October 2009 Update - Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

Dominic, Joshua, Greg, and Edna

October is one of our favorite months in Ukraine due to all of the beautiful colors. Coming from the Central Coast of California where there's not a big difference between seasons, we really enjoy this time of year. It's also the time of year when people begin to spend more time indoors because of the weather. It's the perfect time for having guests in the home and sitting down to share God's word with them.

Some fall colors near our apartment

Dominic's hedgehog, Taras, has turned out to be a popular member of our family. Most people have seen hedgehogs in the wild outside, but not as pets. When people hear that we have a pet hedgehog, they all want to see him and hold him. Despite having sharp quills, he's very affectionate and likes to lay in your lap. Who would have guessed he would be so popular?

Edna with Taras

Edna and Maxime's mother , Vera, having tea while she feeds Taras a piece of cookie

Maxime's mother, Vera, came over to visit one day and told us about how she was doing. She is living in the back section of her in-laws' house and Maxime is living in the main house. She said it is lonely and cold back there and she has nothing to do but sit and think. She didn't even want the grandmother to know that she was visiting us. Our understanding is that the grandmother has taken over raising Maxime and is very cruel to Vera. Please keep them all in prayer.

Thank you to those of you who have helped out in various ways for Maxime. You can read about the care package he received by clicking HERE.

Edna going over an English lesson with Maryana

On top of home school our own children, Edna has been helping out two other girls with their English classes. One of them is our neighbor, Olya's granddaughter, Maryana. The other girl, Alina, is in the same class as our downstairs neighbor, Oksana. Edna is actually learning a lot about British English as she helps them study.

Oksana is second from the left and Alina is on the far right dressed in black

Since we've been back in Ukraine, the hand pump at a nearby apartment complex where we usually get our drinking water has been broken. We were forced to either buy drinking water from a truck or walk about a half a mile to a spring to get water. The pump has finally been fixed so praise God for the little things that make life easier. You can read about our water saga by clicking HERE.

Joshua collecting drinking water for us from a spring

This month in our church we had a baby dedication and we've been blessed to have a man named Zhenya leading worship. Zhenya is an ethnically Jewish Christian and he does a great job of blending Jewish worship songs with contemporary Christian worship. I have just started teaching in the book of Acts and I'm excited to explore the early church history with the body of believers here. We are also happy to have a couple of members return to our fellowship after being gone due to work and family issues. God is faithful.

Please keep all of Ukraine in prayer as the nation suffers through an epidemic of the swine flu. You can read what I posted about it by clicking HERE or read the latest news by clicking Digital Journal.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. - Hebrews 13:15-16

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." - Jim Elliot

Нехай Бог Благословить Україну
(Let God Bless Ukraine)

Prayer Requests

• That God would watch over Maxime and his mother, Vera, giving them comfort.
• That God would continue to lead us and take us in the direction He wants us to go.
• That we would be able to raise adequate financial support according to God's will.
• For Edna's health problems and medical costs.
• Pray that Maxime would continue to grow in Christ and that nothing would hinder him from going to church on Sunday.
• Pray that home schooling will become easier and less stressful for all of us. Pray for wisdom and patience for all four of us.
• For continued friendships (especially among our neighbors) that lead to Christ being made known as a personal Savior.

• For spiritual growth in all of us, unity in our marriage, protection from spiritual attack.
•For God's protection against illness.

Support can be sent to:
Calvary SLO
4029 S. Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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


To see updates for previous months, please click the link below "Older Posts"