Chernigov Report - June 2006

Hello Praying Friends,

Chernigov Summer Camp

We just returned from a week of ministry in Chernigov, a city of 305,000, 90 miles from Kiev. Danelle and Merry worked with a children’s Bible club led by Sandra Dixon from Atlanta. I went to observe the Highmark business seminar, led by Dale Dixon, and prayerfully consider how to help follow up new believers from both of these outreaches. It was a productive week with about 30 children hearing about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and opportunities to share the gospel with the attendees of the business seminar and the translators. Praise God!
We also had a productive meeting with a young Baptist pastor, Igor, and two of his supervisors about his vision for the new church he is planting. Mt. Vernon Baptist Church from Atlanta (my parent’s church) sent several members to research the spiritual conditions in Chernigov, so they were also a part of this meeting. Mt. Vernon has been doing ministry in Chernigov since 1994. The business seminars originated with their members and they have used that tool to reach out in Chernigov for years. They were looking for a church that they could partner with to follow up interested attendees. Mick Stockwell, Southern Baptist missionary and supervisor over the countries of the former Soviet Union, was the mediator of our meeting with the Ukrainian Baptist leaders. Mick, and his son Daniel, came up from Kiev on Friday and gave us a ride back to Kiev that evening.
Please pray for:

1. The young people and business men and women who heard the gospel to get saved and any who did trust Christ to grow in Christ. The translators Sasha and Andrew, a secretary, Leda, a businessman, Sergi. Ask God for more time to share Christ with each them and the Holy Spirit to convict and save!
2. The decisions Mt. Vernon Baptist is going to make about their future in Chernigov and if we should work with them.
3. Our next youth outreach (June 18-23) in Chernigov. Sarah Batchelor is coming over from Atlanta to work with Danelle, Merry and I.
4. My time in Chernigov with Igor and another American pastor named Jake, who has been church planting in Ukraine for 7 years. I need discernment about their character, doctrine and goals and I want to encourage them in the Lord.

Thank you all so much for praying. It does make all the difference. It is eternal business with eternal rewards!

Love you all,



Steve

Nelson Newsletter - May 2006

Our Staff Retreat to Bucharest, Hungary

GCM Staff Retreat
The European GCM staff met in Hungary for several days of rest, teaching, fellowship and prayer. It was a family affair and the Nelsons all loved it! We felt more connected with our fellow missionaries in Ukraine and Europe. We benefited greatly from sharing our experiences with others who have been through the same things and seen God’s grace give them strength, comfort and faith. We were very thankful that Herschel and Mardean Martindale and Joe Dunn came to encourage us.
Grace First Choice!
Grace auditioned for a voice scholarship at Shorter College in February. After waiting 6 weeks she was offered a partial academic scholarship and only a very small voice scholarship. She was deeply disappointed at first but after sleeping on it made a choice to trust in God’s sovereignty completely and move on. Danelle and I were very proud of Grace; she handled the entire situation with faith and maturity. About a month later we received a phone call from Shorter asking us if Grace was going to attend. We said that she was. They were elated and told us that Grace was actually their first choice! They said they had only offered her a “token” scholarship because she would be receiving a full scholarship since we were Baptist missionaries. We told them we were not Baptist missionaries. We still don’t know how they got that idea. We don’t think she will receive any more scholarship monies, but we praise God for His grace and for our Grace too!

Oksana, Danelle & Steve at the market

New Sister in Christ!
Many of you have prayed for Oksana’s salvation. On May 1st we visited her in the market and she trusted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior! It was awesome to see 8 months of friendship and prayer, the Holy Spirit and God’s word change a life! She works 7 days a week from 7am until 10pm, so please pray as it will be difficult for her to ever go to church or have fellowship.
KCA Players Grace and Merry were fantastic in the school plays recently. They both love to act and we totally enjoyed the night! Danelle and I don’t know where they get it!
First Year of Russian Danelle and I have finished our first year of Russian language school. Hurrah! It was difficult, but God gave us perseverance and we learned a bunch. We will begin our second and final year in September.
Prayer requests:

1. Grace will leave Ukraine on June 4th to start summer school in Georgia on June 5th. She will start Shorter College in August. Please pray for her, and for us, as we make another emotional transition. They are never easy. Your prayers really help!
2. Merry, Danelle and I will work in Chernigov, Ukraine with two youth camps June 5-9 and 19-23 with the Dixon family from Atlanta. Sarah Batchelor is coming from Atlanta to work with us for the second week. Please pray for many of these young people to trust Christ for salvation.
3. We will be coming home July 18- August 18th. We will bring Merry back for the GCM high school LT (leadership training) at Myrtle Beach in July and take Grace to Shorter College in August. Stephanie was accepted at UGA (yea!) and we want to help her move in too. We are planning on speaking at several churches and trying to see as many of you as possible.
4. Oksana to grow in Christ. Her other family members to be saved too.

We want to express our heart-felt thanks to each of you who support us financially. If you wish to give to our work here in Ukraine you may send your gifts to GCM in Florida (see our website www.gcmnelson.com for the address). Your gifts are tax-deductible and reap eternal rewards! We also want to say thank you to those who gave to help build Kiev Christian School. God has provided almost everything and construction should begin next fall!

Yours in God’s unfailing love,



Steve, Danelle, Grace and Merry

GCM 2006 Summer Project (Kiev, Ukraine)

Overall Mission and Goals for the summer:

• To share Christ with the young people who spend their summer days hanging out on the beach by the river in the growing Obolon region of Kiev.
• To start relationships through sports, games, picnics, drama, and live music (if you have talents in these areas, we could use your help!)
• To continue these relationships throughout the summer and invite people to church events and activities
• To partner with Almaz Church leaders and members to multiply home groups in the Obolon region and to see a new congregation develop in this region.
• To take part in the further development of Almaz teen ministry (LT and 2nd STM will be a part of camp)

Desired Participants:

1. We are looking primarily for people ages 17-45 (exceptions will be strongly considered).
2. Participants need to be comfortable in an outdoor setting as many hours will be spent along the river.
3. Participants need to be comfortable passing out invitations and literature and initiating conversations with strangers. Willingness and desire is more important in this area than experience.
4. Participants need to have a willingness to play volleyball (not required, but helpful) and other outdoor games.
5. Camp participants will need to be willing to live in true camping conditions.

Project Summary:

Project Dates and Participants Cost Deadlines LT 5 Week June 27th - August 2nd (Leave America on 26th) LT Team. Students primarily from V-Tech, but open to others. $2175 - $2475 Before February 20th: Send List of Likely Participants to Steve Nelson (steve.nelson@gcmweb.org) STM 1 June 30th - July 13th (Leave America on 29th) 1st Short Term Team. This team will do mostly friendship building/evangelism at Obolon and possibly other outdoor venues. $1960 - $2260 Before March 3rd: Send non-refundable deposit of $100 STM 2 July 17th - July 30th (Leave America on 16th) 2nd Short Term Team. This team will do evangelism at Obolon and be a part of teenage camp. $1909 - $2209 To be determined: Pay for plane tickets

Steve Nelson
Missions Pastor

Nelson Newsletter - March 2006

Dear Ministry Friends,

Our English Club - Kostia is in the top left corner next to Kenyan Powers

Sping is coming soon!
After a long winter, we have had highs in the low 30s lately. This is a heat wave for us and we are elated!

Nelsons on the escalator going to the metro train.  Those escalators sure move quickly!

Considered a Friend
Kostia is a 26 year old young man in our English club who has attended since last May. Ever since I met him last fall, we have been getting closer- spending time talking on the phone, running in the snow or meeting at McDonalds to discuss salvation and other issues. I have attempted to get Kostia a temporary job in America with the assistance of some of you all. He is a lawyer who would like experience working for a year or less in the States. Recently he shared with me some difficulty he had with his boss. I listened, mentioned some scriptures and told him that God was using this difficulty to bring him to Christ. He is searching, but not saved yet. He told me he considered me a friend and was very thankful for my advice and concern. You must understand that Ukrainians consider very few people to be their real friends. They will tell you that most people they know are only their acquaintances, not friends. This is a huge breakthrough! Please ask God to open his eyes and save him.

GCM staff dinner at our apartment

Budding Writers
Danelle and I attended a writing class taught by Christian author Janice Rogers. It was inspiring and helpful in many practical ways. Please pray for both of us to write for the glory of God. We feel He has given us some insight into His word and some interesting stories to share that will benefit others. Many of you know I have enjoyed writing devotionals for Daylights for years. If you would like to read any of these you can go to the GCAC web site and find them. I wrote one for this issue of Daylights about running that was published on March 21st, my brother’s birthday! I have started writing a book and would like to be disciplined and creative to work on it. It takes work! Please pray for these needs of ours.
Open Air Preaching @ Local University
I want to preach at a small University near our home and see what God does. Please pray for Masha as she translates and for the students to come out and ask questions with a spiritual hunger. Ask God for a powerful work of His Spirit! Your prayers will make the difference!.
Thank you all so much for supporting us so we can be here in Ukraine serving our precious Savior. We know you pray for us, we feel it in our soul and see it daily in our faith.

Prayer Requests:

1. Danelle’s knee to heal after a bad fall on the ice.
2. Perseverance in speaking Russian. We finished all 6 cases and are practicing!
3. Kostia, Zhanya and Julia to come to Jesus. They are very serious seekers!
4. Danelle and I to write and have quality time with the girls during spring break.

Yours in our Savior's love,



Steve, Danelle, Grace and Merry


Help for KCA (Kiev Christian Academy)

Did you know that the number one reason missionaries leave the field is because of their children’s education?

Thankfully, the Lord has blessed us with a Christian school in Kiev for missionary kids! Kiev Christian Academy was started by two Campus Crusade moms shortly after the Iron Curtain parted. It met in a two-room apartment and had four students. Today, it has over 120 students and is sharing space in a dilapidated boarding school for deaf children. The only playground for the kindergarteners through high-schoolers is a dirt lot.

Because the school is exploding in growth as missionary families race to help in the former Soviet Union, we are in need of a bigger building. Imagine taking your young family to a foreign country, counting on the fact of having a safe school for your kids, only to arrive and discover that there is no space available to accept your children. Even dedicated home-schoolers are unable to educate their children while attending language school themselves.

The land for the new building is already purchased. To fund the building, each Kiev Christian Academy family and teacher are praying to raise $2,955. We would be so appreciative of anything you might be able to contribute towards this amount.

Thanks so much for all you’ve done for us personally over the years. We would be grateful for your consideration of this special, one-time request. Checks for donations should be made out to “Friends of KCA” and mailed to:

Kiev Christian Academy
c/o Mrs. Julie Newton
463 Gaillardia Way, NW
Acworth, GA. 30102

Missions Report - January 2006

Grace & Ala, her voice instructor

   Greetings from Frigid Ukraine! 

We heard it was 65 degrees in Atlanta yesterday, while it was 15 degrees below zero here in Kiev - with strong winds and blowing snow making it feel like 35 below! We experienced a first today on our way to language school – walking the mile each way to the bus stop in these frigid conditions and six inches of snow, but we were bundled up and it really wasn’t so bad.

Ala singing at The Messiah with Roger McMurren & the Kiev Symphony Orchestra & Choir

Loving the Lost. One of the most enjoyable things Danelle and I do is to stop at the open air market each day after school and build friendships with Nadia, who sells honey, and Bakrom, who sells dried fruits and nuts. We want them to hear about our Savior and Lord. Last week I was privileged to go and talk to them about Christ through a translator. Don’t you find it exhilarating to give to others, especially in the area of your giftedness? When I am filled with God’s Spirit, I just find myself sharing the gospel of Christ with people here in Ukraine, and enjoying it immensely! When my mind is on other’s needs, and not myself, I am filled with the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love.” Galatians 5:22

Grace Coming to America. Grace will be coming back to the United States in February to audition for a voice scholarship at Shorter College. Shorter is a small college in Rome, Georgia that has an excellent voice program. Please pray for Grace to perform well.

The Nelson Family in Bulgaria

Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas with our family. God is so good! Our oldest son Scott made this special time a reality. It is hard to be separated from ones you love so much. Thank you sustaining us with your prayers, words of encouragement and gifts!

Summer Opportunities in Kiev. We will conduct evangelistic outreaches here in late June and July. If you are interested in joining a team for two weeks with GCM, please contact us for information or visit our 2006 Summer Project page!

Snowman and our snowgirls

Please pray for us to persevere in learning Russian and for Kostia, Julia, Zhanya, Ina, Bakrom and Babajon to come to Jesus. They are open and have heard the gospel recently. Bakrom and his father are Muslim.

 

 

Yours in our Savior's Love,

Steve, Danelle, Grace, and Merry

Missions Report - December 2005

Our first snow!

THE UNCHANGING HEART OF GOD. God’s desire is the same today as it was when He sent His Son to this planet the first Christmas. God still loves each and every person and wants them to turn from sin and trust in His Son for eternal life. “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy…” Titus 3:4, 5
The beautiful thing is that God wants to use each and every one of us to reveal His Son to the lost. The Great Commission is much more than just getting a message out, it is living a life filled with the Holy Spirit every day so those who don’t know Him will see Jesus in us and be interested in hearing the gospel message.
OUR PRAYER FOR YOU. We pray that this Christmas you will overflow with thanks to your Savior and that you will renew your commitment to love the lost in your world to such an extent that they will see Jesus in you and hear about His love from your lips. Please pray this same prayer for us as we serve the people of Ukraine as your representatives.

The view from our apartment windows.

THREE MONTHS IN. Thank you all for sending us on this great adventure to Ukraine! We have been here for 3 months - learning a lot about God, ourselves, the missionaries and the people of Ukraine. Our focus continues to be learning Russian and ministering to the Americans on our team and the Ukrainians we can communicate with.

Merry is now playing basketball with her high school team. Grace started a Bible study with the high school girls at KCA. She loves her voice and piano lessons and hopes to go to Shorter College next year and major in voice. Danelle holds us all together by helping the girls with school papers, holding my feet to the fire studying Russian and always preparing good meals. I do the wash. Surprised? Me too.

I have also continued to run, even in the snow and cold. We praise God for you and our awesome team. We are thankful for your faithful prayers and financial support. It is not possible to do what we do without you.

We had Andre, Pastor of Spring Hope, & his wife Viola & daughter Paullina over for dinner.

Please contact Great Commission Ministries if you wish to help us financially with an end of the year gift. This will help us to continue to serve in Ukraine. Your gifts to Great Commission Ministries on our behalf are tax deductible and reap eternal dividends. :-) Thanks!

We love you all so much,

 

Steve, Danelle, Grace, and Merry

Missions Report - November 2005

Our Faith Tested

You do not have to move to another country to have your faith tested, but it is definitely one way to find out how strong your relationship with Jesus really is! “Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2 “Why me Lord,” we ask. “Why now? Why is this hardship/difficulty in my life?” This is why He prunes us, “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit.” The process never ends. The circumstances change, but the method of pruning, for the purpose of bearing more fruit to glorify God will continue until we go home. Know it! Understand and be thankful. “He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines.” (Verse 6) That is always God’s motive and His purpose in all pruning! This is what we have been experiencing here in Ukraine and it is also what God is doing in your life, wherever you live. We pray for you to bear more fruit for Christ!

Russian Language

Thank you for praying for us as we study Russian! We like our teacher Galina. She keeps patiently pushing us along. Danelle loves grammar (yuck!) and she helps me understand it and keep trying. She is a blessing! We also have a new language helper named Ksusha who comes over in the afternoon to help us. Pray for us to make opportunities to get out and use it more to help us learn.

Some of the young people who came to the Almaz Church Conference

English Club

Kenyon Powers has faithfully led English clubs in her home for years as a means to share the gospel of Christ. Recently she invited me to come on Tuesday nights since there have been some young men attending. I have loved it! It is “My cup of tea!” Please pray for those attending to come to our Lord. Our veterinarian has expressed an interest in coming as well (we wonder if that is the whole reason we have had sick kittens!). Please pray Vitalic would attend and come to know Jesus.

Timmy speaking at the conference...He is the tiny spec in the background!!

Almaz Church Conference a Success

The Almaz Church hosted a very successful conference last month with 500 young people from all over Ukraine in attendance. The conference called “Upgrade,” lasted three days, and 10 churches were represented. It was impressive to us to see the quality of organization, the cheerful serving by the Almaz believers and the hunger for God’s word by all in attendance. The seminars, worship, drama and evening teaching were all a work of God. Praise His name! Future work with these believers is why we are going to language school!

Preaching at Spring of Hope

I was invited to speak at one of our GCM churches, Spring of Hope, a few weeks ago. It was a joy to see so many friends going on for Christ. Pastor Andre is now working full time for a newspaper and the church is considering appointing several new pastors to help him. Please pray for these men to seek God and know His will. Pray for the church to cling to Christ as their leader and stay encouraged during this unsettled time.

Mentoring Men

The first Sunday we were here, Victor, a young man I have known for a few years through our summer English camp, asked me if we could get together consistently. We have been spending time together in God’s word, running and get to know each other better. Please pray for Victor to grow in faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ. He recently graduated from college and is trying to get a job as well.

Grace & some new friends

Girls Making Friends

Grace and Merry are feeling more at home here every day. They are making friends at school, participating in after school activities and helping lead the worship for the youth group.

Thank you all for remembering us in your prayers. It is kind of a weird time in our lives right now since we are not doing much “ministry” and go to school full time. We miss the ministry, but we are convinced this is God’s plan right now, and we minister to each other and our team.

In His Love,



Steve, Danelle, Grace, & Merry