News from Missions Development International

Dear Prayer Partners of MDI;
Once again MDI is coming to you asking for prayer support. On Monday, July 21 until August 2, we are headed back to Ukraine. We would so appreciate it if you would pray for us in the following ways:

For traveling mercies as we fly to Kiev and then on to Odessa on July 23.

· We are in Odessa from July 23-27. We will be working with Tanya Baranova who is MDI's newest full time staff. She is starting a new ministry for MDI and our partner, the Middle Tennessee YMCA. The ministry we are creating in Ukraine is called Journey to Freedom (www.journeytofreedom.org). It is a ministry that deals with life-controlling issues in people's lives. It tackles everyday issues that affect all of us and also includes alcohol, drug, and sexual addictions. Please pray for the following:
o Developing a relationship and bonding between Tanya and MDI's USA staff.
o We are meeting Tanya's team for the first time. Pray that there will be an immediate connection through the Holy Spirit.
o Pray that we will be able to communicate clearly.
o We are giving a Pastor's luncheon to introduce Journey to Freedom to the Odessa area churches. Please pray that the Pastors attending will see the transforming qualities of Journey to Freedom and that they will believe that it could be a blessing to their churches.
o Pray that the Lord will guide the greater Journey team towards the goal He intends for us.
o We are also going to Belgorod D'nestrovsky to plan a women's conference for April 2009.
· Pray for the counseling we will be doing with a couple in Odessa that has a broken marriage. He wants a divorce. Pray for our deep discernment as we meet with both of them together and separately.
· On July 27th we fly back to Kiev. We will spend a day with New Life. We are bringing a team to lead a women's leadership conference for their leaders and other women leaders from across the country in October. Please pray that we will prepare that conference in such a way that all that is done will deeply impact the leaders who will attend.
· We will be meeting with Radooga for two days. The agenda is to be theirs. Pray that that we will be able to help them in whatever issues are brought up. We will be celebrating their recent ministry victories and God's provisions.
· We will retreat with Ben and Tanya Robinson for a day concerning their ministry with Loza. Loza is a ministry that helps people discover who they are in Christ, their calling and how to walk that out in everyday life. Please pray that we will be able to assist Ben and Tanya as they discern God's leading in their personal lives and in the ministry of Loza.
· We will also be meeting with other leaders and friends. Pray that we will be salt and light to them. Please pray for Sveta Boiko who works for MDI in Kiev. She is expecting her third baby any day now and is very ready to have this little girl arrive!
· Please pray for travel mercies for the three of us, for excellent health, and for our relationship to each other.
On August 2nd, Randy heads on to Eastern Europe for two additional weeks. Please pray for him as he flies from Kiev to Budapest, Hungary to spend the day and evening with ministry partners. On Sunday he will drive to Timisoara, Romania where he will meet Rob Still, Belmont Church's Worship Pastor. They will both be teaching in a worship school Monday through Friday.

On the August 9 weekend, Randy will drive to Baja, Hungary, home of the SOZO Festival for meetings and personal time with the SOZO Board. On Wednesday, August 13, he will return to Romania to attend a couple of days of "DrumFest" an indigenous Romanian worship training event.
After that he will return to Budapest and fly back to the States on Tuesday, August 19.

Thank you for partnering with us,
Steve, Marti and Randy