July - August 2014
A Quiet Spot in a Troubled World
The conflict in Ukraine continues to make headlines in the news. We are carefully watching developments, but we are several hundred miles away from the places where the violence is taking place. Even though the news media here tends to put much of the blame on America, we are not experiencing any negative attitudes from the people in our city. We do not feel that there is any danger to us at this time. Many of you have written to ask us about the situation, and we are grateful that you are thinking of us and praying for us when you see the news reports.
Ruth and I went to Moscow a few times, so that she could renew her passport. A day after one of our visits there, a big crash on a Moscow subway train caused at least 20 deaths and over 100 serious injuries. We have traveled on that same subway line many times.
We had a church picnic with an outdoor service on a beautiful summer day. 21 people attended, and one was a first time visitor. I have started preaching every Sunday on Bible characters, starting with Adam. We just finished a verse by verse study of 1 Corinthians that took about 2 years.
We are already getting fruit from the trees in the church yard. We have apricots and plums and lots of apples. We also have hazelnuts for the first time this year. We canned some jam, and some homemade tomato sauce and applesauce. Ruth has made several apple pies and cobbler. We found almond extract in the store here for the first time ever, and we even found some Reese’s peanut butter cups when we were in Moscow.
We were sad to find out that some good missionary friends of ours have decided to leave Russia. They have served for 19 years, and the Lord is moving them on to other things. We wish them well, but we will miss them. Another missionary family that was making preparations to come here has decided that they will not be coming. We pray that the Lord will keep the doors of opportunity open here, and that He will send new laborers.
In the service of the King,
Don Ossewaarde