For over a year now, Stoneworks has been partnering with several people in the US and Estonia to help establish a day center for children with disabilities. There are over 100 children with disabilities in that area and they have no access to services; they are at home, quite isolated from the world. They need help, and we are called to help them.

An American donor is giving a significant amount to help start the program, and in the process we’ve opened an Estonian charity named Päikesekiiir (Sunbeam) to run the program. But we didn’t have a building. Until yesterday.

The city of Jõhvi has given us use of a great building in the city center. And here it is:

We have it for 30 years at no cost! We have the keys and will start renovation soon.The building is in better shape than it may appear. It has a new roof and new high efficiency windows, it has a new security system and recently had firewalls and fire doors installed.

Pastor Artur Põld, architect Andres Toome and myself are the founding board members of the Estonian charity Sunbeam. Stoneworks represents the US side of the project, and also involved are Finns, Swedes, Norwegians, Germans and Brits.

In addition to housing the center for children with disabilities, the building is large enough to house many more activities. It has a great assembly hall, conference rooms, we’ll build housing for mission teams, and host other events there. It’s in a great location, right in the middle of town.

Currently a youth center and kindergarten use a few of the rooms. They will pay rent to help offset operating expenses. There is much more room for expansion. And there is a smaller building on the lot that we hope to turn into a wood-working shop.

There is much to be done to prepare the building for the ministry. Though some parts of the building are in good shape, we need to renovate several rooms, build two wheelchair accessible bathrooms, reconfigure and rebuild the entrance (ramps, roof, doors) and offices, upgrade the heating system, renovate the kitchen, build a fence, and much more. Here are the initial designs for the first floor, where Sunbeam will be housed.

So, now that we have the building, much more is needed: mission teams to do construction, funds for equipment and operations, people to help train volunteers, and on and on.

We hope to open Sunbeam on June 1 — International Childrens’ Day.The next four months will be quite full and quite fun! And I’ll be posting more news as we move along.

You can read more and see more pictures and videos here.

Donations to support the center can be made here.

Soli Deo Gloria — To God alone be the glory. He has put this in our hearts, and He is bringing all the resources needed to help these children. We thank Him for guiding us.

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In Iraq this year I asked an Iraqi military officer doing joint training at an American base what was the big thing he’d come to believe about Americans in the years they’d been there. He thought. “You are a better people than your movies say.” He had judged us by our exports. He had seen the low slag heap of our culture and assumed it was a true expression of who we are.

This has been my experience in various countries. The USA exports a lot of filth (by movies, music, popular culture, etc.), and others have judged Americans by it. We need to keep this in mind when the US is criticized by other cultures. In many cases the USA is not very attractive when judged by our cultural exports.

This is also one more good reason for mission trips: people in other countries can experience a different kind of American, an American who follows God and acts in love. In this way we may, in small part, act as peacemakers between cultures.

The best thing we can do is love the Lord deeply and be the people He wants us to be. Sometimes He may then send us to other cultures be a witness of His loving-kindness. He always wants us to be a witness in our home culture.

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Since our last Postcard we’ve been all over Europe. At the end of August we drove from Russia to Montenegro (you can see a photo record of the trip here). The picture above was taken when we gassed up in Augustow, Poland. We spent almost a month in Montenegro, visiting family, friends and ministry partners. Valerie had a GREAT time, especially at the beach (here is a video of her first experience of the sea).

Then we drove from Montenegro to Rathenow, Germany, the town where Olga lived for a couple of years when her father was stationed at a Soviet military base in East Germany. Olga has many good memories of that town, and it’s where she and her mom first heard the gospel preached; this happened just as the Soviet Union was collapsing. The commander of the base surprisingly allowed a group of Christians to share their testimonies.

From Germany, we went to Estonia. Olga and Valerie returned to Russia while I applied for my new Russian visa and spent time in Estonia and Finland. The picture below is of Finland in Autumn.

So, in the span of about 6 weeks we were in these countries (in order): Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia and Finland. It was quite an adventure.

Valerie is doing very well. She’s growing like a weed and speaking better and better all the time. She’s a good kid and we all love each other. We are gathering documents necessary to petition the court to terminate Oksana’s (Valerie’s birth mother’s) parental rights. We think this will happen in a few weeks. Then we can then move to adopt Valerie, however there is a six-month waiting period after termination of parental rights before we can adopt.

The ministry continues. You can see the most recent Stoneworks update here. Several projects are in various stages: we’ll host a mission team of 40-60 who will minister in Russia and Estonia; two teams from Georgia will go to Montenegro; we continue to work on Sunbeam (the center for children with disabilities in Estonia) and I hope to have some good news about that soon.

Even though the world faces difficulties and we are affected by those forces, our hope is not in the things of this world; our hope is in Christ who is a good shepherd. Remember, He has prepared good work in advance for you to do. His best is always in the future.

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For those who don’t know, I am the Executive Director of Stoneworks International, a small American mission organization that has projects in Russia, Estonia, Belarus and Montenegro. I’m also the chairman of the board of МИР (MIR), a Russia charity I helped found about 11 years ago. And, I’m a founding board member of Päikesekiir (Sunbeam), an Estonian charity that’s in the process of establishing a day center for children with disabilities in Northeast Estonia.

Here in Montenegro, I’ve recently done some preliminary planning for a mission team we’ll host in May. I’m spending time with ministry leaders and co-workers, as well as with Olga’s sister’s family. In the past, I’ve helped several short-term mission teams run summer camps here; I hope we’ll run another this coming summer. And, having an internet connection, I continue to communicate with partners in other countries.

In Russia, our ministry faces a variety of challenges, including financial short-falls and a staff in transition; I’m in regular contact regarding budgets, staffing, vision, etc. MIR has just finished a successful summer, and we’re thankful for that. I’ve also been helping a couple, Yan and Nadya Boldyrev, as they transition their orphan ministry to work more closely with us. I’m also in talks with Teen Mania about a 40-person mission team they plan to send to Russia and Estonia next summer.

In Belarus, I primarily help in decision-making regarding the future of the ministry, and I help assure that reporting (financial, ministry) is going smoothly. Other Stoneworks board members are active in helping the ministry in Belarus. Of course, the staff of our sister ministry, Spring of Revival, is great and serve selflessly. Recently, I helped our co-workers there get Estonia visas, and I look forward to the time when our friends in Estonia will meet and partner with our friends in Belarus. The ministry staff in Belarus are facing a difficult time these days; the culture is under siege and the financial markets are very unstable.

My work in Estonia continues to grow. The biggest project is Sunbeam, a center for children with disabilities we plan to build in Johvi. Right now, the city is working on zoning changes for the land they will grant to us. I’ve had several meetings with the architect, and his designs are nearing completion; it’s going to take a while to build it, but it will be great when it’s all done. I’m also in early planning for a project to build a missionary guest house in Estonia, a home where Christian workers from Russia and other ex-soviet states can take a break and be refreshed. We’ve identified a building at Camp Gideon that we hope to renovate for that project. Our relationships with people there get better and better all the time. We also now have an apartment in Estonia (our home is still in St. Petersburg), and our car is registered there, so our connections in Estonia are increasing.

This update has the word “I” quite a bit. It must be said that everything I do is in partnership with many wonderful people. In Russia, I commend Masha, Katya, Tatiana, Tanya, Yan and Nadya, Zhenya, Dima, Marina, Lyle, Peter and Liz; in Estonia, I tip my hat to Artur, Liana, Erkki, and Andres; in Belarus, the work is carried out with love by Olga, Yasha, Alesya and Masha; in Montenegro, my co-laborers are Vladimir, Marijana, and Violeta; in the USA, I depend very much on Mary Jean (who is the best!), Dave, Larry, Jill, Dan, Kirk and Phill (who is actually in South Africa). These people and many more are my co-workers for the sake of the gospel.

God sets us together as living stones, and I am very happy with the ‘stones’ among whom He has set me.

So, that’s a quick run-down of what I do. I’m also enjoying being a new father, as Olga and I are in the process of adopting a little girl who is living with us now –  a 4 year old named Valerie. And Olga and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary in November.

As I write this, I’m sitting in a flat overlooking the Bay of Kotor, on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. Another day, another beautiful view. . . .

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I (Mike) have just seen the fulfillment of a dream. For the past two years we’ve thought that it would be great to send children from Russia to a Christian camp in Estonia. Well, it’s come to pass: MIR, in partnership with Love Russia UK, have sent 43 foster children and 6 Estonian orphans to Camp Gideon, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. A team of about 30 from the UK met the children and have been running a two-week camp. Interpreters from Russia are also serving there. The foster parents also went to camp, and it’s been a GREAT help to them to have a holiday in Estonia.

Russians have a saying — the first pancake is always a mess. So, while things have not been as smooth as we would have liked, the Brits have already committed to doing the camp again next year.

The Russian government changed laws making it more difficult for MIR to send children from orphanages out of the country, and this is one reason we had to stop the hosting program to the US. However, we are able to work with orphans in foster families. This looks to be a fruitful part of MIR’s work from here on.

MIR has several new things coming up and yet is going through a tight time financially. We’ve been in the situation before: hard times that are accompanied by new growth.

Please keep us in prayer as we discern what God has next for MIR and the ministry in Russia.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

This is Hõreda Manor, one of many manors that are now abandoned.

The building was finished about in 1810. and was decorated inside with marks and filigranes stucco decorations. After it stood without a roof in 1980s and 1990s, it has been completely ruined. The manor now stands in private ownership.

I originally found this manor on this site, which has many interesting pictures from the back roads of Estonia.  There are more pictures of the Hõreda Manor here, and you can see many more manors here and here.

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We’ve just returned from Estonia where we had a quick visit with a mission team from our home church in Athens, GA. The team is ministering in Camp Gideon, a Christian camp in the shore of the Gulf of Finland. This team is particularly memorable in that my aunt, Judy Cantrell, is a member. That’s her above at right with Valerie and other team members. So, it was good to have some family time as well as mission time with the team.

The team went to a restaurant where you catch your own meal. Olga caught her first fish (ever!). Here she is with Bill Arnold, who has been a great help in many ways. In addition to serving the children, the team is also involved in construction projects, and Bill is taking a leading role in that.

Our summer plans are in flux. I won’t be going to Montenegro as intended, since the mission team that planned to run the camp had to cancel their trip. Thankfully, the youth in Montenegro have been able to connect with other ministry opportunities. I’ll spend more time in Estonia, where I’ll meet with the architect of the center for disabled children and do some other work.

You can read the most recent Stoneworks newsletter here. This will give you an idea of the variety of activities going on this summer. I am very thankful to be a part of such a great team. Our work continues in Estonia (mission teams, center for disabled children), Russia (mission teams, Camp Elama) and Belarus (summer camps, visits to orphanages and shelters, the Minsk Family Home).

I continue to be reminded of how unity is more important than activity. Even though we have a lot going on, it’s more important to abide in Christ, to live with and depend on Him, and to work for unity with those around us; we trust that activities will be a natural result of our relationship with Christ and with one another. Jesus said, ‘by this people will know that you’re my disciples — by your love for one another’. God values love above all else: first loving Him and then loving one another.

Let’s all set our hearts to love God more and more. For He is the beginning and end of all, the cornerstone and the capstone.

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I’ve been looking to purchase a used mini-van for use as our ministry in Europe expands. Our little red car is getting a little long in the tooth, and I felt that the time may have come to find a good traveling car since I’m on the road so much these days.

I have been looking for cars in Germany. Prices are lower there, and Germans take good care of their cars. A month ago I sent an email to a private seller (not a dealer) in Germany but never heard back from him. I looked at a lot of other cars after that . . . .

Sunday: After driving from Russia to Estonia, I check my spam folder and notice a reply from the seller; it’s three weeks old. I write asking if the van is still for sale, and it is. We exchange several emails as I get more information. After talking with Olga and coming to agreement, I book a flight to Hamburg (using frequent flyer miles).

Monday: After taking care of some business in Jõhvi, I take a bus to Tallinn and spend the night with friends.

Tuesday: I fly to Hamburg in the morning (above is the Germany countryside near Hamburg) and meet the seller, who is a actually young man helping his mother sell the van. We drive a couple of hours to Güstrow, between Rostock and Berlin. I agree to buy the van (it’s in GREAT shape), and we spend the afternoon doing all the documents.

Güstrow is a small town and we actually had a good time talking with the ladies at the DMV who knew Kent and his family well. They were all very helpful and interested to see an American buying the car. Below are Simone Pettke (the seller), one of the DMV ladies, and Simone’s son Kent.

Kent and I had some great conversations, and I really like his family. It was nice to have that little amount of time with them. One of the topics of my conversation with Kent was how I became a follower of Jesus when I was about the age that Kent is now. I was really blessed as we talked about the character of God and what it means to follow Him. I am very thankful that we had that conversation, and I pray that Kent will receive abundant life in Christ.

A little about the van: it’s a Chrysler Voyager, the European model. It has a diesel motor and a 5 speed manual transmission. Even though it’s a 2003 model, it has only 74,000 kilometers (46,000 miles). Simone really loved the van and took excellent care of it. The van was mostly used for long trips because she rode her bike to work most of the time. She was clearly sad when I drove away; she told me that she had ‘said her goodbyes’ the night before. I’ve already sent them a picture of the van here in Finland (see below).

Tuesday late afternoon: I’m still not sure exactly how I’ll get back to Estonia. I had been thinking I’d drive, but I realize that I’ll be too tired to start such a long trip in the afternoon. (The drive would be over 1000 miles and take about 20 hours.) I check online to see about taking a ferry (which I’ve heard of people doing), and I find a 25% discount on a ferry that’s leaving that night. So, I book a ticket while sitting in a McDonald’s (free internet and a burger) and drive to Travemünde (an hour) to board the ferry.

This is a video of a lovely drive through farmland on the way to Travemünde:

(if you have trouble viewing the video on this page, click on the placeholder, and it should open in YouTube)

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is a picture taken as I’m about to join the queue for boarding:

And here’s a video of the actual boarding (I am on the ship at the top of the first ramp):

Click here to view the embedded video.

The ferry is large. My cabin was on the 9th floor (deck); there are 11 decks total.

Olga and I had already planned to spend this weekend in Finland, so it worked out well that the ferry was going to Helsinki. After an uneventful 30 hour trip the length of the Baltic, I arrive in Helsinki at 7:30am on Thursday (today).

The Baltic was foggy near Gotland:

And sunny in the Helsinki Archipelag0:

Here’s a view as we are just about to arrive at Vuosaaren Satama (Vuosaari Harbor):

Click here to view the embedded video.

Then I disembarked

Click here to view the embedded video.

and drove to Koppero, the little cabin by lake Pyhäjärvi, where I promptly mowed the grass:

Olga, Valerie, and Olga’s mother Tanya arrive tomorrow for the weekend. It will be nice to have time with family in such a beautiful land.

And next week I take a ferry to Estonia to register the car there. . . .

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Two fortresses face one another across the Narva river: on the Russian side Ivanogorod Fortress was built in the 1490s, to fend off the Livonian (German) knights. Herman Castle, a Danish and then Livonian Teutonic fortress from the 13th century, sits opposite on the Estonia bank. It’s quite beautiful, really.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ll be here a few days, working on a few items related to the center for disabled children we plan to build here in Johvi, and I’ll also visit with our good friends here.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

I made video of this same same road during the winter.

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