We are headed back to Estonia, after having fallen in love with it and the people there through last year’s camp and exploratory trip. This year we are spending the entire time at Camp Gideon, located on the Gulf of Finland east of Tallinn. We will be assisting with Vacation Bible School, games and sports for orphans 8-12 years old. The orphans will come from several orphanages in the eastern part of Estonia. We paid a visit to some of these orphanages last year. The orphans are ethnically Russian, children of Russian parents who settled in Estonia after WWII, and are now stranded there without the rights of Estonians. In addition to working with orphans, we will be remodeling old buildings so that they can be used a dormitories at the camp.

Pastor Artur Pold is the director at Camp Gideon, and is also the pastor of the Jõhvi United Methodist Church, who we connected with through Mike Cantrell. This outreach is following our hearts as the Spirit leads to minister to orphans. Jesus said: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18. Thus, we are being helping hands in fulfilling that promise.

The team currently has 9 members (8 from St. James and 1 from Tennessee)  The members are: Bill & Vivian Arnold, Mary Blass, Shannon Boyd, Judy Cantrell, Dave & Janice Himmelsbach, Carrie Nearhood and Brooke Wallace.  Please sign up to pray for the team and pray especially for: unity of the team, safe travel, spiritual protection, and successful ministry.  Prayer cards will be available at commissioning of the team.

The team will be commissioned at the 11 am service on June 26th, will depart St. James at 10:45 am on July 2nd and return at about 5 PM on July 15th.  Please come out and send the team off at 10:30 am on July 2nd.

The Lord is opening the door for work with Russian orphans which are living in Estonia. We served Russian orphans who live in an orphanage near the Russian border by sharing the message of God's love for them through skits, crafts, games and campfire activities and songs. We also made a heart to heart connection with Methodist pastor Artur Pold, who runs a large camp on the Gulf of Finland. Plans are being made to go next year the first two weeks in July to partner with his program to serve children at camp and to carry out a building project. Please pray to see if God is leading you to be a part of this ministry.