. Thursday night there were ten in our apartment, five for the first time. Last night M. brought five to our apartment for food and a movie. The English class that Paul leads remains of great interest to new guys every week, and it's obvious that God is doing something extraordinary in our Persian ministry. You cannot explain how these young men are this open to a message so totally new and diametrically opposed to all they've ever heard about Christianity. It is truly a work of God.
For example, three weeks ago M. and Paul shared the Gospel with F., who accepted Christ later that night. F, then, shared with a couple of his friends who also accepted Christ the next night. Together the three of them read the Gospels of John and Matthew plus the book of Romans entirely through in two days. The following Sunday, Bob baptized two of them and a Chinese young lady, all of whom had recently accepted Christ. In addition, he baptized another Iranian from Kharkiv who had ridden the train all night to Kiev to see if he could find someone to baptize him. He just happened to make contact with our M. So, now we are looking at a probable ministry plant in that town where we understand there are at least four Iranian new believers living. Sometime in the next week or two we'll probably host a spaghetti supper in our apartment for these guys.
+ The Spanish work is regaining stability after Igor, one of the pastors, went to the States to marry our own Keri Sue Albrecht. One of our Pastoral Leadership Team members, Stan, meets weekly with Raidel, the group's pastor. Bob also meets with him as needed. They've been studying various doctrines as a means of getting the leadership grounded in the essentials of the Word. The past two weeks Bob has taught on stewardship, and will do so for the next week or two while Stan is out of the city. The people who attend the Hispanic work haven't had much teaching in this area, and they need to be encouraged to take responsibility for what God has given them. They generously reach out to special projects such as the amazing orphanage work they do with disabled kids, but they need to also grow in this area when it comes to their ongoing local ministry; too much of it rests solely on just a handful. Sounds a little like America, doesn't it.
One of our ladies, Deb A., who works with the U.S. Embassy, leads a weekly Bible study that some of the Spanish group attends, and she is also discipling and mentoring three of them every week. Our own Tania, who is living with us temporarily, continues translating as she is needed; and Joel Colon who grew up on the mission field in Latin America also continues working with the Spanish group, teaching and translating as needed. We couldn't do without these three. It's exciting to watch networking and teamwork accomplish exciting things in Kingdom work.
+ The young adult ministry continues to be a blessing. Had another food and movie night last night. Jo Ann served up some of her famous home made chili plus Vereniky, a Ukrainian dish and, because we had five Iranian guys (one of them still an unbeliever) in the group, we showed the first disc of "The Gospel of John", one of the very best dramatic presentations on the life of Christ ever produced. It's word for word from John. The guys were all very impressed. Even though most of our regulars couldn't come, we still had thirteen present. These Friday night events are always a great blessing for us personally.
To give you an idea of how some of our singles are growing, one of our young men, Anton (who already has an MBA at age 21) quit a lucrative job with a large international corporation because he was being taken out of town for long stretches of time, making it impossible for him to spend time with his family or attend church services. He chose to settle for a much more meager job rather than miss those needful relationships. We have others who travel two hours by public transportation in order to be here. Probably 50% of our young singles travel from one to two hours each way simply to attend church, a Bible study, or our Friday movie nights. Some of them make those trips three or four times a week.
+ The two of us were pleasantly surprised at how God provided the financial resources making it possible for us to take an unplanned trip to Paris last week to attend the annual meeting of the International Baptist Convention. After the IBC's Church Development Ministries Team prepared a unanimous recommendation that KIBC be accepted as an Associate Member, the General Secretary urged us to try to attend. Because of the financial resources being made available, we were able to do so.
It was a worthwhile trip, even though Bob fought a severe sinus and bronchial infection for the duration. The Convention voted unanimously and enthusiastically to welcome us into their fold, and we enjoyed great fellowship with friends from numerous countries. We also took in a late afternoon and evening sightseeing "cruise" down the Seine on Thursday before we headed to the airport Friday morning. Since it began and ended at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, we enjoyed seeing that (from the ground) and then took in a dinner that evening not far away. In the process, we discovered a country that is almost as expensive as Switzerland. Our experience with the nationals there was predictable, but the host church was awesome. And what a worship team they have! And a 60-voice "Gospel" choir almost half of which are unbelievers. It's one of their major evangelistic tools for sharing the Gospel. We'd like to go back again someday.
+ Attendance continues increasing in our church services and other activities. Adding everything together, we probably have around 125 to 130 people involved, 70 to 90 in Sunday services alone. God is blessing KIBC more than you can imagine or we can describe. It's an awesome time right now. He is not only allowing us to reach into the various nationalities here, but also to minister to the Ukrainians as well as being a "safe haven" for missionaries who need to decompress or need to be encouraged. Just last week a missionary family of four from L'viv in western Ukraine some 300 miles away visited our services and were greatly blessed. That makes us feel good.
+ A sad development in Kiev that sometimes affects some of our own people is the problem racially motivated harassment or attacks. Kiev has a major problem with "skinheads", Caucasian boys and young men who adhere to the "Arian" ideology promoted years ago by Adolph Hitler. They have a deep hatred for anyone with a skin that is not white. In that we have a large number of yellow, black, and brown skinned people involved in our various ministries, some of them experience frequent intimidation and threats, sometimes even beatings or thefts. Not only do these episodes come from the "skinheads", but on occasion even from police officers who are looking for a bribe or trying to make things hard on these non-Ukrainians who are seen primarily as refugees even though most are not. Currently we have young people and even older adults from China, Spain, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Peru, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Angola, and other countries. Even our own Tania, currently living with us, has to be extremely wary when she is out. Please pray for these wonderful people. The two of us are always anxious when our "kids" leave to go home, especially if it's later in the evening.
Personally:
+ Bob's back problems are better, but still present. We recently bought an inversion back board that he was able to use two or three times before the Paris trip. It helped tremendously. He's getting into a pattern of using it regularly. (Maybe he'll regain some of his height! He used to be 6'0". Two weeks ago he was 5'10.5". He says that helps explain that big round thing encircling him just above his belt!)
+ Jo Ann's bone spurs and tendon problems just won't clear up. Her desire to minister through hospitality is being greatly hampered as she needs to stay off her feet sometimes for two or three days at a time just to recover from shopping and being in services. She really needs your prayers because this is her real love and heart's desire. We usually have groups in our apartment at least three or four times a week for various events that include refreshments or a meal, and then on Sundays she prepares refreshments for after-service fellowship time plus fixes lunch for as many as sixteen or eighteen singles who need a good meal.
+ Occasionally people ask us what an average week looks like for us. This is a pretty typical schedule:
> Sunday ---- up early, Jo Ann finishes preparing refreshments for fellowship time and singles lunch while Bob focuses on his sermon, prints off the day's order of service for the worship team, and sets up the table and chairs in the fellowship room upstairs. The guys come at 7:30 to set up sound equipment, worship team meets at 9:00, prayer time at 10:10, services at 10:30, fellowship time at around 12:15 to 12:30, Bible study at 12:50, lunch for singles around 2:00, visiting and socializing with singles until around 3:30 to 5:00. Then, crash and burn. Sometimes Bob will do some writing on his weekly "Shoulder To Shoulder" letter if his brain will function.
> Monday ---- Recuperation and re-load day. Cleaning lady comes at 10:00. Bob finishes his "Shoulder to Shoulder" letter and e-mails it. Try to keep a light schedule of office maintenance work and budgetary activity.
> Tuesday ---- Shopping day. Jo Ann begins preparing for Esther Fellowship while Bob prepares material for the Tuesday afternoon leadership and mentoring sessions with Stan and the Spanish pastor. Since Stan has taken most of this over, Bob's duties are much lighter. Bob meets with Brent, our worship leader, as they talk about various ministry-related things, and then end the day sometimes watching a movie together. He also does preparation for the Timothy Fellowship and his leadership mentoring and Bible study session with M., the leader of our Persian ministry.
> Wednesday ---- Jo Ann prepares refreshments for Timothy and Esther Fellowships and completes her preparation for her Esther Fellowship Bible study, and Bob finishes up his prep, and then meets with M. at 5:00 for supper and then 5:45 for Bible study of Thursday's Persian group with M. before leading Timothy Fellowship at 7:00 as Jo Ann meets with Esther Fellowship at the same time. Social hour goes until around 9:00 or 9:30 before the "kids" head home.
> Thursday ---- Cleaning lady comes at 10:00. Maybe lunch out, and then shopping for more groceries. Persian English class comes at 6:00 followed by Persian Bible study at 7:00, usually lasting until around 8:30, followed by some socializing before everyone leaves around 9:00 or 9:15.
> Friday ---- Crash and burn day, trying to get re-tooled for Sunday. Office work. Often "food & movie night" for Singles.
> Saturday ---- As much of a "Sabbath rest" day as possible, focusing primarily on rest and spiritual preparation. Bob does menial office work and final prep for Sunday while Jo Ann begins refreshment and lunch prep for Sunday. It's often not very "Sabbath".
+ We're currently facing the time to look at financial support for the coming year. Our needs will personally remain at about $2700 a month to cover insurance, housing, living expenses, and travel. Although we've consistently run below our monthly need, God has compensated through miles build up from previous travel and one or two larger one-time gifts. However, we're down to just one set of tickets left, and Jo Ann's insurance rates have increased dramatically, so this is a challenging time for us.
+ We're looking forward to a trip home for Christmas this year since eldest daughter Cindy and her family will be home from the mission field in Colombia. We return to Missouri on December 14th and are scheduled to return to Kiev January 24th. We'd love to see some of you on this trip. We'll be speaking in several churches but otherwise plan to hang close to our home in Collins. So, if you want to see us, check with us and then head our direction. At the moment it's doubtful that we'll go back for Christmas in 2007, but maybe another time.
+ While we're in the States this time we'll be speaking in a few churches who support us, including our home church. At this point we have two or three slots still open ----
AM of December 17th
AM of January 7th
PM of January 7th
So, we're available if wanted.
Prayer Requests:
+ For all our ministries, but especially the Persian work just now as God seems to be casting a broad net and drawing it in with a number of salvations. This is further evidence that part of God's plan is to bring salvation to the Ishmael's side of Abraham's descendants. Sometimes we forget they are part of God's blessing as well. We believe there will be literally millions of Muslims come to Christ in these last days. Our leader here, M. is asking God for 1,000 saved young men to be trained and return to their homelands with the Gospel.
+ For our personal financial needs for the coming year. We still are running about $700 a month below what we really need to cover everything. In addition, we have some specific projects (such as $800 for Bibles and teaching materials in the Farsi [Persian] language, $500 for Bibles and teaching materials in Chinese language, $5,000 for a good translation equipment for our services, and $500 for a set of head mounted microphones for musicians and speakers).
+ For emotional and physical endurance to take us through our typical weeks, with at least a couple of surprises thrown in each week. After nearly four years, we still experience culture shock on a pretty regular basis, and we still can't get used to the way things get done here at about the sizzling speed of cold molasses. Those things wear on us emotionally and exhaust us physically. We are still learning that you should feel very successful if you get three or four significant things done a week and are able to abandon hopes for two or three others.
+ For the political chaos still existing in Ukraine. Pray that God's purposes and righteousness will prevail over all human agendas, and that people will see His hand in the affairs of the government as well as in the circumstances of everyday life.
+ For our children and families as they continue the journey ---- that they'll remain faithful, engaged in ministry and every good work, and focused on the ultimate goal and victory.
+ For the church as it continues the process of registering with the government. For the leadership as we try to put together the necessary bylaws, and as we continue leading the church into the fields of harvest.
+ For the new believers who have come to Christ in recent weeks, that they will grow at an unexplainable pace, and will have the courage to share the Gospel with their friends.
Finally:
Again, we are at a loss for words to express our gratitude for the amazing support team God has given us in people like you who pray for us, encourage us, and support us financially. We do hope that you feel you are personally actively involved with us even though you may not be here in body. This is as much your work and calling as it is ours, and we are grateful for your partnership. Please never cease praying for us. The work becomes more challenging for us every week as we, on the one hand, see new doors opening almost daily, and on the other, as we become more aware of our increasing physical limitations of endurance and energy. More than anything else, we want to be faithful and able all the way to the end of the assignment. We don't want to ever bail out just because of weariness, discouragement, or obstacles. Your prayers will help us avoid those "reasons" to return to the States prematurely.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom,
Bob and Jo Ann, the Tollivers
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