I went to Plavni last week. I think the whole of the Ukraine takes their mud there. There is no way you can walk in Plavni without being covered in mud. It is going well with tannie Jossie and Serioga. I saw Stjoppa, and it isn't going to good with him. The bottle has got a hold of him again. Drinking is a big problem in this area. What we need, is to take Stjoppa out of his circumstances, and his problems, and to put him up in an home where we can minister to him on an fulltime bases. We need an home where the drunkards can go and dry out and get filled with God. Please pray that the Lord will help us with this problem. I didn't see Sultan... So, I don't know how he is doing - but you can still pray for him. I was only going to stay in Plavni for one night. When I got there, they asked if I would stay another day. So, I did that, my arm twisted back sorely, I tell you... While there, the Lord gave me an message for the church, but the bus schudule was to take me back - before the meeting!... so I thought it must have been just my imagination and not the Lord speaking... I went to the bus stop at 4pm, and what do you know? The bus never shows up! When I got back to the house, tannie Jossie just said... You're preaching tonight. Well, I didn't speak... God spoke to the people. I read in the "Purpose Driven Life" about frienship with God... The scripture: Ps 25:14a "Friendship with God is reserved for those who revere Him." has so much in it. The word Friendship isn't the kind of friendship we think of... This is as the old title "Friend of the King". A friend of the king had direct access to the king. He could freely approch the king without fear of death. He also sat in the Kings councel. I don't know with whom I'm going to make friends with in the next 10 years, or so, but the scripture says that our friendship (our place in the Kings councel) is reserved. God knew long ago - already - that He wanted you to be his friend and to have fellowship with Him. Now how do we get that friendship... the word is "REVERE"... The fear of God. Now again, this is not the fear we think of. This is not those who are scared of God, no, this is those who puts Gods opinion first, to considder God when you make a dissition, to not worry about what the people are thinking, but to worry about what God is thinking. Is I'm continiously looking at the people - worring about what they think of me. What I'm doing, I'm fearful of man. If I do anything because of what the "people say", then I'm doing it out of the fear of man. This fear of man is in direct opposition to the fear of God. To "revere" God, you need to take your eyes from man, and focus on God. Only then will you be able to be "Friends" with God... Please pray for me, Pray that I will alway look to the Lord and not be worried about what the people are saying. Please pray that I will be able to hear the Lords voice clearly, and that I will be able to walk 100% in His will. My cell phone broke... please pray that I will be able to sort it out. I praise the Lord for a great time in Plavni, and that He is with tannie Jossie and Serioga. May the Lord bless you and keep you! Love Al the Pote P.S. I mentiond "The Purpose Dirven Life" by Rick Warren. If you haven't yet heard of it, you can really look at this book. It is great! I think the web address is www.purposedrivenlife.com