Travel from Chernivtsi to Kharkov to Dnieper
Monday June 3rd, we were up about 4am to catch our flight from Chernivtsi to Kiev. Once we got to Kiev we had a 5 hour wait in the train station, and then a 5 hour ride on the train from Kiev to Kharkov! These hours were really a blessing because I had fallen pretty far behind on the updates starting with our problems with the American website refusing our access from a foreign Country. There are too many stories to tell and as we travel we keep receiving updates from people and places we had already left behind but God's miraculous work continues! Like the Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast that had 100 members of Parliament attend and the cooperation and legislation that has been impacted by that! Israel producing a video of the Women's Conference that Sue attended and those conferences are spreading even to the East here in Ukraine! And how people are now grasping the idea that relationships are the foundation of any event or ministry that God can honor! It is so exciting to see this concerted movement of the Holy Spirit bearing fruit in one Country after another!
It is building great anticipating for our Lord's return and for the tremendous opportunities we have in these last daysI like getting up early but my earlys have slipped from 5-5:30 am to 6:00-6:30 since most nights we don't make it into bed until 11 or 12! But God woke me up early our first day in Kharkov and had a beautiful surprise waiting that still fills my heart! Our hosts parents, Nicholai and Sveta, are living with them now! Sveta had a life threatening stroke in February and has basically lost the use of her right arm and leg and some memory issues. She is a really sharp lady who was an engineer and has always been active, so this has been a very difficult transition! As I was sitting with the Holy Spirit- praying and reading the Scriptures I heard Nicholai reading the Scriptures very slowly and passionately for his sweet bride of 58 years, Scripture after Scripture- then he stopped and said a few encouraging words to her and they started singing worship songs together! It felt like we were in the presence of angels! Later, we had a chance to workout with our dear host Gennadii, which is a story in itself and a joy after so many hours sitting the day before. The rest of the day was taking care of business as we prepare for the next week's conference with pastor's from the two largest regions in the East!
I have continued fasting on several occasions as we have had opportunity to stand with our loved ones back home who are doing the same for this trip. My dear brother Maxim has joined me in this everytime we are together and it has been a blessing for both of us... We decided to add another time of fasting before praying for continued recovery for Sveta. So Wednesday morning we did so and had about an hour to read Scripture, share about the wonderful works of God and sing songs of worship before we laid hands on her and anointed her with oil. Her whole countenance changed and there was great peace and joy following our prayers to God! Then she got up and started walking with noticeable improvement... It was amazing what happened in our spirits during this time and the peace that came over everybody! Now, we feel like God has challenged us to pray like the persistent widow (Luke 18:1f) until all of the blessings He desires in this really amazing event come to fruition!
It was a sweet time with the Lord and the family the next morning! Then Max and I went to workout and Gennadii went to do the final exams for the region's Bible College students. Just to give you an idea of how kind God has been in everything, big and small, we finished working out and Nikolai came to pick us up in his new Rav 4 that his grandson just bought him (he already has a speeding ticket!). We got to the meeting place at just the right time and even though it wasn't even 10 am yet, he wanted to go to McDonalds to get a 'big and tasty' hamburger meal! So we headed downtown, which was an adventure, and found a McDonalds, but it had just turned 10 am and only the breakfast menu was available! Just as our turn at the counter came up the manager flipped all the signs and put up the lunch menu with the 'big and tasty' burger right in front of us at 10 am! After we ordered, I realized we had just worked out and all I had was a few grievna with me and we had ordered four meals!
So I asked Max if he had any money I could borrow but he hadn't brought any money at all! So we just said, 'well Lord, what should we do?!'. When the guy at the counter told us what we owed, amazingly it was what we had with a penny's worth left over! This kind of supernatural Grace has followed us everyday of the trip- in meetings, travel, provision, events, everything! But it is still stunning and tremendously humbling that He should care for even the smallest things with such kindness!!
In the afternoon, I had more writing for both the blog and e-mails to set up our time for the Conference, contacts in Africa and a sermon for a special evening service that night celebrating the 'Ascension Day' of our Lord.
Two of the graduating Bible College students spoke and did a really nice job both with the material and the heart of the message and I was asked to speak last, which was a great joy!
It was a wonderful evening and again the response afterward from everyone was just thrilling because it was all centered on how wonderful God is and so worthy of our whole heart! After the service I was especially touched by young people who are being filled by the Holy Spirit with vision and excitement about serving our Lord Jesus above everything else!!
Friday, June 7th:
After a wonderful evening at church and dinner we finally made it home and to bed about 11 pm. The challenging part was that we had to get up to leave for our next city, Dnieper, at 3:30am! But God's grace is always sufficient!
Our hosts just outside of Dnieper, in Novomoskovs'k- new Moscow, were ready and waiting as we rolled in, in our old Soviet, 1940's version train! I think we hit a top speed of 40 mph twice for only a few moments in our 5 hour ride but again God used the time in a sweet way as He always does!
Our hosts brought us home to a wonderful home cooked meal for lunch and an exotic dessert made by our dear sister Tanya! Traveling is challenging and sometimes pretty lonesome but the way we are loved and cared for, and prayed over from home, revitalizes everything and puts excitement back in each day!
I can hardly believe it, but just now I think I am all caught up on the journey so far! There are too many stories and wonderful surprises to share right now but I have been recording many of them and hope God will provide an opportunity for some of them to be shared with those of you who have been so faithful to stand with us in all of these things! You are amazing!!
May God return your many kindnesses back to you and your family with abundant interest!