Archive for the News category
Safe and Sound in Louisiana
Posted on Monday, January 25, 2010 at 10:57 PM by Paul Kovach
We made it! Another safe trip to the Deep South. Thank you all for your prayers. When I stepped out of the van this evening tears came to my eyes because the smell in the air was such a strong reminder of Brazil and the strong desire to be back there reaching the Brazilians for Christ! Pray for us while we our down here. We have many meetings, starting with a missions conference this week. Pray that we will see many of these churches partner with our ministry and that we will leave this place with the majority of the remaining support that we need.
While at the hotel last night, we had a couple of visitors. My children were absolutely thrilled! Most hotels do not allow pets, but this one supplied them.
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What a Blessing in Louisiana and an added surprise!
Posted on Monday, July 20, 2009 at 9:28 PM by Paul Kovach
We just finished a 4 week trip in Louisiana. We were originally supposed to be there for just over 2 weeks, but the Lord brought other meetings across our path while we were there. When we first arrived, the heat was over 100 degrees with humidity about 80% or more. Kinda like Brazil can be! We praise the Lord that we saw 3 new churches partner with our ministry on this 4-week trip! When we got home, you can see below what we came home to!
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New Prayer Card!
Posted on Monday, June 01, 2009 at 8:52 PM by Paul Kovach
We have a new prayer card available! You can not imagine how hard it is to get 6 young children to smile at the same time. To get the High Res Photo, Click here!
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Ashley's Testimony on Unshackled
Posted on Friday, May 01, 2009 at 2:43 PM by Paul Kovach
As most of you know, Ashley has a written testimony in booklett form titled "A Trophy of God's Grace." Unshackled, a ministry in Chicago, came accross a copy of her testimony and contacted her in the fall as to dramatizing it. This past January they, for the most part, used the written testimony as a script, and produced here testimony in a dramatized fashion. It will be airing on the radio during the week of April 26-May2. If you are unable to hear it during those times, they will have it available on their website at this Location if you click here. It was aired 04.26.09.
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New Van
Posted on Monday, April 20, 2009 at 2:18 PM by Paul Kovach
Another step completed in preparations to move to Brazil. One of my concerns was that of being able to sell our vehicle once we were ready to depart to Brazil. Also, traveling with 8 members (5 of which are in car seat) was getting quite cramped. The Lord brought us to a ministry based out of MO, Baptist Missionary Transportation Ministry, which leases vehicles for missionaries. They also purchased our van in the form of equity towards the lease of the new van. It is a 12 passenger Chevy Express. I almost feel like I need an intercom to communicate with the children in the back! What a Blessing!
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Supplying the front Lines
Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 at 12:19 PM by Paul Kovach
While staying with a local church I came across a stack of uncut John and Romans New Testaments. Upon inquiry, I found that the church had ordered them all for a project for a missionary in Brazil, but it never was finished. The pastor said that if I wanted them, they were mine. Since then I have been working to cut, box, and ship the Bibles to our team in Brazil as when I have extra money from time to time. While at another church meeting, a family found about the project and provided a love gift to provide for shipping 7 boxes. It took till about 2 a.m., but I was able to get all the remaining Bibles cut, boxed, and ready to ship with another 8 boxes ready for shipping as the Lord provides us with the extra funds.
Please be in earnest prayer as we are coming upon another very busy travel time in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Also please pray as we have 4-5 other churches voting in the next few week to take us on for support. Oh, before I forget, we praise the Lord for yet another new supporting church. That makes 5 new churches in the month of March!
Edited on: Friday, May 01, 2009 12:47 PMThe Best Pennsylvania Tour Yet
Posted on Sunday, March 08, 2009 at 10:27 PM by Paul Kovach
Our family has been in Pennsylvania for the past 3 ½ weeks. We have been extremely busy with being in a church every Monday and Wednesday. Our last meeting here is this coming Sunday before we head home. The Lord has been moving mightily while we have been here. When we came to Pennsylvania we had 62 percent of our support. Now, as we depart, we are just at 70 percent after having gained 3 new supporting churches! Thank you for all of your prayers for our family! Please continue to pray as we have several churches preparing to vote in the next few weeks in regards to partnering with our family to reach the Brazilians for Christ. We believe 80 percent by this spring and 100 percent by the end of the year is within reach! Pray, Pray, Pray!
I really liked how this church decorated for their missions conference!
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Closing of a good year
Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 3:45 PM by Paul Kovach
As we finish up this year we look back at over 50 church meetings. We have seen 8 new supporting churches and our support move up to 62%. We praise the Lord with you for this. Now we are able to begin the preparations for our visa work and researching all that we need in order to obtain our visas. Please pray for our family as we seek to get this material together all-the-while we travel to churches and seek to maintain a full schedule.
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Birthdays and Christmas
Posted on Monday, December 29, 2008 at 1:01 AM by Paul Kovach
We had a blessed time this Christmas season with my parents in Michigan. Christmas is definately a time of Birthday as most of our family's birthdays fall around that special time when we celebrate the Birthday of our Blessed Savior. We wanted to say a special thank you to those who send special birthday boxes for the children, cards for the family, and presenst for the Children's Christmas. You have all been so overwhelmingly kind. May God bless you as you enter the New Year and may the end of next year find you even more faithful and serving as this passing year.
As Christ's
Paul Kovach!
Two in a Row!
Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 9:06 AM by Paul Kovach
Two great missions conferences in a row. Although we were physically exhausted and emotionally depleted by the end of the second straight mission conference, we were spiritually overflowing. Danville, KY marked our last mission conference for the year. It was a good note to finish on. As God did yet another amazing work in the hearts and lives of this small congregation, they saw their faith promise increase from $20,000 to $60,000! Even in this "trying economy" this church family chose to expand missions this year for the cause of Christ. Again, there was such a sweet spirit and an atmosphere of excitement as the conference began. The church family was excited as they had just converted former rooms in the basement into one of the most beautiful prophet's chambers I have seen. One particular event I enjoyed was the street preaching and tract distribution. It was good to be in a mission conference where the church utilized their missionaries to reach their local community. It was a blessing and an honor to worship in this conference!
A Great Missions Conference
Posted on Monday, November 03, 2008 at 12:37 PM by Paul Kovach
Thomas Helm made the statement that his "test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter." In our situation, the test of a good mission conference is dreading to begin the last night. We just finished with a wonderful mission conference in Millville, PA. Even though the church has been without a pastor the spirit of the church was so very sweet and you could see the love that they had for one another. I wish to, by their sensitivity to the Lord, encourage other churches by their example. We were witness to the Lord doing many incredible things in and through the church, including increasing their faith promise by 55%. Even the deacons were amazed at the Grace of God bestowed upon their church family as their faith promise increased from $20,000 to $30,700! Praise the Lord for their sensitivity to the prompting of God's Spirit. It is my wish, even as the Apostle Paul wished in II Corinthians, that God's people abound in this same grace also; remembering the love of Christ how he became poor for our sakes that we might be rich through Him.
Edited on: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:38 AMPosted in News (RSS), Prayer N Praise (RSS)
South Dakota Journey
Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2008 at 2:47 PM by Paul Kovach
Right now our family is in the midst of a 6 week haul ranging from Pensylvania to South Dakota. In PA we were able to present our ministy to 3 churches. We have a second follow-up meeting in February with at least one of the churches. One particular outing the children particularly enjoyed was seeing the Crayola Factory. Not were they able to create projects and make their own crayons, but they also had the opportunity to see the worlds largest crayon.
In South Dakota we again were able to minister to three other churches and a mission conference. Accross from one of the churches was a tank and plane display as well as a building called the Corn Palace. They decorate the entire building with ears of multicolored corn. It was actually quited impressive! Thank you for all of your prayers as we travel. From SD we are planning a 1000 mile trip to Michigan for a Round Robin Mission Conference. We will be in 10 chuches in 2 weeks. Please continue to pray for us as we travel and Minister.
Making rounds in da U.P.
Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 3:03 PM by Paul Kovach
The past couple of weeks have been those of abundant blessing. After our meeting in Brimley, we were able to part of the Baptist Pioneer Missions Institute held at Fundamental Baptist Church. It was a time of refreshment, encouragement, and fellowship. We were challenged through God's word as well as one-on-one by veteran missionaries and pastors involved in missions. We were also privileged to be party to the commissioning service of Nate Rader, son of Bud Rader. It was a very uplifting time as we were able to step back from the hubbub of deputation and be surrounded by fellow missionaries walking to same path and sharing the same common cause.
We are pleased to mention that this time period has brought with it another church taking our family on for support as well as a current supporting church increasing their current faith promise and in conjunction the support of their current missionaries. During our time here in the upper peninsula of Michigan, we will have been in 4 churches in the 4 weeks that we have been here. It has been such a blessing to see how the Lord has been answering prayers concerning lining up meetings. For the remainder of the year, we have more churches scheduled than weeks left. In the month of September alone, we will be in 15 churches. Thank you for all your prayers in this mater. Please pray that as we present out ministry to these churches that we will find the church that the Lord desires to have partner with our ministry in reaching the Brazilians for Christ.
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It died just at the right time.
Posted on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at 12:08 PM by Paul Kovach
It never ceases to amaze me how God takes care and watches over us. This past week, we had a meeting in Brimley Michigan. It took two days to get there. As we traveled, everything went uneventful. As we neared the church, roughly 5 miles away, the van began to sputter. Seeing that we were down to an eighth of a tank of gas, I assumed that there must be water in the tank or bad gas. After having to restart the van a couple of times we finally made it to a gas station where I was able to put in a fuel additive and some fresh premium gas. We were able to start the van without incident and made it to the church. On Sunday we had to go to a gathering in between services and the van would not start. The engine would turn over but never catch. As I turned the key I listened for, but never heard the fuel pump activate. It had given up the ghost! What a blessing!!! Just to think that the Lord allowed us to make it all this way and kept the pump working and did not allow it to fail until we were parked in the church parking lot. We were able to drive to Sault Saint Marie to pick up the parts we needed and the van is running once again. The fun part was trying to drop an almost full gas tank since the fuel pump is located on the top of the tank. We must have bent the float a bit when we put it back in because when we fill up the tank it only reads three-quarters of a tank. Oh well! At least that way we will always have a cushiony fuel reserve. Thank you to all of you who uphold us in prayer as we travel!
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Titus is discharged!
Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 10:58 PM by Paul Kovach
Thank you all for your constant prayers for our family and especially Titus. God has answered above and beyond. This afternoon we received the call that Titus was to be discharged this evening instead of Monday. They still do not know what caused the entire ordeal and all of the tests came back negative. The only thing that we can think of is that the cold which swept though our family also infected Titus. Whereas everyone else's bodies were able to fight it, Titus' was not and sequentially succumbed to it. It is similar as to how most people are able to come down with the flu and be alright whereas to others (such as elderly and young children) the flu is a life-threatening illness. The doctor said that Titus has exceeded their expectations for recovery and was ready to be back home with his mom and dad. He is doing very well, as you will be able to see from the photos. He is a able to breathe well, hold his own body temperature, and is eating 2-3 times what the doctors expected him to be able to hold down after such an ordeal. Having Titus come home is the best birthday gift I could have gotten.
I cannot thank you all enough for your prayers, support, and letters that you have sent to us. It is through you and your prayers that we were able to bear up under this trial.
Edited on: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:40 AMPosted in News (RSS), Prayer N Praise (RSS)
May 9th - Kovach Ministries Baby Update
Posted on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 1:09 AM by Paul Kovach
Day 3
Thank you all so very much for your prayers for our family and especially for Titus. Today, Titus crossed three more milestones. At 11:30am the doctors felt Titus had made enough progress in order to remove his ventilator tube. During the night he did not have any periods of respiratory cessation. There were times where his respiratory rate dropped, but this was due to the excessive amount of secretions in his lungs. When this happens, the doctors have been able to successfully suction his lungs clean and Titus' breathing returns to normal. The second milestone is in regards to his body temperature. He is now able to once again maintain his own body temperature without the assistance of a heat lamp and is regaining his normal pinkish color. He is now able to simply be swaddled as a baby normally would be. Finally, Titus is off of the IV's and is able to eat normally again. Tonight Ashley was able to nurse Titus for a full feeding. He was able to eat about 2 ounces. His appetite is back and in full swing!
The doctors still are not sure as to what initially brought about this incident. All of the lab tests for bacterial infections came back negative as did the viral tests which they ran. The possibility of any form of cancer was also ruled out. With that being said, the doctors are very pleased with the rate of his recovery. He will continue to remain in isolation in the Natal Intensive Care Unit until he is released, but it would appear that the worst is behind us and now we can look forward toward recovery.
Please continue to pray for him as he strives to regain weight he lost through this ordeal. Being a preemie, he did not have much weight to lose to begin with.
From the Photos, you will be able to see how much better he looks. We praise the Lord for his recovery and again thank you all for how you have been upholding and how you will continue to uphold both Titus and the rest of our family before the throne of our Mighty God!
If you have missed any of the updates, we have also been posting them on our blog so people are able to catch up.
Edited on: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:41 AMPosted in News (RSS), Prayer N Praise (RSS)
Kovach Ministries Baby Update
Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2008 at 5:43 PM by Paul Kovach
Our family wanted to thank you for your diligent prayers for our family throughout Ashley’s pregnancy. God has been gracious and answered your prayers as we were all praying that she would be able to carry the twins at least until 34 weeks, which was April 15th. It is awesome how God answers direct prayer as Ashley went into labor and delivered Titus Luke and Caleb Joshua at 6:38am on April 15th. Ashley did have to have the children via cesarean since both were breech at the time of labor.
For the statistic enthusiasts, Caleb was firstborn at 6:38am. He weighed 4 pounds 7.6 ounces and was 16 ½ inches long. Titus, born at 6:39am, weighed in at 5 pounds 1 ounce and was 17 inches long. I will post photos as I am able and time permits.
We praise the Lord for his wonderful answers to prayer. Both children, even though being born at 34 weeks, were very healthy. One main concern for children born this early is that their lungs will not be fully developed. We are excited to report that both Caleb and Titus had fully developed lungs and their blood oxygen saturation level was at 100%. The second main concern is regarding their ability to eat properly. Again, both Caleb and Titus have hearty appetites and have been eating well and without incident. By the day after their birth, Caleb had dropped to 4 pounds 2 ounces and Titus to 4 pounds 10 ounces. They have since regained their birth weight.
The past two weeks have been very busy with adjusting to a new norm for our family. Caleb struggled with jaundice initially and had to be on a billirubin blanket at home through last week. I have been busy caring for Ashley, who has been recuperating from her cesarean. Unfortunately, she had a minor complication from the surgery. After the operation, Ashley developed a spinal fluid headache which is a result of spinal fluid leaking from the point of the epidural. Those who have experienced migraines and latter had a spinal headache say that there is no comparison of pain. Spinal headaches directly affect the central nervous system. By the third day, the doctors were able to perform what is called a “blood patch.” It is a process whereby they take 15cc’s of Ashley’s blood and inject it into the point of leakage in the spinal sac. As the blood clots it allows the membrane to heal and retain the spinal fluid.
Thank you for all of your prayer support for our family and especially during Ashley’s pregnancy and the healthy delivery of the twins. God used your prayers to bring all this to pass and we cannot thank you enough!
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Saved by the Power of Prayer
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 11:34 PM by Paul Kovach
Life around the Kovach home has been a little topsy turvy lately.
In the middle of March we had a large snowstorm. Because of this, we had to reschedule that following Sunday’s ministry presentation since the majority of Churches were cancelled and roads were extremely dangerous.
Ashley's pregnancy has been progressing along very consistently. We had a little bit of a scare last Thursday. Ashley seemed to have picked up a stomach bug or ate something which upset her stomach. This in turn caused her to spontaneously go into intense labor contractions every 2-3 minutes without warning. We were concerned, due to the intense pain and suddenness of the onset, that this might be a miscarriage. Ashley is 30 weeks along; much too early for the twins to be born, and the survival rate by this time is not much better than 50-60 percent. We got to the hospital as quickly as possible. As we got situated into the room, nurses began flying around the room and medications began to flow. I would like to say a special thanks to all of you who have been praying for her safety during this pregnancy and to those who were part of the numerous prayer chains through this incident. The doctors gave her multiple shots of brethine in order to slow and stop the contractions as well as a steroid to help encourage the twins’ lungs to develop a little bit quicker. In their minds, they said she had a 50/50 chance. By God’s Grace, the doctors were able to get her contractions down to 1 per hour, which is within tolerable limits for a pregnancy. The children were saved by the power of your prayers interceeding on their behalf. Currently, Ashley is on strict bed rest. Please keep me in your prayers as well as I strive to be Father, Mother, and nurse, as well as continuing to line up future meetings for deputation. Thank you again for all of your prayers for Ashley and for you understanding as communication on our end may be a bit slow during this time period.
Edited on: Sunday, March 16, 2008 11:36 PMPosted in News (RSS), Prayer N Praise (RSS)
Two more supporting churches
Posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 at 9:56 PM by Paul Kovach
We are excited to report the addition of two more churches to our ministry partnership. One church partnered with our ministry in the end of January and another church in Michigan voted to partner with us this past Sunday! We praise the Lord for this increase in support. At the beginning of the year we were at 42 percent, and this now puts us up to 47 Percent. Please continue to pray as we will have another church which will be voting this Sunday and some others will be voting throughout February. So far, we have had church meetings every Sunday and Wednesday. Both the Wednesday of the 20th and this past Sunday, the Lord really moved in a powerful way in the lives of the people. We had a tremendous time of fellowship and were deeply encouraged by the missions heart of the people!
Ashley is doing well and the twins are growing well. Thank you for your prayers. They are both in and around the 80 percent tile for where children should be. Please continue to pray for her as her pregnancy begins to enter the third trimester soon and the pregnancy becomes more difficult and for the twin boys as they grow. The doctors have classified her as a high risk case.
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Just turned 100,000
Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 9:37 PM by Paul Kovach
Well, we did it! The Van now has 100,000 miles on it. Whew! We had a wonderfully restful Christmas and New Years. Interspersed, we celebrated three birthdays and are now getting ready for Bryanna's birthday. Emilianna had a nice simple 2-year old birthday. Isaiah's was very Spidey with a Spiderman cake and spidersapien robot. Ashley had a hot tamale time with church friends over for fellowship. Bryanna is gearing up for her tea/slumber party. This time of year is most full of activity! A special thanks to all the churches which have sent birthday cards to the various members of the family. You truly do not know how much that means as you consistently stay in touch. Now we are in the full swing of our 2008 schedule with having already been in 3 churches with one missions conference. A main consumer of time at present is preparing for that inevitable day and I don’t mean death. That’s right; TAXES! Thousands of receipts to scan in and tens of thousands of miles to add up. Oh, the joys! Preparing for tax time causes my soul to echo, ever loudly, the sentiment of John, Even so, (quickly) come, Lord Jesus.”
Please continue to pray as we are waiting to hear from many of the churches we have been in as they vote over this winter as to partnering with our ministry!
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