Saturday, August 19, 2006

Hamm Prayer Points - 19|08|06

AN URGENT NEED

We are in serious need of additional financial support. No one wants to start a prayer letter this way, but we were just informed that we have a major deficit in our donations account with MBMSI, so we must now take a cut in monthly salary and are currently unable to claim ministry expenses.

We mentioned several weeks ago that our support level has been steadily decreasing due to supporter deaths and other "drop-offs". We have never been at full support, but thanks to timely donations from individuals and foundations, we have been able to stay in the black.

No longer! Without new donors or generous one-time gifts we will have to cut back on all ministry travel and we will have to use personal reserves to get by. We have had many increased expenses over the past year including immigration costs, Nina's medical expenses and a jump in the cost of living in St. Petersburg.

As we prepare to make the transition to Canada there are many questions. However, we do know that God is faithful! We will be able to continue with MBMSI for the foreseeable future as we attempt to settle in Canada and establish ourselves. We have many faithful supporters and friends who are standing with us during this time. We have so much to be thankful for!

Please pray with us that help may be found for our family's situation. We would very much like to clear our deficit as soon as possible. We will do all we can to cut back on ministry and personal expenses until the situation improves. For more information on how to support us, please visit www.krhamm.com/support.

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


COMING TO CANADA

Reminder: We're in need of child car seats for Maya and Deena. If you know of any used seats suitable for Maya (she'll be six years old) and Deena (she'll be three years old), please let us know. Thank you!


BLESSINGS

* Camp is about to start! As of this writing we have twenty-three campers confirmed. We'd love to have twice that amount, but we are grateful for those who are coming. Praise the Lord!

* My upcoming trip to Helsinki will be covered by the inviting Bible School (I will only have to pay for some meals). Praise God for the opportunity to teach and blessing of being cared for!


PETITIONS

* Many youth are unable to attend camp due to lack of funds. We are still praying for additional sponsors to be found to help cover the costs of camper fees (up to 1500 Rubles or about 60 CAD per person). If anyone can help, please let us know ASAP (you can pledge the funds) so that we can invite more youth!

* Please pray for our camp and for all the camps that will wrap-up this next week. We are starting to receive the reports of the blessings bestowed upon the camps this summer, and look forward to sharing them with you in more detail!

* Please pray for my trip to Helsinki and for the sport seminar to be held August 25-27.


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that property prices are rising so fast in St. Petersburg that the government had started an inquiry into the situation?


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, August 14, 2006

Hamm Prayer Points - 14|08|06

Griffin GirlsDO YOU BELIEVE?

"Do you believe in God? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for you? Does Mommy believe it too? Does Sonia? Does Babushka? Good, 'cause I want everyone to be with God!" These were some of the questions Maya was asking last night as we were about to say our evening prayers. It seems that watching The Story of Jesus for Children had a profound effect on our soon-to-be six-year-old. Her pointed questions of my (and Deena's) beliefs revealed a deep understanding of God's mercy and grace. Praise God for His unspeakable gift and for the faith of a child! May many more children across this vast land also be able to say, "I believe!"

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


COMING TO CANADA

Reminder: We're in need of a vehicle for family travel once we arrive in Canada. A used mini-van (there are five of us—six when/if Nina comes) would suit us just fine. If you know of any suitable means of transport that will be available sometime this autumn (in southern Manitoba!), please let us know. Thank you!


BLESSINGS

* Sonia has found her first-ever part-time job! Starting today she will be working three evenings a week downtown doing telephone surveys. She will still be able to attend classes at jewellery school, so this is a great opportunity for her to earn (and hopefully save) some money.

* Thank you to all who who sent congratulatory messages on my 40th birthday. It was a yet another wonderful day spent in the company of my four wonderful girls (plus Nina!). I am so blessed!!!


PETITIONS

* Yesterday after church Sonia received a call from Omsk that her paternal grandfather had suddenly passed away. While he was well into his seventies (well beyond life expectancy for Russian men), he had been in good health, so his death came as quite a shock. Sonia had last seen him was one year ago, and she would have travelled to the funeral but for the lack of air tickets. Please pray for Sonia, her grandmother and father as they mourn his passing. The funeral will be held tomorrow (the 15th).

* Please pray for safety as Sonia travels home each evening from across town. The white nights are almost gone, so it has become less safe to be travelling late at night.

* Camp begins next Monday (the 21st)! Please pray for last-minute preparations, safety in travel, for a great turnout, good weather, health & safety and the work of God's Spirit in the lives of the youth and leaders!

* Camp ends on Thursday morning (August 24th) after which I will immediately depart for Finland. Please pray for my final course preparation, safe travel and for the students as we work & learn together over the weekend (August 25-27).


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that foreign concepts in Russia include telephone books in phone booths, newspaper boxes, coin boxes in public buses and illuminated crosswalks? There's probably lots of other examples, but living in Canada is such a distant memory by now! ;-)


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, August 07, 2006

Hamm Prayer Points - 07|08|06


LOOKING BACK

Forty years! I can't imagine how tired I'd be by now if I'd been wandering in the desert all this time! ;-) Wednesday (the 9th) will mark forty years since I first saw the light of day (or at least the delivery room lights). Needless to say, it's hard to believe it's been so long! I have now celebrated thirteen of my last fourteen birthdays in Russia. Who could have imagined that I would spend (so far) over 1/3 of my life here! God has been so very faithful. Since my part-time beginning with Kingdom Ventures to our full-time ministry with MBMS International and CCI/Russia, God has blessed despite my personal shortcomings and failures.

Thank you to all who have stood with us over the years and upheld us in prayer! It has been an incredible journey, and it goes on! Glory be to God!!!

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


COMING TO CANADA

Here's where we're at: As we wait for news from the Canadian Embassy in Moscow about Lena & Sonia's visas we are carefully considering our housing options. As we told you before, housing prices are rapidly climbing here, and since we don't have a home of our own in Canada we'll likely have to sell in order to purchase a home in Canada. While we have no desire to burn (or rather sell) any bridges, we will likely have to put our home on the market soon.

And then there's the move! Do we try to reduce our material possessions to ten suitcases (or so) or do we pay thousands of dollars to ship our (only!) belongings to Canada? Should we take Maya and or Deena to Canada earlier (for the sake of Maya's schooling—she is ready to enter grade one—and for the ease of packing and moving without little ones underfoot)? So many questions, so little time. ;-) Please continue to remember our preparation in prayer!!!

BLESSINGS

* Nina received 500 Rubles (about 21 CAD) this past week to help cover the cost of her prescription medications. This is an annual donation from a local deputy (city councillor) in St. Petersburg (it's not much, but it helps).

* The schedule for the upcoming Bible School Sport Seminar in Helsinki has been confirmed. Immediately following our youth camp I will depart for Helsinki to teach a 16-hour course on using recreational sport in camp and church ministry.


PETITIONS

* Please pray for Sonia as she switches to a new course this week. She will now be working primarily with precious stones (actually imitations!). New lessons to learn as she seeks to hone her jewellery-making skills!


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that during Soviet times (a mere 15 years ago!) there was a time when in order to purchase books you first had to collect x-number of kilograms of scrap paper and cardboard? Russians love books, so it wasn't hard to motivate the citizens to recycle this commodity!


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!)