Dear Brethren,
Well, Christmas is over for another year, and today is a perfect day to relax, have a hot cup of decaf, and sit inside and write a “Beal Update.” It’s 18 degrees outside, the landscape in Ukraine has recently turned a beautiful white (depending on your perspective) and today it happens to be white horizontally and vertically. Hence… a prayer letter.
So much has happened in ministry and our family during the past couple of months I’m not sure where to start. The most exciting thing has been the new English Club-Bible Study. We have been praying for some time about the possibility of beginning an English Club as another outreach for our ministry in the city of L’viv. Jessie and I very often meet Ukrainians that are interested in learning English when they overhear us talking together. We’ve made several friendships this way.
Of course, Josh and Kelsie experience the same when they are heard speaking English and recently, a young man by the name of Roman asked Joshua to start an English club, so, Josh made a deal with him. If Roman would assemble a group of 10 people that were serious about learning English, we would begin a club with one hour of English conversation followed by another hour of Bible study in Ukrainian. Well, to our surprise, Roman was easily able to find eight people serious about learning English. He then called Josh and asked if he would consider starting with only eight instead of ten. :>)
A few weeks back we got started, sure enough eight people showed up and spoke English for an hour and again, to our surprise everyone stayed for Bible study! The next week there were eleven people, mostly men, and again everyone stayed for Bible study. This past week, Roman brought a Bible. And even though it is the holiday season, six men still showed up for English and Bible study.
Every week, the Bible study in Ukrainian is recorded and put on CD for the benefit of the students in the Correspondence Bible Course (CBC). The Bible study specifically answers questions that are most often asked by Ukrainians enrolled in CBC, for example, “Was Peter the first Pope?” “Is it ok to pray to Mary?” and on the list goes. This week, Taras, one of our English students, called to tell us that he couldn’t make it to Club and then asked if he could have a CD so he could listen to the Bible lesson that he would be missing! Please pray for Taras’ salvation, and also for his wife, he really wants her to come to the club. Please also pray for the “English” Club to grow. We are really excited to see how the Lord is using this to very quickly reach the hearts of Ukrainians with Bible Truth. This week, Joshua taught from John chapter 15; in Christ is LIFE, and outside of him there is NO life. Although the attraction may at first have been English, it has rapidly changed to the Bible Study becoming the main event and not visa-versa!
During the month of November our family was treated to a trip to Ireland to attend a mission conference. Many thanks to Lionel and Bernadette Smith for their wonderful hospitality during our stay in the town of Cork. We were spiritually encouraged and so enjoyed the fellowship with their family and the believers we met in their church. During Brother Smith’s conference, we met another missionary family, the McKinley’s, that invited us to present our ministry to their church which is farther north. The Lord enabled us to rearrange our travel plans; we took a train up to Dublin, made the transfer to another line, and then embarked finally at the small village of Mullingar. It was quite an adventure for us, especially for our girls! :>) We were so blessed to spend time with the McKinley’s and their church. Cassia and Alexandria had a wonderful time getting acquainted with their children and we were all sad to say goodbye. It’s so amazing the things that God does in our lives when we least expect it, who would have guessed that our family would go to Ireland for two weeks??? It was a special treat from the Lord and we are so grateful to the Smiths and McKinleys; God bless you!!! Lord willing, we will have some young Irishmen join us for our future Carpathian Mountain projects!
Our day at Blarney Castle
Well, time is marching on and 2009 is almost upon us. We’re looking forward to beginning another year in Ukraine; 2009 will mark our 10th anniversary in Ukraine, and our 20th anniversary of marriage! (Are we really that old???)
We are so thankful to the Lord for our time in Ukraine, the time that God has granted us that we may serve Him. Please pray that God will use us to bring many souls to our Savior, and that many more Ukrainians will hear the truth of the Word of God this year. God bless you as you serve Him in the upcoming year!
Your Missionaries for Jesus’ Sake
Jessie, Teresa, Cassia, and Alexandria
P.S. Wanted: Prayer Warriors! Joshua and Kelsie have already asked their friends and family back home if they would stop for just a few minutes and pray just as we’re beginning each Tuesday night session. We are seeing God’s blessing on this ministry and would love to have the prayers of the saints behind it. If you would be willing to participate in prayer for us consistently in this way, please send us an e-mail and let us know that you’re praying! Our English Club/Bible study starts at 7:00pm every Tuesday; that would be 12:00 noon eastern time, and 11:00 am central time. (You easterners can put a note on your fridge!) :>)
