Gratitude

Today I am thankful for the life God has given me and my family. It is something, in my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined. Part of that is because, though we went to church some, I was not raised in a Christian family. My salvation came after knowing my husband, Jeff. For that I am ever grateful that God has made me one of his children and for my husband who gently brought me along and relentlessly prayed for me.

Today Jeff leaves for two weeks in Armenia where he will have a Y-10 (Yerevan 10) conference with 10 Armenian pastors from the capitol of Yerevan who want to start 10 new churches. The following week he will conduct a Bible conference with 16 believers and some new prospects from Iran. Jeff teaches them to study the Bible by the inductive method so they are more equipped to go home and study on their own. Please pray for these two events and for Jeff as he leads them.

In the meantime, Leah and I will be here at the house. Though I miss Jeff when he leaves for these periods, it is a time that I will spend in preparing for the start of our Sunday school year in mid-September. These are not usually difficult times as we have become accustomed to this life and I am thanful for it. There is much I could say about how I am thankful, but let it suffice that God is good and we are happy.

Youth Girls Sing

It was as if someone had opened the window and in flew angels to sing to us. The piano is being played by the pastor's wife, Luba, who also directs these girls. She is a real blessing for the church.

Baptizing in Bucha

These are the people recently baptized in our church. It is the tradition that they are baptized in the lake or river in Ukraine. Then everyone returns to the churh where the new people get to take their first communion. After a joyful service we all have lunch to further celebrate and all the new people are given flowers and a Bible.


Elders of the church praying for the people who were baptized on this day.

Last Camp for the Summer

Sorry I have been so silent, but I have been doing kid's camp this week. It takes a lot out of me. In addition I've been doing it with quite a painful back, but pain meds help. We are in a little village west of Kiev called Gorenechi. Each child is crafting their own scrapbook of their camp experience. I keep thinking they will finish and we will do another craft, but they just want to keep working on their albums. Many are truly beautiful. Pray for a strong finish today, Friday.

Jorge in Mariopol, Ukraine

Last night Jeff and Jaime were in Mariupol which is a city way south on the Azov Sea which adjoins the Black Sea. This is also the furthest most south they will be and have now started back north.

The church was packed and they kept bringing out more chairs 'til there was no more room. Their choir sang in the choir loft and it was a lovely scene. There were many from the local music school and about 20% of the crowd was there for the first time. One family of 6 children all enrolled in the school said the teachers didn't want to go home. Some even brought their own violins. It is certain the Spirit was moving.

At the end of the concert, Jaime called for people to acknowledge Jesus as their Savior and accept Him into their hearts or to repent of sins. There were several that responded. An older lady, late 60's, came up and cried asking God's forgiveness. She had gone away from God and was done with wandering. Life brought her to the end of her rope and she wanted to come back the Father. Another older lady had always prayed the Lord would grant her the opportunity to hear a real true violinist. She was besides herself with joy and tears for her prayer had been granted.

Afterwards, the senior pastor invited Jeff and Jaime for a meal. There was another man present who was a pastor in Donetsk. He couldn't be at that concert when it was in his town, but his daughter was. She insisted he drive the long distance to hear Jaime in the next city. This man had been the best man at the wedding of this pastor 30 years prior so it was a good time of fellowship for all and he was glad he came.

This church is very old and will have it's 120th anniversary in 2012. They have asked Jaime to return and be a part of this celebration. Already God is working in various circumstances for Jaime to return to Ukraine. Honor and Glory to Him.

Jaime Jorge Tour

Tuesday night concert was in Kharkov where they had a full house exceeding capacity of 500 people represented by 8-10 churches. The sales of CD's went well and they were left with only 10 out of 70 at the end of the evening. Not that we want to focus on numbers like this, but it helps to pay Jaime's plane ticket to come over so we are happy.

Jeff and Jaime are staying in people's homes as they travel. Different from the western half of Ukraine, the eastern part is populated more widely with Russian people than the rest of the country. That seems to lend a bit of a different atmosphere that Jaime noticed. He says, "The Russians love music."

Wednesday night wasn't as full, but God blessed nonetheless and there was a very good response. Many young people came to talk after the concert. One young man who was an orphan had played violin and was impressed to pick it up and use his talent for god's honor and glory. His English was good and he said he doesn't usually talk much but he was excited.

Another man from a prison background had trouble talking, he prayed for salvation and to be faithful. Jaime said it seemed like he was burdened or struggling, yet seemed honest and heart felt in his desire to overcome a sin of alcoholism that he is struggling under. Let us pray for this man. Though we don't know his name, God does.

Monday Night in Poltava, Ukraine

Last night Church of the New Birth had just finished a week long evangelism of all Poltava churches. They nonetheless, had a good crowd for a Monday night and a fairly full house. Jeff noticed that they were very emotional with tears and their reactions. Jeff sensed that people tuned in and listened with heart-felt pleasure. Jaime commented that "People here love music." My response was that maybe that is because they don't have as much access to good music being away from a large city.

Jeff and Jaime are both very pleased with the response. Though there were no professions of faith, there were many signs that Jaime's message was received on a deep heart level


Sales of CDs has been good. They have been staying in people's homes so Jaime is getting a real cultural experience. Continue to lift them up. They are in concert now as I write. Praise be to Him.

--

Friends

Touring in Kiev, 2008, standing in front of Iron Maiden.

Music on CD/DVD

Since there is no charge for the concerts Jaime sells CDs and DVDs to help finance his flight and expenses. Here Leah, our daughter helps with this. Picture taken 2008.

Jaime Jorge, Zhitomar to Kiev, Ukraine

Sunday morning Jeff and Jaime had a wonderful reception at the Zhitomar Church. Even though the pastor said many were away on vacation, the church was packed and people were standing so they were thankful for such a good turnout. This is one church where they did a concert last year and the pastor insisted on their return.

Before the service Jaime said that he prayed asking the Lord what to say and what to play. Jaime felt that in the past he had been too passive in regard to asking people to come forward and commit their lives to the Lord. "So this time I asked people to come and four were saved," Jaime, said as we talked on the phone.
He also noticed men wiping tears and the pastor commented that there was much more sharing from the Word and that moved people. All glory to God.

Many were in church Sunday for the first time as a result of concert promotion and one Babushka (Grandmother) came up very excited and said she had experienced much of the same things as Jaime's mother and that she was very encouraged. It was her first time and she said she would attend again. Hallelujah!

Sunday evening was a Kiev church concert where they had been last year. Despite a strong appeal, no one came forward, though it was a large gathering. The pastor talked to several who were there for the first time and said they would return. One pianist said he was so encouraged to be faithful with his talents and to use them for God's honor and glory. Jaime has a really moving testimony about his talent as a musician so what he shares is great for other young musicians to be inspired. Please continue to pray for their nightly concerts.

Jaime Jorge touring Ukraine

Zhitomar Church, Zhitomar, Ukraine morning service.
Jaime, morning service/concert

Evangelism team L-R, Jeff Franks and Jaime Jorge. Today Jeff and Jaime, along with Leah, our daughter went to the town of Zhytomar for a morning church concert. Tonight, starting at 5 p.m. they will be in Dom Evanglia in Podol, Kyiv. Tomorrow starts their tour through Eastern Ukraine.

Jaime Jorge Coming to Ukraine Again.

Ukraine Schedule for Violinist Jaime Jorge

Sun, Aug 9
Morn 10 am, Central Baptist Church on ul. Vatutina 10a, Zhitomir
Eve Kyiv, 6 pm, Dom Evangeliya, ul. Shchekavitskaya 2/8

Mon, Aug 10, Poltava, 6 pm, "Vozrozhdenie" Church, Prosp. Mira 26/13

Tues, Aug 11, Kharkov, 6 pm, "Preobrazhenie" Church, ul. Yaroslavskaya 28

Wed, Aug 12, Donetsk, 6 pm, "Gethsemane" Church, ul. Kazanovoi 36

Thurs, Aug 13, Mariupol, 6 pm, Central Baptist Church, ul. Karasevskaya 22

Fri, Aug 14, Zaporozhye, 6 pm, Central Baptist Church, ul. Kulturnaya 9

Sat, Aug 15, Dnepropetrovsk, 5 pm, Central Baptist Church, ul. Degtyareva 39

Sun, Aug 16,
Morn Cherkassy, 10 am, 1st Baptist Church, ul. Lesnaya Proseka 32
Eve Bucha, 6 pm, Bethany Baptist Church, ul. Yaroslava Mudrogo 1