Greetings brothers and sisters of the PIEI mission. I am very pleased to write to you about our ministry in Ukraine and about God's miracles and leadership. By His grace and assistance, we can influence the public in our region.
1. Service in Hertz
We have very pleasant services, especially when the children are performing. They sing very beautifully and praise God with their children's voices and hearts. Historically, church members are mostly elderly people. Therefore, services with children are a special holiday for everyone. Also, a young couple who recently got married began to join the ministry and now praise God with us. They called me and said they really want to perform with us.
2. Radio ministry
Topic: Impossible is possible (Matthew 19:26). When we are faced with an obstacle, we give up and give up on our dreams or goals. But what is hard for us is easy for God, what is impossible for us is possible for Him. When we do God's work, nothing is impossible for us!
Theme: Meet Your Dream (Rom. 12: 2). From the New Year I will no longer smoke, from Monday I will no longer yell at my wife, start playing sports or become a different person. How many such promises do we make to ourselves, and never fulfill them? What is the reason and how to start changing for the better today? How to make your dream come true?
Topic: What will you choose? (5M 30:19) Every day we are faced with a choice of what to wear and where to go? But also God puts us before the most important choice: blessing or curse, life or death, Heaven or hell? Where will my soul go?
3. The fact about Ukrainian culture
In Ukraine there is such a custom to plunge into an ice-hole with ice water. This is done to cleanse the soul from sins and evil forces, as well as to improve health for the whole year. In every village and city on the lakes, a lot of people gather, an ice-hole is cut in the shape of a cross, a priest comes and does the procedure for purifying the water with a censer, and then people undress in 15 degrees below zero and enter the water. It is important to plunge headlong, because in the head there are the greatest sinful thoughts. Many people do this procedure with such deep spiritual considerations, but others do it just for PR or hype, then to show all friends on social networks that they are not afraid of frost.
4. Testimony of the listener
Vasiliy
Vasily has been to rehab centers for alcohol addiction 7 times. Also in the past he was a drug addict. He repented, accepted water baptism. But he did not receive freedom, he retreated, became disillusioned with the believers, and again returned to his past way of life - he drinks, smokes, beggars, even beggars from time to time. During the conversation, it turned out that he has wonderful children - adults, have families. Vasily also graduated as a lawyer. When he and I began to list all the blessings that he has, the man began to cry. He said a prayer of repentance with tears, realizing the love and mercy of God for himself, realizing that he is not an alcoholic, but a precious son of God. He thanked for the warm conversation: "I felt relieved at heart, thank you." Calling us, he asked: "Well, how will you help me?", And after consultation and prayer, he thanked very much: "you helped me a lot, I did not expect it. I believe that there will be changes in my life." In the village where he lives, there are only Jehovah's Witnesses, so we agreed to find him a contact with a minister in the district center. We also agreed to call. Vasily asked the other Linea counselors to pray for him.
The pastor of the church responded to our request to support Vasily and invite him to the services. Their church often serves in the village where Vasily lives. So far they have not been able to reach out to its residents, but our call encouraged the pastor and his wife.
We gave Vasily the contact of the pastor of the church, having phoned him again, Vasily was glad to receive the call. He thanked that we are interested and remember him, that we are fighting for his release - he endures temptations, he is very ashamed of himself, of his drinking bouts, especially in front of children (his daughter is a well-known teacher in the village, works at a school), in front of fellow villagers.
He promised to call the pastor. I was glad to learn that believers from this church often visit their village - he did not know this before and did not intersect with them. We continue to pray for Vasily and be in touch with him.
5. Post-camp meeting
Recently, mission PIEI organized the post-camp meeting in the Novoselitsa church. We remembered our camp "Candela" in Boyan, what cool time we had there. The building was full of young people. I was involved in the team and made photo and video recordings as well.
6. Prayer requests:
- For our community in Hertz, so that God bless the atmosphere between church members with love, so that those who have seen our relationship will want to join us.
- For our radio ministry, so that we can effectively influence a large audience
- For our family, so that God strengthens us to serve Him more and more
- So that God protect us from the virus and strengthen our immunity
- For the end of the war in eastern Ukraine.
- For my deacon ministry in the Chernivtsi Church
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your prayers for us and for your financial support. May God reward you according to His generosity and riches.
With a prayer for you, missionary in Chernivtsi, Pastushak Alex
