August 09, 2011

August 2011

Dear Friends,

A big thank you for all who joined with us in prayer in our last newsletter as well as to those who helped financially. Of the 21 prayer requests for items for the coffee house, 8 of these have been supplied, including new front door (on the left), outside tiles for steps, 40 chairs and 10 tables (on the right), coffee cups and glasses, freezer (see picture below), office desk, 2 oil heaters, and outside sign.

Right now, we are at an impasse with the cafe, as we have no more funds to purchase materials or to pay workers. Please join us in prayer for all of the following items to be supplied and or funds to pay for them. We need $14,000 to be able to finish the work and open the cafe. Thank you very much. If anyone is in a position to help, it would be a huge blessing!

Here are the items we still need:
  • linoleum for kitchen, coffee bar and office
  • acoustic materials for walls and ceiling
  • carpet for cafe rooms
  • 27 light fixtures
  • music equipment including drums, 3 mics, guitar, bass, mixing board. speakers and amps
  • sound system for recorded music
  • projector and screen
  • stove and exhaust fan
  • microwave oven
  • refrigerator
  • plates and utensils
  • 20 gallon water heater

What has been happening


In June we had helpers from a ministry called "Serve the City" who sent 6 people to help do repairs at the cafe. They were a tremendous help for a day. Three StreetCry brethren came from Russia for a week each to help work on the cafe as well. Two of them had come to the Lord through our ministry there, and one of them had returned to the Lord because of it - so all knew and appreciated the value of the cafe and the urgency of getting it set up so we can minister more effectively here.

The local YWAM ministry has had teams from Norway and Finland visiting this summer (see picture on the right). They asked us to help, so John was able to share a class on evangelism and then we were able to take 18 of them out doing personal witnessing and prayer for young adults. We took them out in teams of 3 and they were amazed at the openness of the Estonians and how easy it is to engage them in conversation about Jesus.

Two more people were sent to a Christian rehab center in Finland. These were addicts that Sara and Natasha met on the street. You can see one of them - Maksim, in the picture on the left with Vera, already going through rehab in Betel.

John preached on Living a Supernatural Life at Tallinn Vineyard Church, sharing some of His experiences in evangelism and God's supernatural protection, leading and supply.

A company donated 2 tons of frozen fish fillet to us. We were able to pass most of it on to the city food bank, run by a dear man who we met a few months ago. The remaining fish will be distributed to rehab centers and feeding programs. The laws in Estonia regarding companies donating food to non-profit organizations are very restrictive and soviet-esque. Please join us in prayer so that good food that is being thrown away can get into the hands of the poor. We are also seeing an increase in sharing food between rehab centers, the food bank and feeding programs. It seems that more and more, when anyone has more than they can use, that they are passing the blessings on to others. This has caused quite a free flow of food between people that don't ordinarily have that much contact with each other. This is wonderful.

We received about 100kg of used children's clothes which we were able to pass on to others. Neither the food or clothing distribution are part of our regular ministry, but we want to try to be faithful with whatever He passes our way.

As everyone knows, the entire world is in a recession and we know that those who give to our ministry are effected. We want to thank you for your faithfulness in spite of the difficulties and we are also very grateful for a couple of new givers to the ministry. Giving to the ministry is down to where we have about 1/3 as much funds as previously. We desperately need $2000 additional each month in pledges for the coffee house ministry. If you could help, or if you know others who could, it would be a very significant help to us.

News from Lana Moroz in Africa


Hello Everyone!

It is winter here in Mozambique, but we feel it only during the night, when the temperature goes down to 10˚C (50 F) sometimes even lower. It is still hot during the day and can go up to 30˚C (86F) or higher.

Unfortunately, the reopening of our clinic is still in the process and for now we don’t have any information when it is going to open. Please pray for wisdom for the leaders and others who are involved in this issue. Due to the absence of our clinic, we are limited in our abilities to help people outside of our orphanage compound. We have no right to give even the simplest assistance as, for example, putting a band-aid on a cut finger, although of course we cannot stop helping the needy .

We are only two nurses here who are permanently on the territory of the center taking care of 267 kids. We are in great need of your prayers for health of children and for strength and wisdom for us.

Little Inácio feels excellent. He is growing fast and gaining strength! Next week, a Mozambiquean family that cannot have kids is planning on adopting him. God bless them!!!

Last week, an 11-year old girl here named Helena died. We took her to the city hospital 5 times, but each time she was released without any treatment. When we went there for the fifth time, we insisted that she would undergo a lumbar puncture and thereafter be left at the hospital. Next day we were called and told that tests showed she had meningococcus and that she was diagnosed with meningitis. This is what we had been telling them since the first time we took her to the hospital. Three hours later she died. We were shocked! The good news is that one day before Helena died, one missionary felt that she should pray with her. Helena loved to worship the Lord, to dance and to sing for Him. She also loved to pray. We were convinced that she experienced His presence and that she knew Him. So, when this lady prayed with her, Helena started repeating the words and declared Jesus Christ to be her Lord and Savior. Nobody could imagine that within two days she would be dancing with Jesus in Heaven.

The greatest shock was the attitude of doctors to patients, and a medical system that is worse than anywhere I have ever witnessed! People wait in 2- 3 hour lines to see a doctor and finally they are prescribed things that have nothing to do with their illness. On rare occasions they are sent to undergo medical tests. But this also requires waiting in lines for several hours. In majority, doctors don’t even examine patients, at the best they just ask questions. In general, every time we need to take a child to the hospital we run into difficulties where we have to fight and persevere on their behalf, for them to even be examined. It scares us a lot, when we think of all the other local people, because we are “white westerners“ with medical education, it’s harder for the local doctors to get away with certain things with us that they do every day with the local poor. Those who come to get a doctor’s help don’t even know what a thermometer is. Each week, and even more often, we hear that somebody died. Medical care here is on a very low level. And if somebody is in hospital, usually he is on his deathbed. They don’t have ambulances at all. When people get sick, they use public minibuses (the only transport they have). However, minibus drivers don’t like taking sick people, becuase of the fear they would die on the bus and bring a “curse“ on them. This is the capital city of Mozambique!

While I was writing this letter, we received more news. This week, the ministry of public health is coming to inspect us and they already have questioned us about few things. They demanded that we provide them with time-schedule of our staff because they are convinced we break their legal regulations. According to new laws, doctors and nurses are allowed to work only 8 hours a day. But as you understand, in the children's healthcare center, we have to look after kids 24/7.

Generally, we see that local government is jealous about our work. We are a thorn in their side. But, if God is for us, who can be against us? Please, support us in your prayers, especially now. Our leaders, directors and a lawyer need your prayers. Please pray for God’s peace in their hearts! For His wisdom how to talk with authorities. Let God open their hearts so that they could see what God is doing in our center and His love that is poured out here.

This time my letter seems to be sad, but actually we rejoice because every day we see what He is doing here and how He pours out His Holy Spirit. Recently, we prayed for one very old woman, that lives on the garbage dump where we weekly go to evangelize, and she received her eyesight back after years of blindness due to diabetes. She was blind because of diabetes but now she sees again!

Two days ago, we visited a nearby village where we met local children. They were so interested in our visiting them, we told them about Jesus, and the children wanted to receive Him as their Lord.

My last news for now is that I had an opportunity to receive a visitor from Russia for two weeks. Her name is Nastya, and we worked together as nurses in Russia. She doesn’t know the Lord yet, but I saw how God was touching her heart while she was here with me. Two times she even cried because of His touch. First time, when children were praying for her at church, and, second time, when she went to the garbage dump with me. We entered into people’s houses to pray for them, and after we prayed for the first woman, I opened my eyes and saw Nastya laying hands on the lady the same way I did, and she trying to pray for her. And after our last visit to a paralysed lady, Nastya was literally wailing. That day God healed many people and I believe He was healing her heart as well. Can you imagine – an atheist Russian doctor (that is how she calls herself) is crying while she prays for sick people on her vacation visit to a city and village in Africa. Now, when she is back to Russia, so often she asks me in her letters to pray for something or she tells me that she prayed for something. Lord, save Nastya!!!

Thank you very much for your prayers!!!

With love,

Lana Moroz (My nickname from Svetlana was previously Sveta, but Lana is easier to pronounce here)