Dear Friends!

We wanted to give you a quick update before the summer comes and all our activities get very busy: 

This newsletter includes: 

     1. Steve Travel

     2. Ukraine Visa

     2. These past few weeks

     3. Future in Ukraine

 - Please pray for our mission. 

 - Prayer Requests on left

 - Blog Address on left

 - Pledge Card at the bottom 

Our Mailing Address in Ukraine is:

Steve and Dawn Sparks

Prospect Pobedy 105, Kb. 55

I've been considering the fastest way for me to travel back to the USA. The first thought was a Concorde. That would be a pretty smooth and fast ride. The second idea came to me when I was recently touring the World War II Museum in Kiev. They had a Soviet Era ICBM on display. I think this might get me back pretty fast but I suspect the ride and the in-flight service might not be much. I'll stick with Delta on this trip. 

I leave for the USA on the 8th of May. You are likely reading this very close to or even after that day. We would appreciate your prayers for the travel. We also ask for prayers for our family and extended family as we live with Steve's mom in Austin for the next few months. During that time we will have a lot of paperwork and adjusting to complete before our planned return to Ukraine on August 1. 

During the next few months one of the must do items on our list will be to renew our visas for Ukraine. The laws and the process have gotten much more complex over this past year. Please pray for this process. We believe it should be fine but really would appreciate your encouragement and prayers. 

During the past month, while I have been in Kiev these items were discussed in different venues:

1. Opportunity for new churches. We are always talking about how and when another church can be planted. There is a lot to consider and a lot that needs to be done. However, as just the idea for a new church or more is very exciting, I always like to mention that when it is being discussed!

2. Attended the Ukraine Presbytery meeting in Belgorod-Dnistrovsky. The trip is overnight by train and then a 60 to 90 minute bus ride. The variance in time depends on how aggressive the driver of the bus is that day. During the meeting we had a great report on potential church planters that are working themselves through the process. The start of a new church plant is still more than a year away, however these reports were very encouraging. We also had the official Ukraine Denomination Book of Church Order released in a printed and professionally edited book. It was very exciting to see everyone open the new books and begin using then right away. You have to really be a "Presbytery Geek" to appreciate the idea, it was very fun. 

3. I was also in Lviv, Ukraine. During this trip I was able to see the city and visit the with some of the team members from MTW that are planting a church there. Their activities are very exciting and they are making great progress. They have begun worship services in Ukrainian and are being well received. I look forward to hearing more. During this time we also had a meeting of our various teams working in Ukraine. It was nice to sit down and talk about our vision, the plan for more churches and what opportunities we have in the pipeline. It is very exciting to see all the efforts in Ukraine. I can't say things are moving as fast as we would really like, but progress is being made and the Gospel is being shared. During the meeting I was able to listen to a report about a youth conference we had with all the churches and church planting efforts in Ukraine (about 10). It was fun to hear how the youth were able to worship and encourage each other during the conference. I did hear the facility was a bit "rustic'. I'll let you imagine what that might mean. I suspect, however, that your imagination might not come close. :)

Future in Ukraine 

Dawn and I are looking forward to our continued ministry in Ukraine. This past year Steve has mostly been involved in activities that include the Evangelical Reformed Seminary, but also has been included informally in activities that include other aspects of the ministries here in Ukraine. 

Since I (Steve) have been working with Jon Eide, the Kiev team leader (who is also the MTW Area Director over all the Ukraine mission), and have at times been interacting with him on missional items outside the seminary, the opportunity has arisen for that relationship to be a bit more formal.

Some of the specific details still need to be vetted; however, we see the next few years here in Ukraine as an opportunity for me to work with Jon as well as other Team and Seminary leaders. I'll be an Advisor to Jon and work with him on some country level ideas including future church planting efforts, reviewing how we manage some of our budgets as well as providing assistance to other leaders in planning and moving forward their specific efforts in church planting in Ukraine. It is exciting for me because I really get an opportunity to work with the global mission in Ukraine and help move forward and define the vision and execution of that vision in Ukraine. I appreciate Jon working with me on developing this opportunity. 

Additionally, as I am also working on my own seminary studies and am working through the internship requirements with the South Texas Presbytery, I will be able to have a broader arena for preaching and teaching opportunities throughout Ukraine since I have been and will continue to build my relationships with the National Pastors and Church Planters. 

We look forward to our return in August. Please pray for our family and specifically for Dawn, Stevie and our unborn daughter. 

Steve, Dawn and Steven