• We were at one church last Friday and they went to great effort to decorate and make it special as we shared a meal together with Abe speaking afterwards.

    I was not diligent enough to take pictures of the tables but decorations were in yellow and blue and even little Ukrainian flags on the serving tables. And then this beautiful cake specially prepared. Some of it even was sent home with us so we got to enjoy it for a couple days!!! How they blessed us with their effort and thoughtfulness.

  • This morning during my quiet time the Lord blessed me especially as I sought to give thanksgiving. To be honest I wasn’t feeling well, I awoke with a headache and felt ill and, therefore, rather depressed. But when I came to my time of thanksgiving I just thanked the Lord for those very things that He allowed. Even though the day before me with multitudes of tasks looked very heavy. And 15 minutes later the headache had lifted as well as the depression and the feeling of illness! What a joy! No, God doesn’t always do it that way, but I’m blessed to feel relatively clear minded now.

  • Vira (our Ukrainian coworker of many years for those who are new) went with a group from her church to another town to hold Sunday services in an area they are reaching out to. About 40 people attended and one lady got saved. Praise the Lord. Our desire is to see this happen all across Ukraine!
  • And even though we are far away, we can still offer some hope and spiritual encouragement. Messages are sent out weekly to all the pastors across the country using an adapted and personalized form of the Psalms which Abe put together a couple years ago for the men he works with.

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Prayer

  • And the battle for Ukrainian freedom continues. Russia has control of more than 20% of Ukrainian territory. People continue to flee the embattled areas. And all you can say is that the Ukrainians continue to fight valiantly on. Some people just wish the war was over. (Don’t we all.) But even assuming Ukrainian government leaders would allow Russia to keep occupied territory—how devastating for those people. There is no freedom there, of any kind, and especially not religious freedom. For your encouragement of how to pray I will copy a segment again from the brochure:

Government leaders 1 Tim 2:1-4

- President Zelensky—wisdom, courage, wise counselors
- Parliament—unity, wise laws, honest
- Mayors of destroyed cities—wisdom and resources
- For all of them to gain a belief in God, the Bible and the Gospel

  • And we ask that you just continue with us in prayer as we work on details of our return to Ukraine. So many things that still need to be put into place before we leave the USA. And very high on that is our Ukrainian documents. A verse of encouragement to us today as we deal with these issues:

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! 2 Cor 12:9 AMPC. Pray for His grace, strength and power upon us.

 

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