Dear praying friends.
There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2
In March due to Ruslan’s illness with Coronavirus urged us to make a few visits on our “own steam”. Without our translator, this proved a real challenge. First stop was Passagna orphanage where we delivered some food and other necessary needs they required plus a number of Gospel tracts.
Next up was the Homeless Shelter where we delivered some boxes of clothes, fresh fruit, beverages and food. We also left for these dear people our assembly Gospel calendar and other suitable tracts and literature. Our main exercise was to keep the contact, not having been there for many months due to Covid restrictions.
On our return to Lviv at the end of February we hastily, with the help of Lubchic from the assembly, designed and printed a 2021 calendar. During March we had the joy of distributing these in the area around the “Gospel Hall” and to the hundreds of apartments around where we live, praying for God’s rich blessing on His own good Word. It was encouraging when some neighbors asked for extra calendars for their families and relatives.
In March and April we enjoyed several visits to the Gypsy camp in the forest near Sosnivska. About 15 families live in their “homemade” plastic covered, one room houses with no sanitary or washing facilities. We remain determined to preach to them “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified”. We all believe that the Word of God is “quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword”.
After Ruslan and I have delivered our message in the Gospel we distribute clothes, blankets and shoes, also a large food bag for each family. It is also a great opportunity to share Gospel literature and laminated scripture texts for the children.
At the beginning of May, on Easter weekend, our landlady J, called round for the rent and utility payments. After we finished our business we spoke to her about the real meaning of Easter. Of course our Ukrainian was “very broken” but she seemed to understand much of what we said, she would nod her head and say “tak” (yes) and “zahidnee” (I agree). I then opened my Ukrainian bible and asked her to read 1 Cor 15: 3,4. Please pray for J, for her awakening to her need of salvation, and that she might be saved. On leaving she commented how beautiful the bible was, so on her next visit for rent we presented her with a new Ukrainian bible.
Some of the LVIV saints visit the Gospel meeting in IVANO Every Tuesday to encourage and support our brother Dan Perez there.
Dan and Dima are very faithful to the Gospel and have a great gift of getting folk to come in to hear the “life changing message”.
We have been so encouraged since the beginning of May when “lockdown” restrictions were lifted and Lviv came out of the “red zone”. Infections and death declined significantly and the vaccination programme was in its third month and progressing “slowly but surely”. This meant that many of the orphanages invited us back to share the Gospel, sing and learn the scriptures with the children and staff. This was so uplifting after a year when the Gospel and lovely name of Jesus was not heard in these homes, of course we had to wear masks throughout the meeting and were unable to embrace the children, however deeply thankful to God for the renewed opportunity to preach again.
The once “fortnightly children meeting has now become weekly since the pandemic started. The children gather in a brother’s garden every Saturday at 1pm with an average of 20 kids plus 3 older ladies attending weekly and repeating the verse by heart, they have learned the same as the children, and they also receive their chocolate bar. Please pray for these ladies that they will “call upon the Name of the Lord and be saved”.
As we look back over the last 11 years we give God thanks for His faithfulness, guidance and sustaining grace every day and every step of the journey. We also wish to acknowledge the prayers and practical fellowship of all the Lord’s dear people from so many parts of the world.
Warm Christian love
Edmund &Agnes
Jesus said unto him, Thomas because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 20:29
