Hamm Prayer Points - 27|03|06

COLD, BUT SUNNY

It's been a true blessing to see the sun these last few weeks as we very slowly emerge from the long St. Petersburg winter. Yesterday we turned our clocks forward and Maya & Deena are again going to sleep in the daylight.

As we look forward to warmer, brighter weather we are looking forward to seeing our family, friends and supporters in Canada. We pray that the time will come soon! In the meantime we of course have plenty of work to do. Thank you for upholding our family & ministry in prayer.

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

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COMING TO CANADA

Still no word from Immigration Canada. Please keep praying!!!

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BLESSINGS

Almost there! Sonia celebrated the start of spring break by baking a cake. Just two more months of school and then the June exams. Praise God for what is behind, and please keep her in your prayers as she prepares for the final stretch.

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PETITIONS

CCI/Russia is sponsoring two Women's Seminars in April. The first, "Forgiven & Set Free", will take place April 17-22, and the second, "Facilitating Biblical Healing", follows from the 24th until the 26th. Both seminars take place here in St. Petersburg. Please pray for Carolyn Rice and Kathy Connolly (both from the USA) as they prepare to travel here to conduct the seminars. Also pray that many women will attend and will receive words of hope and healing.

I am waiting for LOIs (Letter Of Invitation) for Russian and Uzbek visas. Please pray that the agencies working on these vital documents will be able to prepare them in time for me to obtain my visas.

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that St. Petersburgers are very attached to their pets? Sonia captured this couple transporting their favourite feline in a more modern way than usual (often we see them in handbags)!

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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!)

Hamm Prayer Points - 20|03|06

GOD IS GOOD!

But way down in my heart of hearts Way down in my soul of souls Way down I know that I am a fortunate man To have known divine love

–– "Heart of Hearts" by Mark Heard

When we look back at our (almost) seven years of serving together in Russia as a family, we can not help but be amazed at God's provision. When I arrived in St. Petersburg in March 1999 I had suitcases and a computer. Lena was living in Nina's tiny apartment in Omsk together with Sonia, making just enough money to scrape by. When we married a month later we had no home, no furniture and not much more than the clothes on our backs. (Hmm, sounds a little like our planned move to Canada!)

But we had God—–or to put it more correctly, He had us in His hands. He provided us with a home, two more wonderful girls and the opportunity to travel thousands of kilometres across the former Soviet Union to teach and serve.

To be loved by the Divine Creator of the universe and to be held in His hands is a most wondrous thing. There is no better place to be. Thank you for allowing us to serve in this way. Your prayers & support have kept us in His service. We look forward to many more years of family service, as God allows.

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

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COMING TO CANADA

As we continue to wait for word from Immigration Canada we continue to pray for other needs related to our planned move. Please remember in your prayers the following needs: a home, a vehicle, university plans for Sonia, school for Maya, furniture & appliances, car seats for Maya & Deena and ministry wotransitionion for us.

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BLESSINGS

The second session of the Camp Directors' Institute was a great success! Praise God for the dedicated group of camp directors who now return to their camps to put into practice all that they learned over these past two weeks.

After Maya's face-first fall from her high bed this evening (thankfully, she was just a bit bruised) I was reminded to thank God for His protection. For the most part our family has been spared the need to engage the local medical professionals (a multiple blessing, that).

This past week my mother, Elsie Hamm, was given a clean bill health by her doctor on the 5th anniversary of her mascectomy. So many of you prayed for her during her battle with cancer and we are thrilled to hear that she has made a full recovery. Praise God for healing and thank you for all of your prayers.

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PETITIONS

Preparations are well underway for the upcoming spring Staff Training Workshops. STWs are planned for Moscow, Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Minsk (Belarus), Krasnoyarsk, Tuapse, Kurgan and Norkalni (Latvia). Please remember these preparations in your prayers.

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that alcohol plays a role in the deaths of nearly a third of all Russians? According to a study done by the University of London, alcohol-related deaths increased by 400% from 1988-1994. With the advent of cheaper alcohol and the popularity of home brewing the problem has only worsened in the past decade.

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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 - 14|03|06

TASTING LIFE

Last Wednesday was Women's Day and we celebrated in style at Nina's apartment. March 8 is always a good day in Russia (especially for the women), and even though I washed dishes at every meal it was great for me as well! We ate, played, took pictures and ate some more. I am so thankful for all of my "women"--I am so blessed!!!

May you all enjoy the blessings of life this day. Thank you for blessing us with your prayers and support.

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

P.S. This picture shows Maya enjoying a chocolate "rose" that she received from her Babushka. The rest of the photos from Women's Day can be viewed here.

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COMING TO CANADA

Yesterday was the magic 43rd day when we could have expected an answer, but still no word from Immigration Canada. Let's all keep praying! As we wait we are continuing to pray for a home in Manitoba. While we can't give an estimate of our arrival month, we are hoping for word of a suitable place that we could house-sit upon our arrival. Please help us "listen"!

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BLESSINGS

The word from the Camp Directors' Institute in Moscow is that all is going well. The group is warm and well fed, and the classes are going great! Praise God for the dynamic group of directors and for the great time of interaction and learning they are experiencing.

I am very thankful for the help that I received from a good friend in Manitoba this past weekend. I was given the task of setting up an advanced network at the office and had reached the need of someone knowledgeable to confer with. Instant messaging and a good friend to the rescue! Thanks again for all your help, Dr. Q!

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PETITIONS

Today I began the process of obtaining a new (my 11th?) Russian visa. Please pray that the invitation will be prepared without problem so that I will be able to travel to Finland before our anniversary next month (besides, work gets pretty busy after that).

Speaking of visas, I will also need to apply for another Uzbek visa shortly. Please "prepare the ground" for me by joining with us in praying that the Uzbek government will see fit to allow me to return to Uzbekistan to help train Christian leaders.

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that Nina qualifies (by virtue of her small pension) for a quarterly allotment of foodstuffs? Last week she stood in line at a government office and returned with eight kilograms of groceries. Included in the bags were 1 kilogram each of rice, buckwheat and macaroni, along with sugar, canned beef, condensed milk and even a wafer cake! While it is certainly not enough to last her for three months, it does help supplement her meager (about 130 CAD/month) allowance.

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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!)

Hamm Prayer Points - 06|03|06

HANGING IN THERE!

Thanks to all who have been sending us encouraging notes over the past few weeks. It's really great to hear from our prayer supporters!

Thanks also to those (mostly guys!) who have been contributing to the Shopping Tips For Lena blog. Lots of great suggestions there–keep the tips coming!

Thank you for standing with us in prayer!

– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

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COMING TO CANADA

When are we coming??? Yes, it's hard to be patient when you're waiting for an answer from the bureaucrats! ;-) We understand that the process takes time, but we are facing crunch time for a number of decisions. If we are to sell our apartment, we will need to put it on the market soon. As well, the time is near for a decision about Sonia's university application, our MINA (Ministry in North America) and many other matters. Please continue to pray that the answer from Canada will come soon and that we will be found "patiently prepared" when it happens!

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BLESSINGS

This past week we were able to complete the first of our new video projects in time for the Camp Directors' Institute. Thank God for the help of talented people such as Mark B. & Lena G. You can download/view the five-minute low-resolution version by clicking here (2.4 MB Windows Media Video)

We just heard from Moscow that everyone has arrived safely in time for the start of the CCI/Russia Camp Directors' Institute. Praise God for safe travel for all!

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PETITIONS

Today the second session of the Camp Directors' Institute began in Moscow. There are 21 camp directors, five instructors & three interpreters taking part. Please remember in prayer instructors Gary & Susan Fawver, Don German, Dan DeGroat & Dan Bolin as they shake off jet lag and lead the Institute.

We would be very grateful if you would spread the word about our need for an answer from Immigration Canada. Please pass this prayer need on to prayer groups & churches!

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DID YOU KNOW...

...that Sunday was the last day of Maslenitsa ("Pancake Week")? This is a sort-of pagan/religious festival which occurs just before the start of Orthodox Lent. Each day of "Pancake week" is special in some way. For example, Sunday was the day on which women are to visit and give gifts to their husband's sister! (Kim: Lena send her apologies for not making it to your house in time!)

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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!)