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Podil UBF (Ukraine) Report (May – August 2016)

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

We thank God who has been blessing our Sunday Matthew studies. We experience Matthew 7:7 which said, "ask," "seek," "knock," meaning to pray persistently, sincerely and earnestly and experience the power of God. In my last report we had 10 prayer topics and 8 of them were answered by God miraculously. This report will explain how God answered our prayers.

First, God blessed our Easter Conference with Kyiv UBF on the first week of May. The theme was Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. One of our faithful brother who always helped us with our dramas stopped coming. And Anton and his wife had to move to Poland before our conference. We decided that Jesus in the drama will be a recorded voice of Anton. But it was so hard to get the timing right. However God heard our prayers and brought two brothers to our conference who helped us in our drama, Vitaly and Iliya. After the conference they began Bible study with Misn. John. God also sent two new sisters Katya and Veronika. They also participated in our drama. We are praying for them to also begin Bible study.

Second, God blessed us to send 4 members to South Korea for the World Mission Report night and missionary conference. Also our former Podil sister, Lena who moved to Slovakia also came and represented her new country on the stage. We want to thank God for Anam 2 chapter for hosting us and for UBF central and Mother Sarah Barry’s support to make it possible for us to come. Though I have been in UBF for 35 years, it was my first time to visit South Korea. Nataliia, Yulia, Yana  and I were greatly moved by the people and the word of God from Deuteronomy. We visited the Korean National Museum and we saw how the country was ravaged with war and corruption in government just like what is happening in Ukraine. We were moved to tears when we saw how the Korean people suffered to gain their independence. But when the people accepted the gospel and became a Christian nation, God blessed her abundantly. After this conference we have a vision for Ukraine to also change and be a Holy nation. This is only possible through the gospel.

Third, Bible retreat in the Carpathian mountains. In this retreat we studied Matthew 5 learning about going the extra mile and loving our enemies. Through our Lord Jesus, this can be done! God brought 4 new students to attend our conference. Yana shared her life testimony. She is a refugee from Lugansk in Eastern Ukraine. When war broke out there, her company relocated to Kyiv. She had to leave her city and family behind. Her only possession fit in one suitcase. With prayer and faith in God, God protected her family and most importantly she came to Bible study with Nataliia in our church. She declared in her testimony that God used this war and terrible crises for her to come and meet her Heavenly Father. Yana has been serving our church as one of our interpreter and music servant. After attending the Summer Bible Conference, “Encounter” in Germany, she made a decision to feed Jesus’ sheep and make a worship team. God heard her prayer and Ira a 19 year old student began to study the Bible with her.

Fourth, leaving Podil to visit the US. In the previous report we asked for a short term missionary to come and help us, as we plan to leave and go to the U.S. to visit our family. Though no one came God sent help else where. God sent Mark Tkhoryk from Odessa UBF to give two Sunday messages and Chris Morris one of John’s prayer partner in the international school came to Kyiv from Kazakhstan and helped us by also delivering two Sunday Messages. His wife who is Ukrainian translated his message. God not only took care of our Sunday Messages but our sisters took stewardship of our church. Nataliia took care of our ministry as the overseer and delivered one Sunday Message. In the past Yulia was too afraid to teach the Bible. But because we were leaving I asked her to teach Anya a student of KMA. She agreed. God blessed her and now Anya wants to continue Bible study with her. Last June, Anya graduated with a BS in ecology and was accepted in the masters program in her university. She had been faithful to Bible study and serves as our computer person, preparing presentations for SWS. This fall she will begin common life with our sisters.

While in the US we were able to visit our family. We helped our girls move in to another apartment with my mother. Sarah and Johnny both got their driver’s license. Sarah got a scholarship for her last year in Northeastern University. Johnny also got a new job and will be supporting himself as he studies in Moody. Christy got a new fulltime job and Maria Joy finished her masters from University of Buffalo, New York and is now working on her second master in divinity in Moody. We are also very thankful that our children are growing in their personal relationship with Jesus and serve Him in Chicago and in Spokane, Washington.

Fifth and Sixth, healing ministry. We thank God for healing my diabetes. When I went to Chicago and got a checkup, my doctor said my diabetes is under diet control and I don’t need to take any medication for it. For this we thank God. Last report we were praying for the healing of three Losha’s. First Losha who had three tumors in his liver, has been healed without surgery. The second Losha with the brain tumor received his second operation and is doing well. After 10 years of rejecting God, he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior through the prayers of his mother and ours. The third Losha with the knee injury also had his surgery and is recovering. We pray for them continuously.

Seventh, John finished his masters in Theological studies from Liberty University. He also received a pastoral certificate from UBF. It took three years while he worked full-time and served as the director of Podil UBF. We can say it was only by God’s grace alone and we give glory and praise to Him. May God use this masters for His glory.

Eighth, Matthew and Ecclesiastes Bible study. God has been blessing our SWS messages from Matthew and we finished our group Bible study in Ecclesiastes.

Prayer Topics

1. We are praying for stability in politics with godly leaders and peace in Ukraine. For protection of Ukrainian volunteers who made decisions to serve in the Missionary centers in Mariupol which is located in the frontline.

2. May God bless our preparation for the upcoming Fall conference with Kyiv UBF to celebrate their 25th year anniversary of serving in Ukraine.

3. God’s anointing come on our weekly Matthew Gospel messages.

4. May God bless our Fall semester through English club, sport ministry, movie and game night to make friends with students and bring glory to God.

5. God’s blessing to the KMA Christian student club, Lumen so that many students may come to know Jesus. Our Yulia and Anya are co-working with this club.

6. Katya, Vika, Veronika and Ira to have the Holy Spirit to make decisions to follow Jesus.

7. New brothers to be raised as faithful disciples of Jesus beginning with Vitaly and Iliya.

8. Three house churches to be established with our daughters and sisters in Podil.

9. God may give us a Praise and Worship team for our ministry.

Thanksgivings

1. We thank God for allowing Podil to participate in the Summer Bible conference, “Encounter” in Germany. Nataliia volunteered to serve as a group Bible teacher. She studied the Bible with Helen Kim and Little Sarah Kim to prepare for this conference. God used her as a blessing there. Her Bible student Yana accompanied her.

2. We are thankful that our church were able to support our volunteers in the East by sending clothes, boots and a tent to soldiers.

3. Thank God for Chicago UBF financial support to help us with our church mortgage debt.

Thank you for all your prayers and support for us. Let’s continue to ask, seek and knock, praying persistently for God’s mercy that justice and righteousness may reign in Ukraine as well as in Syria and in the U.S. If you want to visit our website it is kyiv-podilministry.org