June-September 2026

Highlights from the summer: 

Our church had 6 different weeks of summer camp, with one involving a training week under the Camps Abroad Program from The Wilds in North Carolina. It was a blessing receiving counseling material through this. Another week, that I mentioned in my previous newsletter, I was asked to teach a lesson to the teenagers from the theme “Ambassadors of Heaven.” I was so thankful for this opportunity, and seeing even more how God guides through sermons and devotion time when preparing for lessons like this.

Our church also had a mission’s team come in from Faith Baptist Church in Canoga Park, California to work on construction jobs around the college and kick-off our children's clubs for the new school year. We saw a few new Romanian families come and we are praying for those connections to stay strong.

Another ministry that has been neat to see start has been a discipleship course. A few Ukrainians have taken their next step of faith in believer’s baptism and are now learning to grow in truths throughout the Bible. A prayer request I mentioned last newsletter was to see certain ministries have everyone joined rather than separate by nationality, so just this month the Ukrainian ladies’ weekly Bible study will try to see growth in this.

Beginning of the semester:

We have three freshman this year, making our student body 16 students. I am teaching 4 classes there along with my English clubs at the church. I still tutor two Ukrainian teenagers once a week, and the adult English classes will start at the end of October. This semester, I am adding on two children’s English classes twice a week. Our church has an after-school program that considerably grew this year to 15 students. I have joined a team of 6 other ladies that tutor these children in various subjects. 

Prayer Requests:

This has been my busiest semester yet, but the hardest part is teaching the Ukrainian children because I've not had that training before.

Most of the families at this after-school program do not attend our church, so we are praying that we can make good connections for them to start coming.

One avenue for this is our children's club happening once a month. This year our theme is centered around the miracles of Jesus.

Thank you so much for keeping up with the ministries I am involved with, for your faithful prayers, support, and encouragement.

In Christ, 

Olivia West