Gersan and Betty Valcin are missionaries to Haiti. Haiti is going through a very difficult time, as there is not an organized government and the people are under constant threats from the gangs. In spite of all that is going on, God is at work and has grown the Valcin’s ministry. At the Village Church, they recently celebrated the church’s 7th anniversary and had 600 people attending the service. Additionally, they participate in a radio ministry that brings the preaching of God’s Word to those who cannot travel to church for safety reasons Jacob’s Well is the final part of the Valcin’s ministry. Through Jacob’s well their vision is to bring the hope of the gospel to families and youth of Haiti.

Prayers:

• The safety of the Village Church as they gather in fear of the violence and kidnappings. May God continue to bless their ministry and protect them as they gather.
• Logistical issues at Jacob’s Well. This week, Gersan is traveling to Mexico. Please pray that the roads will be open and their truck will be able to come to Port-au-Prince to carry ministry specific items back to JW.Continue to pray for the situation in PAP as the city is becoming more dangerous.
• Praise God for the return of radio station CIEL 98.7 FM to the air. With the stress level and uncertainty in the country, the radio is playing a greater role in bringing hope to their 

Hleb is married to Sasha and has eight children. They lead a group of Slavic believers in Albufeira, Portugal.

Hleb’s ministry is connected with translation through Encouragement International Inc. and the Bible Mission. As a part of Encouragement Intl, He visits Slavic congregations in various European countries and offers translation to these congregations with high-quality Bible teaching. 

As a part of the Bible Mission, he connects ministries in the former Soviet Union with English-speaking groups and churches by translating all the communication that goes on between them. Hleb will be in  Tajikistan in April helping with a conference, as an administrator to the visiting speaker.

Finally, Hleb also has a significant translation ministry from English and Portuguese into the language they understand including the Slavic group at International Church of Algarve in Portugal. This ministry includes a Bible study for the Ukrainians and Belarusians.

Prayer:

• Assimilation of Ukrainians and Russians to Portugal. These people are experiencing significant Portuguese prejudice.
• Hleb is busy. Good time management for the family and the translation work/ministry.

                The ministry of Cross Bar X is more than just a ministry to disadvantaged kids.  Throughout the years it has been exciting to see how God has worked in the lives of our staff.  It was a number of years ago that Jonathan Helvoigt, Christina, and Tanner came to counsel at Cross Bar X.  While counseling at Cross Bar X Jonathan made a decision that someday he would go into full-time mission work.  Christina and Tanner later got married and moved to Kansas to do social work.  The three of them kept in contact.  Recently God put on Jonathan’s heart to start a church in Denver Colorado.   He asked Christina and Tanner if they would help plant a church in Denver and they agreed to move out and help him.

                 We use to get inner-city children from Denver through churches in lower-income neighborhoods, but those churches have changed or moved through gentrification.  There is a possibility that Jonathan may plant a church in an area that has a high number of homeless people and near the new ‘inner-city’.  We were really excited to hear of his passion to plant a church and that God had put this on his heart while he was at Cross Bar X.

                We need summer counselors.  If you or you or someone you know would like a meaningful, challenging and spiritually rewarding summer, please check out the camp at crossbarx.org or contact me personally at [email protected].

Kyle and Christine serve in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland with two primary focuses: evangelism and training. Kyle and Christine serve in a local church having spent the first two years of their ministry focused on learning the Polish language.  Recently, the Christian Education Center, which has focused in equipping and training Christians, will begin teaching in September.

How to pray for the Ricedorff’s:

• They are expecting a new child at the end of May.
• They were recently able to buy a house.
• Christine’s health is still a challenge, pray for God to help them respond well and to find good solutions.