Hamm Prayer Points - 26|06|06

CHAPTER THE NEXT

Sonia graduated this past Wednesday, bringing to a successful conclusion her school years. It is certainly a relief for Sonia to be done with homework for a while! Due to Nina being in the hospital I was unable to attend the graduation ceremony and banquet (I had to stay with Maya & Deena, but Lena was able to spend this special time with Sonia. (More pics on Flickr!)

With school behind her, Sonia is now looking for more ways to practice her artistic talents (it certainly beats algebra!). As we mentioned previously, Sonia has begun to attend a special school for jewelers. She is learning how to work with precious stones and metals, and getting some blisters in the process! Classes are six days a week, primarily in the afternoons. Sonia has to travel one hour each way by public transport, so she is putting in pretty long days again. Please remember Sonia in your prayers as she seeks to develop her God-given talents. Pray also that she will discover ways to use her gifts for God's glory.

Thank you for upholding our family in your prayers!

—– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

P.S. The mystery sign from last week turned out to have a not-so-serious explanation. Go to the Hard Dog Hallelujah Flickr photo page for more info.

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COMING TO CANADA

Five months (or so) until we land in Canada, Lord willing! While we are still officially looking for a home for our family, we do have one home that looks to beavailablee for us to rent, should we need it. For this we are thankful! However, if anyone hears of anavailablee home for our family, please don't hesitate to share the information!

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BLESSINGS

Sonia had a good graduation ceremony and celebration afterwards. Lena came home just before one in the morning after the banquet, and Sonia arrived just before six after a class trip out of town. Praise God for a safe time for all!

Praise God for MCC Thrift Stores! Sonia's dress was one of the most-talked about at her grad, and by far the least expensive at $2!

We have been able to make arrangements to travel to Helsinki, Finland for a one-week family vacation (July 4-11). We planned this for several reasons, not least of which being the opportunity for Nina to spend some time with family outside of the hospital. Nina has never travelled outside of Russia, so this trip with her entire family will be a very special event for her. We are looking forward to spending this time as a family in a stress-free environment and pray that it will be a very positive experience for Nina in particular.

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PETITIONS

Please continue to pray for Deena. Eleven days after her illness started she is still not completely well. Pray that her digestive system will fully recover from her illness.

Nina is doing better, but remains in the hospital under observation. Please continue to pray for her health and healing. The doctors have given her a (mostly) green light to travel to Finland, and she is hopeful that she will be discharged from the hospital before this week is out.

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that there is a saying in Russia, "God loves (the) trinity". This is often quoted when drinking as an excuse to have a third round!

...that when you greet someone Russians traditionally kiss each other three times on alternating cheeks?

...that when you say something that you want to happen, you should spit three times over your shoulder (similar to "knock on wood")?

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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!)

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Hamm Prayer Points - 20|06|06

SAY WHAT?

This sign certainly caught my eye this past weekend in Helsinki (click on the picture for a larger view). I have no idea what it means, but I'm certain that one of my Finnish readers will enlighten me!

It has been another eventful week for our family: Deena was very ill for four days (she is still recovering), Sonia had an up-and-down first full week at jeweller's school, Lena completed her hairdressing course at the top of her class, and Nina had to call an ambulance to return to the hospital. Most of the "excitement" happened Friday and Saturday–just as I was preparing to leave for Finland. Thankfully both Deena and Nina showed signs of improvement by mid-Saturday, so I didn't have to cancel my trip.

As we move into summer with camps already in full swing around the country, we are very grateful for your prayers for our family and the ministry of Christian camping in Russia. We haven't given you many updates on the camping ministry lately, but we can tell you that our 154 member camps are excited about another season of camping. The 1000+ leaders that CCI/Russia trained over the past six months have in turn trained thousands more. Now the camps begin, and tens of thousands of children and youth will experience God's love is a real and meaningful way. Praise God for another year of camp ministry in the former Soviet Union!

Thank you for your prayers and financial support!

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

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COMING TO CANADA

The long road to Canada is just that: a road. We continue to trust in the Lord to prepare the way ahead of us. “The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.” Psalm 85:12-14 (New International Version)

Please continue in prayer for a home for our family in Manitoba!

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BLESSINGS

We are very thankful that Lena was able to successfully complete her hairdresser's course this past week. She continues to be overwhelmed with clients (although of the non-paying kind)! In fact, tomorrow she will have three of Sonia's classmates (plus Sonia) for graduation "do's".

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PETITIONS

Please continue to pray for Nina's health and healing. Her return to the hospital is not a pleasant development, but we pray that it is for the best. Once again Lena needs to travel across town (via bus and on foot) to help care for Nina. Please pray that Nina's health will improve and that the advice she receives from her doctors will be wise.

Sonia's graduation ceremony and celebration is tomorrow (June 21). Russian high school graduations are an all-night affair (the students will go out of town afterwards for an all-night excursion). Please pray for Sonia's safety and for a positive experience for them all.

Please continue to pray for Deena and a full restoration to good health.

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that St. Petersburgers are getting less than four hours of nightfall today?

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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!)

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Hamm Prayer Points - 12|06|06

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CHANGES...

It's mid-June and things are changing. Sonia has finished high school.The Staff Training Workshops are over. Warm weather has finally come. White nights have arrived. Nina is feeling better,especially after her meeting with the heart surgeon this past week.

Thank you for praying for Nina this past week–she truly felt the power of your prayers. During her meeting on Thursday she was told that instead of certainly needing open-heart surgery, she certainly does not! The specialist told her that in her case it is either going to be long-term medication or corrective surgery; in this case, a coronarography. In three weeks Nina is to call the doctor to tell him how she is feeling. If by then the medications have not given her significant improvement, the doctor will then arrange for a coronarography. The cost for that procedure will be 2500 USD. If after the coronarography there is further need for a surgery, then the next step will be an operation to insert plastic tubes into her arteries. Thankfully, open-heart surgery appears to be unnecessary.

As you can imagine, the ups and downs of the medical news these past weeks has been quite unsettling at times, especially for Nina. She did, however, receive a very encouraging piece of news this past week. A family in Canada gave us 250 CAD to cover the cost of her June medications. What a wonderful blessing!

Please continue in prayer for Nina and for the changes in our lives.

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

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COMING TO CANADA

We continue to trust the Lord's timing in selling our home, finding a home in Manitoba and transplanting our family halfway around the world. Thank you for praying!

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BLESSINGS

Answered prayer from last week! The Staff Training Workshop in Latvia was a great success. Seventeen camps from across the Baltics sent new and experienced camp leaders to the seven-day course. Praise God for good health for all and a great time of fellowship and training!

Please join us in praising God for the successful completion of the six spring Staff Training Workshops. In addition the the six STWs, CCI/Russia also hosted a conference for pastors and camp directors in Vladivostok. Over 600 participants from 154 camps received hands-on training for summer camp ministry. Our staff covered territory from Riga in the north to Tashkent in the south and from Minsk in the west to Vladivostok in the east (almost 11,000 km!) to help lead these vital training events. Praise God for His mercy & grace!!!

Answered prayer from previous weeks! Sonia successfully passed all five of her exams: she received two 5's and three 4's. All-in-all very good results. Sonia sends a big "Thank you!" for your prayers.

Answered prayer from last week! Our washing machine has been healed! The "doctor" managed to get it back in running form with minimal effort and cost. Praise the Lord for one less major expense!

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PETITIONS

Please continue to pray for Nina's health and healing. We pray that the medications will help so that she will not require surgery.

As we mentioned several weeks ago, we are in need of additional monthly supporters. Many of our supporters have or are reaching the point in their lives where they can no longer keep up with generous giving. Please pray for a new generation of mission-minded givers!

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that 3/4 of Russians surveyed didn't know why today is a holiday? They can be forgiven–there have been a lot of of invented, cancelled and re-invented official holidays since the fall of the Soviet Union. This day, June 12, is Russia Day (formerly Independence Day), the date of the formal creation of the Russian Federation.

...that Sonia is back in school? The day after her last exam she enrolled in a school for jewellers! (More on that later.)

...that the next issue of Hamm Prayer Points will be delayed by a day? I need to make a short trip to Finland this weekend, so I will be typing the next issue on the train!

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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!)

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Hamm Prayer Points - 05|06|06

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NINA

As we told you last week Lena's mother Nina was scheduled for a visit with a specialist this past Thursday. Instead of learning about scheduling a coronarography, the doctor informed her that the results of her test clearly indicated that she needed open-heart surgery. This came as quite a shock to Nina, as the hospital doctors had said nothing about this (they instead informed only the specialist). Nina was also told that she would have to go on expensive medications (250 CAD per month) while she waits for the surgery, which, coincidentally, she may not be able to receive after all! The specialist told her that there was a very good chance that the heart surgeon would refuse to operate on her because of the deteriorated state of her heart. This Wednesday (June 7) Nina will meet the heart surgeon to discuss the possibility of open-heart surgery. If she is permitted to have the surgery, the cost will be upwards of 7000 USD. In the meantime, Nina remains on medications (the monthly cost of which is twice her monthly pension), confined to a "stress-free" environment and strict diet. The discomfort of her condition is not too great, thankfully, but she remains in pain. We are thankful that her spirits remain relatively high, despite Nina being prone to worry and despair. It was three years ago that Nina left the only home she ever had and moved to St. Petersburg to be near her family. Since that time her assistance and support has allowed Lena & I to minister to Christian camps near and far. Without her regular help with our girls we would have hardly been able to travel to teach at seminars and serve at camps. We are so thankful for our mother and babushka—our only family in Russia! Please keep her in your prayers! Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

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COMING TO CANADA

As you read above, it is now very obvious that delays in our move to Canada are in no small way related to Nina's need for our presence here in Russia.

We continue to trust the Lord's timing in selling our home, finding a home in Manitoba and transplanting our family halfway around the world. Thank you for praying!

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BLESSINGS

Answered prayer from previous weeks! Praise God for the Christian Camp Leaders' Conference in Vladivostok. Seventy-five students and instructors took part in the seven-day course for senior camp leaders and pastors. Twenty-one camps were represented—a wonderful answer to prayer!

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PETITIONS

Please pray for the Staff Training Workshop currently underway (June 4-9) in Norkalni, Latvia. This is the training event for the Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia. and the final spring event for our staff. Especially pray for the health and strength of Ira Rechitskaya, who is the dean of this, her third STW this spring.

I had been meaning to add a praise report for our household appliances (really!). It is almost six years since we purchased our apartment and the major appliances for our home. Since then they have worked wonderfully (need a reliable refrigerator? buy Minsk!) for the most part. Unfortunately our German washing machine decided that today was the day to give up the ghost. We of course have no desire (let alone money!) to replace it...but then Lena has little desire to go back to washing our family's clothes in the bathtub! Please pray for inexpensive "healing" for our Bosch!

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that high school students from across Russia can check their final exam scores online? Join thousands of anxious Russian teenagers in accessing www.ege.ru to get all the final results (it helps if you can read Russian)!

...that pictures from our trip to Uzbekistan are finally online? View over seventy pictures from Tashkent and the Staff Training Workshop at www.flickr.com/photos/krhamm/sets/72157594152329586.

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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!)

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