God is so very good!

It has been almost seven months since Lena left to bring her mother Nina to Canada for a six-month visit. There were of course many highlights to Nina's visit, but there was no time more memorable than her past eight weeks. When Nina was admitted to hospital on March 16, we couldn't have imagined what would come next. After Nina's life-saving emergency triple by-pass we quickly recognized God's hand in leading Nina here, in having her extend her stay (she had been scheduled to return in early March) and in surrounding her with a community of His people.

God provided for Nina's needs in miraculous ways. Through the incredible donation of the surgeons (providing all their services at no charge), through the generous reduction in fees from the hospital and through the overflowing kindness of friends, family & strangers (correction: brothers & sisters in Christ whom we simply have yet to meet!).

We are thrilled to share with you that we have received over 99% of the needed funds for Nina!!! Here are the actual figures:

Total Expenses:    $14,582.44
Gifts Received:    $14,480.00

Nina's expenses grew somewhat from the time of her surgery due to follow-up examinations and tests. While we do not anticipate many more expenses in her remaining two weeks, there may be a few minor ones. Regardless, we want everyone to know that Nina's expenses have now been covered and that any additional monetary gifts received will be used for Nina's future care.

On Monday, June 2 at 12:20 in the afternoon, Nina will depart from Winnipeg and head for her home in St. Petersburg, Russia. Lena will accompany her and then return the following Monday. Before that, I will leave on a nine-day trip to Missouri for the A.C.E. International Student Convention. Our family would covet your prayers for the next 12 days as we prepare for our journeys, travel and cope with each other's absences.

We have one final related note to share with you. It was just over five years ago that we put out the call for people to invest in an apartment for Nina. Many of you will recall that Nina had been living by herself in Omsk while we, her only family, resided in distant St. Petersburg. As a family we did not have sufficient funds to obtain a home for Nina, so we asked for people to help. More than two dozen families & individuals answered the call and provided enough money for us to bring Nina to St. Petersburg. Now, five years later, their investment grown substantially. We are happy to report that Nina's apartment is worth approximately 2.5 times the 2003 purchase price! We will be contacting our "investors" very shortly to share specific details about the apartment investment.

For all that God has done for Nina (and her family) through you, His wonderfully kind people, we offer our heartfelt thanks!

Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya, Deena & Nina

Greetings!

This is a short update to inform you about the following:

• To date just over 5000 CAD has been received to help cover Nina's medical and related expenses—Praise the Lord! This means that only $9300 more is needed!
• Benefit Concert for Nina: Saturday, May 10 from 7-9 p.m. at the Portage Evangelical Church, 72 - 3rd St. NE in Portage la Prairie (click here for driving directions from Winnipeg). Friends have organized a concert featuring Alfred MacLaren, winner of the Country Gospel Music Association's Male New Artist of the Year award for 2008, with a special performance by the Allard Family. Children's entertainment for ages 10 and under will be provided by Eugene, Comedy Illusionist. A free-will offering will be taken with all proceeds going to help with Nina's medical expenses.

We are very grateful to all who have contributed over the past weeks. Nina is overwhelmed by your generosity and love shown to her. We would love to see you this coming Saturday if you are able to attend, but of course we understand that many of you may not be able to do so. Regardless, we thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to keep Nina in mind as she visits the hospital on Wednesday for x-rays (she still has some major discomfort in her left lung).

Grace & peace,

Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya, Deena & Nina

[click here for a four-page, full-colour print version in PDF]

Note: Those of you who receive Hamm Prayer Points will find that much of the following information is an updated summary of what you have received recently. However, we ask you especially read the "Question & Answers" section.

Nina's Visit To Canada Canadian Hospitals!

Greetings and Happy (Orthodox) Easter! For those of you who don't receive Hamm Prayer Points, we have some significant news to share...

The really brief version:

Just over four months into her Canadian visit, Lena's mother Nina was taken to emergency at our local hospital on March 16. She had been experiencing chest pains and fatigue. Thirty-six hours later she was taken by ambulance to St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg for further tests. On March 19 surgeons performed an emergency triple-bypass on Nina. One week later she was discharged and has since been resting in our home in Portage.

The long version:

Sunday, March 16: After two days of increasing pain and discomfort, Nina asked us to take her to the emergency ward at Portage District General Hospital here in Portage la Prairie. After numerous tests and time spent under observation, an angiogram was scheduled for Nina in Winnipeg.

Tuesday, March 18: After waking up feeling quite ill, Lena received a call from the hospital that Nina was set to depart for Winnipeg by ambulance at 9 a.m. Lena quickly prepared for the trip and accompanied Nina to St. Boniface General Hospital. After waiting until the afternoon for the angiogram, the test was administered and revealed that Nina's heart was in desperate shape.

Wednesday, March 19: By noon, doctors at St. Boniface had met and decided that an emergency bypass operation was the only recourse for Nina. Her heart could not survive any further delay. Surgery was scheduled for the evening. I joined Lena in Winnipeg after taking Maya & Deena to my parent's home. We arrived at the hospital at 10 p.m., but the surgery went later than expected. Shortly after eleven one of the nurses met with us to assure us that the triple-bypass operation was going well. Just before midnight the surgeon arrived and gave us the complete details. The surgery was a success and Lena saw her mom just after one a.m. We returned to my uncle & aunt's home by 1:30 for some much-needed rest.

Thursday, March 20: Lena had to return to the hospital before 9 a.m. so that the nurses could communicate with Nina. We spent much of the day at the hospital, but in the evening we were thrilled to discover that a Russian-speaking nurse would be taking care of Nina for the next 12 hours. Lena & I enjoyed our first restful night in a long while!

Good Friday: Lena seemed to be getting sicker instead of better, so after checking in with Nina, Lena spent the rest of the morning waiting in the emergency room, trying to see a doctor. By lunch time Lena had been given some medical attention and was headed for an afternoon rest (once again a Russian-speaking nurse was caring for Nina). After the rest, my Dad & Mom brought Maya & Deena to visit. Lena hadn't seen the girls in three days, so it was a happy reunion.

Easter Sunday: Lena & I were able to attend the early service at Fort Garry M.B. Church before being summoned to the hospital so that Lena could interpret for the physiotherapist. Lena had to spend the afternoon & evening with Nina, but was able to come downstairs for a short while when our girls (this time including Sonia) came for a visit and supper.

Tuesday, March 23: Shortly after 9 a.m. Lena & I met with the hospital administration to find out what Nina's bill would be. As an out-of-country patient, Nina was expected to pay a substantial fee for her week at St. Boniface, plus whatever the doctor & anaesthesiologist would charge. After asking if there was any way for the amount to be reduced, we were asked to detail our & Nina's situation. After we explained, the gentleman in charge looked thoughtful and said that it may be possible to reduce the amount by 40-odd percent, providing we could put the details of our situation into a letter for the hospital. We happily assured him that we would, and thanked God for apparently providing a way to reduce the huge bill. As we waited for Nina's surgeon to meet with us before the release, we wondered what the rest of the bills might be like. After the doctor had given his okay for Nina to go home and had answered all of her questions, Lena asked him if he would be willing to see Nina once more before she left for Russia. The surgeon asked Lena to follow him to the consultation room, closed the door and told her, "I understand that your mother has no medical insurance and that you will have to pay for all of her expenses." Lena nodded. He continued, "I talked with [the anaesthesiologist], and we decided that we would not charge you anything." Lena was speechless! Finally she thanked him and told him that this was an answer to the prayers of many friends and family. It truly is! Shortly after that Nina was on her way to Portage la Prairie. We have so much to thank God for!

Tuesday, April 15: During her time of rest & recovery at our home in Portage la Prairie, Nina began to experience increasing pain in her lungs, resulting in coughing fits and shortness of breath. A low-grade fever was also troubling her. On this day Nina was blessed by the visit of her Russian nurse from St. Boniface. Svetlana (who hails from St. Petersburg) called Nina several times over the past weeks. Today Svetlana drove from Winnipeg to Portage la Prairie to give Nina an unofficial "check-up". After listening to Nina's lungs, Svetlana urged us to take Nina for an x-ray as soon as possible.

Wednesday, April 16: This morning we consulted with a number of knowledgeable people and decided that it would be wisest to take Nina directly to Emergency at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. So here we are at St. Boniface again, four weeks to the day since Nina had her operation! After spending nine and a half hours in the Emergency room, Lena & Nina finally left with some good and not-so-good news. It turned out that Nina's nurse was correct—fluid was building up in her left lung, causing it to collapse. The doctor on duty prescribed medicine that should alleviate Nina's condition within two weeks (it's a pity that the doctor in Portage who examined her last week didn't notice it then). Thankfully, Nina's blood work & AKG revealed that she is otherwise fine.

Your Questions, Our Answers:

Q. Would Nina have been better off getting this surgery done in Russia?
A. Russian hospitals would not have performed a heart bypass on Nina. Because she is a pensioner, she would have been hospitalized and kept comfortable, and that's all. Without 100% of the money for the surgery, it is likely that Nina would have perished in St. Petersburg.

Q. Didn't Nina have insurance?
A. There was no insurance available to Nina that would have covered these expenses. As Nina had a pre-existing heart condition (she had been hospitalized several time before in Russia), having an insurance company cover Nina's heart bypass expense would have been highly unlikely.

Q. What are Nina's total medical costs?
A. While we are still waiting for some of the bills to come, the rough total for Nina's medical expenses is just under 12,000 CAD. In addition to that, there have been just over 2400 CAD spent on airline tickets (changing Nina's ticket & obtaining an accompanying ticket for Lena), visa change application, lost income and other miscellaneous expenses. This is a far cry from what the totals could have been! Thanks to the kindness of Drs. Warrian & Peters, and the mercy shown by St. Boniface General Hospital, the money owed by Nina is far less than it originally seemed. We praise God for His blessings! Of course, $14,000 is still a lot of money for anyone, especially for a foreigner whose pension is barely $125/month.

Q. Since Kevin is now a Vice-Principal and no longer a missionary, can't you afford most of the expense?
A. Believe it or not, we were better off financially as missionaries! While I love my job at Lighthouse Christian School, it is a small school that receives no government funding. They cannot afford to pay me more than what a teacher's aide earns in a public school. No complaint, just simple fact. Please understand that Lena & I are not asking for your financial support. We both are paid by the ministries for which we work. However, Nina cannot survive without outside financial help, and we are limited in the assistance that we can provide.

Q. What about Nina's plane ticket & visa? When will she return to Russia?
A. Nina arrived in Canada on November 5, 2007. She is permitted to remain until May 5, 2008. Because Nina's surgeon instructed her not to travel so soon, we have requested a one-month extension to her visa. We have now changed Nina's return ticket to June 2^nd (she can't travel much later than that, as "high season" starts before mid-June). We still await a decision from Citizenship & Immigration as to Nina's status.

Blessings

• My Dad & Mom—they took care of Maya & Deena during our time in Winnipeg and also brought the girls to visit us on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
• My Uncle Hank & Aunt Lynn—they provided a home for Lena & I during the time Nina was in St. Boniface.
• Pastor Ramsy—he visited several times with us at the hospital and prayed with Nina.
• The nurses & staff at St. Boniface who cared for Nina.
• The doctors, nurses & staff at the Portage hospital who cared for Nina.
• The surgeon & anaesthesiologist who donated 100% of their effort to giving Nina new life.
• The willingness of the administration at St. Boniface to reduce the amount owing for Nina's care.
• All who prayed, visited, sent cards and helped in tangible ways!

Petitions

• That Nina's body will continue to heal as it should.
• That Nina will be granted an extension for her Canadian visa.
• That God will continue to provide for Nina's financial & material needs.

How You Can Help

Many of you have asked how you can help, and many have helped already! Several families provided meals during our first week back home, many visited & brought cards & flowers, and a number of people have given money to help cover expenses. Nina's most immediate need is money to cover the medical bills. As of this writing, another $11,400 is required. Some have asked about receiving a donation receipt for monetary gifts, but that is impossible for us to provide since we are private citizens. We are deeply grateful to all who offered or provided assistance to date. Please continue to pray for God's provision to meet this financial need, whether through the giving of God's people or through other means. As well, we covet your prayers for Nina's continued health improvement in both body & spirit!

In Other News...

Sonia completed her first year in the Fine Arts program at Brandon University. Her professors were very pleased with her work, and she is looking forward to returning to study in September. Sonia has moved home with us, and hopes to find a job in Portage la Prairie so that she can earn money for the next school year.

Lena completed her translation of The Lion Graphic Bible for Canadian LifeLight Ministries. She now has new translation work, this time for the Far East Broadcasting Corporation. Lena is translating radio scripts for broadcast in Russia. Lena quit her job at Reflections Café in Portage la Prairie in order that she may be able to devote more time to translation work.

Thank you for standing with us,
Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya, Deena & Nina

Just in case you do not have our current contact information:

Mail:        123 2^nd Street NE, Portage la Prairie MB, R1N 1R9
Kevin's cell:    1.204.872.3802
Lena's cell:    1.204.872.0325

April 16, 2008: Greetings, Friends! Thank you for your prayers over the past while. Three weeks to the day Nina left the hospital, she's back…

Here's the latest news:

• Nina has been resting & recovering at our home in Portage la Prairie for the past three weeks.
• For the past week Nina had experienced increasing pain in her lungs, resulting in coughing fits and shortness of breath. She also had a low-grade fever during this time.
• Yesterday (April 15) Nina was blessed by the visit of her Russian nurse from St. Boniface hospital. Svetlana (who hails from St. Petersburg!) called Nina several times over the past weeks. Svetlana drove from Winnipeg to Portage la Prairie to give Nina an unofficial "check-up". After listening to Nina's lungs, Svetlana urged us to take Nina for an x-ray as soon as possible.
• This morning (April 16) we consulted with a number of knowledgeable people and decided that it would be wisest to take Nina directly to Emergency at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, where she had the bypass operation on March 19th.

So here we are at St. Boniface again! We will update you on the situation as soon as we are able. Later...after spending nine and a half hours in the Emergency room, Lena & Nina finally left with some good and not-so-good news. It turned out that Nina's nurse was correct—fluid was building up in her left lung, causing it to collapse. The doctor on duty prescribed medicine that should alleviate Nina's condition within two weeks (it's a pity that the doctor in Portage who examined her last week didn't notice it then). Thankfully, Nina's blood work & AKG revealed that she is otherwise fine.

We have some news to share about Nina's financial situation as well. So far (and the bills will continue to grow after today) Nina's & our combined expenses are just over $14,000. This is a far cry from what it could have been! Thanks to the kindness of Drs. Warrian & Peters, and the mercy shown by St. Boniface General Hospital, the money owed by Nina is far less than it could have been. We praise God for His blessings! Of course, $14,000 is still a lot of money for anyone, especially for a foreigner whose pension is barely $125/month.

Many of you have asked how you can help, and many have helped already! Several families provided meals during our first week back home, many visited & brought cards & flowers, and a number of people have given money to cover expenses. Nina's most immediate need is money to cover the medical bills. As of this writing, another $13,500 is required. Some have asked about receiving a donation receipt for monetary gifts, but that is impossible for us to provide since we are private citizens. We are deeply grateful to all who offered or provided assistance to date. Please continue to pray for God's provision to meet this financial need, whether through the giving of God's people or through other means. As well, we covet your prayers for Nina's continued health improvement in both body & spirit!

Thank you for standing with us,

Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya, Deena & Nina

Just in case you do not have our current contact information:

Mail:        123 2^nd Street NE, Portage la Prairie MB, R1N 1R9
Kevin's cell:    1.204.872.3802
Lena's cell:    1.204.872.0325

This is a test of the new Windows Live Writer (WLW). When I downloaded this program, I had hopes of it being not only a blog-posting tool, but also a bit of a useful word processor. But it appears that thinking Microsoft would provide anything that would take away from that ultimate cash cow, MS Word, was naive! Besides, isn't the less-than-useless WordPad still shipping in yet another version of Windows?

At any rate, WLW seems to be a pretty nice blogging tool. It handles drafts nicely, and seems to connect with non-MS blogs (very thoughtful!) and have a bevy of easy-to-use tools. Good work, Microsoft!

HAMM'S HEADINGS — July 2007

Oh, Canada!

It's been a while since the last 'Headings! Here's a summary for those who've missed news of the past six months:

• Our family underwent a colossal struggle to prepare to leave our home of seven years. We had to part with most of our material possessions (we had to get everything down to ten suitcases) and say goodbye to Nina, our ministry co-workers and our friends. Less than a month before our flight, Maya came down with chicken pox. Deena was next, followed by Sonia (on her 18th birthday, no less!). Thankfully we were all better when the time came to travel.
• Sonia's first priority upon arrival was registration at Brandon University. She was accepted into the faculty of Fine Arts (four-year program), and was also provided with a home with friends in time for September classes. Sonia then got to work: she taught three jewellery classes at Michael's in Brandon, and was offered a full-time job at Portage MCC Thrift Store. She is enjoying her work, and is trying to save lots of kopecks pennies for university.
• Maya arrived in time to participate in and graduate from the "ABC" program at Lighthouse Christian School in Southport (south of Portage la Prairie). She thoroughly enjoyed her two months of classes there, and is looking forward to being in school full-time in September when her Auntie Kim will be the Junior Learning Centre Supervisor! Another major happening in Maya's life was receiving eyeglasses for the first time. She will need to wear them in an attempt to correct an astigmatism in her right eye.
• Deena is adjusting well to life in Canada (especially the first-time experience of running outside barefoot!), but has also been the recipient of something new: a puffer. Because Deena has some problems breathing normally, the doctor put her on a trial puffer to see if it will help (he suspects allergies are the cause of her woes).
• Lena continues to work at the Graphic Bible translation project. Unfortunately, she hasn't had a lot of quiet time to work on it (it's hard to find a quiet place in a mobile home!). Otherwise Lena has been busy caring for the girls, volunteering at Portage MCC, cutting hair and continuing with the acclimatization process!
• Kevin has a new job! Starting September 1st I will be the Vice-Principal/Senior Learning Centre Supervisor at Lighthouse Christian School. This is an administrative position, not a teaching one, but it will afford me the opportunity to continue to train young Christian leaders. I am looking forward to this new ministry opportunity!
• Our new home is almost ready! Through an incredible series of blessings we were able to purchase a house in Portage la Prairie. While not new (it was built in 1906), it will be a wonderful home for our family, with a complete suite ready for Nina's anticipated visit. We take possession on August 12th, and would be very grateful for help in moving! Meanwhile, our apartment should be officially sold by the time you receive this, Praise the Lord!

Summer/Fall Ministry & Family Events

July

August

September

TBA

Church presentations in Newton, Selkirk & Winnipeg. See www.krhamm.com/calendar for up-to-date info.

Transitioning...

It is hard to describe what it is like for a family to make the move from the only home they've known to a such a completely different country as Canada is from Russia. Certainly the fact that we have only existed as a family in Russia means that this move will be less than straightforward. While friends and family around us are cruising along at top speed, we keep sputtering to a stop trying to figure out how to shop for groceries, pay bills, get medical care, schedule time and more. It is so hard to explain how this change is affecting our family, but it certainly does!

We appreciate it so very much when friends ask us if we need help, supplies or furnishings. We often don't know what exactly we need, but certainly do have needs! A huge thank you to all who have checked in on us to see how we're doing. It is easy for us to feel lost here! Time spent in fellowship with family & friends has been especially meaningful. Thank you for every effort you've made to help us make the transition. Following are a few more details about the changes in our lives:

• Our temporary home has been a mobile home located just south of Portage, within easy walking distance of my parents' home. Since last autumn, when it first looked like we may be coming soon, my parents have been storing our ever-increasing stockpile of food, furnishings and clothing. Since we wouldn't be able to bring much, Mom & Dad and many relatives & friends began collecting essentials for us months in advance of our coming. Once it was clear when we were coming my parents turned the "warehouse" into a home. When we arrived in the wee hours of the morning after a long day of flying it was such a blessing to be able to walk into a ready-made home! Thank you to all who helped and gave!!!
• The Portage MCC Thrift Store has been an amazing source of supplies for us for many years. The staff & volunteers there have blessed us with assistance and donated goods, and we have been able to find much of the clothing we've needed for our family. We happily joined the ranks of volunteers when we arrived, and we love to help out in whatever way we are able. Of course, being volunteers means being able to get first dibs on new "treasures"! :-)
• Work on the Lion Graphic Bible has given Lena the opportunity to keep her translation skills honed. The project is a casual translation of the Bible in "comic book" format for youth. Lena hopes to continue with translation work once this project is completed. Please contact us if you learn of any work opportunities for her!
• Lighthouse Christian School is the successor to the Christian school I attended near Portage. The school is located in Southport, a short drive from Portage. The opportunity to work there is a tremendous blessing. After facing months of uncertain answers to "what's next?" it's great to know that I will have a place in the ministry of Christian education. Since the school uses the A.C.E. program, I do not have to be an accredited teacher, as the curriculum itself is the teacher. As Vice-Principal I will take leadership in the Principal's absence and conduct chapels and Bible studies. And as the Senior Learning Centre Supervisor I will supervise the older students and assist them as needed in their planning and assignments. To top it off, across the room from me will be my sister Kim Otsuji, working as the new Junior Learning Centre Supervisor!

Blessings

• Lena & Sonia's meeting with Canadian Immigration officials went extremely well. We were somewhat disappointed that the process wasn't more painful—we put a lot of effort into preparing for the interviews!
• Our home church, Community Fellowship in Newton, hosted a food shower for us upon our arrival, providing us with needed food and household supplies. What a great blessing!
• Lena was offered a part-time job at Reflections Cafe in Portage, part of Heritage Book & Gift Shoppe. She is excited to have the opportunity to be out and serve and meet new people.
• Selling our apartment in St. Petersburg took a bit longer than we thought it would, but in the end it was well worth it! There are still a few minor details to be worked out, but Lord willing, by the middle of August the funds from the sale should make their way here. What an answer to prayer!
• We had a wonderful trip to Alberta & BC by train (we set foot on Sask. soil for about 10 minutes). Okay, so the train wasn't a complete blessing, but at least the girls had room to run around and play and I didn't have to drive! We had some great visits with friends and relatives along the way, and a wonderful visit with MBMSI staff. A huge thank you to the MBMSI staff, especially Paul Dyck & Teresa Born, for making our debrief such a joy!
• We are so very thankful for all the help my Mom & Dad have been to us over the years, especially as they prepared for our arrival. Over the past fifteen years they have been my/our "home office", keeping in close contact with our supporters and making sure all the t's got crossed and i's got dotted. Praise God for their faithfulness!!!

Petitions

• Please pray for the staff of the CCI/Russia office in St. Petersburg as they carry on the ministry of leading the Christian camping ministry in the former Soviet Union.
• Pray that the papers and money transfer from the apartment sale will be completed without problem.
• It is our prayer that Lena will be able to travel to St. Petersburg in autumn to help Nina obtain a Canadian tourist visa. We would love to be able to bring Nina to stay with us over Christmas! Please pray that we will be able to afford the travel & visa costs.

CCI/Russia Ministry Update

Staff Training Workshops... CCIR's annual training workshops were held in four former Soviet states this past spring. Seven STWs were held in Belarus, Latvia, Russia and Uzbekistan. Praise God for hundreds of newly-trained leaders!

Keep informed about the Christian camping ministry in Russia and the former Soviet Union by visiting www.ccirussia.org/en.

3 Ways You Can Continue to Make a Difference

As we wrap up our formal ministry with MBMSI & CCI/Russia we would like to offer you ways to continue your life-impacting support:

You can help MBMSI... Though we will no longer be formally serving with MBMSI, we hope to assist in various ways, as we are able. Meanwhile, MBMSI continues in the ministry of holistic church planting that transforms communities among the least reached. There are many ways you can be involved: pray, go or give! For more information please visit www.mbmsi.org.

You can help CCI/Russia... As time permits, Lena & I will volunteer our services to assist the work of Christian camping in the former Soviet Union. If God provides the needed finances, we would love to be able to return to Russia to assist with future leadership training. In the meantime, CCI/Russia would benefit greatly from your prayers. There are also needs for materials and finances. For more information visit www.ccirussia.org/en or contact us directly. We would be happy to show you ways to impact the lives of children & youth in Russia & beyond.

You can help us... As we prepare to settle in Canada, we will continue to face challenges in our transition. Lena & Sonia especially will need your prayers as new immigrants adjusting to life in Canada. Please don't forget us! :-) We dearly appreciate your prayers! Since we are setting up a home in Canada for the first time, there are many things we need. Perhaps you can assist us in meeting our material needs. As mentioned above, Lena & I are interested in future service with MBMSI & CCI/Russia. If you would like to see us continue in this ministry, please let us know. If enabled, we would love to continue to serve in this and other ways. For more ways to help us, please visit www.krhamm.com/support.

Is This The End???

Hamm's Headings will continue to be published for the foreseeable future. We would like to update you on our autumn presentation schedule before summer is out. And we would of course like to keep you informed about our family & ministry happenings in the future! If you wish to remain on our mailing list, please do! If not, no problem.

flickr= Photos

View thousands of photos of our family, ministry and travel at www.flickr.com/photos/krhamm and at www.flickr.com/photos/sonique

More Questions (& Answers)

Here are some more frequently asked questions (with answers) we're facing as we prepare to wrap up our service with MBMSI and CCI/Russia:

Are you in Canada "for good"?

In order for Lena & Sonia to become fully (or at least more permanently) Canadian, they need to reside in Canada for at least two out of the next five years. With Sonia entering a four-year university course and with our little ones starting school (Maya already & Deena soon enough), it's not likely that we'll want to move anywhere else soon. We would love to return to Russia someday (and Lord-willing will), but for the foreseeable future we plan to make Canada our home.

Does this mean you're leaving the ministry?

Yes and no. Our term with MBMSI will end on August 31, 2007 by mutual agreement. As for CCI/Russia, I hope to be able to continue helping CCI with website work, technical editing and by providing consultation; all on personal time. We also hope to be able to return to Russia to do training in the future, if the Lord allows and the finances are in place.

Are you still in need of financial support?

Yes! The past year has been a very lean one for us financially. In August 2006 we took a 25% pay cut in order to pay off our deficit with MBMSI, but we currently receive only 75% of our needed monthly donations. As we come to the close of our service with MBMSI, the need to pay our bills (such as our flight to Canada) remains. We would be very grateful if your financial support would continue until the end of August. (Please remember to quote our project code on all donations sent to MBMSI: C0327)

Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement & support. We look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months!
– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

Our new contact info:

Mailing address (as of August 12):

Telephone:

Hamm's Headings...

• A newsletter from Kevin & Lena Hamm, missionaries with MBMS International, serving with CCI/Russia (St. Petersburg).
• Hamm’s Headings is written by Kevin Hamm except where noted. The material contained herein is personal, and is not necessarily reflective of MBMSI or CCI/Russia.
• The print version of this newsletter was created using Scribus, a free desktop publishing program available at www.scribus.net.
• We welcome your comments and questions.

Web sites:

• This newsletter is online at www.krhamm.com/current.
• View current and past issues at http://hammsheadings.blogspot.com.
• Subscription preferences can be changed and online issues viewed at http://hh.injesus.com.
• Vital links: the CCI/Russia site at www.ccirussia.org/en and the MBMSI site at www.mbmission.org

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 20|06|07

MAJOR NEWS!

Sorry for the long period of silence! We have lots of updates to share, so here goes:

• Sonia's move to Brandon was very brief. Initially it looked liked Sonia would be given full-time work at Michael's, but it turned out to be only her jewellery classes (once a week) plus a few additional hours. Thankfully Sonia was offered a full-time job at Portage MCC Thrift Store, so she happily accepted and moved back to Portage. Sonia is working at MCC every Tuesday through Saturday, and has been busing to and from Brandon to teach Monday classes at Michael's. So far the arrangement has worked well, with Sonia enjoying her work at MCC (and the treasure discovery that goes with it!). Sonia hopes to continue part-time with Michael's during the upcoming school year.
• Maya recently graduated from the "ABC" program (sort of like kindergarten) at Lighthouse Christian School in Southport (south of Portage la Prairie). She thoroughly enjoyed her two months of classes there, and is looking forward to being in school full-time in September when her Auntie Kim will be the Junior Learning Centre Supervisor! Another major happening in Maya's life was receiving eyeglasses for the first time. She will need to wear them in an attempt to correct an astigmatism in her right eye.
• Deena has also been the recipient of something new: a puffer. Because Deena continues to have problems breathing normally, the doctor put her on a trial puffer to see if it will help (he suspects allergies are the cause of her woes). On the odd time that she has managed to inhale the mist she seems to breathe better, but getting her to inhale at the right time has proven a challenge!
• Lena continues to work at the Graphic Bible translation project. Unfortunately she hasn't had a lot of quiet time to work on it (it's hard to find a quiet place in a mobile home!). Otherwise Lena has been busy caring for the girls, volunteering at Portage MCC and continuing with the acclimatization process!
• Kevin has a new job! Starting September 1st I will begin as the Vice-Principal/Senior Learning Centre Supervisor at Lighthouse Christian School. It took a lot of prayer (and overcoming some initial shock) to come to the point of accepting the job. I am looking forward to this new ministry opportunity!

More news:

• July road trip: From July 9 to 13 Lena & I will be meeting in Abbotsford, British Columbia to wrap up our current ministry with MBMSI. We plan to depart on or around July 4 and drive to Abbotsford on the Trans-Canada, with stops along the way in yet-to-be-determined southern locales (travel accommodation recommendations welcome!). We will head back east sometime around the 16th with possible stops along the Yellowhead in Edmonton and Saskatoon.
• Our new home: It has been mostly decided: Lord willing we will purchase a house in Portage la Prairie, hopefully very soon. We are seriously looking a property this coming weekend, and hope to be able to make the owner an offer then. Please pray with us as we prepare to take this major step.

So what have we been doing for the past two months, you ask? Besides the very needed time of adjustment and rest, we have been busy visiting government offices, filling out forms and getting doctor, dentist and optometrist visits out of the way. Our family put a lot of hours in volunteering at Portage MCC during this time and we have also spent time meeting with supporters and preparing for what comes next. One major "next" will be reporting to our supporting churches. Most of these visits will likely take place in autumn.

As we indicated in our previous newsletter (a month ago!), we were seriously considering a transition to a salaried job, rather than a support-based one. While we have been blessed beyond words by all the support and encouragement we have received over the years, we feel confident that now is the time to move on to a different type of ministry. We'll have more details about the changes ahead in the next Hamm's Headings, due out shortly!

Thank you for your continued prayers, and please feel free to contact us about any questions you may have!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

HEADING WEST

We are in need of the following for our trip west in July:

• Places to stay along the way (actual offers and helpful suggestions). We plan to take the Trans-Canada (highway #1) to Calgary, then a yet-to-be-determined route to Abbotsford, and finally return to Portage la Prairie via the Yellowhead.
• Names (& addresses!) of people to visit! We would love to see as many of our supporters, friends and family as possible during our trip. Some visits may be short, but we'd be happy to meet anytime and anywhere!
• Things to see and do! Got any great suggestions for family fun in western Canada? We're all ears! Since this will be Maya & Deena's first trip west, we want to make it as memorable as possible.

BLESSINGS

We thank God that Sonia is gainfully employed in such a great place! The Portage MCC Thrift Store has been a tremendous blessing to us over the years, and we are pleased that Sonia has the opportunity to serve there this summer.

We are also thankful that I was able to find a new ministry opportunity, especially one that will allow me to spend lots of time with family.

PETITIONS

As we prepare for our western Canadian "tour" we ask for your prayers. Please pray that we will be able to prepare everything before we have to depart and that we find a home before we leave.

Please continue to pray for a buyer for our home. We are not desperate, but selling it sooner rather than later would ease matters for us significantly.

Please remember Nina in your prayers. Lena's mom is doing well, but has understandably been experiencing some loneliness. Pray that she will be able to enjoy the "white nights" (these extremely long days are truly the best time to be in St. Petersburg) and continue to be in good health.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that we are still in need of donations? Even with our end date set with MBMSI, we still need to pay our ministry bills. With almost a year of living on 75% salary we have not been able to pay for all the immigration and moving bills. We continue to rely on your assistance: those of you who support us monthly will find that your automatic withdrawals will cease in August, but to those of you who give one-time or occasional gifts, we ask that you consider giving in July or August rather than at year-end, if possible. We would be very thankful for any and all help to end our service with MBMSI well.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

A printable version of this newsletter in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 25|05|07

WHAT NEXT?

So the transition continues... Sonia is moving to Brandon this week to take up residence with family friends (see Blessings below). Yesterday she was hired by Michael's ("the Arts & Crafts Store") in Brandon, where she is set to begin work on Monday. Sonia has been hired to teach a basic jewellery design course, and will also be given the opportunity to work as a store associate. Sonia is excited to have her first job in Canada, especially as it will allow her to work in a field that she is both talented and interested in! So, if you are looking to learn how to make your own jewellery, and you live in the Brandon area, sign up for Sonia's June course! ;-)

As Sonia makes the move to Brandon, Lena & I are contemplating where the rest of us will live! While our apartment has not yet sold (hopefully soon!), we are starting to look at possible locations and homes. We still haven't decided which city we'll settle in, but it looks like it will either be Winnipeg or Portage la Prairie. Please remember us in your prayers as we seek to settle in the "land" God has prepared/is preparing for us!

The other significant question before us is what sort of work/ministry transition we'll have to make. We are considering several possible options, but we're not yet prepared to explain further. One question we are certainly wrestling with is have we reached the place where we should stop seeking a "support" position? For the past eight years Lena & I have been wholly dependent on the financial support of individuals and churches. Prior to that, I have been fully supported by donations only since 1993! We have been tremendously blessed during these years, but with the passing of numerous supporters we have seen our support base dwindle dramatically over the past two years. It has been a significant challenge to relate to current and seek to locate new supporters over the years, especially as we haven't been able to travel here as a family for almost five years. Much of the effort involved in maintaining our support has fallen to my parents. Without their regular calls, notes and informal talks, many of our supporters would have felt unappreciated and unneeded. The fact is that many (most?) ministry workers depend on donations. We are wondering if the time has come to look for a position that frees us (and our supporters) to serve in different ways.

We welcome your comments and questions, and we continually covet your prayers!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

BLESSINGS

Praise God that Sonia was provided with a home in Brandon. We received an unbeatable offer from family friends to provide Sonia with room & board for basically cost. We are so very thankful for this blessing!

We are also thankful that Sonia was able to get a good job in Brandon.

PETITIONS

Deena continues to experience ups and downs in her health. Please pray that she will attain a (reasonably) healthy life in Canada!

Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home. We have lowered the purchase price, so hopefully this will bring a buyer.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that Lena could hardly believe how beautiful the lawn looked at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg (photo above)? She is only used to Russian parks which have next to no cut grass that you could walk on!

...that we are now planning to travel to Abbotsford, British Columbia, in mid-August (sans Sonia)? We have a time of reporting/debriefing at MBMSI headquarters scheduled during that time, and we hope to meet with family & friends along the way. Stay tuned for specific dates, and please let us know if you would be interested in seeing us along the way.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, assisting Christian Camping International/Russia.

A printable version of this newsletter in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Thousands of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 02|04|07

CRAWLING TO THE FINISH LINE

What a week! We're operating at less than 40% efficiency at the moment with Deena down with the chicken pox, Sonia battling a persistent cold (and perhaps the early symptoms of chicken pox) and Lena struggling with severe headaches. Thankfully Maya is on the mend and I am so fully able to care for my ailing girls. Our planned yard sale was again postponed due to illness, and with Sonia's birthday rapidly approaching (see below) we have invited people to come and "shop" on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

With less than two weeks to go until our departure we are struggling with the good news/bad news of departing furniture: we now have shelves only in the hallway (hence almost no place to place things), no beds left save Maya's (so four of us are now sleeping on the floor), and practically no appliances left save the bare minimum in the kitchen (no more Russian TV shows...or is that good news?)!

With the poor health and disorderly state of our home it's a bit difficult to enjoy the spring weather and the approach of Easter, but we are so very thankful for all the friends who have been helping us and for all the prayers being said on our behalf. Thank you for upholding us in prayer during this time!!!

We wish you all a blessed Easter celebration this coming weekend. There was no greater sacrifice given and no greater victory won. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!!!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

As my parents continue to send pictures of our temporary home, we are encouraged by the fact that the disarray we are living in now will soon be exchanged for a clean, orderly Canadian mobile home! Thank you to all who have helped to prepare us a home!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SONIA!!!

As Sonia prepares to celebrate her 18th birthday on April 5th, we ask those of you who know her (or who would like to!) to send a special birthday wish to the following special address: happybirthday.sonia@gmail.com. We thought it would be great if we could compile a bunch of greetings, congratulations, wishes, prayers & blessings to give to her. If you have any words of wisdom, love or whatever you would like share with Sonia on her big day, please don't hesitate to write a short note! I'm certain she would appreciate your thoughtfulness!

BLESSINGS

Praise God for continued progress in the moving & packing department.

We thank God for eighteen years of Sonia!!! Please join with us in praising God for her faith and life.

PETITIONS

The "yard sale" was postponed yet again. Please pray that everything we need to part with will be taken in the next few days (we desperately need the room, especially with Sonia's party coming up on the 5th)!

Please continue to pray for improved family health. Deena has a worse case of the chicken pox than did her older sister. Please pray that she will continue to persevere!

Please remember to pray for a buyer for our home.

Remember Sonia in prayer as she (more formally) makes the transition from child to adult. May she grow into a godly woman!

DID YOU KNOW...

...that the Russian word for Sunday is Voskreshenie (Resurrection)? It's wonderful to be reminded of Easter every Sunday (as the early believers did)!!!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 19|03|07

MOVING ON

This past week has been filled with selling & moving. No, our apartment has not been sold yet, but only Maya & Deena still have beds left, and much of the other furniture in our home is now elsewhere!

In the midst of our packing & shuffling Maya contracted chicken pox! She went to bed Sunday night with one known spot and woke spot covered. Lena & I are the only ones in our family that have had chicken pox before, so we're holding our breath as we wait to see if Deena & Sonia will join the club! Such fun!!!

Even with all the commotion we've been blessed by the visits of numerous good friends. We are very thankful for all the godly people God has placed in our lives during our time in St. Petersburg.

Your continued prayers and support and most appreciated!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Less than four weeks to go! As we get closer to our arrival we will be posting a list of semi-urgent needs for our "landing". Stay tuned!

BLESSINGS

Praise God for good progress in moving & packing. We still have a lot of things in our home, so we'll be having a big "sale" (most of it will be given away) this coming Saturday.

Our staff safely returned from a busy, but blessed time in Moscow. Thank you for your prayers.

PETITIONS

Maya's health is primary concern right now. Please pray that she will rest peacefully and will not be bothered too much by the itchiness of chicken pox.

Please pray for continued good health for our family, especially for Deena & Sonia.

We are still trying to find a buyer for our home! We are confident that the sale will take place, but we'd simply prefer it if takes place sooner! :-)

DID YOU KNOW...

...that the local doctor told Lena today that since Maya has chicken pox, she should not be bathed for ten days???

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 13|03|07

THE FINAL MONTH

It's official! The five of us are coming to Canada on April 15th. This afternoon I paid Lufthansa a princely sum to transport our family and a portion of our material goods for five sets of air tickets. Here's our itinerary:

• Depart St. Petersburg at 1430; arrive in Frankfurt at 1525
• Depart Frankfurt at 1700; arrive in Toronto at 1945
• Pause for passport control, immigration processing, baggage claim, baggage check-in...and perhaps time for coffee with friends!
• Depart Toronto at 2155; arrive in Winnipeg at 2328

All of this is Lord willing, of course! With Nina's willingness to complete the sale of our apartment in our absence, and with most of our belongings either sold or spoken for, we are almost ready to leave Russia.

This past week has been a whirlwind of people either calling or dropping in to ask about what's available. We had planned a fairly large (indoor) yard sale, but it looks like most things are claimed already! Yesterday we were surprised by the quick sale of our bedroom set (a buyer needed it immediately, and begged us to sell our mattress, which we had hoped to hang on to until next month!), leaving us with a completely empty bedroom! So for the next four weeks Lena and I will sleep on the couch while our room becomes a packing zone. Deena is still a bit anxious about all the disappearing items—yesterday she asked me if someone was going to take our toilet!

Thank you for your prayers for our family during this exciting, crazy time,

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Thank you to all who are helping us to find a temporary home in Manitoba. We hope to be able to decide on a place soon. Please continue to pray for our "safe landing" in Canada. It will certainly be a big adjustment for us all!

BLESSINGS

Thank God that we were able to purchase the needed air tickets in time!

We are thankful that so many of our things have found new homes. We have been trying to "stretch out the blessings" by giving away the many things others had previously given to us. Thank you for all of your generous gifts to us over the years, and know that the blessing will continue!

PETITIONS

We are still hoping to find a buyer for our apartment before we depart. It would be wonderful if a Christian family were to take our place in this neighbourhood. Pray that it may be so!

Please continue to pray for CCI/Russia staff in Moscow as they complete the meetings and training of future leaders.

For the third time in as many weeks Deena has (mildly) injured her neck. Tomorrow Lena will take her to a specialist to have her examined. Deena is not a great fan of doctors, so please pray that the appointment will go well and that there will be no further injuries to her neck.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that the March 11 municipal elections in Russia were the first under the new "streamlined" rules? Gone is the minimum turnout limit (less than 34% turned out in St. Petersburg, well under the old limit that would have rendered the election void), the "against all" option (the old rule allowed for a win for "against all" to disqualify all candidates)(though some 37,500 voters defaced their ballot in protest) and the independent candidates (now all vote-seekers must be members of "approved" political parties). Lena did cast her vote (the party she voted for came in last), but like many Russians (a majority it seems) feels it hardly matters. With President Putin personally appointing governors and the two main political parties openly supporting Putin it doesn't look good for democracy in Russia.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 05|03|07

FINALLY HERE!!!

Lena & Sonia finally have their Canadian immigration visas!!! Last Friday Pony Express delivered two envelopes to our door. Inside were the Russian foreign passports with shiny new Canadian visas inside! Also included was an info sheet (answering many of the questions that we've had for months) and two large forms which the girls will exchange for permanent residence cards once they enter Canada.

While the visas allow our family to remain here for another nine months, the wheels have long been in motion for the "big move". As we prepare to part with most of our material possessions, sell our apartment and relocate across the ocean, please continue to uphold us in prayer.

Thank you for your continued support & encouragement!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

With the visas in hand, we now need to focus on where we will be living come April 15. Several people have kindly offered us places to stay in the southern Manitoba countryside, but for a number of reasons we are likely going to try to rent a home in Portage la Prairie instead. Since our family will be coming to a "new world" as such, we will need to be close to family (my parents live just south of Portage and my sister and her family live in nearby Oakville) for support reasons. And because we will need to explore school and home options we will need to be able to travel easily (requiring the services of family babysitters). So...while we appreciate the home offers and "for sale" notifications, we will settle for a humble residence in a centrally-located humble city! In the meantime, please keep us in mind when hearing of possible homes in the not-too-distant future.

BLESSINGS

Praise God for the safe arrival of the visas. It's been a very long time coming, but we are simply grateful they're here! Thank you for praying!!!

People continue to offer us needed furniture and appliances for our Canadian home. Thank you to all who have helped!

We are very thankful for improved health for our family. Thank you for praying!

PETITIONS

Please continue to pray for a buyer for our apartment. As time passes without a sale it becomes more stressful for Nina (please keep her in your prayers too!).

Please remember CCI/Russia staff in Moscow as they meet and plan future ministry.

With six weeks to go before I leave Russia (and only three weeks until my official departure from CCI/Russia), I have a new office replacement to train. Please pray for Denis as I try to prepare him to take over the hands-on aspects of the IT Manager job. Pray especially that we will understand each other clearly as his English comprehension is practically non-existent!

DID YOU KNOW...

...that Lena graduated from university in 1988 with a teacher's degree? During her five years of study she completed twenty-five different courses, all with the highest possible scores. Notable courses among them:

• The History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
• Philosophy of Marxism-Leninism
• Political economy
• Scientific atheism

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 28|02|07

APRIL 15, 2007...

...is the day that my Russian visa expires. Since it makes little sense to go through the trouble and expense of applying for a new visa just to leave Russia, we have decided that this will be the day that we will depart from Russia as a family. For the last several days as a family we've been discussing our impending move (hence the lateness of this newsletter). Our biggest concern was having to leave with (possibly) our home unsold. Today Nina surprised us by offering to act on our behalf and finalize the legal matters if needed. What an answer to prayer! Now we can set a firm departure date and prepare to leave without having to be concerned about any delays in selling our home.

Thank you for upholding us in prayer!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Tomorrow will mark two weeks since Lena & Sonia handed over their passports to Pony Express for delivery to the Canadian Embassy in Moscow. What we thought would be a simple, quick process of picking up the visas (judging by the price they charged!) has turned out to be another long wait. Will we ever see the visas??? ;-)  Hmm, perhaps Pony Express uses real ponies...?

BLESSINGS

Praise God for a growing pile of prepared documents. We are now preparing for bureaucracy in Canada by getting important documents translated. Birth certificates, diplomas and more need to be readable on the other side of the ocean!

We are very thankful for all of the encouragement and congratulations we have received over the past weeks. Thank you all for your kind words & prayers!

PETITIONS

Sickness seems to be coming upon us! Today Deena had a high temperature and both Lena & I seem to be coming down with colds. Please pray for health and healing for our family.

Please continue to pray for a buyer for our apartment. It's not the best time of the year to sell real estate right now, but hopefully we will be contacted soon by a potential buyer.

 Beginning March 6, CCI/Russia will be hosting three important events in Moscow:

• March 6-9: CCI/Russia Ministry Strategic Planning
• March 12-16: Camp Director's Institute instructors training course
• March 18: Camper's New Testament planning session

DID YOU KNOW...

...that I finally attended a hockey game in Russia? Together with Lena and several staff from the CCI/Russia office we helped cheer the local team SKA on to victory! This was the next best thing to an NHL game—the Russian Super League is the premier Russian hockey league. As impressive as that sounds, I couldn't help but find more comparisons with minor league hockey. But it was a lot of fun nevertheless! Lots of photos can be viewed over at Flickr. Some interesting things I noticed:

• Almost no one sang the national anthem
• The scoreboard displayed only the most basic of information and the video screens showed no replays and only once an animation
• The game featured very few bodychecks and no fights
• The referees and linesmen were skating bank advertisements

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 20|02|07

BEING JESUS

During this month's Christian Camping Leaders Conference I listened to a camp director from Estonia share about how a first-time counselor impacted a young boy's life. The director told how a certain camper had been completely overwhelmed by the love and compassion shown by the camp staff, particularly that of his counselor, Valentine. One day the boy asked his him, "Are you Jesus?" Taken aback, Valentine answered, "No, but I am trying to be."

I can very much relate to this young Estonian boy. Going to camp as a boy in Canada I remember well how my counselors showed Christ's love to me. I recall little of the fun activities, Bible lessons, food and chapel talks. But what remains vivid in my mind these 30-odd years later is how my counselors treated me. Young men like Larry Schmidt, Brent Petkau & Harry Froese truly were Jesus to me.

There are countless children & youth who need us to be Jesus to them. Praise God for my counselors who encouraged and inspired me to follow Christ. Praise God for men like Valentine who prayerfully accept the call to volunteer at camps in the former Soviet Union. Pray that many more godly men & women will heed Christ's command to "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35)

May we all strive to not simply be like Jesus, but to be Jesus to those who need Him the most!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

P.S. In case you missed it, I just sent out a four-page Hamm's Headings in which I shared in greater detail about our upcoming move. If you didn't receive the newsletter this past Sunday, you can read it online at http://hh.myinjesus.com. As well, you can easily receive future issues by sending a blank email to hh-subscribe@myinjesus.com.

COMING TO CANADA

I've been trying to prepare Maya & Deena (particularly the latter) for our impending move. During evening prayers I've encouraged them to pray for someone to buy our home so that we can move to Canada. Deena is having a hard time comprehending all of this. Today when I told we want to sell our apartment, she said, "but then we'll be outside!". When I reminded her that we were going to take an airplane to Canada to live there she said, "but where's the airplane? I don't see it!" Admittedly it's a bit hard for us adults to see how it will all work out as well. Please pray for us during this time!

Speaking of Canada, please don't hesitate to contact my parents, Jake & Elsie (204-857-3802 or jakehamm@mts.net) if you think you might have something we might need for our new home. Thank you to all who have helped so far!

BLESSINGS

Praise God for a growing pile of prepared documents. We are now preparing for bureaucracy in Canada by getting important documents translated. Birth certificates, diplomas and more need to be readable on the other side of the ocean!

We are very thankful for all of the encouragement and congratulations we have received over the past week. Thank you all for your kind words & prayers!

PETITIONS

Municipal elections are being held in Russia on March 11. Many Russians believe that elections are becoming a farce in this country. Please pray for fair elections and honest, upright representation for the Russian people.

Please pray that our home will find a buyer. Or the other way around. ;-)  Regardless, this is the one major thing that needs to take place before we can come to Canada.

Just when we thought Deena had recovered from her neck injury last week (thank you for praying!), she hurt it again! Please continue to pray for her healing and safety.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that a school principal in a small town in the Urals has been charged under anti-piracy laws? He apparently permitted the installation of pirated versions of Microsoft software on 12 school computers and is therefore being made an example. This kind of piracy is common here—Sonia did all of her school computer lab work using pirated software, and rare is the Russian home or business that doesn't use the widely-available and inexpensive CD-ROMs!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 13|02|07

COMING TO CANADA...REALLY!!!

Today THE letter arrived from the Canadian Embassy in Moscow. "Your visas are ready to be picked up" is essentially what it read, precisely the news we've been waiting for for over a year! Praise the Lord!!! Tomorrow Lena will bring the passports to Pony Express so they can pick up the visas for us (it's less expensive than Lena travelling to Moscow herself to go to the Embassy).

Now begins the process of putting our apartment up for sale, selling some appliances and furniture, giving away toys & books and packing whatever we can fit into ten suitcases!

Oh yes, the Christian Camping Leaders Conference was a great success, with over three hundred participants from across the former Soviet Union and beyond. There is much to report, but for now please take a look at photos on Flickr from the six-day event!

Since there is so much to tell, I will save more writing for the next issue of Hamm's Headings, which I'll try to put out this week. If you are not already subscribed to our "summary" newsletter (or simply aren't certain that you are), please send a blank email to hh-subscribe@myinjesus.com.

Thank you for your prayers throughout the long process...and please don't stop praying now!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Yes we are! Now that we know we are coming in the near future, the scrambling begins. While we wrap things up here, my Dad & Mom are busy organizing our newly-collected belongings in Portage la Prairie. The mobile home that we were given to use for the winter has become simply a storage facility, and since by the end of next month we have to move out, my parents will have to find another place to store our things. Our course we'll need a home to live in once we come, so we are looking for three- (or more) bedroom homes that we could rent or house-sit in from the end of March/early April until we can find a more permanent home.

We will soon update you on further happenings & needs pertaining to our arrival in Canada!

BLESSINGS

 Praise God that the visa process has been completed successfully. It feels a bit strange now that the wait is over, but we are so very thankful for all who encouraged us & prayed for us during this time.

The 2007 CCLC was wonderful. We thank God for His provision and blessing on the conference!

Our deficit with MBMSI has been paid off!!! Praise God for the many who gave generously over the past few months to help us start the year in the black. While we're encouraged by this development, we are still only receiving 75% of our salary, so we definitely need your continued support.

PETITIONS

 Please pray for our preparations & packing. The biggest question for us is when will our home sell. If we can sell it soon, we can be in Canada before the end of March. Please pray that we will be able to sell our apartment at a good price in good time.

Deena injured her neck this past week, thankfully not too seriously. Please pray for her continued healing and for safety in our home.

DID YOU KNOW...

 ...that one of the biggest hassles of travelling to Russia is apparently easy to avoid? Every foreigner crossing into Russia must complete a migration card that subsequently must be registered at their place of stay. This costly process seems to be for naught: for the past six exits from Russia I've never been asked to show my migration card! (Of course, someday the authorities may come looking for me, wondering why I've never "left" Russia!)

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 29|01|07

THE LONG STRETCH

Today is the start of a fifteen-day work week for CCI/Russia staff. From now through February 9 we will be pausing only for sleep as we complete the preparations for the Christian Camping Leaders Conference, move three van loads from the office to the conference site and run the six-day event!

We're all excited to again be part of our annual conference and are looking forward to incoming day. Until then we will be scrambling to prepare the registration material, welcome packages, CD & DVDs for distribution, packing lists, silent auction items, teacher's handouts, testing materials, certificates and so much more!

The only downside to the conference is the fact that we will have to leave our families behind in St. Petersburg. On only one previous occasion was Lena able to participate fully. With Nina unable to manage the household in our absence, Lena will have to remain home during this time.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry of Christian Camping International/Russia!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

News! Confirmation that our paperwork had reached the Canadian Embassy in Moscow finally arrived this past Friday. Now that we know that the paperwork has arrived safely we again go into patiently-waiting mode as we pray the documentation sent will satisfy those in charge of our case. Please keep the visa process in your prayers—we really don't know what will come next, but we pray that the next thing we'll hear is "Your visas are ready for pickup"!!!

BLESSINGS

 Praise God that the immigration paperwork arrived in Moscow.

 Sonia is getting closer! Today she finished (more or less) a pair of elaborate silver earrings. She has one more major project to complete before she can recive her diploma.

PETITIONS

 Pray that the "proof" (a letter from MBMSI) that was sent to Moscow will satisfy the authorities that I will return to Canada with my family.

 Please continue to uphold our office staff in prayer as we make the final prepartions for the conference and make the move to the site this weekend.

DID YOU KNOW...

 ...that weather reports in Russia state the wind speed in metres per second? To make matters worse for foreigners, they don't mention the windchill factor!

 ...that the Canadian Consulate here in St. Petersburg is closing at the end of February? This will be a real hardship for local residents (like Nina!) who will want to apply for tourist visas to Canada.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 22|01|07

WE (HEART) SNOW!

Winter has come back to St. Petersburg. While we may live at the 60th parallel in Russia, that doesn't mean that we have a "real" winter! Too often our winters are simply cold & rainy, but once in a while we get enough snow to cover the dirt of the city!

Work is pretty busy right now with lots of preparation for the conference. Meanwhile Lena is starting a new project for Canadian LifeLight Ministries: she is translating the Lion Graphic Bible into Russian.

Thank you for your faithful prayers & support of our ministry!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

No news is...no news! We're still waiting for confirmation that our paperwork has reached Moscow. We're but a few weeks away from the ultimatum that the Embassy laid down for us in December. Without those documents our application will be denied and we will have to begin all over again. Please keep the visa process in your prayers!

BLESSINGS

Good health has returned to our home! Thank you for praying for Lena over the past week.

It looks like sleep habits have also improved in our home. Your prayers are appreciated!

PETITIONS

Please continue to pray for the upcoming (Feb. 4-9) Christian Camping Leaders Conference. We have eleven days until our staff leave for the conference site, and there is still lots of preparation to do. Please pray for good health and plenty of energy for our staff of eight as we sprint toward the conference start date.

Sonia is hoping to complete her jewellery studies by sometime next month. She still has several tasks and a major project to complete before she is given her diploma. Please pray that she will be able to finish well.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that Soviet bus stops were, well, "unique"? I've seen a lot of interesting ones in my travels, but this site showcases some of the best (or worst). Enjoy!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 16|01|07

HAPPY OLD NEW YEAR!!!

Russians love saying that each year at this time! January 14th was of course the first day of 2007 for those (read: Eastern Orthodox churches) who follow the old Julian calendar. Celebrating two Christmases and two New Years is perfectly fine for holiday-hungry Russians! Now that we have entered the second half of January/New Year, a regular work schedule will finally resume in this country.

Our office staff of eight have been working diligently during this time, preparing in earnest for the upcoming winter camping conference. Following is the conference course list, giving you a good idea what is in store for the 300+ pastors, camp directors and other senior camping leaders:

Track 1: Camp Director I

1. Basic Camp Directors Course
2. Legal Aspects of Camp Management
3. Strategic Planning

Track 2: Camp Director II

1. Staff Performance Analysis and Evaluation
2. Staff Interviews
3. Effective Ministry Principles: Start with Yourself
4. Beyond Time Management

Track 3: Program Leader I

1. Basic Program Leaders Course
2. Vital Principles of Working with Campers
3. Effective Bible Lessons

Track 4: Program Leader II

1. Advanced Program Leaders Course
2. Generating Ideas
3. Motivating Staff
4. Developing Camp Staff

Track 5: Spiritual Counselor I

1. Spiritual Counseling
2. Helping Victims of Accidents and Natural Disasters
3. Sowing and Reaping Spiritual Fruit in a Child

Track 6: Spiritual Counselor II

1. Teaching Campers to Forgive
2. Christ, the Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets

Track 7: Special Campers

1. Campers from Orphanages
2. Deviant Behavior in Campers
3. Campers with Special Needs

Track 8: Youth & Young Adults Ministry

1. Ministering to Young People in Camp and Church
2. Youth Camps
3. Youth Subculture Peculilarities
4. Extreme Projects for Youth

Track 9: Regional Seminars

1. Course for Regional Seminar Program Leaders
2. Seminar for Regional Seminar Group Leaders
3. Regional Seminar Logistics and Academic Program

Minor Courses

• Photo Ministry in Camp
• Building Camper Relationships
• Tent Camps
• Winter Camps
• Code Sign Camp for Boys
• Day Camps
• Round Table for Pastors
• Owning Your Own Campsite
• Family Camps
• All Camp Games
• Tent Camp Ideas
• How to Avoid Burn-Out in Ministry
• Camp Territory Activities
• Night Games
• Video Salon

As you can see, there is a lot planned! Please remember in prayer our academic team and all the instructors, the majority of whom come from Russia and the CIS.

Thank you for upholding the ministry of CCI/Russia in prayer!

— Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Here is where we're at: All of the newly-requested papers have been sent to the Canadian Embassy in Moscow. We have not yet received verification of the arrival of said documents (those sent by registered mail), nor do we know if the medical tests have already been processed and sent to Moscow (from St. Petersburg they were sent to London for processing). We trust that the documents we have sent will satisfy those handling Lena & Sonia's case. For now there is nothing more to do but pray & patiently wait some more!

Once we receive further news from Moscow, we will have to start things moving:

• Our apartment will be put on the market in hopes that it will quickly sell.
• Most of our furniture and appliances will be sold, given away or brought to Nina's apartment for her personal use (those she can fit into her tiny one-room apartment!).
• All that we are keeping will have to be packed into suitcases for transport to Canada, shipped directly to Canada (if we can find feasible means of doing so) or packed for storage until we can retrieve it later.

Please continue to remember the visa process and our preparations in prayer!

BLESSINGS

Snow has finally come to St. Petersburg! It's not much, but it covers the dirt nicely...

PETITIONS

Please continue to pray for the February 4-9 CCI/Russia Christian Camping Leaders Conference. Pray that all those who plan to attend the conference will be able to do so (many are struggling to find the finances needed), and that the remaining conference staff will be found to fill positions in hospitality and instructor services.

Lena has been very ill for the past two days. As I write this a doctor is on her way to our home (praise God that house calls still exist in Russia!). Please pray for her healing and for comfort during this trial.

After three days of normal sleep after our trip, delayed jet lag has seemingly set in. Maya especially has had trouble sleeping through the night, which of course affects the rest of our sleep. Please pray for better sleep patterns to develop in our home.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that some of things I'm getting used to not seeing in St. Petersburg include vending machines, newspaper dispensers, drivers who stop for pedestrians, clerks who make small talk, stores that give treats to children and charity drives/donation boxes (or even evidence that there are such things are charities!)...just to name a few!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.

You can help! Please visit www.krhamm.com/support for ways you can help our family & ministry.

Hundreds of our recent photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (And now Sonia's pictures too!)

HAMM PRAYER POINTS 11|01|07

THANK YOU, CANADA!

Or "Gift Canada" as Maya put it one day after receiving yet another gift from a complete stranger (this time from the Post Office).

What a wonderful time Maya & I had in Manitoba! The weather was unbelievable and God provided amazingly through His people. We were showered with gifts and blessed by nearly everyone we met. It was of course difficult to be away from Lena & the girls during this time, but God cared for us all. Despite some ill health, Maya & I thoroughly enjoyed our time with Canadian family & friends.

I should add that the "time with friends" part was minimal, due mainly to lack of good health on our part. We would have loved to have been able to take more people up on their invites but it was not to be.

Thank you to all who prayed for our family especially during our time in Canada. We will share in more detail about some of the blessings we received when we resume our regular publishing schedule.

May God continue to use you to bless others!

- Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena

COMING TO CANADA

Now major news to share...yet! Please keep praying!

BLESSINGS

Praise God for a safe return journey! We had no difficulty with our flights or (whew!) with Russian customs.

Lena, Sonia, Deena & Nina had a safe and enjoyable Christmas during our absence. Prais God for His protection and care.

Thank God for the many gifts we received during our time in Canada. Most of our financial needs were met by the generous hearts of God's people!

PETITIONS

Please pray for preparations for the upcoming CCI/Russia Christian Camping Leaders Conference, to be held north of St. Petersburg February 4-9. There is much to get ready, and our staff of eight are in the thick of preparations. Please remember them in your prayers.

DID YOU KNOW...

...that Russian passport control stamps the passports of all Russian citizens? I've never had my passport stamped by Canadian authorities, so I guess that the Russian practice is unusual...

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is always available for download.

Visit www.krhamm.com/pray for links to print versions, archives and more.

For more on our ministry in Russia, please visit www.krhamm.com.