Recently, our church buried Olga. She was only 17 but she died of cancer. When I heard about it I thought, God has left me on the Earth because He still wants me to do something for Him. I repented after Vic's preaching in 1998 and since that time I have served God in different ways. Six of us spent the Ukrainian Christmas holiday in the Village of Koochkivka. The temperature was minus17 Fahrenheit and you could hardly find a person who would leave his warm house. We went to sing carols and tell that Jesus came to save His people from their sins. We saw a paradox as we sang. At one house people were happy to hear about Jesus' birth while still drinking their vodka. In every home the atmosphere was different. In many there was peace and calm. We were warned not to go to one house but still we went saying that Jesus came for every person. We sang there 3 carols and the owner of the house came out. She was totally drunk as were her two sons. They gave us sweets and I told them that Jesus came to save them from their sins. At that moment they became furious. We left in a hurry just saying: "God loves you".
Nikolai Shevhook, the pastor of Koochkivka church told us a story about a lady who hated Germans because of the wartime occupation. When she saw Kort, a Christian missionary from Germany, coming to the church it was one more reason for her to curse him and all Christians. "She was a terrible person", said the pastor, "But suddenly she fell ill so I began to pray and thought I should visit. I took the children with me but I was still afraid she might do something bad. However, when we met her there was not a monster but a lamb. A large hole in her cheek revealed cancer and she became very meek". When Kort visited the church again, Nikolai proposed that both should visit the lady again. The meeting finished with repentance. Everybody in the village knew that lady and her behavior toward Christians, so no one understood how the pastor could say at her funeral that she entered the Kingdom of Heaven. After the service her children came to Nikolai and said: "Thank you for such good words about our mother". There is a tradition in Koochkivka Church. Every year members choose one Psalm and the following Christmas Day they must recite it. In 2008, Psalm 119 was chosen. I saw the atmosphere at pastor's home on the 6th January, Christmas Eve. Nikolai has 6 children (4 are fostered from Hope Now) Everyone including Nikolai and his wife Natasha made last efforts to learn the psalm by heart before the Christmas recital.
Pastor Nikolai singing carols
At the service the pastor asked for a first volunteer. His daughter Anastasia was the bravest, then his son, then we found a lady who had not found time during the year to learn her part of the psalm, then one by one they continued to tell the Psalm… Bogdan is six and the youngest son of Nikolai and Natasha. You would hardly understand what he is talking about because; before he was taken into the care of this family no one had taught him the right pronunciation. "I've stayed yaik a yost sheep. Eek yor servant for I'venontogoten yor comadents" that meant - I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commandments. Psalm 119:176. Maybe, in 12 years time he will be like some of our older Hope Now children who are now in university. Some of them were worse than Bogdan. Koochkivka has only 30 occupied homes. There are other abandoned, empty houses. Pastor's house is the most populated. So their six children are the only children who may go and sing carols to the old people who are still live at this village. When Anastasia and Marina (16) (Nikolai's newest daughter), came back from kolyadkyi (singing carols), they said. "We found one house where we thought someone might be living. We knocked but no one opened. Then we saw a huge padlock on the door. We still thought that someone is inside, so knocked again and again and finally we heard a voice saying that she has nothing to give. But we sang to her about Jesus' birth and asked whether we may visit her. The lady agreed." When Nikolai heard this story, he explained that this lady is very old and afraid, that's why she asks her friend to padlock her in so that others might think that no one is inside. Nikolai was happy that his daughters who are so young agreed to visit the lady and share the gospel with her. Shoobiny Stavy is 3 kilometers from Koochkivka but is much bigger. There is a school where there are about 100 children. In 2004, 2005, with the help of Hope Now, we lead a Christian camp there. At the first camp I was surprised that the children knew nothing about God and there was no church for such a big village. When we came next year some children came with Gospels. After this camp Hope Now gave money to buy a house where new Christians can gather for worship and prayer. We wanted to continue to lead camps there because it provided a new church with new members, but a new director was appointed and he would not allow us to continue camps. In 2004 and in 2005 there was one boy in my team whose name was Kostik. Because I have prayed for him and maintained contact, I believed we should go to that village to remind him about God by singing carols, but I was not sure pastor Nikolai agreed. So when we came to Shoobiny, we went to sing carols for some Christians he knew. I asked them where was Kostik's house, they said, "next-door". I could not help but ask to sing carols and there. Someone warned: "They will not open the door". But those words were not for me; I have a gift of faith. I begged Nikolai to go, and we knocked the door. A young lady, and her 7-year-old daughter seemed so happy to see us that everyone was surprised. Kostik was not at home but here was his mother and sister who also needed to know about God's love. After singing carols someone whispered to me: "Ask about the camp." "Why"? I asked. "This is the new director of the school " - a voice explained. Nervously, I told her about our new programme called, Global Community Games" and asked, "May we come back to do a summer camp?" I was shocked. She agreed and said she was always happy to have a camp in the school, so we agreed the date from the 1-18th June. I think it is the best present for Christmas when God opens us a door to children in such a way and we have to use this chance, AND HOW DO YOU THINK? Maybe some people from Hope Now will come to help us and pay some good gift?
hurch life is alive and well in many of the villages around
Cherkassy. Having spent 5 days visiting several villages, progress
was evident in many of them.
On the 5th July Vic Jackopson went to the village of Makiyivka to
present Alexander Vyshemirskyy, father of Misha, Hope Now's Ukrainian
director, with an award. This was in special recognition of the
contribution he has made to the preaching of the gospel for over 62
years.
On 29th May a team of six from Martock Christian Fellowship travelled
to Chervona Sloboda (Red Village) in order to spend a week helping the
local Baptist Church with its ongoing building project.
01.02.2012 Pray for Alla, Lena, Ksenya and the team presently working in Calcutta for another two weeks with Tear Fund projects
02.02.2012 Pray that the Mission Fund, which undergirds all that is done both here and in Ukraine, will have the finances to meet all our obligations
03.02.2012 Pray for all the older people that came to our Christmas party in Cherkiassy, that the Lord will bless them whatever their situation or background
04.02.2012 Pray for those who had a well installed last year, that as they share their water they will get opportunities to share their faith also
05.02.2012 Pray for all those who are attending the Bible School that they can give adequate time to studying, working and being with their families
06.02.2012 For all the foster parents of children supported by Hope Now, that they will have patience as they have to deal with problems that occur from time to time
07.02.2012 Our auditors visit the Southampton offices today to audit our accounts – pray that all will be in order as figures are checked
08.02.2012 Give thanks for all the volunteers that come into the office and give of their time so sacrificially, doing jobs at times without even being asked
09.02.2012 Pray for Frank and Lin as they plan for the summer at Kompas Park, and visit churches to speak about the varying areas of service possible
10.02.2012 Pray for Misha and all the staff at the Ukraine office as they consider all the requests from those asking for help
11.02.2012 Pray that all the plans for the Annual Weekend Away next month will come together well, and that people will register early while rooms are still available
12.02.2012 Pray for Alla Kostyunina, Director of Kompas Park, that she will be given wisdom in her decisions and management of the Park
13.02.2012 Give thanks that the young people in South Africa are doing well with their education, and pray for wisdom for Margaret Ferguson as she guides and directs them
14.02.2012 On this St Valentine’s Day, pray for the students we support who are in relationships, that they will be sensible and keep up their studies
15.02.2012 Pray for David and Valerie Reddaway as they oversee the Bible School, and the Church planting and twinning programme
16.02.2012 Pray for Jon as he attends a Men Meet meeting in Milford on Sea this evening
17.02.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they travel to Buckinghamshire to attend the Vetinerary Christian Conference this weekend
18.02.2012 Pray for Maria Shevchuki of Kuchkivka village as she celebrates her 86th birthday today
19.02.2012 Pray for the Directors and Staff of Orphanages we are involved with, that they will look after their children with love and dedication
20.02.2012 Pray for the young girls in Swindon House, and boys in Cornah House as they learn new skills which will prepare them for their futures
21.02.2012 Pray for Jon in his many responsibilities, that he will have wisdom in each decision that he has to make
22.02.2012 Pray for Lidia Savelieva and her vision of a sheltered home for older people to be realised, and pray for finances to come in for this project
23.02.2012 For Larisa Vovk in her work of overseeing the work being done with children in the orphanages and cottage homes
24.02.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they travel to Carlisle for the Northern Vet’s Christian Conference
25.02.2012 Pray for Cyndee and Darrell Knight and the work they do in the American Office for Kompas Park
26.02.2012 Pray for the Food Programme in Ukraine, especially through this winter time, that all those in need will receive help and no-one will be overlooked
27.02.2012 Pray for Vitaly and Ludmila Sidenko in their work with the African Students at 2nd Baptist Church, and Ludmila’s work with the deaf community at the same church
28.02.2012 Pray that we may be able to assemble a team of dentists and nurses to treat the children in the internats
29.02.2012 Give thanks for all our supporters who pray regularly for the work of Hope Now, and give sacrificially month upon month – pray the Lord will bless them as they bless the people of Ukraine
