Yet so much remains to be done
Viktor B.
SGA-Supported Missionary Pastor in Ukraine
Greetings to you, dear brothers and sisters! Peace be with you! The Lord has given us a lot of blessings in the life and ministry of our local church. I would like to share some of these blessings with you!
Taking the message of the crucified, risen Christ to orphans
We made a trip to an orphanage in our region. There are more than 70 children, including children with special needs. We conducted creative games with the children that help with hand and motor skills, which contributes to the physical development of the children. We also brought them fruit and sweets. At the end, I shared about the Risen Christ Jesus with them. It was special that the entire administration of the orphanage was also present and heard the Gospel. At the end, we had a prayer for the children, the administration of the orphanage, and the physical and spiritual salvation of all people in Ukraine. Please pray for these children, that the Lord will give them earthly parents. Also, so that the sown Word will bear its fruit in due time. Also, for the administration of the orphanage, as they are very open to the perception of God’s Word!
The Word deeply penetrates a community of refugees
We had an evangelistic event among internally displaced persons and the local population. Liya’s husband serves in the Armed Forces. Together with her two children, Liya was forced to leave her home in eastern Ukraine due to constant shelling. Currently, the native village where Liya and her family lived is occupied by Russian troops. Liya and her children, like many internally displaced persons, need spiritual and material support. The food aid contributed to Liya and her daughters beginning to attend our church, and after some time Liya came to Christ. She is currently attending baptismal preparation courses. Please pray that the Lord will protect her husband in the war, for the health of Liya’s children, and that in time they will be able to return to their home in their native Ukrainian village. Above all, please, pray that Liya will make a covenant with the Lord through water baptism, and that her husband (with whom we also stay connected), and children, will believe in the Lord Jesus!
How do you reach the men with the Gospel?
Finally, we had a men’s meeting on the topic of friendship. According to statistics in Ukraine, more women come to God than men. So we came up with a special way of delivering God’s Word for men. We found this approach through men’s meetings. At the last meeting, we focused on the theme of friendship. In Ukraine, we have a special saw called “Friendship,” and at our meeting we had a fun competition to see who could saw a log faster with one or another type of saw. We had delicious pilaf cooked on the fire, and great conversation. Most importantly, we had lessons from the Word of God about men’s friendship and about the best Friend we can have—our Lord Jesus Christ. After many meetings, two men named Valery and Anatoly began to attend Bible study groups and Sunday services!
Currently in Ukraine, mobilization has intensified and many men, including pastors, are being taken to the front. Pray for me and fellow pastors to be able to remain focused on our ministries. Pray for the ongoing aid distributions our church is making among refugees, and for many more Gospel opportunities. You are a great encouragement to us—we always thank the Lord in our prayers for you!