Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 09|10|07


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We trust that our Canadian friends had a blessed time of thanksgiving with family.

September has been a busy, exciting month for our family. We had just a few weeks to unpack and get settled in our new house before Sonia moved to Brandon to begin university, Lena began working at Reflections Café and I started my new job at Lighthouse Christian School. All in all it has been a great month, even considering all the completely new experiences for us all.

As you know, we are continuing to transition out of our ministry with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International (MBMSI). Beginning in September, we are no longer serving full-time with MBMSI. Instead, from now until the end of this year, we will be representing MBMSI at various mission events and church services (details following). As we fulfill our ministry responsibilities and as we complete the changeover to life in Canada, there will be some ministry expenses. MBMSI will cover our entire September-December ministry expenses as well as provide us with some additional funds to help cover the shortfall that we experienced in our final year of service in Russia.

We want our donors to know that MBMSI will continue to accept donations on our behalf until December 31, 2007. Those of you who have your donations withdrawn automatically will see withdrawals cease at the end of the year. We would like to assure you that your donations will continue to be used to support our ministry. Of course, since we are no longer full-time with MBMSI, some of you may wish to reduce or discontinue your support at this time. If that is the case, please feel free to contact us or MBMSI direct at 1-866-964-7627. For those of you would like to see your support continue until the end of the year, you need not contact anyone—MBMSI will no longer accept donations with our project code attached after December 31.

Thank you for your continued prayers, and please feel free to contact us about any questions you may have!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


FAMILY UPDATES

Here's a brief summary of what we've been doing over the past weeks:

  • Sonia has been studying hard in the Fine Arts program at Brandon University. While it has been a blessing living with friends, there is considerable distance for Sonia to travel each week, and with many evening classes it's been a challenge to get around by bus. Sonia is also looking for a part-time job to help pay for transportation and room & board.
  • Maya is enjoying grade one at Lighthouse Christian School and was excited to be able to go on her first field trip of the year. Maya was also thrilled to be able to begin ballet lessons here in Portage la Prairie!
  • Deena has been attending dance lessons as well, and has also been participating in the "Family Literacy" program at the local library. Deena is happy to have both "dance school" and library school" to attend.
  • Lena is now working two days a week (full-time on Mondays and part-time on Fridays) at Reflections Café here in Portage. In addition to caring for Deena, the remainder of her week is spent working on making our home (even more) beautiful and working on the Graphic Bible translation project.
  • Kevin is enjoying school! My new job as the Vice-Principal/Senior Learning Centre Supervisor at Lighthouse Christian School is going very well. It's wonderful how God has provided exactly the right job for me at this time!

BLESSINGS

  • We thank God His provision and blessings in our lives. It has been an amazing year for our family—one filled with uncertainties, change and blessing upon blessing!
  • We are very thankful for our faithful supporters who have helped us through this time of transition.
  • Our apartment sold in St. Petersburg for a very fair price. Even better, the money was transferred safely (and promptly) to Canada!

PETITIONS

  • Please pray for Sonia as she continues to adjust to university life. Pray that she will be able to find a job & good friends!
  • Please remember Nina in your prayers. Lena's mom has applied for a temporary resident's (tourist) visa to Canada. Please pray that the decision-makers in the Canadian Embassy in Moscow permit her to visit us in Canada this autumn/winter.

DID YOU KNOW...

  • ...that Lena & Deena are going back to Russia? It's true! They plan to fly on October 24th to St. Petersburg to be reunited with mother/babushka Nina. Lord willing, they will return in about a week's time with Nina by their side. This trip is no small deal, but is necessary to help Nina and also to allow us to bring more of our stored belongings to Canada. Please pray that it will work out well!!!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are former missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting with Christian Camping International/Russia as they are able.


Monday, September 03, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 03|09|07 [Back to School (for the first time)!]

Here we go! Tomorrow, September 4th, is the ole' back to school for most, but for Sonia, Maya & Yours Truly it's a day of "first time to school".

Please pray for Sonia:

  • As she settles in to her first official night after moving into her own residence
  • As she travels within Brandon on her own
  • As she attends orientation and pays for tuition and materials at Brandon University
  • As she meets and joins a church family
  • As she looks for a part-time job
  • As she makes new friends
Please pray for Maya:
  • As she starts Grade One
  • As she adjusts to a more structured form of education
  • As she battles a bad cold
Please pray for me:
  • As I begin my first day as Vice-Principal at Lighthouse Christian School
  • As I learn my responsibilities and try to fulfill them
  • As I get to know the students
  • As I supervise the academic progress of the senior students
As well...Please pray for Lena:
  • As she cares for Deena during the day
  • As she continues to adjust to life in Canada
  • As she takes training for her new part-time job at Reflections Cafe
Thank you for your prayers!!! — Kevin, Lena Sonia, Maya & Deena

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 08|08|07

THE MOVE IS ON

Greetings from between the cardboard boxes...

Tomorrow we will get the keys to our new home! This means we can make some final decisions about what additional work needs to be done. Sunday at noon we will take official ownership of the house and will make the big move. We've been packing non-stop since our return from our trip west.

For those of you who are coming to help with the move, Lord willing we will begin loading and unloading (lather, rinse & repeat, etc.) Sunday just after 12. We will have a moving van and several other vehicles, so mostly we'll be in need of strong backs to carry boxes to the various floors (all four levels) and some help setting up Maya & Deena's furniture. Of course, if you would just like to stop in and say hi (and take a peek at the house), you are most welcome too! For last minute details call me at 872-3802.

Please keep us in your prayers as we finish packing, move in, settle in, and as I begin my school training (August 13-17). It looks like a few more busy weeks for us until the routine of school & work begins in September. We will try to update you on our upcoming presentations and other news as we get settled.

Thank you for your continued prayers and help!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

* A printable version of this newsletter 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, please visit www.krhamm.com.

* You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

* Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 20|06|07

MAJOR NEWS!

Sorry for the long period of silence! We have lots of updates to share, so here goes:

  • Sonia's move to Brandon was very brief. Initially it looked liked Sonia would be given full-time work at Michael's, but it turned out to be only her jewellery classes (once a week) plus a few additional hours. Thankfully Sonia was offered a full-time job at Portage MCC Thrift Store, so she happily accepted and moved back to Portage. Sonia is working at MCC every Tuesday through Saturday, and has been busing to and from Brandon to teach Monday classes at Michael's. So far the arrangement has worked well, with Sonia enjoying her work at MCC (and the treasure discovery that goes with it!). Sonia hopes to continue part-time with Michael's during the upcoming school year.
  • Maya recently graduated from the "ABC" program (sort of like kindergarten) at Lighthouse Christian School in Southport (south of Portage la Prairie). She thoroughly enjoyed her two months of classes there, and is looking forward to being in school full-time in September when her Auntie Kim will be the Junior Learning Centre Supervisor! Another major happening in Maya's life was receiving eyeglasses for the first time. She will need to wear them in an attempt to correct an astigmatism in her right eye.
  • Deena has also been the recipient of something new: a puffer. Because Deena continues to have problems breathing normally, the doctor put her on a trial puffer to see if it will help (he suspects allergies are the cause of her woes). On the odd time that she has managed to inhale the mist she seems to breathe better, but getting her to inhale at the right time has proven a challenge!
  • Lena continues to work at the Graphic Bible translation project. Unfortunately she hasn't had a lot of quiet time to work on it (it's hard to find a quiet place in a mobile home!). Otherwise Lena has been busy caring for the girls, volunteering at Portage MCC and continuing with the acclimatization process!
  • Kevin has a new job! Starting September 1st I will begin as the Vice-Principal/Senior Learning Centre Supervisor at Lighthouse Christian School. It took a lot of prayer (and overcoming some initial shock) to come to the point of accepting the job. I am looking forward to this new ministry opportunity!

More news:

  • July road trip: From July 9 to 13 Lena & I will be meeting in Abbotsford, British Columbia to wrap up our current ministry with MBMSI. We plan to depart on or around July 4 and drive to Abbotsford on the Trans-Canada, with stops along the way in yet-to-be-determined southern locales (travel accommodation recommendations welcome!). We will head back east sometime around the 16th with possible stops along the Yellowhead in Edmonton and Saskatoon.
  • Our new home: It has been mostly decided: Lord willing we will purchase a house in Portage la Prairie, hopefully very soon. We are seriously looking a property this coming weekend, and hope to be able to make the owner an offer then. Please pray with us as we prepare to take this major step.

So what have we been doing for the past two months, you ask? Besides the very needed time of adjustment and rest, we have been busy visiting government offices, filling out forms and getting doctor, dentist and optometrist visits out of the way. Our family put a lot of hours in volunteering at Portage MCC during this time and we have also spent time meeting with supporters and preparing for what comes next. One major "next" will be reporting to our supporting churches. Most of these visits will likely take place in autumn.

As we indicated in our previous newsletter (a month ago!), we were seriously considering a transition to a salaried job, rather than a support-based one. While we have been blessed beyond words by all the support and encouragement we have received over the years, we feel confident that now is the time to move on to a different type of ministry. We'll have more details about the changes ahead in the next Hamm's Headings, due out shortly!

Thank you for your continued prayers, and please feel free to contact us about any questions you may have!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


HEADING WEST

We are in need of the following for our trip west in July:

  • Places to stay along the way (actual offers and helpful suggestions). We plan to take the Trans-Canada (highway #1) to Calgary, then a yet-to-be-determined route to Abbotsford, and finally return to Portage la Prairie via the Yellowhead.
  • Names (& addresses!) of people to visit! We would love to see as many of our supporters, friends and family as possible during our trip. Some visits may be short, but we'd be happy to meet anytime and anywhere!
  • Things to see and do! Got any great suggestions for family fun in western Canada? We're all ears! Since this will be Maya & Deena's first trip west, we want to make it as memorable as possible.

BLESSINGS

* We thank God that Sonia is gainfully employed in such a great place! The Portage MCC Thrift Store has been a tremendous blessing to us over the years, and we are pleased that Sonia has the opportunity to serve there this summer.

* We are also thankful that I was able to find a new ministry opportunity, especially one that will allow me to spend lots of time with family.


PETITIONS

* As we prepare for our western Canadian "tour" we ask for your prayers. Please pray that we will be able to prepare everything before we have to depart and that we find a home before we leave.

* Please continue to pray for a buyer for our home. We are not desperate, but selling it sooner rather than later would ease matters for us significantly.

* Please remember Nina in your prayers. Lena's mom is doing well, but has understandably been experiencing some loneliness. Pray that she will be able to enjoy the "white nights" (these extremely long days are truly the best time to be in St. Petersburg) and continue to be in good health.


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that we are still in need of donations? Even with our end date set with MBMSI, we still need to pay our ministry bills. With almost a year of living on 75% salary we have not been able to pay for all the immigration and moving bills. We continue to rely on your assistance: those of you who support us monthly will find that your automatic withdrawals will cease in August, but to those of you who give one-time or occasional gifts, we ask that you consider giving in July or August rather than at year-end, if possible. We would be very thankful for any and all help to end our service with MBMSI well.


ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

* A printable version of this newsletter 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, please visit www.krhamm.com.

* You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

* Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)


Friday, May 25, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 25|05|07


WHAT NEXT?

So the transition continues... Sonia is moving to Brandon this week to take up residence with family friends (see Blessings below). Yesterday she was hired by Michael's ("the Arts & Crafts Store") in Brandon, where she is set to begin work on Monday. Sonia has been hired to teach a basic jewellery design course, and will also be given the opportunity to work as a store associate. Sonia is excited to have her first job in Canada, especially as it will allow her to work in a field that she is both talented and interested in! So, if you are looking to learn how to make your own jewellery, and you live in the Brandon area, sign up for Sonia's June course! ;-)

As Sonia makes the move to Brandon, Lena & I are contemplating where the rest of us will live! While our apartment has not yet sold (hopefully soon!), we are starting to look at possible locations and homes. We still haven't decided which city we'll settle in, but it looks like it will either be Winnipeg or Portage la Prairie. Please remember us in your prayers as we seek to settle in the "land" God has prepared/is preparing for us!

The other significant question before us is what sort of work/ministry transition we'll have to make. We are considering several possible options, but we're not yet prepared to explain further. One question we are certainly wrestling with is have we reached the place where we should stop seeking a "support" position? For the past eight years Lena & I have been wholly dependent on the financial support of individuals and churches. Prior to that, I have been fully supported by donations only since 1993! We have been tremendously blessed during these years, but with the passing of numerous supporters we have seen our support base dwindle dramatically over the past two years. It has been a significant challenge to relate to current and seek to locate new supporters over the years, especially as we haven't been able to travel here as a family for almost five years. Much of the effort involved in maintaining our support has fallen to my parents. Without their regular calls, notes and informal talks, many of our supporters would have felt unappreciated and unneeded. The fact is that many (most?) ministry workers depend on donations. We are wondering if the time has come to look for a position that frees us (and our supporters) to serve in different ways.

We welcome your comments and questions, and we continually covet your prayers!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


BLESSINGS

* Praise God that Sonia was provided with a home in Brandon. We received an unbeatable offer from family friends to provide Sonia with room & board for basically cost. We are so very thankful for this blessing!

* We are also thankful that Sonia was able to get a good job in Brandon.


PETITIONS

* Deena continues to experience ups and downs in her health. Please pray that she will attain a (reasonably) healthy life in Canada!

* Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home. We have lowered the purchase price, so hopefully this will bring a buyer.


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that Lena could hardly believe how beautiful the lawn looked at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg (photo above)? She is only used to Russian parks which have next to no cut grass that you could walk on!

* ...that we are now planning to travel to Abbotsford, British Columbia, in mid-August (sans Sonia)? We have a time of reporting/debriefing at MBMSI headquarters scheduled during that time, and we hope to meet with family & friends along the way. Stay tuned for specific dates, and please let us know if you would be interested in seeing us along the way.


ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

* A printable version of this newsletter 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, please visit www.krhamm.com.

* You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

* Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)


Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 16|05|07


THE FIRST MONTH

It's been quite a month! Since our arrival on April 15th we've been alternating between paperwork and housework (and not much else)! At times it has felt uncomfortable not working as such, but it has been a very necessary period of transition for our family. Lena has had some time to resume work on the Graphic Bible translation project, Sonia has been volunteering at the MCC Thrift Shop in between applying for employment, and Maya began formal (not "former" as I previously mis-typed!) schooling at Lighthouse Christian School in Portage la Prairie.

As we continue to adjust to the pace and differences of life in Canada, we are preparing to tell stories of what God has been doing in the lives of believers in Russia. We are still not certain when our trip to British Columbia will take place, but we hope to finalize details soon. Once we have formally met with MBMSI, we will begin visiting with supporting churches, telling stories and saying thank you for the past years of support and prayer.

This past week we celebrated Lena's birthday and yesterday we rejoiced that Nina was able to celebrate her 65th birthday with friends in St. Petersburg. It has been wonderful to celebrate God's blessings in our lives together with family & friends.

Please continue to remember us in your prayers during this time of transition and planning. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are still very much in need of both!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena


BLESSINGS

* Praise God that Sonia was accepted in Brandon University without having to register as a foreign student (as previously appeared to be necessary). She is excited about the possibility of studying this autumn.

* We are thankful that Nina was able to celebrate her birthday together with friends. Praise God for the support and help she is receiving!


PETITIONS

* Maya is adjusting to a regular school schedule. Please pray that she will adapt well to formal studies.

* Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home. Our apartment is still being "showed off", so there is interest, just not yet a buyer.


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that Sonia is looking for a place to stay in Brandon? If you know of someone in need of a roommate, please contact us!


ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

* A printable version of this newsletter 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, please visit www.krhamm.com.

* You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

* Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)


Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Hamm Prayer Points - 08|05|07

GETTING SETTLED

Now that we've been here for three weeks we are mostly feeling better. We are still experiencing some illness and the culture shock continues to make life "interesting". In particular, grocery shopping takes a lot longer than it did in St. Petersburg, simply because it is taking a considerable effort for Lena & I to find what we're looking for and figure out what to use in place of what we can't find!

We took time this past Sunday to celebrate (very belatedly) Sonia's 18th birthday. Friends & family gathered to enjoy a delicious meal and great fellowship. It was great to be able to relax with friends and family after several weeks of illness & semi-seclusion!

The next few weeks promise to be a bit busier:

  • Maya begins former schooling this Thursday
  • On Friday the 11th Sonia & I plan to take Lena to Winnipeg to celebrate her birthday
  • Next week we are planning trips to Brandon & Winkler respectively
  • We hope to finalize our western travel details soon

Please continue to remember us in your prayers during this time of transition and planning.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are still very much in need of both!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena (& Missy the kitten!)

P.S. I forgot to add this last week: Sonia received a kitten shortly after our arrival, so we have now welcomed "Missy" to our family. What's one more girl? ;-)


CANADIAN CONTACT INFO

Here once again is our current contact info:

  • Mailing Address:
    • Box 264, Portage la Prairie MB R1N 3B5
  • Telephone (cellular):
    • Kevin: (204) 872-3802
    • Lena: (204) 872-0325
    • Sonia also has a cell of her own; number available upon request
  • Email: (No change)
    • kevin@krhamm.com remains our main address (please note that there were some problems in the past few months with our krhamm.com addresses, and some mail may not have been received. However, we have since changed servers, so from mid-April we should have received all of your emails).

BLESSINGS

* Praise God for slow but sure adjustment to life in Canada. We are thankful for all who've helped us with gifts & meals, and for all the encouragement we've received.

* We are very thankful that Lena's mom has been doing well in our absence.

* We thank God for improved health for our family, especially for Deena.


PETITIONS

* Please pray for continued improvement in our family's health.

* Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home. Our apartment is still being "showed off", so there is interest, just not yet a buyer.


DID YOU KNOW...

* ...that we're in need of bicycles for Maya (something with 16" tires should do), Sonia & myself. If anyone has some good used bicycles available, we love to hear from you!


ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

*A printable version of this newsletter 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, please visit www.krhamm.com.

*You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

*Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)