The First Half of January 2015
I would like to wish everyone a Happy New year
and one that will come with spiritual growth and understanding and putting into
practice what the Lord God has taught us!
I brought in the New Year in the new
apartment, four of us had a late dinner as is their custom on New Year’s Eve
and talked wishing each other the best of this coming year.
I decided to have the Thursday
meeting even though it was the first day of the year, not thinking anyone would
show up, I gave Sasha a choice to be at the meeting or not. To my surprise
people came but Sasha did not, however some who came to the meetings speak some
English so was able to find someone to interpret. One wanted to continue our topic on Christian
Living but I thought it would be good to discuss what we would like change in
our lives in this New Year and how we should fit into God’s plans rather than
making our own. Not an easy topic for a private people but the meeting seemed to
accomplish its purpose and caused them to think!
I thought it important to make
it to the first meeting of the year in Lviv, though it was cold and the roads
were icy plus the gas man was coming to the apartment in the morning but I
wanted to be at the first meeting of the year. I went and spoke on starting the
New Year by putting God first in our lives!
We made it back safely though there were some
slippery moments on the road there and back but God had kept us from harm and we
had our evening meeting in Ivano. I tried to encourage them to leave the past
behind and trust in the finished work of Christ for a new heart, a new life and
a new future that will never end!
The month of January comes to a
standstill here in Ukraine with more holidays. On the 7th they celebrate their orthodox
Christmas. Christmas Eve is just as big and our meeting fell on this day so was
thinking of canceling that meeting, but some said they would come if we had it
so I thought it would be good to have the meeting. Some did come, which was
good and I also met two teen boys from the east just before the meeting and
invited them; they said they could not make it but during the meeting they came
and sat in. I can only hope what they heard and the new testaments and tracts
they received will speak to their hearts!
The following week the meeting
fell on their old New Year (using the Julian calendar) so people did come to
the meeting.
We had my first public clothing
distribution in Ivano with the help of five others on a Saturday. There were
two views on how many would come out; the one view was there will be people for
blocks waiting to get in, but the other view was because of the holidays there
will not be so many people. This was more the case, though we did have lines
outside, so we took in a few people at a time but the one problem we were
having was that people wanted to come in again and again after we had already
told them they can only come in once, as we wanted the most people to benefit
from the distribution. Though they put up a fight I told them we will have to
stop doing this as it was not fair to others who were keeping the rules. This
small group of women finally left and things went much smoother. Along with the
clothes we had new testaments and tracts and invitations to our meetings. Most
only took the clothes, which was expected but some took the tracts and one lady
asked if I can give her more N/T’s to send to the troops that are fighting in
the east, so I did. Overall it all worked out and some also came to our meeting
later. I have planned another day of distribution on the 30th of January; once again we will NEED
THE HELP OF GOD!
Since the beginning of the New
Year prices have jumped! They tell me that gas and electric will go up 5 times
but the wages for the people will stay the same or even decrease, not a good
situation at all! While I have been trying to get this new apartment organized
I decided to change all the light bulbs and can you believe that it has more
than 25 light bulbs, most are now changed. Most were from 60-75 watts I changed
them to 7-15 watts. I wanted to return two of the bulbs but the price for the
same bulbs has doubled for this year and my exchange will only give me last
year’s price, so I kept them and will use them!
Please continue to pray for
Ukraine, that peace and stability will come soon and the people will call and
trust the Lord God for their salvation!
Prayer is needed for this
ongoing work that those who will come to the distribution and to each of our
meetings will come to know their sins forgiven through the Work of the Cross, and
to give us the wisdom, the guidance and the strength to continue on until He
comes.
Thank You.
In Christ our Lord
Dan
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