Report From Ukraine - February/March

by Andy and Jaimee Langeland - HWCM Missionaries to Ukraine

When our plane approached the runway in Simferopol, Ukraine, it was snowing heavily and the visibility was near zero. I began praying that the plane would not be forced to return to the capitol city of Kiev due to poor conditions. It had already been a 26 hour trip, and we didn’t want to add another minute to it! The pilot began circling the airport, forced to wait while they plowed the snow in an attempt to make his landing safer. The pilot landed beautifully on the still snow covered runway, and we were finally back in the beloved Crimean peninsula. Even the usually dreary looking city of Simferopol looked beautiful under a blanket of newly fallen snow.

When we deplaned, it was to be welcomed by freezing air temperatures and our luggage moving slowly toward us on a snow covered conveyor belt. Despite having lost one of our bags somewhere between Los Angeles and Kiev and having to fill out a claim form in Russian (now that is a victory in itself!) the piece of luggage miraculously appeared when we arrived in Simferopol.

But best of all, waiting for us in the terminal when we arrived in Ukraine were the reinforcements God had sent tous. My childhood friend, Jared White, and his awesome wife Amanda, had touched down in the frozen heartland a few hours ahead of us. We are blessed by the gift of these two dear co-laborers who have come from the U.S. to serve for three months with OPERATION LAZARUS. Both of them are graduates of Simpson University and have a deep passion for working with youth. They have served as Youth Pastors, camp counselors and even as Youth Chaplains at a local High School. Jared’s experience as a Youth Probation Officer uniquely qualifies him to assist us in ministering to the most deeply troubled teenagers at the orphanages. They are here to minister with us to the teenage orphans in Sevastopol and we are encouraged already by their presence.

We ask you to pray for us as our heart’s desire for this year is to develop a Transitional Living Home where we can take in some of the orphans when they are released from the government orphanages for a one year program. Our goal is to  have a curriculum in place that can prepare them for life outside the institution through Christian Discipleship as well as vocational and practical living skills. This will require a miraculous provision of a house with a set-up conducive to the project, as well as more finances, but we know God is able. We feel this would be so beneficial and have the long term impact we are desiring to see.

We are grateful for our time in the USA and the encouragement of friends, family and churches as we shared the vision of OPERATION LAZARUS over the last two months. We are thankful to all the pastors who opened their pulpits to us to tell of the orphans that God loves so much. We would like to ask you to add one more thing to your prayer list. We are expecting our first child in September, so we will appreciate prayer for Jaimee’s and the baby’s health. We know that it will be good to model a healthy Christian family lifestyle to the orphans who have never seen or experienced that for themselves. Thank you for your continued love, prayers and financial support for OPERATION LAZARUS. May God bless you!