I have been a committed Christian for almost 30 years, spending a short time in full-time ministry, and working in various social care settings for over 20 years, having qualified as a teacher in 1991.  Yet, it is only in the past six months or so that I have begun to see the birth of something for which brings together various strands of my life over the past 40-something years - though the seeds go back several years.

Early in 1993, the Pastor of my church announced an opportunity to join a team ministering at a city-wide Church conference in Kiev (Ukraine), in the wake of the recent collapse of the Soviet Union. Up until then, I'd never been remotely interested in overseas missions, but somehow I knew that I had to go!  It was an exciting ten days, and I made several good friendships, but that was about it.

Three years later, I was praying about the possibility of giving up my job to work full-time for the Lord here in England.  I had told no-one what I was contemplating, but one day one of our Elders stood up in a prayer meeting and announced that he had had a dream, where the Lord Jesus told him "Tell Anthony that he will work full-time for me.  But his main ministry will not be in England, but overseas. And it will not be in a hot country."  I had an inkling what this might mean, then a week or so later - the very day I had handed in my notice at work! - I found a letter on my doormat from one of the Churches we had visited in Kiev (whom I'd written to from time to time) inviting me to go and teach in their Bible School for a week.  Obviously the start of something big!  I actually stayed in Kiev for a month, and had quite a difficult time, but returned excited and telling everyone that, while I had no intention of moving to Ukraine, I did believe I would be visiting regularly - maybe a couple of times a year, - to teach etc. out there.

Five years later, I had had no further contact from the Church in Kiev, and was firmly established back in my secular job, as a Carer in a home for people with autism.  Then, for various reasons, I began to feel I should get involved in some kind of humanitarian aid project, and, remembering my time in Kiev, decided to put out feelers for some project in ukraine that I could support.  Shortly after, I received a 'partnership proposal' from a Pastor in Kiev, whose church were setting up a children's hoime and needed Western finance.  I'd actually visited that Church a couple of times in 1996, and liked what I had seen.  The project outline was clearly professional and practical, so I was happy to try and raise some funds for them. But that was as far as I expected things to go.  However, as soon as they heard that I was a qualified teacher, and had worked in various residential homes for most of my working life, they became eager for me to get involved in contributing to planning for the project, giving advice and training input from a Western psychological angle.  So, in October 2001, I found myself on the plane out to Kiev, and spent a week visiting the Home, running a series of seminars on child development and parenting skills, and also preaching at various Church meetings, both in Kiev and the small town of Titiiya. (You can read a full account of my trip elsewhere at this site).  It was a great experience, and, at the end of my visit I found myself sitting in a cafe with the Administrator and Director of the Home, who wanted to know just how involved I wanted to be in the future. I said, I wasn't really clear about the practicalities, but I'd like to get as involved as possible. "Well," said Natasha, "If you are agreeable, we'd like you to come over maybe twice a year to give us your advice and run training for the workers."  It wasn't until that evening that I realised that almost 5 years ago to the day, I had been telling all my friends that I would be going out to Kiev every six months or so!

So here I am now, with the impressive title of "Regional Director for Western Europe", setting up a regstered charity here in England to provide ongoing financial support for the Home in Kiev and other related projects, and preparing for the next of many future visits in April of next year. Suddenly all the professional expertise I have gathered over the past 20 years can begin to be combined with my sense of calling as a Bible Teacher and Preacher to benefit suffering children and families thousands of miles from here.  And that at a point in my life - call it mid-life crisis if you will - when I was beginning to question whether I'd ever accomplish anything worthwhile for the Lord, and was almost tempted to give up trying!

It may take a while to happen, but God's timing is perfect.  When He truly puts a vision in our hearts, it will always come to pass - even when we all but forget about it!  God has a plan for each of our lives, and has prepared good works for us to accomplish and, if we are willing to submit ourselves to His will, He will see that that plan comes to pass - however impossible or unlikely it may seem to our natural senses!