Heart for Kharkov

The Debt is Paid in Full

2011-08-02T10:16:00.003+03:00

"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors...." (Matthew 6:12) For weeks, the world has focused on the battle raging in the U.S. between Democrats and Republicans, "left" and "right" politicians to find some compromise that would keep the government, and our nation, from defaulting on our debts. The House voted last night to approve a measure that will go to the Senate today, and will probably be approved, that will "save" the nation one more time from closing down. So, we will simply agree to go more in debt, so we can keep paying the interest on old debts. I'm not an accountant, but it seems to me to be a never ending cycle that is simply ignoring facing the truth of our inability as a nation to pay our debts.

But as the U.S. and the world is seemingly breathing a sign of relief over what has transpired in the past 24 hours, I cannot help but think of the spiritual debt every single human being is born with.....a debt we can never pay, a debt for which we as a race seem to be content to continue to "raise the debt limit," rather than facing our spiritual bankruptcy. The Greek word for "debt" in Matthew 6:12 has the meaning of a debt for which payment is due, as well as an offense or sin for which payment must be made, and I rejoice today in knowing that my debt, and the debt of humankind, a debt which is much more than the trillions of dollars owed by the U.S., has been marked "paid in full" by the blood of Jesus Christ.

How it must grieve the heart of my Father as He watches the vast majority of the world ignore, or refuse the gift of His Son! Just as many were filled with a sense of urgency to get the debt ceiling raised in the U.S., I want to be filled with a sense of urgency for those outside my door who cling tightly to a debt of sin, a debt that will end in their destruction. I must tell them of the One who has already paid their debt, Who paid the price so that they might be free for all eternity. Father, let me not rest in the comfort of the extravagant love of Christ while the multitudes outside my door are perishing in the debt of sin.

Call to Me....

2011-03-08T14:08:00.004+02:00

"Call to Me and I will answer you....." (Jeremiah 33:3a)

Today is Women's Day in many parts of the world. In Ukraine, it's a holiday complete with the giving of small gifts or candy or anything you might have on hand. For at least the last 3 or 4 years we have had a women's team here from the states during this time to gather Ukrainian women together for a special celebration of who they are in Christ. It's kind of strange not being with a couple of hundred women today, but the Lord is providing some fellowship through one of our Ukrainian sisters, Nina, and her granddaughter in a couple of hours.

I've lived in this region of the city (Saltavka) for the past 8 months, after living in the center of the city for 7 years. It's a bedroom community, and the block where my apartment is located probably is home to some 30,000 Ukrainians. I love it....but so far have not developed friendships with any of the women in this area. Oh, there is the "babuska brigade" that sits outside whenever the weather allows, and sometimes I sit with them, but so far the Lord has not opened the door for deeper relationships. Today, however, as I was taking Shadow for her afternoon walk, I found myself asking the Lord to give me some friends that live near me. It's not that I feel lonely. I am blessed with opportunities each week to have time with folks who are becoming friends, but they don't live in this area. But today that request just went up from my heart to the Lord.

I don't know why I still find myself surprised when He answers quickly. He's always faithful, and He always answers! But as I headed to my entry today, I heard someone calling "Linda....Linda." I turned around and there was one of the women from Grace Church that meets in the same building as New Hope. She lives in an apartment in the same building as mine, but for 8 months our paths have never crossed. She handed me a small package of cookies in celebration of Women's Day, and we both talked about needing to get together in the near future - now that we know we live so close. I told her that just a few minutes before, I had asked the Lord to give me some friends here, and then our paths crossed.

I'm just thankful today that the Lord is watching over what seem to be "the little things" in my life. Relationships here don't happen quickly.....most Ukrainians are guarded, and while they might say hello, it takes a long time (and the Lord) for things to go any deeper. But Jesus was all about relationships, and I believe that small prayer, and His answer, were reminders to me today that He is still at work in my life.

All paths lead to ?????

2011-03-02T13:37:00.008+02:00

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)

How often have we heard "all paths (or roads) lead to the same place?" As I looked out my window at all the paths worn dirty in the snow I was reminded how many different paths the world offers to those things that only the One True God can give. Love, joy, peace, hope, eternal life.....we can find advertisements and philosophies that all promise to deliver these things.

I have conversations often in the English club I help lead and in other venues with folks I know who cannot yet believe there is only one way! Surely the Lord has a way for those who are "good" people, but choose not to believe and follow Christ to enter into heaven! "Those gods of all the other religions surely will end up being the same God as Yahweh of the Bible! They are so sincere in their belief....they try so hard!" Yet His Word tells us there is only ONE path that will lead us to the fulfillment of all these promises - and to so much more - the path of Christ!

Who will stand at the crossroads and help each one who walks these paths find the right, true way? How often do I continue on in what I know through His Word to be the Way, yet never stop long enough to tell those who intersect my path that they are going the wrong way? Am I entering each day actively seeking those the Lord is going to bring across my path, hearts already prepared by the Holy Spirit to hear how loved they are by God? Lord, grant me the joy, the privilege, the opportunity to help someone this day find that narrow road that leads to You, and to life!

What If He Returned Today.....

2010-08-30T09:53:00.006+03:00

As I sat at my kitchen table this morning, rather than sitting in my "usual" place facing the kitchen cabinets I found myself sitting in a chair facing the window that looks out upon the playground below. Almost immediately, the view that I had seen many times before in the past 2 months since I moved here overwhelmed my heart and mind.

Above the apartments were small wisps of clouds and the Lord pierced my heart with question after question: "What if Jesus were to come this very moment? Would the sound of the trumpet reverberate throughout this circle of concrete buildings as the thunder of a storm always does? How many of those behind the windows would be alongside me as we rose to meet Him in the air? Would the sounds of the wailing of parents whose children simply vanished before their eyes echo off those same walls?"

I have prayed daily for the people around me, but today, rather than reciting the same words of petition to see people saved, the words, and my heart, were different. The playground outside my window was the first place the Kharkov missionary team, then led by Mick Stockwell, held a backyard Bible club and outreach for the new church start that is today New Hope. Today, I prayed that the seeds planted in the hearts of the people so many years ago, those seeds that have lain dormant in their hearts and minds, would begin to come to life.....to take root.....to bear the fruit of repentance. Today, I prayed not out of habit, but out of a heart burdened for the 98% to 99% of the people around me who have perhaps never had a prayer of faith spoken for them to the One who has loved them before the foundation of the world.

It was no "accident" that I then turned to read in "Heart's Cry" by Jennifer Kennedy Dean and found myself confronted with a chapter titled "Stand in the Gap", followed by the scripture: "'I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land...'" (Ezek. 22:30). May my heart continually be "listening" for the words of my Lord to pray for the people outside my window! May I never grow weary in coming before His throne for those who do not yet "see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, (that they might) turn and be healed" (Isaiah 6:10) and receive the free gift of His grace, mercy, and eternal life!

"Experiencing God"

2010-08-11T11:33:00.005+03:00

"How can I know when it's Him speaking to me?" That was the question posed by my friend N...... We've now met 3 times in my home to discuss the Bible, faith, and now "Experiencing God." She's a Ukrainian middle-aged mother of 4 married to a Middle Eastern man who is a member of a muslim sect, and while she believes in God, she has not yet understood that it is only through Jesus that we can have the intimacy with God the Father that we desire.

As we began the first day's lesson of "Experiencing God", and talked about Abraham's response to God's command to "go," the above question arose from her heart. Over the next hour we discussed what that means, and also the necessity of having Christ abiding in us through the Holy Spirit.

In the midst of this, she told me of a problem one of her older son is having in trying to get a visa to go to a European country to study. While he has supplied all the required paperwork, the door seems to continue to be "closed." She asked me if I thought she should go and fight for her son with the officials. (N..... is a pretty "self-sufficient" woman who doesn't have a problem expressing herself when she feels something is not right.) I asked her whose hands she wanted "holding" her son's life.....her's or the Lord's, and at that moment my doorbell rang and I opened the door for my landlady who had arrived.

N...... gathered her things and prepared to leave, but not without spending the next 5 minutes telling my landlady what she had learned from the Lord during our time together. "Do you study the Bible with Linda," she asked my landlady....then went on to explain how we had come to know each other and the times we had visited over the years.

When I had time to sit and think about what had taken place, I could only thank the Lord for what He had done not by words, but by the penetrating power of His Word! Please continue to join me in praying for my friend, and my landlady, to both enter into personal, intimate relationship with the Father through salvation in Christ!

Listening to my Papa's Voice

2009-10-28T18:09:00.001+02:00

Even after 10 years, I am continually amazed at how much "easier" it seems to be to hear my Papa (Father God) speaking to me on this side of the ocean (in the states) than on the other side (in Kharkov). I have always given the enemy the credit for this by saying that the spiritual oppression in Ukraine is so much greater than here, and that is true. Yet, even as I write this, I am reminded of what volunteers often say about how much they "experience God" when in Ukraine, perhaps even more than at home in their own cities.

All that leads me to understand - and to be convicted - that it is not only the enemy at work that keeps me from hearing the Father's still, small voice. It is also the busyness of my daily life in Kharkov and my failure to set aside more of those times of quiet in the midst of that busyness which tends to "drown out" the voice of my Father!

That is why I love driving on long road journeys when I am in the states as opposed to flying. On those journeys it becomes just me and Jesus in the front seat, sometimes singing and worshiping together,other times simply having quiet, peaceful "conversations" as we travel the road together.

I just arrived back in Arkansas after such a journey and find my spirit amazed by the love of the Father I have experienced over the past days! Every day He is speaking to me, and every day I am hearing, and I am sooooooo thankful!

I am soaking in the knowledge that today He is thinking of me, planning out good things that have purpose and that are leading to the future He has prepared for me (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV). But more than that, before I was born, before I was formed, He had the blueprint of my being and of my life perfectly "drawn out"! (Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5)

I have read and studied and even talked on all these verses in the past, but now He is literally bringing them before me every single day in some way - through Sunday sermons, Christian tv programs, music, etc. - so I can hardly wait to see where He is taking me! Just this morning I turned on James Robison for "Wednesdays with Beth", and simply laughed when Beth Moore began a series of teaching out of Psalm 139!

Join me on this journey if you want! I'm looking forward to listening to my Papa's voice every single day in every single way. I pray you are, too!

Home in Kharkov

2009-04-04T10:18:00.006+03:00

After over ten days of travel to Kiev, then all around Israel, I landed back home in Kharkov last night.....more tired than I've been in a long time, but glad to sleep in my own bed. It was a VERY fast-paced tour, with little time to be still in one place long enough to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart what I saw with my eyes. We often said to one another that we were desperate for more time in those significant places like the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Wailing Wall to "soak" in the Lord! But I would not have wanted to miss one place we saw!

This morning, as I write this, I am listening to believers who have gathered in the indoor pool behind my building to worship. I'm not certain what denomination rents the pool every few months on a Saturday morning for special services, but I feel like today is a gift from the Lord! Their voices are lifting up to my 12th floor windows, above all the noises of everyday life in Ukraine!

In my mind, I am transported back to some of the stone churches and synagogues we visited in our travels around Israel. Whenever possible, we would read a Scripture pertaining to the place, pray, then sing together, the sound reverberating off the stone walls! Occasionally, if there were other groups there, we would hear them join us in whatever their native language might be - Korean, Chinese, Russian, German (and others I didn't know!) - and we were transported briefly to the Throne of the King!

As I've begun looking at some of the multitudes of pictures I took, my heart finally has time to spiritually experience what I am seeing....the garden, Via Delarosa, the Mount of Olives, the dungeon they believe Christ may have been kept in the night before His crucifixion, and I realize that I am going to be "experiencing Israel" for a very long time!

I pray this is only the beginning of the Lord bringing to my heart what my eyes have seen and my ears have heard! And I hope to be able to put that experience into words that you might walk alongside me on the rocky paths of Israel!

Journey to Jerusalem

2009-03-26T20:14:00.003+02:00

This afternoon I met up with the group from Arkansas and we headed toward Jerusalem! What a joy to hear that good ole Southern drawl! Our tour guide took us on a brief journey to a high point near the Hebrew University where we could see the desert and mountains surrounding the Dead Sea. On the other side of the university, we stopped again to get some photo moments of Jerusalem.

After a really wonderful buffet dinner, the travelers are all down for the night (I think) in preparation for a full day of traveling and sightseeing tomorrow. On top of their really long journey, Israel is doing their time change tonight for daylight savings time (I guess it's by the Hebrew calendar?). So we'll all lose an hour of sleep between now and our 6:00 am wake-up call!

I can hardly wait to "breathe in" the atmosphere of Bethlehem and the other sights we will see tomorrow. Picture to come then!

Tel Aviv Travels

2009-03-26T11:57:00.006+02:00

I'd been in Israel just over 24 hours, and already I knew I wanted to come back! I spent an hour or so this morning walking the beach in Tel Aviv, then headed to the famous Carmel outdoor market just up the street to walk amongst the people before checking out of the hotel and heading to Ben Gurion airport to meet up with the tour group from Arkansas. The sea was beautiful, the atmosphere in the shops and streets invigorating.

Tel Aviv is one place I'd like to visit again and get to know better!

Planes, trains, and autobuses!!!!

2009-01-31T10:29:00.004+02:00

My times are in your hands......" (Psalm 31:15a NIV)

I truly love living in Ukraine, and would not want to be anywhere else! Yet, even after almost 10 years, there are times when I am still "surprised" by the culture, as well as by those things that have not yet changed!

I arrived in Budapest last Sunday to renew my visa for Ukraine. It was a fast trip - Sunday to Wednesday - including a 6 hour train ride early Sunday morning, then a taxi to the airport from the center of Kiev, the flight to Budapest, and a van to the other side of Budapest to Eden House (our missy housing in Budapest) - taking around 14 hours start to finish!

After several years of trips to Budapest for medical check-ups, I'm able to get around on their great public transportation system pretty easily, so I checked on the internet for the address of the Ukrainian embassy and planned to take public transport from Eden House to the embassy. But, the embassy was located in an area of the city I'd not "navigated" yet, so, since I wanted to get there before 9:00 in the morning, I decided to trust a taxi to get me there. I know taking the taxi was the leadership of the Lord! When we drove up to the address I had gotten off the internet there was no Ukrainian flag...nothing to indicate this was the Ukrainian embassy. The taxi driver was kind enough to radio his dispatcher and find out the REAL address.....located several blocks away! Had I gone on the bus, I NEVER would have found it! (I checked again on the internet after this and have yet to find the real address!)

Getting the visa required going to a bank to pay the visa fee, then returning to the embassy with the receipt. Although I now had a pretty good idea where I was and how to get around, I didn't know where the bank was located, so I asked some of the folks that were getting paperwork done at the embassy how to get to the bank. Again the Lord intervened, and a really nice guy, who spoke excellent english, offered to take me to "Moskova Ter" - a public transport hub that I know well - and drop me off at a mall where the bank is located. I got everything done, including returning by bus to the embassy with the receipt, before 11:00, and was told I needed to come back the next morning to get the visa put in my passport. Then I had the day to travel to my favorite places in Budapest.

Tuesday was spent running to the embassy, then all over the city, with a dear friend now serving from Budapest - Sue Perryman. We enjoyed a "Mexican" lunch at Iguana's downtown Budapest (which took us FOREVER to find since I didn't have my map with all my written directions on it!), some "down-time" at Sue and Skipper's home, a movie (in English with Hungarian subtitles), ending the day with Bible study in the home of Alvin and Mary Doyle.

I was ready on Wednesday morning to be picked up by the airport shuttle at 7, in anticipation of a 10:00 flight to Kiev, followed by travel to the train station and a train back to Kharkov, arriving at 11:30 pm. But, in my "wisdom", before I left Eden House, I decided to check one more time to see if there were any "cheap seats" on the evening flight from Kiev to Kharkov, deciding it was worth the extra cost out of my pocket to not have to travel into Kiev to the train station, and arrive home 5 hours earlier! When I found a ticket available, I was so excited.....

I arrived in Kiev and got through customs and passport check in 10 minutes....the fastest ever! Even though it was a little foggy, I thought nothing of it since we still had 4 hours before the flight to Kharkov. I spent the afternoon in joyful anticipation of getting home with enough time to unwind from the journey and get to bed at a "normal" time!

Alas....the "best-laid plans....." At the regular boarding time, we all got on the shuttle bus to go our to the plane, and remained there for about 15 minutes. Then one of the airline employees came and told us to return to the waiting room while they made a decision about whether or not to fly to Kharkov. We were told that a decision would be made within 10 minutes.

So, in 10 minutes, they came and again we boarded the shuttle bus, this time going all the way to the plane....a propeller job that held around 35-40 people. After we boarded and sat there for a few minutes, the flight attendant announced that they were still deciding whether or not to fly to Kharkov due to the weather there! At that point, some of the Ukrainian men began asking: "Are you going to serve us some wine or vodka while we wait?" As time went by, a couple of them began to ask for names of the pilot and airline representatives because they were "important people" and wanted to voice their complaint with officials. Then they started raising their voices and demanding that we all wanted to fly regardless of the weather in Kharkov! (My voice was silent on this....although I was praying REALLY HARD that the Lord would clear up the weather so we could fly!)

After 30 minutes on the aircraft, they decided to have the passengers disembark, pick up their luggage, and wait in the terminal until a decision was made! As soon as we got our luggage, we made a mass exodus to the Aerosvit window in the terminal to find out what was next! Now it was 6:15 pm, and our instructions now were to wait until 7:00 pm for a decision!

For the next 45 minutes, people who had to get to Kharkov before the next morning were frantically trying to find a way to get there! Some talked about hiring a taxi and splitting the cost - not something I would do on Ukrainian roads at night! Other options included a relatively nice bus that goes from the airport to Kharkov several times a day, joining others in renting a van (a 6-7 hour trip), or going into Kiev and trying to get tickets on the overnight train that would arrive in Kharkov at 6:30 the next morning!

While I was having a hard time understanding everything that was being said by the airline officials, it really didn't matter! They really weren't giving us any decision, except that they would try to fly out again at 5:30 AM the next morning! So, the flight was not "cancelled", but "delayed" for 12 hours! And there was no guarantee that it would actually fly out the next morning either, since the weather conditions had not changed at all!

So, the Lord provided a traveling "partner" - an "image consultant" from Riga, Latvia who spoke great English and HAD to get to Kharkov by morning for a lecture series. We headed out on a van from the airport to the train station hoping to find a coupe on the overnight train, with both of us totally exhausted from the travel, and from the confusion of the last few hours!

While there were no 2nd class cabins available, the Lord did provide a first-class cabin on a new overnight train. Zanya and I spent the 2 hours until departure grabbing a light meal and getting to know each other. Zanya has traveled all over the world doing fashion shoots for fashion magazines and lecturing at fashion schools. While not a photographer, she apparently sets up all the scenes. She shared all about travels to Cuba, Indonesia, Malaysia....and places I had never even heard of.

All this time, I continued to pray, and ask the Lord what the purpose of the delay and this alternative journey was! I was more weary that I could remember being for years, and all the excitement and anticipation I had had about getting home in my own bed earlier than planned disappeared as I contemplated trying to get some sleep on the train - something I don't do well! But even in my disappointment, the Lord gave me peace, which is not always a "normal" response for me!

As soon as we got on the train and got settled in our sleeping clothes, Zanya laid down to sleep and I tried to unwind from the day's travels. I was confused that there had been no time throughout our conversation to discuss anything spiritual, although I had told Zanya that I was a missionary and a little about my almost 10 years in Ukraine. But, I finally laid down myself for the night, leaving that in the Lord's hands as well!

We both arose about 30 minutes before our arrival in Kharkov, and for the first time we talked about "religion", as Zanya talked about the different types of churches in Riga. The Lord gave me the opportunity in the midst of our conversation to talk about the need for a personal relationship with Christ, and other beliefs and convictions that we as believers hold to be truth.

Was that 5 or 10 minute opportunity to share worth all the travel hassles of the previous 24 hours? I have to say "yes!" I don't know what the Lord will do with those few statements of faith shared in the last moments before getting home, but I am thankful and grateful I can leave the "results" in His hands!

As for the culture surprises? While Ukraine continues to slowly move from the 1950's to the new millennium, the roots of the old Soviet culture are still in place at times! Even now, 48 hours later, I still don't know if I will get a refund or credit for my airline ticket! Ahhhh, how I love living in Ukraine!

Remembering God's Mercy

2008-10-24T15:31:00.003+03:00

"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!

2008-09-13T14:22:00.001+03:00

A Place of Hope

2008-09-13T11:23:00.002+03:00

"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!

"The Body of Christ"

2008-03-21T18:49:00.002+02:00

"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"

2008-03-13T12:55:00.002+02:00

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!

The Last "Prazdnik"

2008-01-14T09:08:00.000+02:00

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!!!!!!!!

First Snow (YEAH!!!!) & Thanksgiving

2007-11-15T08:40:00.000+02:00

We had our first snowfall this week - several inches. Shadow loved it (until the pads of her feet got full), and so did I. We had an extra walk during the day just to enjoy it.

I'm amazed at the peacefulness of snow each time it falls! The world is "quieter", "softer", and, of course, "brighter"! It really overcomes the darkness, for the nights are lighter as a result of a layer of snow. Every time it falls, I thank the Lord for allowing me to experience snow with the heart of a child. (Now, if only the body would be able to do that!!!!)

On Tuesday, Team Kharkov celebrated Thanksgiving (I know, it's next Thursday, but we're ahead over here)! This time next week (Thursday), our team will be traveling west for a mini-retreat. We're excited about the opportunity to see a part of the country none of us have visited previously, and having time to relax, play, and pray together. So, we decided to prepare our meal this week so it would not be quite as hectic.

I hope to add some pictures soon. I'm just afraid once I get started, I may never stop (I have literally thousands of digital pics from the past couple of years).

Have an awesome day!

His Gifts are Awesome!

2007-11-09T11:24:00.001+02:00

The Lord really provided me with a wonderful birthday yesterday, but then how could it be otherwise when so many brothers and sisters in Christ lift your name before the throne? Add to that the messages and e-cards I received via e-mail and "skype" and it was truly a blessed day!

By far the most delightful part of the day was our visit to a women's shelter in the Aleksayivka region of Kharkov. We were told by the director that there are 3 or 4 shelters in all of Ukraine (not certain if this is correct or not) as she walked us through the 4 large rooms of this "Detski Sod" (kindergarten) they were given for this purpose. The shelter has been operating for 7 years and is "home" to 15 or 16 women at this time. As Amanda and I walked through the center, we both looked at each other with anticipation and excitement....the possibilities for ministry to women and others through small groups are awesome.

The most significant part of this is how the Lord is walking before us, and we are seeking to follow His path. Aleksayivka is a region of the city we prayerwalked for the first time 2 weeks ago. At that point, none of us had ever seen the region "up close and personal," so we "randomly" selected a block of apartments to begin our prayerwalk emphasis. Imagine our surprise (and delight) when we drove to the middle of that block of apartments yesterday to look at the shelter. We had no idea 2 weeks ago that it was located in this old school, yet the Lord knew as we walked past the building and prayed that we would go through the door of that same building very soon!

We do not yet know how we will be involved, or what the Lord has planned for us in this region, but there is no doubt He is working! For the first time in the 4 years I have lived here, pastors and Baptist leaders from different churches in different regions of the city have a desire to see work begun in Aleksayivka. We can hardly wait to see what He is going to do in and through His people in the weeks and months ahead.

Thanks to all who sent birthday greetings. Just so you know, my team made me a wonderful lunch complete with chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes, and a heavenly apple/berry pie. I was also the recipient of some great John Piper books and new winter "Crocs", along with handmade birthday cards. Couldn't ask for more, and yet our Father always gives "more than we can ask or imagine." I even asked Him for a little snow for my birthday, and while we didn't have a blizzard, every flake that I saw was a reminder of His faithfulness to give us the desires of our heart. I've decided this next year is going to be the best year of my life so far, and I look forward to sharing with others how the Father causes it to be just that!

Here We Go

2007-11-07T14:14:00.000+02:00

I've been "meaning to" start a blog for months, but never followed through. So here goes my best attempt to keep family, friends, prayer partners, and anyone else who is interested up to date about daily happenings in my adopted city - Kharkov (HAR-kov), Ukraine. Be patient. It will take some time to get into the habit of writing, but there are so many things the Lord does each day that I don't share on our prayer letters, and I really want you to know more about how He is moving in this place I call "home".

Thanks for joining me on this adventure!