Malcolm Report #8

Report #8.  Sunday April 15^th and 16^th.

We were wondering how many would be to the meeting in Lviv, as this is Easter Sunday and the traditions of this time of the year draw so many people to their villages to be with their families. Even the Christians in Assembly fellowship find it very hard to miss these family gatherings.

Four of us went up to Lviv and were happy to see that most of the people were at meeting and we had a nice time together.  As we travelled there, we were amazed to see the hundreds of people standing out in the rain in each village, with their wicker baskets of food, covered with a cloth, waiting for the priest to bless the food in the hope of a good summer harvest. We found out that some of the people go to the church at 11pm on Saturday night and stay until 7am, singing and praying. Then the others come starting at 6am and stand outside; some as long as 3 hours.

Well we got back in time for our 3:30 meeting and were happy to see a good crowd come. After meeting, we went to Oleg and Olia’s for a good Pasca supper. We had good conversations about the spiritual needs of the people here in Ivano.

Home in the pouring rain again for a good night’s sleep.

Monday.

We were invited to spend time with a lady named Helena, who is the Christian Ethics co-ordinator in the school we have been visiting in the village we used to call Luba’s grandmothers village, but now have a name for. It is called Staryj Lysets, pronounced Stary Lissets. No wonder we could never remember it.

We were supposed to meet her at the church, as she would be singing in a very large choir there, and she wanted us to hear them sing. The service started at 9am and was to go on until 12noon. We asked if it was alright if we came to hear the last hour and she said it would be fine. We got there and found it so full, with people standing inside and outside that it was impossible to get inside to see the choir in the balcony. So we stood outside with others and heard the excellent singing over the speakers on the roof of the church. Someone told Helena that there were some strangers outside and she guessed it was us and left a little early to come and meet us. We waited for her mother and children and then drove to her very nice home in the village. Her husband had to work as he works for the electric company. They have one son and two daughters who were all at home. After some conversation we were fed a scrumptious meal, all prepared by their oldest daughter, who loves to cook. Some man will be blessed to have her for a wife! We spent the rest of the time with Helena who is one of the Godliest women I have met over here. She is religious (she has nowhere else to go) but is a true believer in Christ as the only one who could take away her sin. She had her well worn Bible right at the table and reads and prays with the children every morning. It was obvious that God is the centre of her life. As long as she is at the school of 400 students, we will be welcome whenever we go there. We are booked for another visit on Thursday. A truly blessed day. Please pray that she will come out to some of our meetings.

Malcolm and Dan.