More pictures from Matt

Matt's keeping me busy with lots of picture updates. Check em out.

More pictures from Kathryn!

Matt Update 2

Hey,

Its 1:30 in the morning. I'm going to my first camp
in the morning.
I'm going to have my first encounter with the
children. I will be helping with different things.
Pretty much where ever they need me.
But please pray for Thursday, Friday, Saturday. We will be at a camp with teenagers. I'm going to be in a drama skit, also I will be talking to the guys about
lust and other things related.
Pray that God with prepare there hearts and that God will speak words through me for them.
We went to church this morning it was different, but were felt at home because it was Gods house. There was a interpreter there so we were able to understand.
I learned that people do not have the right of way here. Also you can't smile at people walking down the street because from a stranger it means your making
fun to them.
Well its much a long line to get on the internet here that by the time I get on its late. So I'm going to bed.
love ya'll
mmlehmann

Update from Matt

NOTE: Matt Lehmann and Ron Shindoll joined Kathryn's team for 10 days before she returns to the states. Matt's e-mail updates will be posted here as well as at: jdblundell.blogspot.com.
===
Good morning,
Its morning over here right now. Ron and I are here.
The trip was smooth. I was up for 17 hrs before I got to go to bed.
God blessed us with very cool weather when we got here. So the room I slept in was cold and no mosquito's. I slept all night.
Its very different over here. I've already realized how comfortable we live in the USA. We walked around the town where Kathryn will live. She had already gotten some news about moving over to work full time teaching English and other things. She is really being obedient to Gods will.
Im just dropping a qick email before I go to devotion.
Love ya'll
mmlehmann

More Pictures

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One more week in Russia

Hello Everyone,

I thought I would tell you a little bit about our week
at camp #2. Those younger kids are so much fun to be
with...and it did our hearts good to see how well they
were taken care of. The caregivers at #2 truly care
about these kids and do everything they can for them.

Who knew coming to Russia this summer, that we would
have a one of kind opportunity to also ministry to
teenagers from Siberia. As I said in a previous email,
there were two groups from the North who were also
staying at the camp. There hearts were so open to talk
to us and hear what we had to say.

Our first night there, we set up a meeting to just
hang out and get to know the kids. This went very well
and we had lots of fun as we ended the night with coke
floats. The next evening we presented two dramas. The
place was so full, they were looking for seats and
standing against the walls. The dramas were very
powerful as some kids were even crying. It was obvious
God was moving in their hearts.

Afterwards, we invited them to stay and talk with us. Wow...what an evening it turned out to be. Many of the kids stayed. They had so many questions. You could see the stirring amoungst them that had begun. We had shaken them up and taken away any peace they thought they had. Praise the Lord!!!...we even had one come to know Christ as her Savior.

That night, as we came together to reflect on the day,
it was so neat to see how not one of our translators
was with us. They had all been asked by kids and many
of their leaders to meet individually and talk about
their faith. What a work God is doing and I know is
continuing to do in their hearts!

Monday and Tuesday, we visit the little bitty kids in
the city at orphanage #2 again. Then on Wednesday,
we're back for another week of camp at #14. We did a
sports camp here with the June interns last month.
Please be in prayer as we bring a new group of interns
to their camp. We are excited as we are planning new
curriculum to better meet their needs.

Also, Dad and Matt arrived yesterday...YEA!!! They've
jumped in with both feet as we've planing and
preparing for the week ahead. I know God has big
things in store for them both.

Thank you for your continued prayer support. Our
hearts our eager to be available to whatever God asks
of us this week.

~Katya
-P.S. I'll be sending more pictures shortly! :)

"A man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Pictures!

Yardik at Orphanage #2

Pictures have been posted from Kathryn in Russia on Shutterfly. Check them out.

Provisions

Hello Everyone!
We've returned from Camp #60 and will be doing VBS for
the little kids tomorrow at Orphanage #2 in the city.
What a week at #60 it was! We saw God working from the
minute we got there until the time we left. As we
arrived and began unpacking our supplies, word came
about conditions of how the kids were living. There
care-givers were not taking care of them....keeping
the key to the showers with the hot water so that only
the care givers could use it...kids having to take
baths in the creeks...and there was a bad case of lice
amongst them.
Announcing these conditions to the group brought looks
of fear and panic...mainly about the lice. We stopped
and prayed for the children, the hearts of the
caregivers, and wisdom in handling this situation.
During our prayer, God reminded me of the verse
Deuteronomy 31:8 that I had shared with the group
earlier that morning. "The Lord Himself goes before
you and will be with you. He will not leave you or
forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged."
We knew God had gone before us and prepared the way.
There was no reason to be afraid or discouraged. God
was faithful in showing us His promise throughout the
entire week.
Olga, one of the interpreters, and I decided to take
the two hour drive back to St. Pete to gather more
lice shampoo and other hygiene products from our
supplies. Not knowing our means of transportation, the
Lord quickly provided a driver to take us there and
back. He also supplied us with our own key to their
showers so that we could let the kids in ourselves. As
you can imagine, the kids were overjoyed, especially
the girls.
VBS went really well. Lots of good conversations took
place. However, beginning day one, not a single older
boy showed up. But as we continued to pray that God
would draw them in, each day more and more came. By
the end of the week, we even had some care givers
joining us.
This camp ground housed several groups of kids, not
just the ones from #60. Orphanage #2 was there as well
as several groups of teenagers from the North. Over
the week, we found ourselves not only ministering to
the orphans but to these other groups as well. They
were very curious as to what are purpose was and were
very opened to talk and get to know us.
Many of them attended the drama we performed,
including the director of the camp grounds and some of
her staff. Two groups from the North have asked us to
perform the drama again and talk with there kids when
we return in a couple of days to work with Orphanage
#2. Isn't God great! We are currently working on an
additional drama to show.
Please continue to be in pray as God is working in
ways we don't even know yet. Pray that God will
prepare there hearts for His message of hope and will
give us guidance as we prepare materials and as we
spend time with these kids.
Thank you! We feel your prayers! They are making a
difference!
~Katya

New month, new team, new adventure

Well a new month has started, with a new team, and
many new adventures waiting for us ahead.
The July team arrived yesterday. Since they arrived,
we have been fervently working to prepare for
Orphanage #60. We will leave tomorrow morning and
spend five days with them. These kids are around the
same ages as #14 kids (ages 7 and up).
I am personally excited to go there because they are
at the same camp ground as orphanage #2 where my
little Sergie is. It will be fun to see all my little
friends again.
Your prayers have definitely been felt! Keep
praying!...for team unity, wisdom, discernment,
availability in our hearts, and courage. Most
importantly, keep praying for the hearts of the kids.
We have an opportunity to present a drama in front of
the entire camp ground...which includes over 300
kids...not to mention all of the care givers. These
kids come from all over the country, not just
orphanages. There are even some from Siberia.
You will hear back from me in about a week when we
return.
With much gratitude!
~Katya

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good
news!" Romans 10

Going to Finland

Hello Everyone,
Just a quick update to let you know I'm back from Camp 14...what a week it was! I wish I had time to tell you about it, but I leave for Finland in about five minutes to renew my VISA. The rest of the team left earlier this morning to return to the states. Please be in prayer for safe travels and as few complications as possible with the VISA.
Thanks for all your prayers. I'll try to right more
when I return from Finland.
Love you all!
~Katya