Day Eleven in Ukraine

It’s day eleven in Ukraine. Before I give you an update, two prayer requests:

One of the best friends I have is Barry Clingan. He was scheduled to be here in this place in Kiev this two weeks teaching but his mother is scheduled for serious kidney surgery tomorrow (Tuesday) at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN. Please pray for her and for wisdom for the doctors. She only has the one kidney; pray for God’s will to be done.
Precious Reagan McBride, daughter of one of our young deacons and wife, Allen and Jerri Ann McBride is scheduled for major surgery next Monday in Salt Lake City. She is about three years old.

“Expelled” is still getting Christian endorsements. Ken Hamm, Answers in Genesis, just wrote this encouragement to see the movie.

Now, update from Kiev…
There is only one way to describe the weekend we had in the marriage retreat … WOW. We left Friday afternoon and after driving through the worst Friday traffic through the city, we arrived about two-hours-and-fifteen minutes later. The place where they have gone the past two years was booked this year so we went to a new place called “The Spa.” Ok, I have debated whether to show you their web site but eventually somebody will see pictures, so the sooner the truth comes out, the better. http://www.spa-center.kiev.ua/. No, I was not suffering very much

Every year a church in America provides this retreat for the church planters and their wife who is taking the Leadership course that I am in (so all cp’s get to go one time during their seminary career). This year First Baptist Church, Kenner, LA (just outside New Orleans) furnished this retreat and I want to say a big “thank you” for the wonderful investment in their lives.

Also, CrossRoads, the ladies loved their gifts and gift bag. Everyone said to tell you “thank you.”

During our closing session, here are some of the comments made:
“We did not really get to have a honeymoon, this is it.”
“This is miraculous. We have been trying to find this time and due to seminary and church, we have had no time for rest until now.”
“We want to help other couples that they would find what we have found here.”
“There is a new idea born in our mind. We are committing one day a week to each other.”
“We will provide opportunities for others like this.”

The Saturday evening banquet lasted three-hours-and-twenty-minutes to just serve the food. The Ragains had arranged for the room to be petitioned so each couple had a private dinning area with candlelight and roses. It was awesome. The Ragains, Mrs. Linda and I sat together and well, we got a little rowdy with laughter from time-to-time and might have disturbed the others.

Mrs. Linda Ray (see Day 8 below) spoke to the ladies in two sessions on Saturday on respecting your husbands while I spoke to the men on loving your wives. Then we swapped our classes for 30 minutes. I had a closing hour with all of them on Saturday and then we had a great worship experience and final teaching on Sunday.

This retreat is the vision of Bro. Joel and Mrs. MaryEllen and what a wonderful success.

What an experience that I will never forget and I don't think any of us will, certainly the students.

As we headed back to the Seminary, Bro. Joel was so kind to show me the city of Kiev. We took Metro (underground subway) into the heart of the city. I saw where “The Orange Revolution” took place, our International Mission Board headquarters for Ukraine and enjoyed a Coke and cherry pastry while Bro. Joel had his coffee (and cherry pastry, too).

Well, it’s back to four hours of teaching today. I finish up Thursday afternoon before heading home. I am enjoying the teaching tremendously.