Friday, May 8, 2009

Summary of Ukraine Visit: Lviv (Part 1)

This is first in a series of three installments which provide an overview of our recent visit to Ukraine in both Lviv and Ivano Frankivsk.

WORK IN LVIV

As you may know, there is only one Assembly operating in western Ukraine, at this time. This Assembly is in the city of Lusk. Timothy Sloan saw the Assembly formed in 2002. The assembly has about 20 in fellowship and is in the process of renovating the building they have bought. They are presently meeting in part of it.

The work in Lviv was started by Flo Kancir of Kapuskaping ON Canada and she now has a rented apartment in that city. Most of those from North America that come to Ukraine arrive in Lviv and usually spend time in visitation in the area under Flo’s guidance to schools and orphanages in the region. She speaks fluent Ukrainian and is a great asset to the work in Lviv.

Meetings are held twice a week in her apartment with as many as 20 or more attending. About half this number would be saved and baptized and break bread when the opportunity to go to Lusk is provided. Lusk is about 2 hours from Lviv.

The situation in Ukraine is the same as in many parts of the world I’m sure, where women get saved and seem to grow and come to meetings but the men get saved but stay bound to their work and do not grow in the things of God as they should, thus making it hard to find dedicated leadership when thinking about forming an Assembly.

There are 3 men in the meetings in Lviv who have been received into the fellowship in Lusk and we are trusting that the day will not be too far in the future when an Assembly meets in Lviv.

I want to mention one brother who has taken on the responsibility of teaching the Word of God when there is no visiting brother in Lviv. This is vital if the teaching is to continue once brethren leave and return to North America. His name is Misha or Michael; he has a good grasp of the Scriptures, having gone to a fundamental Bible School here in Ukraine. He is completely convinced about the Assembly and is a great soul winner.

He was laid off from his job some time ago and after a time of prayer had felt that God would have him trust the Lord and visit the Christians as well as speak in the meetings, leaving God to supply his need. He had not mentioned this exercise to us.

Two brethren felt that he should receive some financial support and so have commenced to do so for the present. He is a single man in his 40’s and supports and lives with his ailing Christian mother. There will be more about Misha later in this series.

- Malcolm

To be continued...

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