Sunday, July 16, 2017

From Edmund and Agnes Johnston, Lviv, Ukraine.



LVIV NEWSLETTER – Edmund & Agnes                                                                                             JUNE 2017                                           
But the word of the Lord endureth forever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter 1 v 25
Beloved in Christ
At the end of May we drove across Europe to N Ireland for the purpose of having our Jeep serviced and also taking my widowed mother on a short holiday.  On the journey to N I we spent a weekend with the assembly in Mechelen, Belgium and enjoyed the fellowship with the saints there.  Whilst in N Ireland we had a number of report and gospel meetings and were encouraged and refreshed while in the homeland.
We were delighted to have several visits in February and April to the “homeless shelter” in Lviv.  We were amazed by the reverence and attention to God’s Word and the questions asked by some of these “street people”.  We thought and remembered how Mark records that “Jesus stood still” when confronted by Bartimeaus.  Please pray that these visits will be to blessing and to the Glory of God.
We give God thanks for the many tons of clothes sent to us every year from the assemblies in Canada and USA.  The generosity of the Lord’s people is greatly appreciated by the believers in Lviv and the many Ukrainian recipients of clothes, shoes, blankets and other items.
Over the last few months God has blessed again in salvation when Ura a 45 year old man from the village of Pid Camine confessed Christ as Lord and Saviour.  Also a woman, Oksana who first heard the Gospel in the womens centre in Drohobich but moved to Cheronograd last year to a one room apartment near to Sosnevska where we have our fortnightly children's meeting.  She started to attend with her little girl Amena and every meeting she repeated her verse of scripture that she had learned.  Last April she called Ruslan by telephone to tell him she had “repented and put her trust in Jesus”.  Please pray for these dear souls that they will read their bible, pray and grow in grace.
Early May we visited the school at Mostaska – normally we would speak to 2 of the classes with their teachers.  When we arrived the director of the school came out to meet and inform us that to-day was a “Holy day” and all the children, teachers and parents were gathered together in the assembly hall waiting for us.  I was thinking of the verse “lay hands suddenly on no man” and with the Lord’s help entered the hall to find over 130 children plus teachers and parents gathered.  It was a real joy to open the scriptures and preach from 1 Corinthians 15 v 1 – 4.
Please pray for Nazzar (11) and his brother Taras (13) who last March were adopted by a couple from Ternopil a town half an hour’s drive East of Lviv.  These 2 boys had been in Yesopovage orphanage from when they were very young.  We have known them 7 years and our desire is to keep in touch and visit them from time to time in their new home.  Already we have had opportunity to share the Gospel with their new parents and trust that God will bless the seed sown.
Please pray for us.
Because of Him     -Edmund&Agnes

.....that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us. 2Cor4:7