We keep holding weekly Bible studies for drug addicts (up to 15 people attend) and a weekly Bible study for prostitutes (3 women attend). We can no longer evangelize inside brothels, since Alla has left our team and now we have to find other women for this ministry. (Please pray!)
We no longer have Bible studies in Bat-Yam, but the groups in Ashkelon and Ashdod remain active. Recently we have started another Bible study -- for women who are victims of human trafficking, as it is written in the article in the beginning of this newsletter.
We want to see all these activities grow and develop and ask you to pray about that. As our ministry expands, however, our expenses grow as well, so please pray for us that we would find more support for our outreach. There is a serious need for opening new rehab centers. We want to do more, but our finances are limited.
The Negev and Family
Our Negev congregations keep growing, little by little. Please pray for further development; we need more musicians to lead the worship, more Sunday school teachers, and leaders in general.
Please pray for our family. Yossi is becoming weaker and weaker (he can hardly use his hands now,) and his emotional state is not good either. Pray also for me -- there is much work to be done, more then usual, and I need God's strength and support very much.
"The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes..."(more news, interesting events and specific prayer requests)
We praise God for softening the hearts of the people from social services towards Tanya. It is a real miracle, since before our intervention in Tanya's affairs the social services were resolute to take her kids from her and deport her from the country. This course of events, after everything Tanya has already gone through, would be disastrous for her. Now, praise God, the social services agree to leave Tanya's kids with her, so in the beginning of November we rented a tiny apartment for the family and are going to support them financially until Tanya finds a job and starts earning a living (it would not be easy for her to do, however, since she will be able to find a serious job only after she gets all the necessary documents and permissions).
We are grateful to the Lord for the opportunity to help this family in different practical ways, but we are not a social service. Our mission is to share God's gift of love and salvation with people. Without the Gospel all our social help would be in vain since only God can truly change bitter hearts and restore broken lives. Please keep praying!
Pray also for Ruslan, a young leader from Haifa who is helping Tanya's family. He is in charge of a small Bible study group, has a wife and 4 little kids and holds a regular job. He says that now he has got 3 more children to look after :), since Tanya is still quite helpless and dependent.
Meanwhile the Bible studies with Tanya's friends continue. Seven women are attending them at present. We see how God is working in these women's lives. Even after a relatively short period of time there are changes in their attitude to themselves, to one another, and to the world around them. They have become less depressed. One woman told us her insomnia was gone! She does not suffer from nightmares anymore. Another lady was happy to share with us she had received an amazingly quick answer to her prayer.
We are grateful to all of you for your prayers and support and wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!
Yours in His love,
Dov and Olga Bikas
P.O.Box 1181
Arad 89110
