FINALLY BACK!
Greetings from frigid (-30) St. Petersburg! Thankfully the central heating has been restored after a day-long "break". It's not too often it gets so cold here, but when it does we need bundle up and use all of our electric heaters. Thankfully we can pay our electricity bill!
I've been stuck in bed since for the past three days with a fever and related symptoms, but thankfully the worst seems to be over. Hopefully next Monday we can get back on schedule. As you've probably noticed, I have changed the way this newsletter is sent out. While I love sending out Hamm Prayer Points every week (and your encouraging comments make it all the more worthwhile), it is a lot of work to write, email and produce both web and printable versions each week. One top of that, managing the hundreds of email addresses and requests for changes is quite time-consuming. Hopefully a way has been found to streamline the entire process. I am now sending this via a mail list server which allows me to send and post with one click. This also allows you to easily add/remove/change email addresses as needed. If you have any questions about the changeover, or if you receive any duplicate or unneeded messages, please let me know.
Thank you for your prayers and faithful support of our family & ministry!
– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena
COMING TO CANADA
Thank you to all who have offered help and items to help us make the planned transition to Canada. Our biggest need continues to be a home to live in. We would like to broaden our search to include most of southern Manitoba–from Brandon to Steinbach. Our first choice would be a place to house-sit for several months, during which time we would search for a more permanent place to live. Of course, we are also open to immediately purchasing or even renting a home. We don't know how long we'll be in Canada, but it looks like Lena & Sonia will need at least three years there in order to complete the immigration process. We would appreciate any help in spreading the word about our housing needs. Thanks!!!
BLESSINGS
After being forced out on Christmas Eve, our local church fellowship has finally found a temporary home in a business centre. The facility is great, but we can use the place for only two evenings a week, meaning that our Sunday morning service now takes place on Saturday evening!
Our family received a number of thoughtful gifts from supporting churches back home. One church even sent a care package that arrived just in time for the Orthodox New Year! Thank you to all who sent cards, gifts and kind wishes during the holiday season–we felt very blessed!
PETITIONS
There are just eight days until our staff leave for the 2006 winter conference site. Please remember us in prayer during this final week of preparation. Among my responsibilities are the preparation of a new Electronic Library CD-ROM, several PowerPoint presentations, numerous posters & info sheets and a music CD.
Please remember our family's health in your prayers. It's hard to stay healthy here, especially in the winter!
DID YOU KNOW...
...that Russians love to eat ice cream in the winter? As locals consume huge quantities of frozen sweets ice cream manufacturers are saving money on refrigeration thanks to the extreme cold!
...that the current cold snap coincides with the Russian Orthodox holiday of Epiphany (January 18th) which tradition says ushers in a cold period known as the Epiphany Frosts? Every year numerous brave Russians celebrate by plunging (or being plunged) into rivers and ponds to cleanse themselves with water "made holy" for the day. As usual, Nina avoided the frozen Neva River and instead went to Kazansky Cathedral to have some water blessed.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.
A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.
Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links for print versions, archives and more.
For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.
You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.
Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com.
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