Monday, July 14, 2008




 

Saturday, July 12

Dear Friends and Family,
 My heart and eyes are filled – such wonderful, loving people in Ukraine. My interpreter, Irina, the Women’s ministry coordinator for the Oblast, Lydia, and I have been in a whirlwind of activity. Transportation is always a challenge and we travel 1-2 hours one way to each village. Villages such as Nemirov, Murovani-Kurilovtsi, Lipovets and Krizgopol are some of the beautiful villages that have a wonderful mixture of the old and new. We see cars on the same street as wagons pulled by animals, or goats in the middle of the road. Each home has a vegetable garden, a fence, lovely flowers and a dog! The beautiful fresh countryside is filled as far as the eye can see with wheat, sunflowers or some kind of vegetable. The soil must be very fertile.
 My topics have included, “The Role of Women in the Church”, “The Tongue”, “and Suffering for Christ”, “Prayer and The Ministry of the Holy Spirit”. Over and over again I hear, “We love America. We love America!” I must tell Rick Forschner’s Sunday school class that the donated scarves have been such a blessing. The women cry when I tell them that their sisters in Christ in America sent scarves to them. Their hearts are full of thank yous. I wish I had hundreds more to give!
 Thank you, dear ones, for praying for the Ukraine mission. I can almost hear them, and I know that the Holy Spirit’s power has been in every meeting. Please continue to pray for us!
 On a personal note, thank you, Skeet, for allowing me to participate in the mission. I know God will bless you for your generosity. I miss you!
 
  Love, In Christ
  Gail (Burris)

2 comments:

Tammy W said...

Dear Gail,

Thank you for the beautiful update! Please know that I began praying for you before your journey began and for all the lives that God will touch through you. Psalm 145 "They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and talk of Your power; to make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom...The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down...You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing...The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him...Psalm 146 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous; The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. The Lord will reign forever...

I am with you in spirit,
Tammy

ninette said...

Thank you Gail for all the work you are doing. You are an extension of our love for Christ there in Ukraine. Please tell Taci I love her and that I have been having a difficult time procurring an account. If this goes through, then Taci will be hearing from me. You all are in our prayers.
Ninette