Our handsome boys!!!

Life is beautiful

“Look what my daddy did for me, look what he gave me!” The last words of the movie “Life is Beautiful” made me stop and think one more time of how precious the gift of life is. So often we are so busy that we don’t have time to stop and thank our Heavenly Daddy for His precious gift to us.

Life is very precious and not only mine and yours but every life. It’s why God did everything from His side that we would have an eternal life. But what can we do in return? First of all we should appreciate His gift to us. We must spend our life in a way that brings glory to the One who gave it to us.

This month had its ups and downs for us. There were times we saw God working and being on our side and yet other times it seemed like God just watched from far away. But now when we look back we see how God was teaching us to lean on Him and stand firm on His promises.

One big thing was when Steven was working on the documents for Tyomka. In the beginning it looked very easy and we thought that in the beginning of the summer we should have our big boy home but there were many “little thing” popping up in the process. One “little thing” was that the social workers wanted Steven to do the documents as if Tyomka was his nephew. To say it straight, they wanted him to lie because it was easier for them. After Steven said that he cannot do God’s work using the worldly methods they decided to make things look so complicated that Steven would agree. He came home and we prayed. We knew that God was on our side and that meant that victory was ours. We waited a few days and than got a call saying that if we don’t do something fast Tyomka will be adopted by some foreigners. Steven went to the office again standing firm on God’s promises. Well, to make story short, they saw that they cannot break him and accepted the documents. But it is not the end yet, some other thing needs to be done, so please pray for us.

It is hard to wait when you don’t know how long. But as we are waiting for Tyamka to come home, we are preparing his room and It’s almost ready.

Timka is growing fast. He keeps all of us busy and entertained. I spend lots of time training him and being there when he needs me. He loves to go fishing with his daddy and I was so surprised when I saw him standing with his fishing pole for 30 minutes!!! One thing I can say that you cannot become a fisherman you have to be born one. I see how rewarding it is to spend time with you child. Another day we were having lunch when Timka ran to his daddy hugged him and said: “daddy you are my best friend!” Yeah, it made daddy’s day!!!

Right now we are preparing for the summer’s camps and VBSs. Praise God we have a good group of youth from our church that wants to help us. We want God to use us for His glory.

When God knocked at our door…

This is what I recently wrote in my jeornal: (Sorry for all the mistakes) 

When God knocked at our door….

It was an usual day. We woke up, dressed, ate, prayed and went to work. Nothing was special about it but only until someone knocked at our door. “Who could it be?” – I thought, hurrying to open it. I could not believe my own eyes. Right there, in front of me, Jesus was standing. I started to nervous. I wanted to offer Him something but I was motionless. Finally He smiled and asked: “May I come in?” “Of course, please, come in and have some tea with us.” “Thank you, that’s very nice of you but I need a place to  stay not only for a visit…” “ Do you mean, stay with us forever?   Of course Jesus we would love to keep You but we are not ready yet. Look,  your room is not ready yet, it still needs lots of work, and right now we are very busy and cannot give you as much of attention as you need…It’s not like we don’t want you to stay with us, we do, we always wanted. We even talked about it but it’s not the right time for us yet, do you understand? “Yes I do, but it is not want I am asking you for. All I really need is a heart that can love, a place that can be my home and someone I can call Mommy and Daddy. 

Only than I saw that the person that was standing in front of me was not Jesus anymore but an eight year old boy whose eyes told the whole story, a story that was too much to bear.

He looked into my eyes while waiting for the answer… and than he was ready to leave.

But could I let him go? Go where? There was nobody he could go to. He had already waited for nearly 5 years without an answer….

No, we could not let him go. He belongs here. Yes, maybe we don’t have a perfect place but we have a loving place. We are not perfect parents but we are willing to change. We have fears about the future but we know the One Who holds it.

So, we said yes to this sweet little boy, whose name is Tyomka and soon (we hope the documents will be ready soon) he will come home to live with us. Timka is very excited and prays for his new brother every day.

Hello everybody,
I know that it has been a long long time since I wrote anything but I am going to try to keep up.
God is blessing us sooo much in everyday life that I cannot stop thanking Him and singing Him praises.
After a very good time in USA (Nov - Dec 2012) we are back home trying to catch up with so many different things. The very same day we arrived  on January 31 we were involved in a youth program. Youth prepared a very good program for the New Year celebration and we were blessed to be a part of it. It was so nice to see our big  church family again. For us our church is our life!!! We are thankful to God for our precious young people who are so open for God and His work.
January went very fast for us because half of it there were all kinds of celebrations and that meant going to church, visiting friends and resting.
I started teaching English the second half of the month. And this is another reason to thank God for. We often talk with Steven about the job God gave us so we can do ministry and be with the family all the time!!! For those of you who doesn't know what I am talking about I will explain. In our schools children study English but not always it is taught good enough so parents asked me to help their kids. So now I have 4 groups of kids (about 5 kinds in each group) which come to our house after school and I try to help them with English. It is  not high paid job but we like it because it allows us to do what we like - to do the ministry God called us.
In Feb. we visited grandparents (my parents) who live 140 mls away. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the time of fellowship with the family and old friends. God gave an opportunity for Steven to share God's Word in two churches (he preached 4 times)
I am so ready for the sun to come out and bring to life everything around. It's been cold and raining almost  the whole half of March and I hope that soon it will change.
Timka is growing very fast. I cannot believe that he is already two. He is keeping us very busy.
His favorite things now are to jump in puddles, help his daddy to build our house, help mommy to cook, sing songs, play with his the most favorite toys - trains, read books and to go for long walks. Oh, and yes, his recent passion is to ask mommy hundred questions, "What is it? and Where it lives?!  It is so funny when he speaks with his Ukrainian friend and tries to explain to them something in English. But he is getting better and better in making a difference between the two languages. He would be talking with us in English when the grandpa comes in, and right away Timka starts speaking with him in Ukrainian. I am so thankful to God for the privilege to watch a healthy boy grow.

I know I am forgetting tons of stuff but I will write next time. Now I want to say that I am so blessed to have you , my friends. I pray that as I am writing these words God would visit each of you no matter where you are and meet your needs as He sees fits best.
We love you and are waiting for your responses, God bless you.

Baby shower!!!

  

It was a real surprise for me when after Saturday ministry in Perechin, we came home with Boyds' family and all of a sudden girls from the church came in with Charyl caring gifts and cakes .... 

 I could not figure out first what was happening, it was a real surprise for me!!!

We are very thankful for all the gifts. It is a big help for us. Thank you all who participated!!!

As we are getting closer to the due date, January 5th, we are very excited to meet our little boy.   

God's blessings

Hello my dear friends and families,

It has been a while since I wrote you so now I don’t know where I should begin…

Well first of all I want to thank God for all His blessings in our lives. This year has been full all them and I know the year is not over yet.

The summer was full of opportunities to work on God’s field and to spread His Gospel even to far little mountain villages. We did some VBSs  and helped with translation. We are so glad and honored that God could use us for His glory. It was so great to see old grandmas and grandpas coming to see Jesus film after a long, hard day of working on the fields. I was so encouraged to see God working in a real way. I was interpreting for one pastor from USA in a little village. We met in an old cultural club house (where earlier communists used to meet and preach their ideas) and began an evangelism meeting. First there were only a few but as it god darker and people finished their work and home they stared coming. Soon there were more then 40 people who don’t go to any church because the village is so far away that there is no church to go to. After few testimonies and songs pastor shared the message God had laid on his heart. It was so amazing to see when 12 people of all ages came forward to pray and ask God to forgive their sins!!! Nothing was able to make those people to take that first step except the Holy Spirit who was working in that place. I praise God for allowing me to see His great work!!!

Also I want to share one great news and a blessing from God!!! As soon as we returned from USA this spring I felt something was wrong with me. First I thought that it was all the changes and adjustments to “new” food. But soon we went to a doctor and she told us there was nothing to worry about, all what we had to do was to prepare to become a new mommy and daddy!!!  So with God’s help we are going to have a baby sometime around new year!!! We are very excited and of course a little anxious but we know we have the Greatest Teacher and the Father whom we can imitate.

Beautiful Summer!!!

Don’t know if it is just me but every time I promise myself that next time I am going to be better in keeping in contact, updating my blog etc., but every time I look at the last updates it’s been more that a month…. so now I am not going to promise anything I am just going to try… maybe that will work better

First of all I want to thank God for the beautiful summer we’ve been having. It has been warm but also we had some rains in between. When it is too hot I try to find some job inside because it feels so much better even without air conditioner, yes it’s right!!! Our house is almost 100 years old, Steven’s grandfather built it out of mud blocks and walls are so thick (approximately 2 feet) that it feels like being underground… you can come visit us and see…

I also praise God for all the VBSs we had. God really blessed us and sent the right children who needed to hear the Gospel.

We did two VBSs in Carpathian mountains and one Bible trip. Also in those villages we showed Jesus film twice. For me it was amazing how people responded and came in spite of the fact that they did not know us.

First time when we showed the film, we did not know if any will come because we came that same day and set up our tents then missionary Jason and Steven (my husband) went to invite the people. The village was a very small one  and people were working in the fields so the possibility of them coming to watch movie after a long, hot day was a very small.

Missionary’s wife, Joanna, and I stayed by the tents and prayed but when the boys came and told us that half of the village came (more than 20) we understood how little our faith was. We asked at least for five, but God showed us that His plans are much bigger.

After mountains, we helped with two more VBSs close to Kiev.  There also God helped us and we had close to 30 kids. Usually we had four days of program and on the fifth day we did a picnic.

Now we are done with camps so we continue our ministry in Perechin. After one month of summer break we are starting the kids club again.

So. please pray for the new kids and that this new year would be a fruitful for His glory.   

Hello to everybody,

It is been awhile since I have written on my blog, but I hope you understand and will forgive me:). 

            First of all I would like to thank everyone for praying for us. Your prayers are heard by God. Sometimes in the morning I have no idea how to survive the coming day but in the evening I feel even better that in the morning…. You wonder why, me too? In the Bible God told me that He hears the prayers of His children. And I know that somewhere someone prayed for me that day and God in His love and mercy carried me through hard and busy day. So, please continue to do your great work!

            I want to thank God for helping us in the ministry. We continue to do what God has laid on our hearts, and that is working with youth and children in a town of Perechin. During summer we don’t have as many children coming as during a school year because many of them go to help grandparents with gardens and farm. Many have to stay at home to help parents but we pray that Holy Spirit would work in their hearts wherever they might be.

            With God’s help we already finished one Vacation Bible School, VBS, in mountain village. Today we are going to another village, not too far from Perechin. I’ve never been there but Steven, (my husbandJ) went there with Jason Sturtevant, one missionary from USA, on a Bible trip and people were very friendly to them. They invited them to come again, so we will use the opportunity of an open door. Steven says that people there live very simple but suffer from alcoholism. And it is our passion to bring Hope through Christ to such families and children. So please pray that God would go ahead of us and prepare their hearts for the Gospel.

Be blessed, Steven and Vita Kohutka.

P.S. This post was supposed to be posted on Tuesday but our internet was not working. Sorry for the late updates :) 

P.S. I am still trying to figure it out how to post pictures, so please be patient with me, thanks.