Hamm Prayer Points: April 2006

Monday, April 24, 2006

Hamm Prayer Points - 24|04|06

FAMILY UPDATE

Thank you for your faithful prayers for our family. Here's what's going on with our family members...

Lena continues to attend her hair-dressing course three times a week, which continues until the end of May. Lena will finally get some interpreting practice as she accompanies me to Tashkent in early May.

Sonia is rapidly nearing the end of high school. She has about four weeks of regular studies remaining until exams. In addition to her regular studies, Sonia is attending art school two or three times a week.

Maya is going to school just once a week right now, but is receiving regular tutoring from Babushka. Maya is looking forward to returning to Canada, but first comes her trip to Uzbekistan!

Deena isn't attending any school but is learning a lot! She is also excited about going to Canada (not that she has much comprehension about that)!

As for me, in the midst of all the visa- and document-processing I'm busy preparing for my course in Tashkent. As well, I'm heavily into publishing: web site, CDs, documents and more for the spring seminars.

Thank you for your support of our family!!!

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Please continue to pray for our decision-making process regarding our Canadian home. In the meantime, we would love to complicate things by having a few more options to choose from! ;-)

BLESSINGS

Answered prayer from last week! I made a whirlwind trip to Finland and returned with a very valuable (though costly) sticker in my passport. With my new one-year, multi-entry visa I can again live and travel freely in Russia. Praise the Lord for His provision!

Yesterday we had our second Easter celebration (our "real" one). We rejoice that "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"! (Romans 5:1b NIV)

Last Monday Lena & I celebrated our seventh year of marriage. What a wonderful seven years it has been! Praise God for His grace & goodness!!!

PETITIONS

The first CCI/Russia spring seminars began in Moscow today. Please remember in prayer the instructors and participants at both the Staff Training Workshop and the Adventure Challenge School. These two seminars are running concurrently in Moscow until the 29th.

I submitted my Uzbek letter of invitation and application for visa last week. Please pray that the visa will be granted and will arrive soon so that we can finalize our travel plans.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that counterfeit compact discs account for 67% of Russia's audio & video market?

...that Lord willing, Lena, Maya & I will be in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 4-9?

...that Lena will celebrate her birthday May 11?

...that Nina will celebrate her birthday May 15?

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 to 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. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

Monday, April 17, 2006

Hamm Prayer Points - 17|04|06

HE IS RISEN!

We are celebrating the hope and joy of Easter back-to-back this year: "Western" Easter was yesterday and Orthodox Easter will be on the 23rd. Regardless of the date, may we all continue to rejoice in the "living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:3).

Last night we experienced something new: indoor rain. Just before midnight Lena, Sonia & I had been watching a video in our bedroom with the door closed when we heard a strange sound from the hallway. As I approached the door to investigate I remarked, "it sounds like rain". It was, in fact, a torrential downpour coming from the apartment upstairs. As Sonia and I ran for buckets and mops Lena ran upstairs to see if she could stop the flow of water. It turned out that Olga, the lady upstairs, had been drinking heavily again and had managed to leave water running onto the floor. She was so inebriated that she couldn't comprehend what was going on. Finally a neighbour managed to help Lena get the message through the locked door. One hour later we managed to complete the cleanup with (thankfully) minimal damage. We shudder to think what would have happened had we not been at home! Please thank God with us for His protection and pray for Olga—it is all too often that she drinks herself into a stupor. We often hear her bumping and crashing around. We pray that we may be able to be of help to this needy, suffering woman.

Thank you for your faithful prayers.

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena