"My Daddy is Going to Die Tonight"

Last night Karina translated as three Russian speaking pastors explained the gospel to people at a nearby hospital.  When she returned she was full of excitement as she described what happened.
The good news of Jesus Christ was shared with many people in many different situations and all of them except one responded to Karina and the pastors.  The one that did not want to talk told Karina that he was a pastor.  She said he was a sharp dressed man who claimed to be a pastor but when she began asking him questions he told her that he was fine and did not need Jesus.  His good works were enough... they were all that was needed in this life and the next.  Karina said he walked off irritated and she was sad for him... and for those he pastors.
Several people were eager to hear the gospel and many made professions of faith and displayed a desire to serve Christ.
Then Karina said that one child looked at her and said, "My daddy is going to die tonight."
Karina knows what it is like to be without a daddy.  She prayed with the child and prayed for the daddy... that he knows Jesus and will be in heaven tonight.

A Few Published Articles

Over the last several months, some of our mission work and the story of Karina's adoption have been published in magazines and newspapers.  To see two of these stories, please copy the links below and paste in your browser.

Mission Camp in Peru - found starting on page 12 of Leadership & Ministry, a publication of Reformed Theological Seminary:  www.rts.edu/Site/Resources/M-L/issues/M_L_Spring_Summer09.pdf

Adoption Story:
From the Tartan, a publication of Belhaven College:
http://blogs.belhaven.edu/alumni-magazine/alumni-news/belhaven-connections/

Other magazines including the current copy of Parents & Kids and the July issue of Metro Christian Family have the story of Karina's adoption.  We thank Erin Ulerich for her writing and desire to spread the word about children that need a family.
Our prayer through this is that many people will reach out to orphans in their distress.

God's Amazing Grace

Please keep Karina in your prayers this week as she is getting an incredible experience while serving in an amazing way.  Three Russian speaking pastors from Eastern Europe flew into Jackson yesterday but their translators were not able to get visas to come.  They are here for evangelism training and to attend a conference designed to strengthen churches through developing godly servant/leaders.
A friend of ours asked if Karina would be interested in being the translator.  She willingly took on this great task.
God continues to amaze us by his plan...
This time last year Karina was in an orphanage on the other side of the world and sent us a note telling us that the "hot water was just turned on since it is getting really cold" and asking if we could send her some soap...
This week she is serving as an English/Russian translator for pastors desiring to strengthen and grow the kingdom of God in their own lands.
The story of God's amazing grace continues on....

It's A Boy!

God has blessed us with another boy!  Sheila's checkups continue to go well and she has had no further blood clotting.  As far as we can tell, the baby is doing just fine.  Last week we took everyone to see the sonogram and all the kids were so excited to see their baby brother on the screen.  The nurse was great as she explained to all the children what everything was - what a great science lesson the kids had... they measured their brother's brain, heart, kidney... they were able to hear the heartbeat and learn all about babies in the womb.  It was a great witness to life.

General Update

Our latest mission update newsletter will be going out this week.  If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please send an email to Nasekos@perumission.org.

Sheila and the baby are doing well... we have a sonogram scheduled for tomorrow and we pray that all is OK with the baby.  At the end of this month we will need another supply of Sheila's medication.  Please join in prayer with us that God would supply this medication.

Karina has now been home over eight months and she is doing great.  The above picture is of her in Peru with a former orphan from China that was adopted by a missionary family in Peru.  School is going well, she is involved with the choir and she is enjoying the youth program at church.  Next week she will have the opportunity to serve as a translator for some pastors and evangelists.  We are excited about this opportunity she has to use her Russian and English for the church.

We have trips planned to Peru and Ukraine this Fall and Winter.  The children and orphans in Peru are excited about summer camp coming up for them in January and we are working on plans for a camp in Ukraine at the request of a church in Odessa.

We have two missionaries in Ukraine ministering to orphans - please pray for them and this orphan ministry.  Next month this orphan ministry will expand into western Ukraine.
Anyone interested in a vision trip to Peru or Ukraine, just let me know.

As a recruiter for Christian Missionary Society, I can tell you that there is plenty of work to be done... "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few."  Luke 10:2
We need your prayers and financial support... but we also need people to join us in proclaiming the gospel and reaching out in mercy!

A Tattoo Artist, a Prostitute, a Man without a Job, a Pit Bull and Time with Harrison

Ten of the last twelve years we lived way out in the country... and enjoyed it.  We now live in the heart of the city... and absolutely love it.  What do we love about the city?  There is an endless flow of people... an endless flow of people like us:  sinners in need of God's grace.  What a joy it is to continually come across people to minister to, share the gospel with, reach out to in mercy, encourage, help, learn from, disciple and be a neighbor to.  Our children are great accountability partners... 
"Daddy, does that person know Jesus?"
"Are you going to share the gospel with the people that live at that house?"
"Can we go help that lady?"
"Can we invite them over to our house?"
During the first week a man came over to hook up the phone and internet and our kids immediately wanted to help him and watch him... this house is an older house and did not have modern phone jacks... instead the phone jacks were four pronged squares... so he had to rewire a few rooms... plenty of time to talk about him and what was going on in his life... the good news of how God has provided his sinless Son, Jesus, to take our sins upon himself and transfer his righteousness to us so that, if we believe in him, we will have eternal life... we will be changed so that we can turn away from our sins and obey God... this new life brings a joy that we will never know apart from Christ... invited the man to join us at church...
His response was, "You know, I have seen a lot when I go to houses to work... people fighting and yelling... throwing things... it is good to be here and talk to you.  Thanks for inviting me to church.  I need to come... I need to bring my kids.  Thanks."
I have not seen him yet but I pray that God would draw him to himself.

My work with Twin Lakes has come to an end and last month I attended my first board meeting with Christian Missionary Society.  Each time I travel, I take one of the children in order to spend time with that child and hopefully grow closer to one another and God as we learn what God has to teach us both during the journey.  Harrison came with me to Georgia and we had to travel through Atlanta... little did I know what God had in store for us... we were traveling on the day after the Chattahoochee River overflowed and killed people, flooded homes and businesses and washed out roads and bridges.  Even Interstate 20 was closed for several miles.  Harrison and I were ushered into detour traffic where we spent six hours in a traffic jam before coming out near the Atlanta airport.  Yes, at the beginning of this traffic jam we were a little irritated at being stuck... until we remembered how blessed we were... while the flood was all around us, we were dry, our home was not under water... we were alive... and there were thousands of people around us in need of help.
We began looking around us and realized that we had an incredible opportunity to serve people... as cars began overheating... breaking down... running out of gas... people getting too hot... there was an elderly couple whose car stopped in the middle of the road and one after another cars just went around them.  Harrison and I stopped to find two exhausted people in an old car with no air conditioner... after a few minutes their car was up and going and they pulled off at the next place they could to rest.  We decided to help every single person on the side of the road... we were not getting anywhere fast - the detour we were on had to be detoured because another bridge washed away.  Whatever the need was, we tried to meet it - usually it was a ride to the next gas station or help with their car.  We met several people including a homeless man, a prostitute, a tattoo artist, a man looking for a job... we even gave a pit bull a ride (with his owner - Harrison was very excited about having the pit bull in the car... after he realized the dog was not going to bite his head off).  With a captive audience, we had some good conversations which always led to talking about God's grace through Jesus... the way, the truth and the life.  We pray that God would save them all.

Harrison and I had a great time together and it was very encouraging to make plans for our mission work.  I thank God for the opportunity in Atlanta to serve and I pray that God would use that trip to encourage Harrison to tell people about Jesus every chance he gets... every day that we have been given, may we use it for God's glory.
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."  Deuteronomy 6:5-7
...and when you are on the way to a meeting... and when you are driving down the road... and when you are stuck in traffic...

A Big, Big Summer

A few Sunday's ago Derek Thomas preached from Romans 8:28-30 - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose..."

Near the beginning of the sermon he quoted from John Piper's book, Future Grace:

“If you live inside this massive promise, your life is more stable and solid than Mount Everest. Nothing can blow you over when you are inside the walls of Romans 8:28. Outside of Romans 8:28 is confusion and anxiety and fear and uncertainty. Outside this promise of all-encompassing future grace, there are straw houses of drugs and alcohol and numbing TV and dozens of futile diversions. There are slat walls and tin roofs of fragile investment strategies and fleeting insurance coverage and trivial retirement plans. There are cardboard fortifications of deadbolt locks and alarm systems and antiballistic missiles. Outside, are a thousand substitutes for Romans 8:28. Once you walk through the door of love into the massive unshakeable structure of Romans 8:28, everything changes. There come into your life stability and depth and freedom. You simply can’t be blown away anymore. The confidence that a sovereign God governs your good and bad and all the pleasures you’ll ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life.”

People wonder how we could adopt a teenager from another country that had been abused as a young child... it is because we live inside the walls of Romans 8:28.

People wonder how we can now leave the comfort of the ministry I have served for 12.5 years with a steady paycheck, a nice place to live and a beautiful place to work to face the uncertainty of support as a missionary especially under the current economic times... it is because we live inside the walls of Romans 8:28.

What an incredible promise Romans 8:28 is. It is the promise we rest in... it is the promise we live in... it is the promise we take the next step in... it is the only way we can go on.

God has given us a big, big summer. He blessed camp in many ways... over 1600 children, 130 Leaders in Training, 70 staff... good health, safety, dozens of professions of faith, growth in Christ, growth in the desire to serve others sacrificially, lots of fun... some kids being put, for the first time in their life, into an environment where they see how Christians live... and a great program featuring the story of David and Goliath.

My children had the privilege of being Philistines along side of our 6'9" Goliath (thanks, Paul!). Above you see Harrison, Noah and Karina just before David came in the name of the LORD and conquered the giant and then the Israelites slayed the Philistines.

The children were taught not only that the battle belongs to the LORD - that God fought for his people, but also that the judges and kings of the Old Testament were not enough. They could not bring salvation to God's people. The judges and kings saved the people for a short period of time but something so much more was needed. The judges and kings point to something much greater... they are just a small picture pointing us to Jesus... the one who came to truly save his people.

I thank God for a great summer at Twin Lakes. Here are a some pictures of our children at camp:

Even Storey Grace was able to attend camp this year. She was ready, so at four years old she spent the night for a whole week at camp... she loved it. All the kids attended and had a blast. Karina is too old to be a camper so she served as a Leader in Training - a program designed to train young people from Scripture to lead by serving others. Karina thrived in the program and served for two weeks. She loved all the friends she made, the Bible studies and the work.

Karina had a great summer and is doing well. Her English is excellent. She is growing both physically and spiritually and we are thankful for God's grace in her life. Today marks seven months with her family.

Many of you know that this was our last summer at Twin Lakes and that we have been planning to move to Peru to serve as missionaries with Peru Mission under Christian Missionary Society.

Peru Mission is an incredible mission that proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ along with deeds of mercy. Church planting, training pastors, seminary, schools, language school, medical clinics, economic development, agricultural development, micro-financing, disaster relief, university ministry, music ministry, summer camps, publishing of Christian materials and orphan ministry are just part of what Peru Mission is involved with in order to renew Peru through the power of the gospel. It is exciting to see how God is using this mission to draw people to himself both in Peru and the United States.

This summer the camp pastor at Twin Lakes preached a sermon where he said that God's plans are deeper, wiser and bolder than ours... we have truly seen that this summer... God has orchestrated life for us in a way that will change us from serving primarily with Peru Mission and being based in Peru to serving with Christian Missionary Society (the mission organization that oversees Peru Mission) with a focus on Peru, Ukraine and expanding missions to other lands as God leads while being based in the United States. We are so excited about the direction God is leading and the scope of his plan.

Here are some of the ways God led us:

This summer we found out that we are expecting a new addition to the family! We are all so thankful and joyful about the coming of a new baby Nasekos. Karina, especially, looks forward to having a baby to help care for. She told us that she has never been taught how to care for a baby and is glad she will be able to. The kids are pulling for a girl to even the number out at 3 and 3.

Just a few weeks after we found out about the baby and just three days after camp ended, Sheila was hospitalized with a blood clot. It was a scary time for all of us. Karina was afraid for her mother and said, "I need my mommy. I just got a mommy and I do not want to lose her." She was very concerned for her mother and prayed continuously for her.

After several blood tests we learned that Sheila has a certain condition that makes her prone to blood clots and the loss of babies early in pregnancy. The fact that we have four biological children with one on the way is amazing.

We thought the adoption of Karina was a huge step of faith for us... we realize that step was only the beginning of what God has been doing with us this year.

Camp had ended and it was time for us to prepare to leave Twin Lakes and begin our mission work. In the hospital the doctors told Sheila that because of the blood clot, the condition of her blood and the pregnancy, she cannot get on an airplane for about a year... major change in our plans... what was God's plan for us?

We also learned that there was one medicine she could take that would help her condition and not harm the baby... one medicine that was incredibly expensive with no generic. Our insurance was maxed out immediately... then our savings... how were we going to pay for the medicine?

Next we had to find a place to live since we were already planning on leaving Twin Lakes. Where could we find a house that would fit us that we could afford in the States?

We had several questions... several major things in our life that we had to trust God for... and he has provided in amazing ways. He always does. He was growing our faith.

With Sheila's health condition keeping us in the States for now, we will be doing development work for Christian Missionary Society - a great need that they have. In a nutshell, we will be raising awareness in the States for all the ministries of Peru Mission and the developing mission in Ukraine, growing the prayer support, raising money for the mission, recruiting people to help and developing the orphan ministry both in South America and Eastern Europe. Being based in the States will allow us to do all of this which meets many needs that the mission has and uses the gifts God has given us. His way is better than our way... bolder, wiser, deeper.

Sheila is recovering from the blood clot and the baby is doing well. We were able to have a sonogram and see a healthy, wiggling little baby.

We let the drug company know our financial condition and they sent a 90 day supply of the medicine at no charge... telling us they might send more later... we are thankful for God's provision and pray that they will supply the medicine for the duration of the pregnancy.

A friend called to offer a house that we could afford to rent, it is large enough for our family and in a great area.

God has provided... and cared... and shown us a better way. He has stretched our faith and shown us how much we must rely on him... and trust him...

and TRUST him.

A few days ago I returned from a trip to Peru where I was able to share the good news of Jesus Christ, map out the coming year of ministry, visit all aspects/ministries of Peru Mission and spend time with the orphans that we support and work with.

When we learned that Sheila could not come with me on this trip we decided that Karina would go. Seven months after coming home from an orphanage in Eastern Europe, Karina flew to South America where she was able to minister to and love on orphans in Peru.

When I was packing before the trip she came into the room, looked at what I was taking and asked, "Daddy, where is the stuff for the orphans? What are we taking for them?"

I am thankful that she thinks of others and that her heart is to care for others that are still in the situation that she once was in. I pray that she always cares for others and always reaches out to them in mercy.

We packed a suitcase of things for the orphans.

It has been a big, big summer. A summer of conversions... a summer of growth... a summer of new direction and expanded ministry... a summer of faith in our great God... a summer of remaining inside the walls of Romans 8:28.