How the Lord is ministering in Ukraine...

The weather is changing here!  When we traveled by car two weeks ago from Lviv to Kiev, we had the air conditioner on the entire trip! But now some of the lakes are freezing over and I am layering up the best that I can because I didn't bring any heavy clothes- but it has been enough, by God's grace! And Fall here is beautiful! For a few moments, as you take in the spectacular work of God's hands, you can even forget that there is a terrible War going on!  

Yesterday I received notes from friends in a couple of different Countries congratulating me on my perfect Ukrainian!  Apparently the radio station took a couple of my sessions and dubbed them over- now if I only knew what I said!  

On Monday, the 24th, a dear brother who was a financial advisor, but now pastoring, asked me to speak at his church!  They just completed a new building, small but a great blessing for their fellowship! We had a wonderful time and had to be dragged away for our next meeting!  

Pastor Dema Goncharov, is the regional pastor for a large number of churches.  He is a very dedicated and loving brother who carries the spirit and humility of Christ! His wife Irina is a great cook and they invited some dear friends over to share stories, joy, cry and pray together!  It seems like all the important meetings here are around food- giving our time together a joyful, family feel and a sense of intimacy! It made me think of Acts 2:42-47. 

Monday was our last full day in Kharkiv and our hearts were already feeling the strain of leaving each other! Things are always more intense during War and more personal!  Many of the churches are very conservative and pretty staunchy- but now they say hugging 'everytime' they are together is automatic. They say it's because they never know if they will see each other again...  

Vitaly, the other pastor, in Green in the back of this picture, is the one I preached with on Sunday whose son-in-law was killed by a rocket. He was very raw but had many great insights about this time and even a few funny stories that always seem to happen, even in War! The Russian army and Ukrainians were firing howitzers at each over Vitali's house. He and his wife lived directly between them- shells were constantly whistling over he and his wife's house!  He was praying for God's help but his wife was screaming for God and overwhelmed! After several hours of this he couldn't stand being inside the house any longer so he headed for the door with his wife yelling at him to "stop"! "Don't go out there!" But he was determined!  Almost as soon as he stepped outside, a huge piece of shrapnel flew right past his head and hit their outdoor water tank which exploded throwing water everywhere!  The minute he could get his legs to move again, he ran straight for the house and told his wife, "um, you were right, I think I'll be staying in here!"    Some of the other stories are personal and very tender- I think there will be better opportunities to share some of these in the future... The Brunch lasted for about three hours and when it was time to go we all prayed, got our jackets on and took another 40 minutes to finally let go of each other and say 'good-bye'.  

That evening we had a large family dinner with the Pilipenko clan- they have been one of God's sweetest gifts for us since the War began in 2014!  

Tuesday morning we were scheduled to head for the Capitol of Eastern Ukraine, Dnepro, and our dear friends,  the Bokoch's, house in Novomoskovs'k. (You see pastor Stepan with part of his family in the 2nd picture ...they are very dear to our hearts and we have been loving each other and serving Christ together since the original start of the War in 2014!) 

The bombing has begun to elevate here in Dnepro as it has just about everywhere in Ukraine! I woke up once early this morning to an emergency siren- more Iranian, kamikaze drones hit Dnepro, the main city.  One hit a gas station with a car wash- two people were killed, a pregnant woman at the gas pump and a man who had just driven into the car wash! Almost all of the bombing I see is civilian targets- shopping areas, schools, gas stations etc., to terrify people, with the intention of breaking their  will and getting them to capitulate. But everywhere I go it seems to have just the opposite effect!  

One thing the Ukrainians do that I have never seen before is to restore any bombed area immediately.  Victims, rubble, glass etc. are taken from the area right away!  Even asphalt and concrete are replaced over night!  Every day there are maintenance crews that immediately plant beautiful flowers in the exact area of the latest bombing.  Instead of looking at a devastated area and the grief around it, you see things cleaned up and beautiful flowers and even new trees in that place!  It has really worked for the psychy of every city!  It is like a boxer who takes a hard blow to the face but is still standing and says, "Is that the best you got?!"...   Oh God, please help us to end this War and in Your mercy please keep anymore of Your children from perishing!  And, I believe, even more critically, help Your Church not to lose its faith or the ability to forgive and love like Jesus loves!! John 13:34,35...