Lately we have received so many encouraging words from people and prayers after releasing our ministry videos.
We believe this is only the beginning of what God’s going to do in Odessa and Ukraine through this ministry.
We are planning to return to Ukraine before the end of this year. This is much sooner than we originally planned. As they say in Ukraine, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” However, while we plan we don;t know what opportunities God may open up before the year’s end so we hold onto our plans lonely with our wills submitted to God’s and rest in His perfect plan for us and the ministry.
After prayer and fasting we realized that it seems like now that we have much of the groundwork laid, which demanded we be in the States.
[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”#3184f7″ class=”” size=”16″]If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans. Share on X[/pullquote]
I have recently learned that getting grants for international work is easier than for stateside work, however being religious will present some hurdles. We can apply for grants from Ukraine. We can also go back and continue the work we were doing which is going so well! My wife is so eager to get home and start being used again doing what we do there!
However, it is likely most of our funding will have to come from individuals according to non-profit statistical outreach, if our vision is to come to fruition.
While here, we still have some churches to visit and other church visits to be arranged, which are in the works.
So now that we have:
- been officially established as a 501(c)3
- set up a business bank account
- asked all our financial partners to switch to the new organization
- got our board together of 11 members (have 1 position available)
- learned how to conduct board meetings online
- got set up with a payroll company ran by Christians
- built the website and social media pages
- set up a prayer subscription through a phone app
- prepared our presentation materials including videos, brochures, prayer bookmarks, prayer cards, power point, sermons, etc
- found a new church to get plugged into, grow and serve with
Our plans between now and Fall 2016 are to:
- continue to build relationships at our church, SW Bible Church in Beaverton
- continue to prepare power points and handouts for our friends leading the English Club in Odessa while we’re away
- visit seminaries/Bible colleges and speak with missions leaders about recruiting students to the mission field
- visit churches and home groups and share our vision and need
- learn how to find the right donors and how to approach them/apply for funding, then do that from Ukraine (there are classes in Portland and books on this)
- get Lera a permit so her citizenship process can continue while abroad
Our plans once in Ukraine are to continue to:
- plan, prepare, and coordinate ELEVATE, our weekly English Club, with the help of our church body and other missionary friends
- teach theology at the Christian University
- host a ladies Bible study
- lead a weekly Theology Night at the pub with guys
- homeless outreach (bringing people on the street new socks and Gospels of John, and helping them with other practical needs when able)
- personal one on one intentional relationship building/discipleship and counseling
- Lera will continue biblical counseling training. Similar to CCEF/ACBC, but in Russian and much much cheaper!
- I will be learning Russian more
- Writing Grant requests and follow up, etc
- Recruitment of missionaries
- Planning for our annual English Up! outreach event
- Planning for our annual apologetics conference, The Foundation Conference
- Communicate with churches about sending short-term teams and partnering with the ministry as partners in the work
- Continue to keep everyone updated on the ministry work
- Begin a Video theology ministry in Russian/Ukrainian on youtube
As you can imagine, we need all the help we can get! I’m wearing too many hats! 🙂
Future hopes, Lord willing:
- to receive the funds, American missionary help, and help from Ukrainians (much of which we have) to begin the Life Center
- plant a church
- start a spiritual disciplines bootcamp
- replicate
How you can help:
- PRAY! There are several ways to follow us for our prayer needs, ask me about this
- share our video with your pastor and ask if we can meet him and come share at your church
- sign up for $10/month (or give up to $10,000,000.00. If you have it, it certainly wouldn’t hurt)
- ask your friends to support the ministry
- start praying and saving for a missions trip to Odessa
- visit your local seminaries and speak with the missions guy about missions opportunities with MIA
We are seeking:
- long-term intentional church alliances who can help fuel the vision with funds and sending short-termers
- short-term and long-term missions help – the ways people can serve are numerous, ask me about this
- someone likeminded to serve a pastoral role
- treasurer – this is a volunteer board position
- a stateside (part-time) secretary to help us send out our newsletters (we have a way to do this all digitally but it’s a little costly)
- an executive director who lives stateside and who’s full-time role is to seek funding
Current funding status:
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We are currently at about the same place monthly we were the last 5 years in Ukraine, around $2,000/month, give or take, not including money I made fishing in Alaska for salmon in July. We were able to squeeze by and didn’t have anything for emergency savings, health insurance, our outreach events, etc.
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We would rather return to Ukraine, live frugally and continue being used, stepping forward by faith, and leave whatever happens up to God. If things stay this way, God’s plan is INFINITELY PERFECT, and mine is well… less than awesome.
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We are perfectly willing to run a Rec Center on a small scale or a large scale. Remember there is nothing like this in Odessa. Small scale would require us having an absolute minimum of about $15,000/month. Large scale could be anything up to $100,000/month and start up money. This puts us currently at about 13% of an absolute minimum need to bring this vision in any capacity to fruition.
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Giving and participation this month, since we released our videos, has been somewhere around a dozen new partners with a handful of church visiting opportunties pending. What we have received more than anything is much encouragement through words and prayer.
If everyone who thought $10 was not enough, gave $10/month we would be way ahead right now.
NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SPEAK RUSSIAN
TO BE A FRUITFUL MISSIONARY IN UKRAINE!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read through and pray through this!
May God lead you as you examine the Word inductively and objectively by the Spirit!
Luke 14:23,
Jacoby
