HAMM PRAYER POINTS .. .. 25|05|07 ........

WHAT NEXT?..

So the transition continues... Sonia is moving to Brandon this week to take up residence with family friends (see Blessings below). Yesterday she was hired by Michael's ("the Arts & Crafts Store") in Brandon, where she is set to begin work on Monday. Sonia has been hired to teach a basic jewellery design course, and will also be given the opportunity to work as a store associate. Sonia is excited to have her first job in Canada, especially as it will allow her to work in a field that she is both talented and interested in! So, if you are looking to learn how to make your own jewellery, and you live in the Brandon area, sign up for Sonia's June course! ;-)

As Sonia makes the move to Brandon, Lena & I are contemplating where the rest of us will live! While our apartment has not yet sold (hopefully soon!), we are starting to look at possible locations and homes. We still haven't decided which city we'll settle in, but it looks like it will either be Winnipeg or Portage la Prairie. Please remember us in your prayers as we seek to settle in the "land" God has prepared/is preparing for us!

The other significant question before us is what sort of work/ministry transition we'll have to make. We are considering several possible options, but we're not yet prepared to explain further. One question we are certainly wrestling with is have we reached the place where we should stop seeking a "support" position? For the past eight years Lena & I have been wholly dependent on the financial support of individuals and churches. Prior to that, I have been fully supported by donations only since 1993! We have been tremendously blessed during these years, but with the passing of numerous supporters we have seen our support base dwindle dramatically over the past two years. It has been a significant challenge to relate to current and seek to locate new supporters over the years, especially as we haven't been able to travel here as a family for almost five years. Much of the effort involved in maintaining our support has fallen to my parents. Without their regular calls, notes and informal talks, many of our supporters would have felt unappreciated and unneeded. The fact is that many (most?) ministry workers depend on donations. We are wondering if the time has come to look for a position that frees us (and our supporters) to serve in different ways.

We welcome your comments and questions, and we continually covet your prayers!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

BLESSINGS

Praise God that Sonia was provided with a home in Brandon. We received an unbeatable offer from family friends to provide Sonia with room & board for basically cost. We are so very thankful for this blessing!

We are also thankful that Sonia was able to get a good job in Brandon.

PETITIONS

Deena continues to experience ups and downs in her health. Please pray that she will attain a (reasonably) healthy life in Canada!

Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home. We have lowered the purchase price, so hopefully this will bring a buyer.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that Lena could hardly believe how beautiful the lawn looked at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg (photo above)? She is only used to Russian parks which have next to no cut grass that you could walk on!

...that we are now planning to travel to Abbotsford, British Columbia, in mid-August (sans Sonia)? We have a time of reporting/debriefing at MBMSI headquarters scheduled during that time, and we hope to meet with family & friends along the way. Stay tuned for specific dates, and please let us know if you would be interested in seeing us along the way.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

A printable version of this newsletter in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com.(Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 02|04|07

CRAWLING TO THE FINISH LINE

What a week! We're operating at less than 40% efficiency at the moment with Deena down with the chicken pox, Sonia battling a persistent cold (and perhaps the early symptoms of chicken pox) and Lena struggling with severe headaches. Thankfully Maya is on the mend and I am so fully able to care for my ailing girls. Our planned yard sale was again postponed due to illness, and with Sonia's birthday rapidly approaching (see below) we have invited people to come and "shop" on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

With less than two weeks to go until our departure we are struggling with the good news/bad news of departing furniture: we now have shelves only in the hallway (hence almost no place to place things), no beds left save Maya's (so four of us are now sleeping on the floor), and practically no appliances left save the bare minimum in the kitchen (no more Russian TV shows...or is that good news?)!

With the poor health and disorderly state of our home it's a bit difficult to enjoy the spring weather and the approach of Easter, but we are so very thankful for all the friends who have been helping us and for all the prayers being said on our behalf. Thank you for upholding us in prayer during this time!!!

We wish you all a blessed Easter celebration this coming weekend. There was no greater sacrifice given and no greater victory won. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!!!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

As my parents continue to send pictures of our temporary home, we are encouraged by the fact that the disarray we are living in now will soon be exchanged for a clean, orderly Canadian mobile home! Thank you to all who have helped to prepare us a home!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SONIA!!!

As Sonia prepares to celebrate her 18th birthday on April 5th, we ask those of you who know her (or who would like to!) to send a special birthday wish to the following special address: happybirthday.sonia@gmail.com. We thought it would be great if we could compile a bunch of greetings, congratulations, wishes, prayers & blessings to give to her. If you have any words of wisdom, love or whatever you would like share with Sonia on her big day, please don't hesitate to write a short note! I'm certain she would appreciate your thoughtfulness!

BLESSINGS

Praise God for continued progress in the moving & packing department.

We thank God for eighteen years of Sonia!!! Please join with us in praising God for her faith and life.

PETITIONS

The "yard sale" was postponed yet again. Please pray that everything we need to part with will be taken in the next few days (we desperately need the room, especially with Sonia's party coming up on the 5th)!

Please continue to pray for improved family health. Deena has a worse case of the chicken pox than did her older sister. Please pray that she will continue to persevere!

Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home.

Remember Sonia in prayer as she (more formally) makes the transition from child to adult. May she grow into a godly woman!

DID YOU KNOW...

...that the Russian word for Sunday is Voskreshenie (Resurrection)? It's wonderful to be reminded of Easter every Sunday (as the early believers did)!!!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS .. .. 30|10|06 ........

CANADIAN ARRIVALS..

Sorry, not visas! Last Wednesday the long-awaited parcel from Grandpa & Grandma arrived. We had hopes that it would arrive in time for Maya's birthday in September, and then we were sure it would make it in time for Deena's birthday last week. Regardless, the ten-week wait was worth it as Maya & Deena happily unpacked lots of goodies: clothes, toys, books, gifts, food, treats, medications for Nina (a HUGE blessing) and more.

Many of the parcel contents had been sent originally in spring, with hopes it would arrive in time for Easter and Lena & Nina's May birthdays. Sadly, that parcel returned to Canada without ever reaching us (due to some mix-up), at great expense. It had been a long time since we had received a care package, so this was very special. As this will likely be our last parcel before we come to Canada, it was extra meaningful.

Thank you for faithfully upholding our family in prayer. It's been an emotional challenge for us these past few months, but God is good!

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Hopefully news about the visas will come soon—please keep praying!

It seems the longer it takes for us to get to Canada, the more we are provided with! We are so thankful for all the help we have received from family and friends: we have been given many wonderful used furnishings and appliances in the last few weeks. Valuable help was also given by many to help load, transport and unload. It looks like our immediate needs for beds and furnishings have now been met. We would still appreciate the means to purchase several mattresses for our family (an almost-new mattress suitable for Sonia has already been given).

BLESSINGS..

Answered prayer from last week! Sonia has been able to switch to a different jewellery school, one that is within walking distance of home! Now that the dark days of winter are upon us, not having to travel across town in the dark is a wonderful blessing for Sonia! (Pictured here is Sonia's latest creation—click the picture for more.)

We were able to send a few gifts and personal belongings along with a friend who was passing through town on his way back to Winnipeg. If anyone knows of helpful (read: with room in their suitcases) travellers passing though St. Petersburg on their way to Canada, we would appreciate knowing!

PETITIONS

Visa news (of course)! Please pray that some news will come soon!

CCI/Russia is in the process of interviewing candidates for the soon-to-be vacant position of Office Manager. Lena S., our current Office Manager, will be leaving our office in spring. Please pray that we will be able to find a capable replacement for her.

We still have a long way to go before our MBMSI deficit is paid off. Even with a 75% reduction in salary we have a lot of ground to make up. Recently we lost another supporter to "pensioner limitations". Please continue to pray for our financial needs and consider whether you could be a part of the solution. More information about our support needs can be found at www.krhamm.com/support, or by contacting us. 

I recently visited a local physician to try and find out why I've been experiencing so much abdominal discomfort. The doctor's diagnosis was that I have an ulcer. He told me to buy five different types of herbal extracts (conveniently on sale in his office), which I was to take every morning after drinking 1.5 litres of water and vomiting. (I am passing on this advice for now.) Your prayers for my health are appreciated...

DID YOU KNOW...

...that when you go to the doctor for an appointment, some of the things you may be required to provide here in St. Petersburg include:

• slippers (or baggies for your shoes),
 
• sheets to put on the examination table, and/or
 
• disposable syringes?

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.   

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.   

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.   

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.   

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.   

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS .. .. 16|10|06 ........

CIRCUS!!!..

Sunday afternoon we (Lena, Maya, Deena & I) had the opportunity to visit the Grand St. Petersburg Circus for what may be our last time. The girls love going to the circus, though we rarely go more than once a year. (For pics from our visit check out Flickr.)

It's quite the privilege to be able to live in such a culturally-rich city. Permanent circuses, ballets, symphonies, museums and puppet theatres abound! There is almost no end to the list of cultural attractions in St. Petersburg.

We will be sorry to leave our beloved "Piter", but we are thankful for the opportunities we've had to enjoy some of the city's treasures over the years.

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Patiently waiting... Still no word from the Canadian Embassy in Moscow. Hopefully news will come soon—please keep praying!

BLESSINGS

Praise God for the opportunity to serve in St. Petersburg. Despite the frustrations we've had living in the "Venice of the North" this city has been a source of endless wonder and adventure for our family.

We praise God for you, our friends and supporters! You continue to bless us in so many ways—thank you for continuing to stand by us as we wait and prepare for the changes to come.

PETITIONS

Visa news (of course! Please pray that some news will come soon! 

Sonia is still looking for a new job. Please pray that she will be able to find a part-time job that will not interfere with her studies or require late-night travel.

Please continue to pray for our financial needs. More information about our support is at www.krhamm.com/support.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that the Grand St. Petersburg Circus is in it's 129th year of operation? 

...that there are two permanent circuses in St. Petersburg and more than twenty troupes in Russia?..

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.   

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.   

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.   

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.   

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.   

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 25|09|06 

WHAT A WEEK!

It's been c-c-cold this past week, but great news from home, a wonderful closing for the Camp Director's Institute and a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Peterhof really made it a great week for us all.      

We received a bunch a great news this past Monday, starting with an offer we couldn't refuse. Friends offered to sell us a 1997 Dodge minivan for a very reasonable price, and we accepted! Now we are the proud owners of a vehicle, for the first time in our married lives (now if only one of us had a driver's license...). ;-)

We were also offered a used washer & dryer set for free, although we can't make use of it until we get a home. For now our friends will hold onto them for us, since the mobile home we will be staying in until the early 2007 is already equipped. As well, several other offers of help have arrived over the past week, for which we are very thankful!

Two days ago the Camp Director's Institute wrapped up in Moscow, with thirteen of the twenty-one directors graduating with full honours. The graduation ceremony was a wonderful time of closure for the event; it really made the students feel they had accomplished something significant.

We praise God for these graduates and for every camp director in the Institute who studied diligently and applied themselves wholeheartedly in their camp ministries.

While it had been a cold week Sunday was a gloriously warm day, so we (minus Sonia) decided to introduce the girls to one of Russia's crown jewels, the Summer Palace gardens at Peterhof. We took a 30-minute cruise to the lower gardens and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of sunshine, fresh air and 18th century splendour. The girls especially enjoyed the "fun" fountains, and managed to get quite wet in the process! Pictures of the fun are posted for all to see on Flickr.

Thanks for your encouragement & support! Hope you had a wonderful week too!

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

The list has been revised! Our support page of "Canadian needs" has been updated to reflect the aforementioned news. One new thing on the list is the need of a freezer. We would appreciate any help you can give. Please pass on the word and stay tuned for more updates! Thank you for your continued prayers for our big move.

BLESSINGS

Praise God for the successful conclusion of the 2005-06 Camp Director's Institute!

We just learned that the residents in Nina's apartment building have agreed (finally!) to install a domophone – an outside intercom door-thingy (I can't remember what they're called in English!). We pray that this will bring to an end the use of Nina's stairwell by drug addicts.

We are very thankful for provisions such as the minivan and appliances. It's so encouraging to see how God provides through His people!

PETITIONS

Continue to pray for me as I try to transition out of day-to-day IT management of the CCI/Russia office. Pray also for Mark B. as he learns to take over from me.

Sonia is looking for a new job, hopefully as an English tutor. Her current job entails a great deal of late-evening travel downtown, which is not at all desirable as the darkness of autumn sets in. Pray that she will be able to find a better way to earn some funds.

Please continue to pray for our financial needs. More information about our support is at www.krhamm.com/support.

DID YOU KNOW...

 ...that standalone food freezers are practically unheard of in Russia?

 ...that the Russian government is considering measures to encourage an increased birth rate including a "childless tax"? With Russia's population declining by 700,000 people each year, the government is starting to take notice that Russia is fast disappearing...

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

 A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

 Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

 For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

 You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

 Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS       05|06|06 

NINA

Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

As you read above, it is now very obvious that delays in our move to Canada are in no small way related to Nina's need for our presence here in Russia.

We continue to trust the Lord's timing in selling our home, finding a home in Manitoba and transplanting our family halfway around the world. Thank you for praying!

BLESSINGS

 Answered prayer from previous weeks! Praise God for the Christian Camp Leaders' Conference in Vladivostok. Seventy-five students and instructors took part in the seven-day course for senior camp leaders and pastors. Twenty-one camps were representeda wonderful answer to prayer!

PETITIONS

 Please pray for the Staff Training Workshop currently underway (June 4-9) in Norkalni, Latvia. This is the training event for the Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia. and the final spring event for our staff. Especially pray for the health and strength of Ira Rechitskaya, who is the dean of this, her third STW this spring.

 I had been meaning to add a praise report for our household appliances (really!). It is almost six years since we purchased our apartment and the major appliances for our home. Since then they have worked wonderfully (need a reliable refrigerator? buy Minsk!) for the most part. Unfortunately our German washing machine decided that today was the day to give up the ghost. We of course have no desire (let alone money!) to replace it...but then Lena has little desire to go back to washing our family's clothes in the bathtub! Please pray for inexpensive "healing" for our Bosch!

DID YOU KNOW...

 ...that high school students from across Russia can check their final exam scores online? Join thousands of anxious Russian teenagers in accessing www.ege.ru to get all the final results (it helps if you can read Russian)!

 ...that pictures from our trip to Uzbekistan are finally online? View over seventy pictures from Tashkent and the Staff Training Workshop at www.flickr.com/photos/krhamm/sets/72157594152329586.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

 A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

 Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

 For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

 You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

 Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)