Dear Partner in Hope, The authorities in Prison 62 have turned to Hope Now for help. When, nine years ago, Hope Now built the church in the prison, it included, to the rear of the building, an education wing. The
From classroom
prison officers would like to convert three of these rooms into a counseling suite where prisoners can come for help. Over the past few months, I have worked with the governor and a designer to create a concept of multi-sensory décor and equipment to provide a relaxed and peaceful environment in the rehabilitation centre. This will stand in marked contrast to the grey harshness of the prison barracks where prisoners are cramped together in tri-level bunks with barely enough room to stand between them. Prisoners will be free to come to read, listen to music, and share their concerns with sympathetic officers, who are committed to preparing prisoners for release.
To a multi sensory suite
When, in December I met Andrii Strizhov. the deputy chief of prisons for the Cherkassy Region he agreed to write something himself to encourage you to give to this project. This is what he wrote.
“There is a city in Ukraine called Cherkassy, and within its boundaries there is a prison, number 62, to which the Lord in His way brings many people, because of different circumstances. Those who do not put cross of burden on themselves, reexamine their lives, and come to conclusions by taking a sober view of things. The ways of the Lord are not finished, they lead a man further: fist of all to a religion (for one can’t be without it), and then to knowledge, work, and so on. For those who made the first steps, the administration met them halfway and favoured the building of churches. There are now two churches meeting in Prison 6, a House of prayer, (Freedom Church, built by Hope Now) and an Orthodox church of saint Anastasia that, with God’s help, will be finished in 2010. As the Orthodox Church is not yet finished, the number of the visitors to service varies. However, the House of Prayer is “mature” so to say, and has regular services, where it gathers more and yet more new Christians around the saving hearth. The House of Prayer territory includes additional buildings such as the center of physiological work (from study to prayer, from prayer to work). There are computer classes in the rehabilitation centre where both administrative workers and prisoners have a chance to study. Charitable organizations “Insight” and “School of Health” are doing health-education work there. There is now more understanding and confidence between the administrative workers and the prisoners both in religion and physiological-training.
A place for group inter action
For the last few years there have been more prisoners going the way of reformation, than for the last decade. 70% of these are Christians. That is because of the work of prison officials, pastors, visiting preachers and priests. Praise God He gives a chance for the lost to come into the light out of darkness. May God give happiness and health to all those, who helped in building the House of Prayer, in building new Orthodox church and now the new rehabilitation center and to those who stand in prayer.”
With such a ringing endorsement of the power of the gospel to change lives, I would encourage everyone to pray and, those who are able, to give something toward a project which can only serve to create an even greater level of trust between the authorities, the prisoners and worker such as Anatoly Perepilitsa and Sasha Tarasenko. The total amount needed is between £3,000 and £4,000, depending on the quality of the equipment, which includes DVD/TV, Music centre, aquarium, special lighting and power point projector.
Under Communism, it was not unusual for believers to baptise new converts under cover of darkness, even in the winter going to such extremes as cutting a hole in the ice. To this day, few, if any churches...
On the 7th January, Christians from all over Cherkassy gathered at the Palace of Culture to celebrate the Ukrainian Christmas Day and to hear evangelist Stanislav Gruntkovsky, who will preach on the 6/7th June at the Cherkassy Football Stadium.
Yet again, Close to the Heart, has had a very successful tour of the England and raised a significant sum of money toward the development needs at Kompas Park and the Mission Fund.
01.09.2010 For Brenda Greenwood, Val Lyman, Arthur Glinn, Phoebe Attrill and Fred and Gery Hendon who are volunteers at this week’s Widows’ and widowers’ camp in Kompas Park.
01.09.2010 For the Spirit of the Lord to use this last day of the widows and widowers’ camp to minister to the many needs of those attending
02.09.2010 For Vic and Sue as they go on holiday for the next three weeks, that they will be rested and refreshed, to face their final month with Hope Now.
03.09.2010 For Trisha Jackopson-Hendy as she goes to the Isle of Wight to enthuse Islanders to attend the Medina Theatre for the Silver Jubilee concert.
04.09.2010 For Peter and Rosemary Pearson and Bernard and Wendy Downton as they fly out to Ukraine to help at next week’s Widows’ and widowers. Camp.
05.09.2010 For churches to advertise the Silver Jubilee concerts to get maximum attendance to say goodbye to Vic and welcome to Jon as the new CEO of Hope Now.
06.09.2010 For Alla Kostyunina, Frank and Lin Collier and the Kompas Park members of staff as they engage in the last camp of the summer season.
07.09.2010 For Jon Budgell and Brenda Greenwood as they prepare to take on the two key positions at the Southampton office on the 1st November.
08.09.2010 For Dr Alexander Doreshenko and his team of health volunteers as they minister the gospel and heal the sick, via the Mobile Medical unit.
09.09.2010 For the young people at Cornah House and Swindon House pre-independence homes, as they settle into their studies.
11.09.2010 The Teachers and students as they commence a new year at the Cherkassy Centre for Biblical Studies. Pray especially for the new post-graduate course.
12.09.2010 For the final arrangements for the Silver Jubilee tour so that tickets get sold and accommodation found for the team.
13.09.2010 For Margaret Ferguson as she guides the young people in Cape Town to secure places at universities or colleges, in preparation for independence.
14.09.2010 For those young people who are still waiting for sponsorships to start studies at university or to stay at our pre-independence homes
15.09.2010 For Dee Ewart in her struggle with cancer and for Peter to be strong as her cares for her.
16.09.2010 The children and young people in our care especially those who find school and discipline irksome.
17.09.2010 For those ex-prisoners who have become pastors and church planters to receive wisdom, insight and knowledge as they lead in their communities.
18.09.2010 For Vladimir Kuzin, Rector of the Cherkassy Centre for Biblical Studies and Valentina Kurat, the Secretary and teaching staff, as they seek to expand the school.
19.09.2010 For Alla Kostyunina as she writes her report and assessment of Kompas Park summer season and plans for the building of the new staff accommodation.
20.09.2010 For the Silver Jubilee fund to be supported so that Alla will be able to start building and complete the final phase of the Kompas Park development.
21.09.2010 For those children, young people and adults who experienced the touch of the Lord at Kompas Park, to be fervent and persevering in the faith.
22.09.2010 For Frank and Lin Collier as they return to Southampton after a busy summer at Kompas Park and make themselves ready for the Silver Jubilee Tour.
23.09.2010 For Vic and Sue as they return home from their holiday and for Vic as he prepares for the Silver Jubilee tour in the UK and later in Ukraine.
24.09.2010 For Anatolii Perepilitsa and Sasha Tarasenko as they preach in the prisons and minister to the ex-prisoner.
25.09.2010 For Misha Vyshemirskyi as he leads the Hope Now staff, that he may be given much wisdom to make good decisions and vision for the future.
26.09.2010 For Vic as he preaches today at Colwell, Isle of Wight and uses the time there to encourage more people to attend the Silver Jubilee concert at the Medina Theatre on the 8th October.
27.09.2010 For Michael Quicke and David Coffey as they prepare to preach and lead at the Silver Jubilee Celebration at Chatsworth Baptist Church, West Norwood on the 2nd October.
28.09.2010 The Board of Directors as they meet this evening and for Vic and Sue for whom this will be the last board meeting. Pray for wisdom and grace in everything.
29.09.2010 For the church planting and twinning programme to be effective and new churches to be found, willing to twin with a church in Ukraine.
30.09.2010 For Bob and Patti McLeod, John Conner and Tim and Myles Thompson as they fly to the UK to participate in the Silver Jubilee tour.
