June Newsletter

Still Striving for the Goal:
Ukraine Update
June 2007
By Stephanie Boardman
Let me start by saying, this has been a very busy month! I finished up my job at Southwestern Mental Health on June 1. It was hard to leave everyone there after almost 2 years, but it feels good to be a step closer to going to Ukraine!

The first full week of June, I spent in Indianapolis, IN at MTI (Missionary Training Institute). I really enjoyed meeting the other missionaries going to various places in the world! We also heard different missionaries and pastors share their hearts and important information as we prepare to go to the mission field. My favorite part of the week was the last afternoon we were there. Dr. Jim Lo was leading the group and instead of lecturing, he spent the time talking about the importance of prayer. We took a while after that to just spend in prayer. I am not sure if I have ever experienced a prayer time that powerful.

I spent the weekend after MTI in Ohio. I was able to re-connect with friends and family. I also had the chance to share about Ukraine at Mulberry Wesleyan and New Miami Wesleyan in the Cincinnati area.

The second week of June was spent at teen camp. It turned out to be better than I imagined! God continued to teach me about the power of prayer during this week. The best news of the week was that one of our teens from my home church became a Christian! That made the whole week worthwhile!
North Park Wesleyan and Grant City Wesleyan youth groups at teen camp

Now I am home and spending time getting things ready for when I leave! It’s almost hard to imagine that in just a few months I will be on my way to live in Ukraine for a year! There is still a lot that needs to happen before then, so please continue to keep me in prayer!




What’s going on in Odessa?Information taken from Kerry & Carole Allison’s update in May: Thanks to the help of different teams, the roof of the new garage/workshop for the Hope house is now up. One team also raised enough funds to purchase 12 new mattresses for all the beds at Hope House. Before this, the children slept on a heavy pad that was lumpy, uncomfortable, and in some cases worn down to the fabric. There was also a professional carpenter and his daughter (who is a professional chef) that came to help out. The daughter has been helping the girls at the Shepherd’s Home learn how to cook! Sheryl has joined the team! She is already working in preparation for counseling these kids. Her work is already bearing fruit!

Check out these Web sites:
v My Blog: http://striving4thegoal.blogspot.com/
v World Hope Canada: http://www.worldhope.ca/
v World Hope Ukraine: http://www.worldhopeukraine.com/\
v Global Partners: www.wesleyan.org/gp/
v My email address: striving4thegoal@hotmail.com

Prayer Requests

· I am scheduled to go to Ukraine in August, but there is still a big need for financial and prayer support which needs to be met before I leave.
· I am also in the process of letting go of responsibilities at my church.
· Sheryl, who will be working with the street children in Ukraine and counseling them. I will be living and working with Sheryl when I get there. Pray that she will be able to start connecting with some of these kids.
· Also keep me in prayer with language learning. Right now, I'm just doing it on my own at a slow pace, but it will be picking up once I get to Ukraine!

My Schedule

July 8 pm- Forest Hills Wesleyan
July 22 am-Miamisburg Wesleyan

July 28-District Camp
August 12- Boonville Wesleyan

Life Verses
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT)
Each time he said, “ My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.