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Life In Ukraine
End of Year Programs
Hello Friends,
We
had a great new year’s eve here in Ukraine with Vitaliy’s
family; his mother, sister-in-law (Sveta), her three boys
(Sasha, Bogdan, Daniel), Vitaliy’s father-in-law and his three
sons and their wives and girlfriends. Vitaliy made it a special
evening for the boys, giving them cool, boy presents (like
roller blades and who would’ve thought dictaphones could bring
such joy and interest!). Sveta was the only other believer here.
Vitaliy helped us have a nice conversation about good memories
from last year and what we want for the new year.
AWANA is one of our best, most effective evangelistic and
discipling ministries. Our AWANA group had a fun meeting for new
year.
Traditionally kids dress up in costume for New Year
Games
Father’s House, the Christian orphanage under which I am
helping start the Mother-Baby Center, also had an end-of-the-year
program. These are some of the orphans who live there, and they
did a Christmas play for us.
Christmas Play
Prayers For
Coming Event
On
Saturday, January 17, the young couples of our church will be
listening to a seminar about home birth and vaccinations. The
couples are organizing this themselves, inviting guests from
another church in Ukraine who speak about these topics.
Pray
that their hearts will be open and discerning, that God will
guide them individually in their decisions as parents regarding
birth and immunizations.
Pray
for Nadya and Dima, Vicor and Oksana, the couples coming to
speak to us. Nadya and Oksana have had home births and are
currently training to be homebirth midwives! They are the first
Ukrainian Christian women that I know of who will be homebirth
midwives!
Nadya, mother of 8, and a major pioneer of the homebirth
movement in Ukraine.
Much
Love,
Victoria, Anne, Vitaliy and Skyla Sokol
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Tidbits From Ebony
Women walking in the snow in Ebony.
Dear
Charis Family,
Thanks to all of you who wrote notes of congratulations about
passing my Charis CE/Doula Exam. I was so excited to hear the
news and I am SO proud to be a member of Charis. More and more,
the Lord affirms in my life that it was HIS plan and His path I
stepped out on when I first contacted Charis two and a half
years ago. You are all such a blessing to me.
I have been in the States for a bit recently. I came home to
celebrate the holidays with my family and then to attend a
conference at my sending organization's headquarters. Then, our
team decided to delay our arrival to our new location--Glory
Land. We hope to put feet on the ground there in March. I ask
you all to pray for open doors and also necessary funding so
that I will be able to deploy at the same time as my team.
Children
playing in a yard in Glory Land, the new city
Elizabeth hopes to move to in Ebony.
Before heading back to Ebony, however, Father has opened doors
for me to continue advancing in my education and training. One
special gift recently was the chance to see and spend time with
both Kristin Schuchmann and Susan Oshel!! We had a blast
together, and I got some MUCH needed debriefing time and
encouragement.
Susan Oshel and
Elizabeth Carmichael
God
continues to affirm over and over that becoming a part of Charis
was His will for me. What a blessing the organization is, but,
more importantly, the relationships with all of you. Thank you
for being a partner and allowing me to partner with YOU in your
ministries. I believe that women and families from the West to
the East will be changed for eternity!
The following is a wonderful song written by a friend and
supporter who attended a conference with me recently. I helped
lead a breakout session focused on reaching women around the
world with the Father's love. She was inspired to write the
following:
You May
By Wendi Cheng
Based on: Isaiah 61, Luke 8:42-48, Luke 10:38-42
Have you not heard the voice of One
Who knows and calls you by your name?
Have you not known the love of One
Who's come to give His life for you?
So you may sit at His feet
And you may give Him all your tears
For He will hold you in His arms
He will listen to your fears
And you may reach out for His robe
And you may give Him all your pain
For He will heal your broken heart
And He will take away your shame
Have you not seen the face of One
Who has compassion in His eyes?
Have you not felt touch of One
Who longs to be with you?
So won't you sit at His feet
And won't you give Him all your tears
For He will hold you in His arms
He will listen to your fears
And won't you reach out for His robe
And won't you give Him all your pain
For He will heal your broken heart
And He will take away your shame
Those are beautiful images to keep on our minds this month as we
pray for
and serve the women
God has placed in our path!
Proud to co-labor with you all,
Elizabeth Carmichael
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