A missionary report from SGA-sponsored missionary pastor Evgniy Taran in Ukraine.

Greetings to you in the Lord! I continue my studies with church leaders, and I will not stop these activities. We are now taking the Evangelism course. Unfortunately, our team of leaders this month reduced — two brothers were forced to leave for a year from Ukraine.

In general, I continue to do what I did before since I last wrote — only people and circumstances change. For example, every Saturday we go out to the street evangelism, where we meet new people and testify about Christ. Most importantly, we invite people to write to God their prayer needs for which we then pray in the church. One woman came up and wrote her request to God and left. A few months passed and her sister came to us and said, “My sister sends her greetings. A few months ago, she wrote a request to get pregnant and give birth. Now she can’t come to you and thank you since she’s at home with her newborn daughter.” Last Saturday, the husband of this woman came up to us and thanked us and wrote something on a piece of paper and put it in a prayer box.

During all this time, regular people come to us and write their requests to God and thanks, but have not yet come to the church (because they fear the local Orthodox priest). Some say, “We thank you for being here that we can come to you and pray with you, but we are Orthodox Christians and we cannot come to you for worship. Our priest forbids”. That is why we will continue to make such street meetings for the sake of such people.

We also continue to provide assistance to those in need wherever possible. Last month I asked for 150 food boxes at one church. First of all, I distributed it to all the brothers and sisters in the church and to the people attending worship services. It was then passed on to the disabled people, single, large and foster families — to the people we help constantly.

I wrote to you earlier that last year I was invited to volunteer at a help center for people who have problems with the law of Ukraine and who are under probation (including men and women). My job is to talk to them on Biblical topics, to help these people not violate spiritual and state laws. From the beginning, even some of the center’s employees treated me with prejudice, and now they are happy to sit in our meetings and listen to God’s Word. It is not at all easy and not always do our conversations go quietly. Sometimes we have to argue and prove something to these people. Last week, the theme of our meetings was “Resolving Family Conflicts. Of course, this discussion was filled with arguments and disagreements.

Earlier this year we were blessed to begin building a House of Prayer. Thank God, brothers (13 people) from Western Ukraine came to help us — among them were two pastors and four deacons. In three days they (together with our church brothers) built the walls of the church. It was so fast, and so blessed. They did not take any money for their work. Moreover, they said they would come one more time to put on the roof, also for free. I just need to buy building materials.

We are praying for God’s provision in putting a new roof on the House of Prayer. We have already purchased some necessary materials for the work. We now need to buy roofing material. We ask for your prayers, because our lease is already ending this year and we have no other place to hold our meetings. We pray to be able to get this done by winter as God provides.

Finally, I have a personal prayer request. Earlier this year I got into an accident which was not my fault. My car was wrecked, and I ended up having to borrow to purchase a car. Without a car it is very difficult to do ministry, and it is necessary to be constantly on the road. Pray that God will provide.

I am so thankful for your prayers and faithful support for me. May God bless you!