PRAISE

  • We just received word our new residence documents are ready! An extra note of victory considering all of the hangups with daily power outages in Kyiv and everything closing every time there is an air siren warning. Makes for few working hours per day for any business or office.

  • Abe again found high interest for Centers of Hope in the areas he traveled to last week. These are regional meetings so they covered wider than the four different cities they met in. Superintendents and teams were invited from surrounding provinces. Abe found many people already doing a good work, but a great interest in opening up Centers in areas without an evangelical witness.

PRAYER

  • Abe got home safely on Saturday evening but the rest of the team had to go on to Kyiv as the last meeting was in Lviv to the west of us. Unfortunately a tire gave out on the van and so they were very delayed getting home. New winter tires have been ordered and are to arrive today and be installed tomorrow. It is quite critical because we do have snow on the roads now. Abe and I both have to go to Kyiv early Thursday morning to pick up our documents, and the weather report right now shows freezing rain that night. So pray that the tires would be get put on. And pray for safety on the road. Abe travels further east early Friday morning with the whole team—a 10-hour drive. Road hazards anyway when you go east, but winter is bringing the extra dangers.

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  • Pray that we would be able to both pick up our documents (there is supposed to be no power outages from 10 AM-3 PM) and that we would be able to get them registered the same day in Irpin, suburb of Kyiv, different office…They are supposed to have electricity from 12-4 PM!!! That means, pray they will keep that schedule, and pray that there would be no missile threats during the time we are there because all offices immediately close down for those. It would be such a blessing to get it done in one day. Otherwise Abe has to leave a day early next week and I would have to make an extra trip to Kyiv. This is a 4-5 hour trip one way.

  • There seem to be many people interested in serving in Centers of Hope. Pray that God would move and call people to this ministry. It is strongly based on personal evangelism linked with meeting physical needs. We need couples who are in love with Jesus, overflowing with joy, and with a burden for the lost. (And willing for the hardships)

  • Continue to pray for God to deliver Ukraine. This past month has seen much of Ukraine without power for about six to twelve hours a day, most days. The power cuts range from three to eight-hour blocks, two or more times a day. This may seem insignificant, perhaps a bit inconvenient, but in reality it is much worse. What Russia has done by destroying our electricity manufacturing capabilities, is to damage production of materials, limit times that stores can open, sell products and function properly. When there is no power, there is often no service on your telephone. You can’t call anyone. You can’t call for help. These times are difficult times for Ukraine. Russia is trying to destroy the infrastructure with a goal of getting Ukraine to compromise and give up their claim to—Ukrainian land! People in areas now controlled by Russia have no religious freedom and many are persecuted. Certainly this is a spiritual battle only the Lord can win.

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We have a time of physical darkness intensified by the short days of winter. We have a time of educational darkness when children can only be in school when there is electricity or during daylight hours, and the alternative is online…which requires electricity, plus equipment which many people can’t afford. Oh the joy of lighting a candle, or turning on a battery-powered light. The joy of hitting a light switch and having it respond. But spiritual darkness is much worse. Here are some precious verses about our transition from a kingdom of darkness into the Light of Christ:

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 

“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Colossians 1:11-14 NLT

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That is our prayer for you.

And we pray that thousands of people in Ukraine will be transferred into Christ’s Kingdom where they can have spiritual light and thrive and grow and enjoy the abundant life He promises us.

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