It is hard to believe that we are once again returning to Khabarovsk, Russia. It has been a few years since our last visit there. Our travel will be interesting. We will fly from Michigan to LA, to Tokyo and then to Khabarovsk. Our visit will last almost a month. We look forward to once again seeing friends, visiting familiar places, and enjoying walks along the river. The city has changed much since our last visit. We will spend our first days readjusting and settling in. Sunday we will visit Pastor Yuri’s church and worship together. We thank you for joining us on our journey. We hope to keep you updated along the way.
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MINISTRY to ORPHANS Echoes of Mercy Kenya
Friday, April 19th, 2019Those faces, you just can’t help but fall in love with those faces. Their smiles (maybe not for the camera but certainly in person) seem to engulf their whole faces. And the laughter of any child is contagious. The excitement, the curiosity transcends the language barrier. It could be in an orphanage in Russia, a playground in the U.S., or a mission school in Kenya. To love a child or love like a child is having a heart like God’s. I want that heart. I remember the first time I went to Kenya with Fruit of the Vine. The first visit was like an expedition to discover what the ministry of Echoes of Mercy, founded by Moses Odhiambo, was all about. We wanted to see what Moses was trying to do in his home village and to figure out ways to help. To say my anticipation and excitement for this trip was immeasurable was no lie. It had been years since my last mission trip, but the feeling was still there. That expectation to see what God might do and why God was giving me this honor more than made up for any trip preparation I went through (and there was a lot). That first trip was in 2010. It was not my last. In Kenya, you have to pay to go to school. No money, no school. Moses started with a vision to show these children Jesus and give them a strong education in an effort to make an
Bosnia Kitchen experience
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015During the past few years we have gone to Florida to escape the snowy cold northern Michigan winter. But it also allows for another dimension to our ministry work. Each year we manage to fill our time with local outreach projects. This year 2015 was no exception. Fruit of the Vine Ministries took on a project to help a family from Bosnia that relocated to St Petersburg. Our pastor had asked us to stop by and check on a roof leak in their home. That was quickly located and repaired. However they had more work inside. Their kitchen was in need of some major repairs. The senior parents of the house did not speak much English but a daughter in law did. Three families lived in the home including some very active children. There was the father and mother along with their two sons and daughter-in-laws and the children. After sorting out the list of needs we reached an agreement to share the work load and the expenses. The family agreed to strip and paint the cabinets and purchase new laminate. We agreed to resurface the counter top with the laminate, install a new sink and new faucet, repair plumbing and build in a dishwasher someone had donated to them. The father of the clan was calling Dale “my friend” each day and thanking us often for the work being done. We had the opportunity to have some good conversations with some of the family that spoke English. It was
Hungary Bible Museum 2015
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015Exciting things are happening with our Hungarian ministry partners. Pastor Gusztav Fodor and his wife pastor churches in two small villages. A few months ago he contacted us with a vision for a new outreach. From past experience of working together we knew this idea would be good and Fruit of the Vine sowed into this project. Lord willing we plan to visit them later this summer and be a part of their work. Here is his story…… Last Year about 300 000 tourists drove thru the village of Tiszaderzs during the tourist season, because of the developing Tisza-Lake. The tourist drove thru the village, but our church is closed. Our answer is for that great possibility, to make something for God, with which we can invite tourists, and speak for them about salvation! We would make a Bible museum. We want to stop people, and to invite them to the church, to look at the Bible-Museum, to hear wonderful things about the Bible, and to look the more than 400 different types of Bibles and songbooks and prayer books. If yearly we will have about 1000-2000 visitor, it will be fantastic! The biggest reason of organizing the Bible Museum is: to speak about God, to speak about the Gospel, to speak about Salvation in Jesus! We have already Bibles in foreign languages: Norwegian, Ukrainian, Russian, Slovakian, Bulgarian, Arabic, Dutch, 40 types of English, French, Finn, Turkish, Kurd, Modern Greek, Asyr, Chinese, Urdu, Estonian, and Romanian. We have about 150 types
Russia Kenya connect Sept 2014
Tuesday, September 30th, 2014God has a unique way of weaving a picture. Often times we do not see it in the making but then come the “ah ha moment”. Let me step back in time. I met Lena, a teacher of English, in Khabarovsk Russia in 1997. Her heart overflows with love for orphan children. From our first meeting our hearts connected and we began working together. We have spent many hours visiting orphanages, filling needs and sharing God’s love. Lena’s passion have led her to start many programs in Khabarovsk that make a difference in their lives. Recently I saw her love stretched further than Russia. I met teacher Pauline in Kenya five years ago. She lived at the mission house and has the title of “head teacher” at the Echoes of Mercy school. Her passion for teaching the children is amazing. At the time we met they had little resources but she poured all she had into teaching the children, many who are orphans. This year one of her students was given the honor of the best student in the district. I love to watch her in action. Last year Lena contacted me and had a great desire to help the orphans in Kenya as well as Russia. She wanted her English students to start a pen pal project and to send funds to meet a need. She sent letters to me via someone that was traveling to the US. I hand delivered them to eight students and teacher Pauline. The
What is a Zavalinki??…. by Dale
Thursday, July 19th, 2012Upon our arrival in Khabarovsk we met with our host. She had a list ready for us of suggested projects needing to be done at the Samuel House, a shelter for children. One of the needs listed was repair of the zavalinki. We asked what is a zavalinki? Well it was determined there was no translation for it. So we decided a visit to the house was in order to learn more about the zavalinki. It is a flashing device connected to the foundation. It is supposed to divert rain and add insulation at the base of the house. It looks much like a small roofed storage area 2 feet tall by 1 foot deep. When it was new it probably worked quite well. But when the roofing (which covered it) eventually failed the contraption became a perimeter sponge holding water that would freeze in winter. So much for insulation! This particular unit was in such bad disrepair the only logical solution was its complete removal. After the initial removal of all old materials the cement needed to be repaired or replaced and a water drainage system put in place. An addition had to be reinforced also so it would not fall. The cement wall was crumbling at its base and water had seeped in for a long time. The problem here was not insulation but water infiltrating into areas that needed to stay dry. Some Insulation was needed to be put in place at the wooden
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