Greetings to all of you, our dear brothers and sisters. The first month of 2020 has flown by way too fast. As it is traditional for Western Ukraine, people here celebrated different holidays for more than half the month. Many went to visit their families, which gave opportunities to talk about salvation, biblical faith and church of Christ to their near and dear ones. Almost all members of this congregation attended church on Sundays and some even brought their family members for the first time. Our average attendance was 30-37 adults and 3-8 children. Svetlana teaches children’s Bible class on Sundays. Our Wednesday Bible class attendance is 12-15 people. The majority can’t make it on time after they get off work. We study the Holy Scripture together and this year we motivate members to evangelize in this city and areas around it where we work. We ask God to help us and send our way those that seek Him to fill our new church building up with people giving glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Last month we asked you to pray for Bogdan and Galyna from the mountain village of Zelena. We are giving BIG THANKS to you as Bogdan was baptized in December and he and his wife Galyna have come to church twice a month to worship and take communion. Svitlana and I go to Zelena twice a month during the week, either Thursday or Friday depending on when we have time, and study the Bible with families and children there. Besides, we study with a man by the name of Andrew. He reads the Holy Scripture and has a lot of questions. He and his wife Natalie are Catholic. They came several times 2 years ago when Johnny and his team had a campaign here. We pray for God to open his heart and mind. At present, Andrew wants to know more about baptism and, maybe, will make up his mind. Please, pray for him and Natalie. Please, pray for Galyna, Bogdan’s wife, and Maria, Ruslan’s wife, as well.
Great changes in the law are planned by our government for this month. Reforms are taking place already. Thursday, January 30, doctors gathered by the White House protesting and demanding their salaries. The Ministry owes them 12 million grievnas. Such things bring about problems in the society.
We continue helping needy children and families, hospital, and teachers. We thank you so much for buckets with aid. We thank all brethren that put them together and ship to Ukraine. They are such a great help especially now when our country is facing so many problems. People and their children are so happy to receive aid that words fail to describe their joy. They cannot believe the aid is free and that there are true Christians who give such good things to people they have never met.
Wednesday, January 29, we had a group of Christians from Lviv and 2 American brothers come to our Bible class. We had good time and an interesting class together. They visited our construction site the next day. They liked the building and our plans for future.
We finished putting up metal roof yesterday. Doors and large windows for the auditorium were delivered after lunch. Our plans are to continue working on Monday. We need more money at this point to get plumbing done, to run power lines and heating so that we can do interior work without a break. Please, continue praying for us and our needs. Please, support our hands raised to God so that together we will see this construction through and give glory to His name in Western Ukraine.
Our men, Andrew, Ruslan, Pavlo and Volodymyr, work hard in the areas they are responsible for. It’s wonderful to see church of Christ grow in spirit and numbers.
Thank you, dear brothers and sisters, for your prayers and help. We love you and thank God for you, for your families and congregations.
In Christian love,
Ivan and Svetlana
