"Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy." (Micah 7:18 NIV)
Yesterday evening I had the blessing of leading a new 12-step group at Christian Life Church in Kharkov. Each time I start a new group, I have the privilege of sharing a little of my testimony, including how the Father has set me free from an addiction to alcohol. And each time I share, I am amazed anew at His great mercy, grace, and patience!
I have often commented that I never knew the extent of that freedom until I landed in a country where beer is a breakfast drink, and shots of vodka can be purchased at kiosks that line the streets in many areas; where there are more aisles stocked with alcoholic beverages in supermarkets than with soft drinks and juice! Praise God for His mercy that gave me not only a new heart, but a new life as well!
I cannot imagine the spiritual, physical, and emotional battles that ensue in a man or woman struggling to find freedom from addiction in a culture where alcohol is so much a part of every celebration and drunkenness is viewed as simply traditional! My heart aches as I see the pain etched on the faces of family members seeking to help a loved one held captive by drugs or alcohol. And yet, we know the One - the Only One - who can truly set them free (John 8:36 - So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.)
It is exciting to see pastors asking for this ministry, and encouraging their church members to be a part! My hope and prayer is that the Lord would raise up Ukrainian believers with a passion and vision for reaching out with the love of Christ to those who are hurting! I'm so thankful that I get to take what the enemy intended for destruction in my life and share the victory over that enemy through Christ! I can hardly wait to see what my Father is going to do next!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A Place of Hope
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (Psalm 62:5 NIV)
One of the most profound impressions American volunteers take away from their first trip to Ukraine is the hopelessness that seems to be etched upon the faces of many Ukrainians. While the store shelves and auto showrooms are full of new and shiny goods, the vast majority of middle-aged and older Ukrainians spend their days counting each kopek (penny) trying to put food on their tables.
This past week our team had the privilage of spending 2 days with the "Women of Hope" vision team. This group of 15 women from all over the U.S. arrived in eastern Europe over a week ago, divided into 3 teams, then headed out to explore the possibilities for future ministry in the IMB region of Central and Eastern Europe.
Each time we are blessed with volunteers, I get to see the city of Kharkov, and the people of Ukraine, with "fresh eyes." These 2 days were no different! In fact, perhaps they were even more revealing because we had more time of dialogue with the team than usual as we drove across the city, praying in strategic locations of new church starts.
On Tuesday afternoon we visited the only crisis pregnancy center in the city of Kharkov. This beautiful group of women shared their stories with us, and their vision for ministry to the women of Kharkov. The Kharkov Pregnancy Assistance Center is located just across the street from a major hospital, and just up the street from the Kharkov Polytechnical University - with 15,000 students!
Lena, the center director, was one of the women responsible for starting the clinic 5 years ago. She shared that the "official" statistic for abortions in Kharkov is 21,000 per year, with the actual rate being as much as 4 times higher. Only abortions performed in government run hospitals are reported, while those done in private clinics or offices are not required to keep records. Hence the huge discrepancy in numbers. Abortion is still an accepted and inexpensive form of birth control, and even preferred by many women who are "health-conscious" about ingesting hormones for birth control.
Throughout our time at the center, I was reminded of the roots of communism and the teachings of atheism that continue to permeate this land! Many of the young women seeking abortions today have a worldview that says there is no God, a worldview formed by parents raised in a culture that planted the same belief. Step by step, woman by woman, this relatively small center is chipping away at that root, and lives are being changed.
The Women of Hope volunteers shared their lives with women believers in the largest Baptist church in the city, as well as with a small group of believers and non-believers in one of the new church starts on the southern edge of the city. In both instances the Ukrainian women soaked up every word shared, and received encouragement from the love of Christ flowing from the volunteers to their hearts. And in both places, the hope of Christ was evident on the faces of the women who have chosen to believe....hope for this day, for tomorrow, for eternity!
One of the most profound impressions American volunteers take away from their first trip to Ukraine is the hopelessness that seems to be etched upon the faces of many Ukrainians. While the store shelves and auto showrooms are full of new and shiny goods, the vast majority of middle-aged and older Ukrainians spend their days counting each kopek (penny) trying to put food on their tables.
This past week our team had the privilage of spending 2 days with the "Women of Hope" vision team. This group of 15 women from all over the U.S. arrived in eastern Europe over a week ago, divided into 3 teams, then headed out to explore the possibilities for future ministry in the IMB region of Central and Eastern Europe.
Each time we are blessed with volunteers, I get to see the city of Kharkov, and the people of Ukraine, with "fresh eyes." These 2 days were no different! In fact, perhaps they were even more revealing because we had more time of dialogue with the team than usual as we drove across the city, praying in strategic locations of new church starts.
On Tuesday afternoon we visited the only crisis pregnancy center in the city of Kharkov. This beautiful group of women shared their stories with us, and their vision for ministry to the women of Kharkov. The Kharkov Pregnancy Assistance Center is located just across the street from a major hospital, and just up the street from the Kharkov Polytechnical University - with 15,000 students!
Lena, the center director, was one of the women responsible for starting the clinic 5 years ago. She shared that the "official" statistic for abortions in Kharkov is 21,000 per year, with the actual rate being as much as 4 times higher. Only abortions performed in government run hospitals are reported, while those done in private clinics or offices are not required to keep records. Hence the huge discrepancy in numbers. Abortion is still an accepted and inexpensive form of birth control, and even preferred by many women who are "health-conscious" about ingesting hormones for birth control.
Throughout our time at the center, I was reminded of the roots of communism and the teachings of atheism that continue to permeate this land! Many of the young women seeking abortions today have a worldview that says there is no God, a worldview formed by parents raised in a culture that planted the same belief. Step by step, woman by woman, this relatively small center is chipping away at that root, and lives are being changed.
The Women of Hope volunteers shared their lives with women believers in the largest Baptist church in the city, as well as with a small group of believers and non-believers in one of the new church starts on the southern edge of the city. In both instances the Ukrainian women soaked up every word shared, and received encouragement from the love of Christ flowing from the volunteers to their hearts. And in both places, the hope of Christ was evident on the faces of the women who have chosen to believe....hope for this day, for tomorrow, for eternity!
Friday, March 21, 2008
"The Body of Christ"
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV)
It is always a joy and blessing to work with our brothers and sisters in Christ from the states! And often when they come we get to experience how the Lord is busy working throughout the world in the body of Christ to bring brothers and sisters from different cultures, speaking different languages, together for one special moment. Throughout this entire week working alongside the Open Door team from southwest Missouri and our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, we have seen the Lord prepare hearts, plant seeds, and water the soil, and we give Him the praise for all He has done and is doing.
In 4 days of medical ministry (2 days at Gorizont and 4 days at Grace) the Open Door team saw almost 350 patients. Many were non-believers and experienced the love of Christ as team members prayed with them over their personal needs, and met physical needs as possible through distributing medications, vitamins, toothbrushes, and when desired, New Testaments and tracts. Some asked "How much do I need to pay for your prayer," since it is common to give an "offering" to priests who pray for you in the Orthodox church. Of course, the answer is, "Our prayer for you is a free gift, and a privilage, because of Christ!"
We'd like to share one particular life story that the Lord allowed us to witness during this time that reveals how the Lord worked through time to bring His people together for His glory!
Vitaly Sorokun is pastor of New Hope Church, a church Team Kharkov helped begin 6 years ago. Three years ago Artom who was a classmate of Vi's (Vitaly's) and an agnostic, went through a crisis in his life. His 4 year old son was diagnosed with cancer, and the hospital where he was treated in Kharkov had 1 room in the entire hospital with beds for children with cancer. Up to 15 children at a time would lay in this room without running water or showers. Artom took his son to Italy, where he was treated and his cancer defeated, but he could not forget what other children in Kharkov were going through to get treatment for their disease.
When Artom returned to Kharkov, he contacted Pastor Vi and shared his desire to do something for the children and parents in Kharkov who were experiencing the heartbreak of cancer. Pastor Vi prayed with him, asking the Lord to enable them to do something to not only begin a support group for parents, but to make the conditions for treatment better.
First Artom received permission to convert a whole wing of the hospital, unused and in disrepair, into a cancer wing for children. The government gave $35,000 toward the renovation, and that money along with other donations the Lord provided, made the renovations possible.
Fast forward to 2007 - and the people of New Hope church began praying for the Lord to lead them into a unique compassion ministry project - something no one else was doing. In the fall, they felt the Lord was leading them to walk alongside the parents and children going through cancer treatment, praying with them, and visiting in the hospital with Pastor Vi perhaps assuming a "role" as chaplain. They decided to do a pilot project to see if this was indeed from God. On the Sunday of "Zhatva" (Thanksgiving) the church took up an offering specifically for the children's cancer hospital and over $800 was given by the body of Christ - New Hope! This was a phenomenal sum for this small church, and they knew the Lord was indeed confirming His desire for them to minister to the parents and children in the hospital.
Again fast forward to last Tuesday (March 11th) - less than 48 hours before the Open Door medical team was leaving to fly to Kharkov. Pastor Vi learned that Irina, a 12 year old bone cancer patient, had undergone 4 chemo treatments with a drug no longer produced in Europe, and they could not find the drug anywhere to complete the round of chemotherapy. Vi prayed and was reminded of the medical team that was coming to work in his own church the very next week! An e-mail was sent that night to the team leader in the states. Was there any way the team could get this particular drug to bring to Irina?
One of the doctors coming with Open Door "just happened" to be on the pharmacy board of the hospital where he works. He met with the board and presented the opportunity they had for treating this girl. The hospital had 5 rounds of the drug available, and gave the doctor 4 of those to bring across the world to Kharkov, Ukraine to minister to a 12 year old girl named Irina. Now they had to get the medication through customs, and again the Lord made a way and every single suitcase filled with the gift of medicines for the people of Kharkov, and for Irina, made it out of customs and onto the van to be transported.
Monday evening, less than a week after the call for help went around the world, Dr. Ken from southwest Missouri, Pastor Vi, and Keith Wofford met with Irina and her mother Lena to give them the gift they pray will bring healing. This was the first "official" visit of Pastor Vi as the new chaplain for the newly remodeled children's cancer wing! That night they prayed with Irina and her mother, who is not yet a believer, and shared the love of Christ with them in a very real and tangible way! And one week from the time the call for help went across the world, Irina had her 5th round of chemotherapy (Tuesday, March 19th at 11:00 am)!
As I write this, my heart is filled with wonder at our great God who orchestrated all of this throughout the past 3 years so that the body of Christ from throughout the world could work together to reveal His love not only to a 12 year old girl, her mother, and Artom, but to those who will hear the testimony of this love for years to come.
Your prayers each week put some of the "pieces of this puzzle" together as you have lifted up the people of Kharkov to the throne of our Father, the One Who knows them by name! What a beautiful picture He has painted, yet the picture is not complete! There are still more that He is making ready to experience His love, and your prayers are continuing to fill in the blanks.
As you experience Resurrection day this Sunday, and new life in Christ throughout the coming week, please continue to join us in our prayer emphasis for the month of March: Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13 NIV). And James wrote "You do not have, because you do not ask God" (James 4:2b NIV). Please ask our Father, in Jesus Name, to raise up leaders who will go into the harvest fields of Kharkov region to start churches.Please pray specifically for laborers to be sent out into the harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38). Ask the Lord to start churches (Matthew 16:18), that He might be lifted up and draw all men to Himself, for the Father's glory!
There are many other "stories" of how the Lord answered our prayers this past week for the people of Kharkov as the Open Door team poured out their lives in ministry. Rather than list requests for this coming week, would you join us in asking the Lord to continue working in the hearts of the people in the Gorizont and Saltavka regions, drawing them into a personal relationship with Him through the Resurrected Lord Jesus. Pray for us and our Ukrainian ministry partners as we plant seeds, water the seeds planted, and reap the harvest in His perfect will and time!
Blessings to each of you as you celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, not only today, but each day that follows!
It is always a joy and blessing to work with our brothers and sisters in Christ from the states! And often when they come we get to experience how the Lord is busy working throughout the world in the body of Christ to bring brothers and sisters from different cultures, speaking different languages, together for one special moment. Throughout this entire week working alongside the Open Door team from southwest Missouri and our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, we have seen the Lord prepare hearts, plant seeds, and water the soil, and we give Him the praise for all He has done and is doing.
In 4 days of medical ministry (2 days at Gorizont and 4 days at Grace) the Open Door team saw almost 350 patients. Many were non-believers and experienced the love of Christ as team members prayed with them over their personal needs, and met physical needs as possible through distributing medications, vitamins, toothbrushes, and when desired, New Testaments and tracts. Some asked "How much do I need to pay for your prayer," since it is common to give an "offering" to priests who pray for you in the Orthodox church. Of course, the answer is, "Our prayer for you is a free gift, and a privilage, because of Christ!"
We'd like to share one particular life story that the Lord allowed us to witness during this time that reveals how the Lord worked through time to bring His people together for His glory!
Vitaly Sorokun is pastor of New Hope Church, a church Team Kharkov helped begin 6 years ago. Three years ago Artom who was a classmate of Vi's (Vitaly's) and an agnostic, went through a crisis in his life. His 4 year old son was diagnosed with cancer, and the hospital where he was treated in Kharkov had 1 room in the entire hospital with beds for children with cancer. Up to 15 children at a time would lay in this room without running water or showers. Artom took his son to Italy, where he was treated and his cancer defeated, but he could not forget what other children in Kharkov were going through to get treatment for their disease.
When Artom returned to Kharkov, he contacted Pastor Vi and shared his desire to do something for the children and parents in Kharkov who were experiencing the heartbreak of cancer. Pastor Vi prayed with him, asking the Lord to enable them to do something to not only begin a support group for parents, but to make the conditions for treatment better.
First Artom received permission to convert a whole wing of the hospital, unused and in disrepair, into a cancer wing for children. The government gave $35,000 toward the renovation, and that money along with other donations the Lord provided, made the renovations possible.
Fast forward to 2007 - and the people of New Hope church began praying for the Lord to lead them into a unique compassion ministry project - something no one else was doing. In the fall, they felt the Lord was leading them to walk alongside the parents and children going through cancer treatment, praying with them, and visiting in the hospital with Pastor Vi perhaps assuming a "role" as chaplain. They decided to do a pilot project to see if this was indeed from God. On the Sunday of "Zhatva" (Thanksgiving) the church took up an offering specifically for the children's cancer hospital and over $800 was given by the body of Christ - New Hope! This was a phenomenal sum for this small church, and they knew the Lord was indeed confirming His desire for them to minister to the parents and children in the hospital.
Again fast forward to last Tuesday (March 11th) - less than 48 hours before the Open Door medical team was leaving to fly to Kharkov. Pastor Vi learned that Irina, a 12 year old bone cancer patient, had undergone 4 chemo treatments with a drug no longer produced in Europe, and they could not find the drug anywhere to complete the round of chemotherapy. Vi prayed and was reminded of the medical team that was coming to work in his own church the very next week! An e-mail was sent that night to the team leader in the states. Was there any way the team could get this particular drug to bring to Irina?
One of the doctors coming with Open Door "just happened" to be on the pharmacy board of the hospital where he works. He met with the board and presented the opportunity they had for treating this girl. The hospital had 5 rounds of the drug available, and gave the doctor 4 of those to bring across the world to Kharkov, Ukraine to minister to a 12 year old girl named Irina. Now they had to get the medication through customs, and again the Lord made a way and every single suitcase filled with the gift of medicines for the people of Kharkov, and for Irina, made it out of customs and onto the van to be transported.
Monday evening, less than a week after the call for help went around the world, Dr. Ken from southwest Missouri, Pastor Vi, and Keith Wofford met with Irina and her mother Lena to give them the gift they pray will bring healing. This was the first "official" visit of Pastor Vi as the new chaplain for the newly remodeled children's cancer wing! That night they prayed with Irina and her mother, who is not yet a believer, and shared the love of Christ with them in a very real and tangible way! And one week from the time the call for help went across the world, Irina had her 5th round of chemotherapy (Tuesday, March 19th at 11:00 am)!
As I write this, my heart is filled with wonder at our great God who orchestrated all of this throughout the past 3 years so that the body of Christ from throughout the world could work together to reveal His love not only to a 12 year old girl, her mother, and Artom, but to those who will hear the testimony of this love for years to come.
Your prayers each week put some of the "pieces of this puzzle" together as you have lifted up the people of Kharkov to the throne of our Father, the One Who knows them by name! What a beautiful picture He has painted, yet the picture is not complete! There are still more that He is making ready to experience His love, and your prayers are continuing to fill in the blanks.
As you experience Resurrection day this Sunday, and new life in Christ throughout the coming week, please continue to join us in our prayer emphasis for the month of March: Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13 NIV). And James wrote "You do not have, because you do not ask God" (James 4:2b NIV). Please ask our Father, in Jesus Name, to raise up leaders who will go into the harvest fields of Kharkov region to start churches.Please pray specifically for laborers to be sent out into the harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38). Ask the Lord to start churches (Matthew 16:18), that He might be lifted up and draw all men to Himself, for the Father's glory!
There are many other "stories" of how the Lord answered our prayers this past week for the people of Kharkov as the Open Door team poured out their lives in ministry. Rather than list requests for this coming week, would you join us in asking the Lord to continue working in the hearts of the people in the Gorizont and Saltavka regions, drawing them into a personal relationship with Him through the Resurrected Lord Jesus. Pray for us and our Ukrainian ministry partners as we plant seeds, water the seeds planted, and reap the harvest in His perfect will and time!
Blessings to each of you as you celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, not only today, but each day that follows!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
"Just a thought"
This morning as I waited for the elevator outside my door, I thought about a neighbor I had not seen for some time. Luda and her son live in another hall on my floor, but I occasionally see her at the elevator or on the street. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen her, and that was the thought that "floated" across my mind. Her son is in his late 20's and in a wheelchair - hard enough wherever you live, but almost impossible to have a "normal" life in a wheelchair in this culture. So, the thought brought with it a concern for her son's health and I spoke to the Father about them.
A couple of hours later I left my apartment again and who should be standing at the elevator but that same neighbor! Luda asked me about my broken arm (all the folks in my building talk about the American who fell...) which opened up the conversation for me. I asked her how her son was doing. She explained that he's the same as always....he's been in the chair for 8 years. He just sits at his computer and plays games.
I asked her if they had ever made a diagnosis as to why he can't walk, and she told me that no one has been able to find out the real cause, even after a trip to doctors in Germany. Her husband died 8 years ago, and immediately after that her son became an invalid. Doctors speculate that his paralysis is a result of stress affecting his immune system, but they don't know how or why.
I then asked her what her son's name is, and she replied "Pavel" (Paul). As we walked toward the street, I told her I would be praying for Pavel, and for her, as they continue to struggle with his paralysis.
After we parted, I thanked the Lord for bringing them to my mind and heart this morning. He knew I would be "running into her" only a couple of hours later, and he prepared my heart and mind for the opportunity to ask about Pavel and to hopefully encourage her by sharing that I would be praying for them. I have been reminded all day that whenever He brings someone across my mind, I need to lift them before His throne, and trust Him with the details! It's no longer "just a thought", but a prayer!
A couple of hours later I left my apartment again and who should be standing at the elevator but that same neighbor! Luda asked me about my broken arm (all the folks in my building talk about the American who fell...) which opened up the conversation for me. I asked her how her son was doing. She explained that he's the same as always....he's been in the chair for 8 years. He just sits at his computer and plays games.
I asked her if they had ever made a diagnosis as to why he can't walk, and she told me that no one has been able to find out the real cause, even after a trip to doctors in Germany. Her husband died 8 years ago, and immediately after that her son became an invalid. Doctors speculate that his paralysis is a result of stress affecting his immune system, but they don't know how or why.
I then asked her what her son's name is, and she replied "Pavel" (Paul). As we walked toward the street, I told her I would be praying for Pavel, and for her, as they continue to struggle with his paralysis.
After we parted, I thanked the Lord for bringing them to my mind and heart this morning. He knew I would be "running into her" only a couple of hours later, and he prepared my heart and mind for the opportunity to ask about Pavel and to hopefully encourage her by sharing that I would be praying for them. I have been reminded all day that whenever He brings someone across my mind, I need to lift them before His throne, and trust Him with the details! It's no longer "just a thought", but a prayer!
Monday, January 14, 2008
The Last "Prazdnik"
For Americans, the Christmas holidays in Ukraine seem to last forever, but they are finally over after fireworks at midnight marked the celebration of the "Old" New Year (don't know where that comes from, but I'll check). So we're ready to hit the ground running to build relationships and plant seeds in preparation for the spring "thaw!"
I spent the last 2 weeks of December in St. Louis with my family, along with a short hop to Little Rock to catch up with friends there. I arrived back in Kharkov on the night of the 3rd of January, tired, but thankful the Lord worked out travel without any "hitches". Now, 10 days later, I'm about back to my regular sleep cycle and expecting the Lord to give me, and Team Kharkov, the best year ever!
We are seeing Him do incredible things - things that only He could do, such as bringing almost a thousand children and parents to a Christmas party/play on December 24th, opening doors in schools for character / Christian ethic groups, and giving Amanda and I the opportunity to work in cooperation with the Women's Ministry Coordinator for the Baptist churches of the Kharkov oblast. So we are excited, yet aware of our need to seek His face more than ever.
Now all we need is SNOW!!!!!!!!
I spent the last 2 weeks of December in St. Louis with my family, along with a short hop to Little Rock to catch up with friends there. I arrived back in Kharkov on the night of the 3rd of January, tired, but thankful the Lord worked out travel without any "hitches". Now, 10 days later, I'm about back to my regular sleep cycle and expecting the Lord to give me, and Team Kharkov, the best year ever!
We are seeing Him do incredible things - things that only He could do, such as bringing almost a thousand children and parents to a Christmas party/play on December 24th, opening doors in schools for character / Christian ethic groups, and giving Amanda and I the opportunity to work in cooperation with the Women's Ministry Coordinator for the Baptist churches of the Kharkov oblast. So we are excited, yet aware of our need to seek His face more than ever.
Now all we need is SNOW!!!!!!!!
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