En Route to Ukraine

We are en route to Ukraine, flying over Greenland at the moment. Not sure when we will be able to get this out to you.

It was good to be home for Tiffany’s graduation from Victory Christian High School. Congratulations, Tiffany! She did very well in her studies and is anticipating a career in medicine. She is with us on this trip to Ukraine and other nations. We will be busy, visiting Kiev, Zaporizhia, Crimea and Kherson. We look forward to the ministry and fellowship. This year marks the 20th anniversary of some of the first churches we helped start in Ukraine and Russia – many invitations to participate in this momentous celebration. It is hard to imagine it has been this long and Tiffany was not born yet. Susan and Rachel accompanied us in some of the earlier journeys and we brought Tiffany later as a small child.

My last missive was from Russia where God blessed mightily. I felt breakthroughs in the spirit realm while ministering there. The pastors were inspired and encouraged to believe God despite the difficult circumstances in Moscow as well as St. Petersburg areas. I had heard powerful testimonies. Several of the pastors in St. Petersburg were former addicts who are now leading vibrant congregations and leading efforts to rehabilitate others. I then flew over to Siberia.

Bishop Vitaly and Nadezhda in Novosibirsk were wonderful hosts. The people in Siberia are warm and hospitable. They are open to God’s workings and it is a delight to minister to them. The pastors and leaders that Vitaly and Nadya have raised are of the of this spirit. It was a joy to teach at the Bible School and to fellowship with the pastors and leaders. I felt a special connection to them from the first time we met. They recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of their church. Congratulations Vitaly and Nadezhda, all Pastors and Covenant Church!

I had the opportunity of visiting Iskitim – site of one of the worse gulags (hard labor camps) in Soviet times, to teach and encourage the leaders that God is raising there. Pastor Zhenya is leading a fine congregation here. They still have many challenges – not the least of which is having to meet in a strip club on Sundays as that is the only facility that will rent to the church. However, they were able to acquire land and a house next to the house they already use for weekday church activities and the Bible School. They dug out the footings to expand the facility, moving forward in faith. They need financial help to do this as most of the people are very poor here. Please pray for them and God’s provision for this urgent need.

I was blessed to also visit the rehab center in Plotnikov to minister to the men and women living in 2 facilities. I was amazed at the progress and expansion. They are doing an amazing job striving for self sufficiency. Not only are they getting spiritual guidance and help, they are learning new job skills and and evangelizing others.

To my pleasant surprise, while here, I was able to renew fellowship with a bishop I had not seen in many years. He works in a Buddhist and Animist region of Russia where we helped start of a few churches many years ago. He continues to work there as well as in Mongolia. He shared of the revival taking place in Mongolia and invited me to go there with him. Many are turning to Christ in the land of Genghis Khan.

I closed my time in Russia with a brief time in Moscow, spending some time with leaders who sacrificed so much for the sake of the Gospel. Hearing of their struggles and God’s intervention was very encouraging. We are presented with many needs and wish we could help in every situation. One thing I can assure you is that God is the same yesterday, today and forever! He is the same everywhere. What He has done in and for others He can and will do for you!!

We look forward to great ministry. Joe and Rachel will join us in Prague, Czech Republic. We will minister there after Ukraine.

Your prayers and financial support make it possible for us to carry out this work.