Once a year in May, we usually hold a conference of Athletes in Action, through which we want to bless many sport ministers. And again this May, the Lord blessed us, and we made a Sport Kids Community conference - the Sport Community ministers from different places of Ukraine came and “were set on fire for the ministry” by us with our guests from America and Brazil. We even had two women from the Donetsk region (the area very close to the war zone on the east of Ukraine) who want to start a ministry of the Sport Community in Druzhkovka for children and their parents there. One of the parts of the conference was the Sport Community Training, where instead of the children were the participants / ministers themselves. Our goal was to carry out not just something theoretical, but most importantly - to show in practice part of the ministry. Thank God - I was able to fully participate in the organization in spite of difficulties with my leg - I was responsible for registration, lunches, translation, and a little for the part of the training about the summer camps of Sport Community.
I feel better, thanks for the prayers! My leg is still swollen, but not so much. I walk without crutches, but I quickly get tired, it is especially difficult to go down the stairs, but quietly with God's help is achievable. My plates are still holding up normally, if they have to be removed, it will be known only in six months or a year. I was even able to come by taxi to the team meetings and a little bit to the Sport Community practices. On the photo below I'm with Julia, my mentor. Julia helps me in the registration and the administrative matters with our parents and coaches / volunteers, this is a great blessing! She is also a mom of two sons and a wife of our team leader)
On the photo below - at one of our weekly meetings / Bible studies with our volunteers. Since we are Sport COMMUNITY, we celebrated the birthdays of our volunteers - Vlad (16 years old) (coach assistant) and Lyuba (14 years old) (photographer). Vlad is from a big family, his mother is a non- believer, but his younger brother and sister can come to our practices for free and hear the Word of God, their mother wouldn't allow them to be taken to the Protestant church. Lyuba is also from a large family, but from the family of the believers who attend the Revival church in which we serve.
Thank you so much for praying for my flights to the States! These were some of the best flights in my life, I even thought that it was worth breaking my leg for this :-)
I am pleased by the opportunity of the Lord to visit some of my friends / ministry partners. And also - because of many challenges - this is a period of special trust in the Lord and intimacy with Him.
Please pray:
1) for blessings and wisdom during the support raise period for me, and for my team in Ukraine;
2) for the summer camps Sport Community and for the future cooperation with the churches of Kiev / Ukraine on the Sport Community;
3) for repentance / desire to study the Bible for the fitness coach Lena and for the basketball player - Ira;
4) for the development of the Sports Community discipleship movement;
5) the Lord would send a basketball/soccer missionary to Ukraine to help with the sports community.
Thank you!
I would be glad to hear your news and prayer requests!
With love in Christ,
Anya
