Please be praying!

We could really use your prayers!  Camp begins this Friday and we are in desperate need of some dry weather and sunshine.  It has rained for most of the month of June (I think the high temperature was 72 degrees) and according to the weather forecast it is supposed to rain for the next 10 days ~ not good!  Please be praying for a miraculous turn in the weather.. for clear skies and SUNshine.   Pray for new youth that have never come to camp to attend.

Thank you so much for your love and prayers for our family.  This is such a huge part of our ministry here ~ such a great way to invest in young people's lives.. please be praying!

Happy Father's Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my own wonderful Daddy!  Wish you were here to snuggle your grandyoungins and give us a break! :)  

And a very happy Father's Day to this most wonderful Daddy!  The kids had so much fun all week making secret gifts, cards and plans for the day.  As soon as they got up they made James go outside while we made a huge pancake, strawberries & whipped cream breakfast.  Then they blindfolded James, led him inside and surprised him with a crown and a breakfast fit for our King.   You are an amazing Father and we love you Daddy!!

Church was so good today ~ the first part of Ephesians 4.  It was Lena's (below) 21st birthday.  We had so much fun eating cake and celebrating her life.  I couldn't help but think back to exactly 4 years ago.. James met Lena on the street corner passing out invitations to our first summer camp (we had just moved to Nara-Faminsk).  Lena ended up coming to camp ~ the first night she snuck out to go drinking and James almost sent her home.  They talked all afternoon... 9 more days of camp, Lena was a trouble-maker, obnoxious, mean and caused James no end of headaches.  The last night of camp she went forward crying and said she wanted to repent.  The change in her life was so drastic ~ truly a new creature.  Lena had attended a Satanic group, had cuttings all over her body, and by her own admission was one of the 'meanest people alive.'  Now she is 21, recently married to a Christian man, attending the Christian University in Moscow and is actively holding Bible studies in her own apartment during the week.  What pure JOY it is to be involved in people's lives.  To see the changes that come from the Holy Spirit alone.  

May your day be filled with the wonder and enjoyment of your Heavenly Daddy's love for you.

Update time...

We've had quite the busy week.  Out internet server went down for 9 days.. it was a happy day when they finally got that working again.  Two weekends ago there was a terrible car crash ~ seven youth in a tiny Russian car.  Three of the passengers had attended our summer camp last year.  One 16 year old young man was killed and a 17 year old Olga was seriously injured.  Olga broke two vertebras in her spine, broke both arms, one leg and lots of cuts, bruises and blood loss.   She's been told that she will be paralyzed from the waist down.  James has gone to see her several times, the whole situation is just so very tragic.  The young man that was driving is looking at a possible 5 year jail sentence because he did not have a license.  Pray as James is trying to go visit with him in prison.   Also pray for Olga's Mother as James had had several good conversations with her when he goes to visit.

We have started handing out invitations for summer camp.. please be praying.  The weeks of preparation alway seem difficult.  Pray for workers.. especially someone to oversea the cooking (so James doesn't have to do it :).  

It's been unusually cool, but we finally got most of the garden planted... thanks to such great helpers!

David has been reading to Johanna every afternoon before naptime.  I just love watching them interact together ~ they have such similar personalities.  And yes JoJo is *still* very, very attached to her fingers...