Prayer requests

You may have read the news reports about the terrible drought and forest fires Russia is experiencing. Last week was miserable as the heat was over 100 and the smoke was so bad you couldn't go outside or more importantly open your windows to get a bit of relief from the heat.

We had 3 glorious days of no smoke earlier this week and then yesterday the smoke rolled back in.. here's the view from our window at noon. (it was worse last week, but it was so bad I didn't dare open the window to take a picture.. ha!)

Experts are saying we could experience this toxic smoke for another two months - I am really hoping they are wrong.

Some other prayer requests:

1. Our next door neighbors Olga & Zhenya - in two weeks it will be the first year anniversary of their son's death.

2. Home-school will be starting up Monday - I'll have a 6th grader, 4th grader, 2nd grader and Johanna will be going to a Russian pre-school three mornings a week (where all the other kids went until they turned 7). Usually at the end of the summer I've enjoyed a break and am refreshed and motivated to get back into schooling.. however, I'll be honest, this has been such a difficult summer that instead I'm quite exhausted and am not feeling ready to start another school year. So pray that somehow miraculous over the next 48 hours I would get excited & refreshed. :)

3. kids health - Rachel has coughed for a month now. Please continue to pray that the smoke clears up quickly

4. James for wisdom as English class at the orphanage begins the first week of September and for the various Bible studies each week at the Youth Center.

5. Pray for the new believers that they would continue to come to the Bible studies and grow in their faith. Also pray for the youth that went to camp but that don't live in Nara-Faminsk during the school year, that they would find a church to attend.

English Camp report

Thank you for praying for camp! James said it went great and God worked in hearts and completely changed young people's lives. James said he knew of 12 youth that repented. I remember the day I went out to visit, I saw a young man off by himself reading a Bible... to think that many of these youth read a Bible for the very first time in their life makes me want to literally jump up and down with joy! :) May God be glorified in these lives.

Here's the bus getting ready to leave. One of the best things about camp is that we get to meet so many of the parents and have a chance to become friends. Many of the parents who were very skeptical, almost afraid to let their child go to camp later thanked James and told him how much they appreciated this opportunity provided for their child.

Here's Raymond giving his acceptance speech after getting voted best singer

Please pray for this girl on the left - 16 year old Svieta. The day after they returned from camp her father died of cancer. James and several of the others from camp were able to go to his funeral. Svieta's mother died when she was young, and now the only family she has is an elderly Grandmother.

lots of guitar playing and singing

games around the campfire

lots of volleyball

I loved this picture of Megan showing Caleb how to shoot

I think we could win an international competition for 'world's scariest camp cook'.. but no one got sick :)

James has added a special 'new believers' weekly Bible study so please pray as many of these young people want to get baptized. Also if there is anyone (or church) out there that is interested in coming over next summer to help out with camps please contact us.. it's a huge blessing to have a team from the States come over and help, and I *think* they are the ones blessed beyond measure. :) And if you're not interested.. maybe pray about becoming interested? ::wink:: Thanks again for everything you do for our ministry!