10 years....

Balta church celebrates 10 years....

Anton lighting the candles....

This was a team effort. Barb baked it...and I decorated it...

Happy 10th Anniversary....

We were so blessed to have many visitors on the 10th Anniversary!

March 8th/ English club

March 8th is International Woman's day...A National Holiday in Ukraine.


The guys put together a little lunch for us and they gave us flowers.

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English Club....Every Saturday we have an English club at the church.

Barb and Alyona

Here is our group....

Nastia acting out our new vocabulary word...

New verbs....

first visitors to Balta...

Two of my seminary friends came to Balta for a visit...

They helped move my stuff to my new apartment. They helped get my stove, fridge, and washer settled into their places. They put shelves together and my bike! They both took part in our church service by preaching sermons.

Oleg doing last minute preparations before he preached...

Oleg preaching....


Myself, Oleg, Oleg...


It was so great to have the boys here for a visit....
I was really encouraged by their visit!
(and very thankful for all their help!)

The move....

Some of the seminary guys helped move me to Balta.
We had a good time. Got stopped by the police.

Dave, Peter, Vadik, Barb, myself, Oleg, and Dima...

SEND ladies retreat...

Typically ladies retreats aren't my idea of fun. I had moved to Balta on Thursday and on Friday we left to go to Kiev. I was filled with mixed emotion. It turned out to be just what I needed! I had a great time deepening my relationships with more of the wonderful SEND Ukraine ladies.

Hands down the highlight of the weekend was the bonfire!

Laughing!

Award poses--

Lois and Bertha

Roasting a marshmallow

Here all the SEND Ukraine ladies!

Here is the Odessa/Balta team!
(1st row L-R)Sarah, Esther, Leah, Julie
(2nd row L-R) Susanna, Barb, and myself.

Goodbye Party...

It was a bitter sweet event for me.
My seminary friends organized a little going away party.
It was so wonderful...here are a few pictures....

Here was the "head table"....

The party....

I made little presents for the girls...

I don't know...

The ladies...

Just drinking my hot chocolate...

They sang me a song in English...:)

Andrei and Victor....

Anya, Rostik, and Vova...

Natasha, Lydia, and Anya...



Oh I miss them....

"A shoemaker is called to show his vocation not by sewing crosses onto his product but by making sturdy shoes."
-Martin Luther

"In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people.Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, which he promised to his people. You are serving the Lord Christ."
- Colossians 3:23-24