June 2009
Greetings from the Pinczuk family!
It's hard to believe that so much time has past since the last update that I shared with you. I appreciate your continual interest in our lives and hope to do better about sharing updates with you more frequently. Please feel free to email me at any time with any specific questions or comments which you may have.
It has been a few weeks since my return from Ukraine and surprisingly, this trip proved to be a great blessing and time of healing for me. I arrived in Kiev along with a friend from the Niagara Falls church of Christ, Diane Sommerville and also Tommy Booker who is an elder at the Ridgewood church of Christ in Beaumont, TX. I spent a month in Kiev, tying up some loose ends and spending time with our dear church family at Shevchenko. Of course, upon arrival to our apartment home, it was difficult for me to enter as I found myself flooded with many memories of our family from so many months ago, however, it soon felt like home again.
I enjoyed spending time introducing Dianne and Tommy to Kiev and to the facilities at the Shevchenko church. It meant a lot to me and to the church members there to meet Tommy and for them to spend some time with each other. We also spent time at the new Christian camp which is an hour outside of Kiev. It's amazing that the new buildings have been erected all within a year and they're actually having their first session at the end of June for a local orphanage. This camp was very close to Rick's heart and I was so encouraged to see its new growth and development. More of this great work can be seen by visiting their website at www.jeremiahshope.org
We had a great time of fellowship with the church and we also made sure that we visited some of the memorable sights in Kiev. It was soon time for Tommy to return home but I greatly appreciated the opportunity to make some important decisions with him in regards to the continuation of the work in Kiev.
Yura Aniper, is a young Ukrainian man who has been a member at the Shevchenko church for many, many years and desires to continue the work that was started by Rick. He will now be supported by the Beaumont congregation. This is a great answer to prayer and a comfort to our family. All is going well with the church and they are even able to raise the monthly rent for the church rental facility on their own. I was very encouraged by them and was so happy to reunite with them since Rick's passing.
Diane was a great help and comfort to me during this trip and I greatly appreciated the time and help that she gave to myself and the church during her two week stay in Kiev.
Overall, it was a very fruitful trip and I thank the Lord for guiding and leading us all the way. I was also happy to return back to Canada to reunite with Larissa who will be completing her final year of high school later this month. Natasha has finished her junior year at Harding and will be staying with Larissa and I for the summer. Lord willing, the three of us plan to return to Ukraine for July and August and Eleah and Alex will join us for a week in July as well. Together as a family, we will use our time this summer to make decisions concerning Rick's belongings and personal library. We are all aware of what an emotional trip this will be, but we understand that it is needed and that this may also be a great time of healing for our family as well. I know that the girls look forward to reuniting with old friends and also the church family and so we pray for safe travels and God's hand of guidance.
If you wish to help us in any way, please contact the Ridgewood church of Christ in Beaumont, Texas. Our family is continually encouraged and comforted by your support and love. We covet your prayers during this time and thank you so much for the prayers that have been offered for our family during this great time of adjustment.
In Him,
Carol
cpinczuk@gmail.com
Welcome!
Dear friends and family,
As many of you have heard, our family is currently grieving the sudden loss of our husband and father, Rick. These past few months have been a tremendous time of adjustment for our family but we continue to move forward as best as we can. We are comforted in knowing that Rick is now at peace with our Father in heaven and we will forever treasure the time and memories that we were blessed to share with him here on earth.
We can never begin thanking all of our friends and family for reaching out to us during this difficult time. So many of you embraced us in the most loving of ways and for this we are eternally grateful. Thank you all for helping us through this difficult time and for continuing to journey with us along the road ahead. The peace of knowing that we will one day meet Rick again in heaven gives us strength for each day. Our memories of Rick and the love that he had for so many will continue to radiate from our hearts for many, many years to come.
We, as a family, wish to continue the work which Rick so passionately devoted his life to. With your help, we hope to continue to reach out to the people of Ukraine. I would be delighted to share with you my thoughts regarding the continuation of the work in Ukraine and the areas of ministry which currently need support. I look forward to learning of any ideas which you may have as well, and together, I hope that we can keep the life changing work in Ukraine moving forward.
I will now reside in Ontario, Canada with my youngest daughter Larissa, who is currently completing her senior year of high school before beginning further education at Harding University in the fall of 2009.
Natasha is now a junior at Harding and pursuing a degree in English. She has thoroughly enjoyed her experience at Harding and looks forward to her graduation next spring.
Eleah is currently residing in Nashville, TN with her husband Alex. She is pursuing a Masters in Counseling at Trevecca University and is looking forward to her graduation in the spring of 2010.
Lord willing, I plan to return to Ukraine this spring and I would like to see myself returning for a few months every year to encourage the brethren at the Shevchenko church and to continue our work with the church and the Pine Branch Christian camp. As a family, we are all very eager to continue our involvement in this work as much we can, and together, we hope to find more and more ways to continue the work in Ukraine which Rick was so passionate about.
Your sponsorship, encouragement and love have been so greatly appreciated and I hope that together, we may continue to spread the Good News to the people in Ukraine.
Again, if you have any further questions about the future of the work in Ukraine, please feel free to contact myself or our elders at the Ridgewood Church of Christ at the contact information below. Also, please refer back to this website for updated information!
Ridgewood Church of Christ
2455 Commerce St.
Beaumont, TX 77703
phone: 409-892-7063
email: johnmdavis@juno.com
Carol Pinczuk: cpinczuk@gmail.com
Thank you again for your faithful love and support. Please continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate you all so very much and look forward to continual contact with you!
With love,
Carol Pinczuk and daughters
