I have created a separate page for prayer requests so that I can more easily keep you updated on specific prayer needs. You can find that page by clicking the Prayer Requests tab at the top of the website.
Financial
UPDATE: I ran into unforeseen expenses of booking new flights due to the issue of my passport being caught up at the Ukrainian embassy in Washinton, DC. This was a very trying situation but eventually all I could do was trust that God would work it out in the proper timing and remind me that all money is His in the end. I hated to see money "wasted" due to poor performance from the embassy. But I guess I don't really have the right to decide what "wasted" is. God does. I still don't understand His reasons. But I did learn some things. It's possible that was all that this was about, or maybe there was more to it. I'm not sure. But it was His situation and He took care of it how He saw fit.
Thankfully, my Mom gave me a Southwest Airlines travel voucher which I used to take care of my new domestic flight. The additional costs were an international airline ticket for $376 and approximately $75 of extra taxi cab fees associated with picking up my passport in New York City, where it was necessary to have my passport mailed in order to catch my international flight on time.
My work with New Life Church is entirely on a volunteer basis. Due to the economy of Ukraine and the limited resources the church has to work with, they are not able to pay any of my expenses. I am completely at the mercy of God and generous donors to make ends meet. I really pictured this being different. I originally had strong thoughts of finding full time or part time work to support myself. However, the more I got to know about the church, the more I realized that it was better if I planned on serving full time. I have generated a monthly budget around this new mindset and step of faith that God will provide if this is truly the ministry He has given me to participate in.
My monthly budget of $1200 will cover all day-to-day living expenses, including:
- 10% in administrative costs to MDI (the more people I talk to, the more I realize MDI is really cutting me a break on this)
- Tithe toward ministries of my choosing
- Travel expenses for my participation in church summer camps and for translation services
- Rent and utilities
- Food
- Russian Language Lessons
- Cell Phone
- Public Transportation
- Airfare
- Shipping of some musical equipment to enable me to participate in worship ministries
- Visa and temporary residency registration
- Skype account that allows me to call US phone numbers from overseas
- Medical evacuation insurance (which will get me out of the country for better medical treatment in the case of an emergency)
Any support in this regard would be greatly appreciated as well. Donations can be made to MDI on my behalf via PayPal (link on right side of page) or via check made payable to MDI. Please simply include my name on the note line of the check and send to:
MDI
204 Burnt Leaf Ln
Nashville, TN 37027
Contact
This work is not possible without partnerships from people around me who catch a vision for what I will be doing in Ukraine and want to be a part of that. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to receive any more information on this mission or would like to ask me questions directly. Various ways to get in touch with me are:
Phone: (615) 430-5496
(this will forward to my Skype account or voicemail)
e-mail: joshuaingram@gmail.com
Skype: alive1718
