Dominic, Edna, Joshua, and Greg
On September 1st, the boys both started school. Joshua is going to the newly built School #16 while Dominic is still going to the old School #16 until the new school is completed. More space in the schools has meant that the boys both go to school at 8:30 am, making it easier to get their homeschooling done in the afternoon. The boys have enjoyed their first month in school and are quickly becoming fluent in Ukrainian as well as learning some Russian. You can read about their first day at school by clicking HERE.
Dominic and Joshua on the first day of school
Now that school has started, Oksana, our downstairs neighbor, comes by more often to get help with her English homework. Of course her little sister Natasha always comes with her. Natasha seems to really love Joshua and constantly asks for him. Edna enjoys having a little girl run around the house as well.
Now that school has started, Oksana, our downstairs neighbor, comes by more often to get help with her English homework. Of course her little sister Natasha always comes with her. Natasha seems to really love Joshua and constantly asks for him. Edna enjoys having a little girl run around the house as well.
Joshua feeding Natasha some cereal
We have gotten into a good structured routine for Children's Ministry that the kids really seem to like. Some of the children will come to church by themselves if their parents can't make it. All of them love learning about God's Word and doing activities together. Thank you to all of you who have given us craft materials and lesson ideas. The children have really been blessed.
Our English Club is now held every Friday evening and is allowing us to reach out to more and more people. We are so thankful for how God is opening doors for us in response to prayer. You can click HERE to read more about what's happening with English Club.
Zhenya, Kristina, Lusya, and Joshua working on a craft during Children's Ministry
Maxime is busy now with school and he spends more time in the village with his grandmother, but he still comes by to eat with us and play with Dominic and Joshua. We are thankful for the time we have with him and are happy to be a part of his life.
Maxime and Dominic enjoying grilled lavash wraps together
Our friend Sara Hill came to visit us this month while on a trip to Ukraine with her parents. Sarah had lived in Bila Tserkva for about two years prior to us moving here. We had fun visiting with her for the afternoon and sharing stories about our time in Ukraine. Sara also blessed us with some mustard and a bottle of Tapatio sauce (highly sought after commodities in Ukraine among Americans). Thanks Sara.
Sara, Dominic, Joshua, Maxime, and Edna
We finished September by attending a weekend church conference in Chernihiv. We were really excited to be able to take Maria, her sister Nastya, and their mother Valentina with us. We met so many new friends and we were all encouraged to hear about how God is working in the different churches. The conference gave us some great ideas as to how we can continue improving our own church and especially as to how we can bring greater focus to our worship ministry. You can see more pictures of the conference by clicking HERE.
Nastya and Maria sang a song during worship on Sunday morning before we left the conference
You can see the meeting hall behind Valya and Edna where we met for worship and seminars at the camp the conference was held at
Please keep praying for Edna's health. Her kidneys seem to be doing a little better after a third and hopefully final round of antibiotics for a lingering kidney infection. The morning after the conference Edna woke up with extreme pain in her right knee. By Tuesday morning, she was in such pain that she couldn't walk without assistance. After a trip to the medical center, the doctor diagnosed her as having a ruptured Baker's Cyst. The pain is subsiding and it should heal on its own so we are thankful that it wasn't more serious.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. - Ephesians 1:3
“I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not only a book which was once spoken, but a book which is now speaking.” - A. W. Tozer
• For direction in improving worship at church.
• That God would continue to ease the suffering of the flood victims in Western Ukraine.
• That the churches we met with in America would keep us (Ukraine) on their hearts and minds and in their prayers.
• That God would direct us in planning local outreaches using English.
• That God would continue to heal Edna's kidneys.
• Pray that Maxime would continue to grow in Christ. That nothing would hinder him from coming to church on Sunday, or being able to stay with us here at home.
• That God would raise up others outside of Ukraine to serve in Bila Tserkva.
• That God would help us to form relationships with local evangelical churches.
• For more young women and (especially) men to begin coming to English Club at the Rosava.
• For financial provisions to allow us to travel to Speakers Week at the Bible College in Hungary in November.
Support can be sent to:
Calvary SLO
P.O. Box 1463
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
With an attached note: "For Greg and Edna Silva"
In Christ,
Greg, Edna, Dominic, and Joshua
Our blog: On Second Thought
Our photos: We Desire Him
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. - Ephesians 1:3
“I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not only a book which was once spoken, but a book which is now speaking.” - A. W. Tozer
Нехай Бог Благословить Україну
(Let God Bless Ukraine)
(Let God Bless Ukraine)
Prayer Requests
• For direction in improving worship at church.
• That God would continue to ease the suffering of the flood victims in Western Ukraine.
• That the churches we met with in America would keep us (Ukraine) on their hearts and minds and in their prayers.
• That God would direct us in planning local outreaches using English.
• That God would continue to heal Edna's kidneys.
• Pray that Maxime would continue to grow in Christ. That nothing would hinder him from coming to church on Sunday, or being able to stay with us here at home.
• That God would raise up others outside of Ukraine to serve in Bila Tserkva.
• That God would help us to form relationships with local evangelical churches.
• For more young women and (especially) men to begin coming to English Club at the Rosava.
• For financial provisions to allow us to travel to Speakers Week at the Bible College in Hungary in November.
Support can be sent to:
Calvary SLO
P.O. Box 1463
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
With an attached note: "For Greg and Edna Silva"
In Christ,
Greg, Edna, Dominic, and Joshua
Our blog: On Second Thought
Our photos: We Desire Him
