Smile House with Windows

Last Friday (November 9) we visited Smile House to see how things were going. As we started up the narrow road that leads past a small lake we were pleasantly surprised that we no longer had to dodge deep potholes. They had all been filled in. As we emerged from the trees more surprises awaited us-several dump trucks, a paving machine and crew and steam rollers were laying asphalt just beyond the building. We had not thought this possible--and it was very nicely done. Also, the windows were just about all in. By that evening, they were probably finished.

As we looked out of the upstairs windows we realized why the road was paved. Lots are being sold for a new housing development down the street in the once quiet apple orchard. In the past few months several huge mansions have been built and the neighborhood is evolving into a haven for the wealthy. We were astounded. Having watched building crews working throughout the summer, we knew that some new homes were being built but actually seeing the finished products took our breath away. Smile House is in the middle of a high class neighborhood. How this will impact the fate of the ministry remains to be seen. All we know is that this is God's project and His plan.

We watched the movie Facing the Giants last week for the second time. In the movie a godly man tells the coach a story about two farmers who prayed for rain. The difference between the two was that one went out to his fields and prepared for the rain. He was the one who received it. I feel it's time for us to start praying and preparing for God's blessing on this project, for His leading and for His completion. Please join us in this prayer.

Breaking News: Donations to Smile Alliance

Praise God! He is so very awesome and He is smiling, rejoicing and laughing with us today. The Smile Alliance International board of directors, its supporters, and friends and our workers in Ukraine are excited that through many small and two large donations in the last few months it looks like God is giving us the okay to proceed with the Smile House Project. It was been on hold for several months because of lack of funds but we have all felt it was a matter of timing and that eventually God would give us the direction to continue with it.

We are so thankful for the generosity of all our supporters. Many of you support the work each month and I know it is a big commitment from often limited funds. Without your steady, committed support our ministry would be unable to continue. I want to thank each one of you—every penny that is invested in this work is important to us and we strive to use it wisely for God’s glory. Luke 21:1-4 tells of the widow who placed two small coins—her last—in the offering plate. Jesus commended her and her story lives on over the centuries as an inspiration to all of us. In the same way we are inspired by each of your contributions to the ministry—spiritual, emotional, financial and physical.

On Monday, June 25, I told a friend that I felt God was telling me that it was time to step out and go forward with plans. Many have fasted and prayed for this project and for some kind of confirmation as what direction to go with it. In the meantime, unbeknown to us, Mr. S and the contractor had been getting bids on windows and doors. A generous donation of $20,000 had been sent to SAI a couple months ago for the use of the ministry in Ukraine. It is being used for dental needs, some much needed items for poor children in the villages, and some basic ministry needs. Yet there is still a large part of it which can be used to put in a well and possibility some plumbing in the building.

The past few months have been very busy (see www.smilealliance.blogspot.com) so we took a much needed break from ministry for three days to visit some castles and historical ruins with a Ukrainian friend, Yuliya. I will post pictures and commentary on http://www.livinginukraine.blogspot.com/ this afternoon. Anyway, when we got home and I checked my email yesterday I found a wonderful confirmation that we are to continue to move forward. But let me go back three years before I continue with this thought.

At a Commission for Children at Risk conference in Rome, Georgia in November 2004, I met a very nice lady named Karen Jones. We spent time praying together and have kept in touch over the years. At that time, she told me of an estate which had been designated to help the orphans and poor children in Ukraine. She suggested that SAI apply for some of the funds. Through a set of unusual circumstances the people appointed to administrater the funds were unable to do so, and it went back to the drawing board. Last September, we received a call from a man, Greg S., who was helping the judge determine the distribution of funds and he asked for information on the organization. Sherry Longbine, Patty Radzykewycz, and I sent him information about SAI, Smile House and other projects. There were many months of silence and then in January we heard that SAI had been selected with two other organizations to receive funds from the Estate of Merritt Orr in the state of Texas. We had no idea how large the estate was or how much SAI would receive. It’s been interesting waiting and wondering. We all knew that whatever the amount—whether small or large—it was just what God had planned. So we waited.

Back to yesterday, the check came to P.O. Box 240 yesterday—mailed probably on Monday—about the time I felt we should step out and go forward with the project. The amount: $107,710.43. SAI received 40% of the estate. Praise God! We are so thankful that this person whom we were never able to meet had a heart for the children of Ukraine. Through his kindness many, many children will be blessed. We are all rejoicing, seeing God’s leading, knowing that He is in control. This amount will help finish the windows and hopefully the dental portion of the building. Estimates for the final finish work on the whole building are around $450,000 but volunteer labor and donated materials, it could be a lot less. This is just the amount needed at this point in time and we thank God for it.

Richard and I wanted to share this with each of you so together we can all send our thanks to a loving, heavenly Father who has dreams much bigger than any of us can imagine. This huge project is often daunting but it is His project. Our motto is Psalm 115:1 and will continue to be. May each of you be truly blessed as well and be able to see the plans He has for you.

Not to us, Oh Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory and honor because of Your love and faithfulness. Ps 115:1

Vicki and Richard

Dental Outreach to Camp Dream and Requests

We just returned from a dental outreach to the far eastern border of Ukraine, near Lugansk. I have written an account on http://www.smilealliance.blogspot.com/ . Over the next two months, Richard will be traveling to Uhzgorod on the western border of Ukraine, Zhitomer in the central part, and Ternopil in the southwest. He will join the Mercy Truck ministry dental van on these trips. Dr. Inna will also be going west on alternate dates. There is a huge need for more dentists this summer and throughout the year to help staff this. Our dentists are also working at the Operation Blessings Emmanuel Clinic when not helping with the Mercy Truck ministry. The Smile House Project is more less on hold until additional funding is found or we have confirmation that we should rethink the project. Please pray for guidance.

There are some real needs for dental materials and supplies in order to continue these outreaches. Many things can be obtained here but there are a lot of things which must be sent from the US. If you know of any dentists or others who would like to help with these projects, please contact me at vickig@smilealliance.org ASAP. Thanks so much. Vicki

The Big Picture

Ministry opportunities abound in this beautiful country. The first six months we lived here, we wondered if we would ever get settled enough to be of use to God. Yes, there were many different forms of serving that we found ourselves involved in—in minor ways. But the whole scheme of things was oddly out of kilter. Yet, as I look back, I can see God’s loving hand, slowing things down so that we could become acclimated to our new surroundings, comfortable in a different culture, and somewhat attuned to a population still seeking its identity during the early years of democracy and freedom.

Now, Richard is extremely busy with both the YWAM dental van and the CBN clinic. The van is going out on three day mission outreaches at least two times a month. At CBN our dentists are working three days on the weeks when the van is in hiatus and one day on outreach weeks. A recent trip to the village of Ivanivka near Zhitomer proved very successful with our dentists seeing 47 patients and completing close to 100 procedures during our three days there.

Last year, Richard pulled a tooth on a man who works with the sisters at Ivanivka. This year, some more teeth were treated and extracted. The sisters told us how Anatoly had been having toothaches during the past year and treating them only with pain killers. He had told them that he was praying that the nice dentist who had seen him last year would come again because he helped him without creating pain. I am very proud of the kind hearted man I am married to and his devotion to helping those in pain and need.

I accompanied our dentists on this outreach and wondered why I was even along since I didn’t feel really needed. But on Thursday night I received a call from American missionary friends who lived in Zhitomer. They hadn’t realized that I was there but they called to see if we needed any furniture, etc.. To make a long story short, the ministry they were in had finished and without future plans they were thinking about returning to America for good even though they had previously felt called to ministry here. God helped me encourage them and connect a few dots in the big picture. Suffice it to say, they will be returning to Ukraine after a much needed summer’s rest in America. They will be preparing for future ministry by taking Russian classes full time. And I now have a houseful of furniture to use until they are in need of it again.

Because our dentists are so busy and there is a dental facility at the CBN clinic that can be used more productively, we have been praying that God would bring another Ukrainian dentist to work with us. Again, it looks like God has supplied a wonderful man with a heart for Him. A young couple—the man a dentist and his wife a dental student—were mentioned to Richard by two different individuals in a short span of time. They visited the clinic last week. Richard came home very excited about the meeting. He told me that this young man had said that when he first heard the plans for a clinic, he felt it was totally impossible. Standing in the clinic, he was amazed at how God had done the impossible. Richard told him that he should pray and ask God to show him whether he should be involved in the ministry. And his answer was that he felt God already had. By viewing the impossible made possible, he knew where God was leading him. We are now looking for donors who will be willing to provided monthly support so that this young dentist will be able to join Dr. Inna and Dr. Richard.

God is so very good. I keep seeing a great big dot to dot picture in my mind. It is a BIG picture and for now, I can only see just a little part of the finished image. With each new contact and day, God is allowing another dot or two to be connected. Some of the parts that are taking shape are being filled in with colors and details but there are still many, many parts that are indistinguishable. It will be in eternity that the whole picture will finally be viewed in its entirety. How fun the day will be when together with my loving, heavenly Father, I will be able to gaze with amazement at the finished piece of art.

The Nelson's--A year in Ukraine

We have been living in Ukraine for a year now. Time continues to fly by. No more excuses for not updating this blog. Briefly, here is what God has wrought in our world during the past twelve months.

Our first six months, we lived in a three room, 7th floor apartment on the left bank of Kyiv. After twenty-eight years of country living, city living was exciting and challenging. Then in October, God graciously provided a house for us in a small village 60 kilometers from Kyiv. We are getting used to the drive (yes, God also provided a van) and enjoy a quiet, peaceful life away from the rat race in the city.

God also brought a wonderful, young Christian dentist into our lives and supplied money for her support. Jeff Colker who is with YWAM (Youth With a Mission) was impressed to take over Mercy Trucks Internation's dental ministry here. http://www.mercytrucksua.org/

He is a fantastic organizer and the dental van is now being used on a regular basis at a couple of orphanages and on other outreaches. Just last week, the CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) Emmanuel Ministry's clinic finally received all the government permissions to open our dental clinic. Dr. Inna and Dr. Richard have seen patients for two days now. All dental work is being provided free of charge. The focus is on orphans and other poor, under served children. Our dentists have also treated patients from two different drug rehab programs as well as many poor people in villages. We are hoping to find support for another dentist in the near future.

I spent several days this week going through the 16 boxes that arrived through MEEST. This house has been an amazing blessing as a place to sort and store the humanitarian aid we receive from America and Canada . Several churches and individuals, Smile Alliance International, and others have sent many boxes for the children and widows as well as for us personally. Some dear friends are moving back to the US and they have been donating huge amounts of food, crafts, dishes, things for Smile House and items for distribution to orphanages. So my role of late is to determine what has been donated and with God’s help find the best place for each item. The picture on the right shows a pastor who is recently took these boxes of clothing and shoes to an orphanage with 300 kids in the Zhitomer region. I really love this work. It’s so fun to be able to bless other ministries, orphanages, widows and those in need with the great items which so many of you have lovingly sent. Thank you for your help and support.

Several times I have had the privilege of introducing people from different ministries and they in turn have been able to work together to provide assistance to those in need. I feel it is such a God thing when this happens. Recenty Gateway to Life in Zhitomer arranged for two wheelchairs through Joni and Friends Wheels for the World ministry. The chairs were custom made and delivered to needy individuals whom our friends at YWAM had been desperately trying to help. It is such a joy to be a small part of this and to watch God at work.

Richard and I are working hard to learn Russian but it is very difficult. This morning I put on my skates to get some exercise. Kids in the village often say hello to us but the adults have been more reticent. Yet when I skate I get smiles and waves. A whole family came out to meet me the other morning and I felt like we are finally being accepted here.

Dr. Ed and Pauline Stuedli stayed with us in March and conferred with the chief dentist in Ukraine, Mr. Suzdaltsev and Dr. Borisenko who have received governmental permission to start the first dental hygiene program here. They have permission to start it as early as this September. We appreciated all the information and help this wonderful couple provided and we enjoyed their visit immensely.

The Smile House Project is progressing slowly. The builders are doing a fantastic job. A new roof and addition to the front of the building have been added. Interior walls for the top floor rooms have been built. A recent generous donation is making it possible for the project to continue for the time being. We ask your prayers for wisdom as to how to proceed with this, for us to be aware of God’s will in this matter and for additional funding. It is a huge project and we really believe that God has a plan for this building. We do want to run ahead not go to slow, just let Him lead.

This summer’s plans include helping at some summer camps, several long trips with the dental van, and many outreaches. If any of you would like to join us, we’d love to help you make plans and arrangements. We have room in our home for several people and in time hope to have a team or two come and help us complete the upstairs so teams or individuals can stay here.

This year has been a time for learning to depend on God in many ways. It has been a time of growth and joy. We miss our family and friends in the US but were able to make two trips back. The time spent with our five grand kids, their parents, our siblings, and my mom was very special to us. My internet chats with many of you have kept me sane. And your emails, packages and support are so very much appreciated. We have made many new friends, too. Without the help of our many Ukrainian friends we would not have made it through this year. There has been so much support from the American Christian community here as well. We are going to a couple of study groups each week and enjoy the fellowship immensely. We are so pleased that the ministries here work so well together. God is in the center of all this work and we are very blessed.

The political situation is a mess. Your prayers are desperately needed for this country and its people. The freedoms that they are just beginning to enjoy could so easily be snatched away. It makes us appreciate the freedoms we have lived with all our lives.

May God continue to bless you, may you have the chance to follow your dreams and heart’s desires, and may you find joy in our amazing God.

Vicki and Richard