We hope you are finding time to rest and restore your souls during these beautiful days of summer. We are grateful to say we have been able to use these last few months in the states to regroup and renew our hearts and minds. We have also been grateful to have the guidance of a small group of experienced people from our churches, our mission, and other professionals to help us understand, process, and grow over these last few months in preparation to return to Ukraine. We appreciate your patience and hope this update will get you all caught up.

Most of our time has been spent in western Pennsylvania catching up with folks and even doing a bit of fishing. In early May, we made a trip to North Carolina to see Elena in her new place. It was wonderful to meet the director in charge of Elena's care and hear her heart for the Lord and the calling she has to help young ladies with serious issues like Elena. Our prayers were greatly answered by everything we saw and heard on our visit. We were very thankful for the measures they have taken to work with Elena's most serious concerns. An extra special blessing came in hearing Elena talk about having her own horse to work with in their Equine Therapy Program. She has always wanted her own horse and it was wonderful to see how God cares about all these details of our lives. While these aren't the circumstances we hoped for, we are delighted in God's grace and love, even in times of trouble. God has always been faithful and we can see His blessing in all of this.

Josiah has also been blessed and is profiting from this time in the States. He has truly enjoyed the youth group at First Baptist Church. He was grateful to join them on a mission trip to Scioto Hills Camp in Ohio. He helped with drama, puppets, work teams, and leading music. He also helped at the church's annual VBS program and some community work projects sponsored by the county. He even attended a national youth conference featuring Chris Tomlin in Daytona Beach, Florida. I don't know about you, but two van loads of teens driving two days there and back for a conference with over 7,000 youth is far more than I could handle. God has organized a remarkable group of leaders, led by an amazing youth pastor, to work in the lives of these young people. We have seen Josiah growing through their efforts and through the many other caring individuals God has placed here. We are very thankful to hear people tell us about Josiah's growth and maturity in various areas, too. (Of course, he has also chosen to eat a few live worms on a dare, but we're not sure any guy grows out of that.)

We have already spoken in some churches this summer and we've had a few other opportunities to share about our ministry, and now, we are gearing up for the next stage of our Home Assignment. In the coming weeks, we want to spend more time sharing our experiences of the first two years and how we see God using us in Ukraine alongside the nationals already working there. If you would like to invite us to come to your area to share with you, your church, or a group you know might be interested, please contact us using the information below.

We are looking forward to getting back to Ukraine and our Russian language studies. Andrew is considering the possibility of teaching more in the area of technology, as a way to connect with and serve the people of Kharkov. In addition, we continue to see God's clear leading for us to work with the abandoned babies in Kharkov and we know the Lord has prepared us for this area of ministry in a very personal way. You can read details about this ministry on our website in our March 2009 newsletter. It is exciting to see how He is using our prior experiences to reach out to these special children with the love of our Savior.

Will you join with us in this ministry? We went to Ukraine in 2007 with 90% of our financial support pledged and the remaining 10% given in one, larger gift that was enough to cover that remaining amount for two years. While on the field, our support remained strong. Any drop in regular support we experienced was balanced out by unexpected gifts. We were very thankful to see God's provision every step of the way. As we now prepare to return to Ukraine, we need to get our support level up to 100% and cover the new expenses for Elena's care. That amount comes to around $3,000 a month. We know that during this financial crisis some of you have serious financial concerns. We understand that because of this, some aren't able to give as they would want to at this time. We trust that the Lord is helping you through these difficult times. We also know that the Lord has provided for and called some to give towards our ministry in Ukraine and Elena's care.

To put $3,000 a month in perspective, it could work like this. If each family who received this letter began to support us or increase their support by $10 a month, that would be more than enough to care for Elena and for us to be back in Ukraine in a matter of weeks. Similarly, if a few less folks gave $25, $50, or $100 a month that would also make this a reality. We could also receive gifts to cover the cost of Elena's care for a year or more and only have the remaining portion of our support to be covered by monthly gifts. There are lots of options and we know God is very creative. We have been surprised in the past by the remarkable ways He has supplied just what we needed. Please consider the part you can have in this ministry.

It is a privilege for us to serve Him and we know He will guide us, as we seek His will. Please continue to lift us up in prayer. May the Lord richly bless each of you!