"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!

"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!