UKRAINE MINISTRY BLOG 20 - LOCATION: Khmelnitiskiy Dawn of Life & Starokonstantinov: Dawn of Life

Dawn of Life in Starokonstantinov Worship Team

Congregation Dawn of Life in Starokonstantinov

 Pastor Sergey & Lena on right

The mission is completed!  I thought!  I thought the last meeting was tonight!  But another is scheduled for tomorrow morning.  Well, that is Missions!
       
A long day is finished - almost 12 hours from the time I departed by nice home here in Khmelnitskiy until I was able to return.  A 45 minute drive to Starokonstantinov and Dawn of Life (daughter Church of Dawn of Life in Khmelnitskiy) to share with Pastor Sergey and Lena Iichyshen at their 12:00 service.  Then a time of sharing over Ukrainian Pizza, salad and dessert then a short drive to the home of one of the leaders where all the leaders of the Church gathered for me to spend one hour of answering questions about leadership and how to handle some recent problems created by deviant teaching for outside and some former members who were holding ill feelings toward leadership.

Then back to Khmelnitskiy to pick up the Kudin family from their 5:00 service and then to the Kudin home for a time of fellowship with the youth leaders which lasted from 6:00-10:00 and a taxi back to my home here.  As you can see it was a busy day but a good day. 

Now to pack and be ready to make the morning meeting then head to the train station for my 5 hour trip to Kiev and the Prudky family home for 36 hours and then the Delta Connection for my flight to the USA.

Thanks again for your prayers – without it – well it would be very VERY difficult!

See you soon...

Dr D

UKRAINE MINISTRY BLOG 19 - LOCATION: Khmelnitisky - Return for Unfinished Assignment

A "Lighter" Moment in a Wedding Yesterday

Surrounded by the Beauty of the Kudin Ladies: Karina, Kristina and Sveta

Some “Assignments” from God do not lend themselves to a lot of words for “Blogs.”  And this is one of those.  But my return here is to complete the work I began with the Elders and Pastoral Staff of Dawn of Life, pastored by Valentyna and Franz Melnyk and with their Assistant Pastor, Rostic Kudin, whom many of you met when he was at Life Church a two or three years ago.

We are working our way through the restructuring of their leadership in preparation for the growth of the Church.  Dawn of Life has been in a plateau and desire to move forward but recognized they needed help to re-do their present leadership format.  So we have spent “hours after hours in meetings” looking at their present “flow chart” to establish one that will grow with them as more people are added to their congregation.

Now that you have that understanding you will recognize that for me to fill in all the long details, you would be bored.  So I SAVED YOU from those details.  Now you know I am still alive – well barely and finding the end of my endurance like never before.  Yet, a very pleasant “satisfaction” and “peace” hoover, knowing, witnessing the new unity in their Leadership as we have worked our way through a maze of very difficult areas for them.

Although I did not return to minister the Word from the pulpit, the Word has been extended through the “work sessions” to assist them in preparing a biblical pattern for growth and expansion of their leadership team.  But Sunday I will go to a Dawn of Life Daughter Church in Starokonstantinov to encourage that Body of Believers and pastor after having been “raided” by unscrupulous people and causing many to leave the Church.

Today I rest!  (I hope!)  But as always on the Mission Fields of the World, the “unexpected” seems to be a course of life.  So I will just “go with the flow” which may develop and permit the Holy Spirit to continue to lead the way.

God bless and thanks for your prayers,

Dr D

UKRAINE MINISTRY BLOG 18 - LOCATION: Yenakievo - Rock of Salvation & Living Waters

MISSION ACCOMPLISH!  In the Donetsk Region – Yenakievo, Gorlovka, Karlomarksovo!

The final service here - Rock of Salvation (Pastor Edward & Liana Malyshev) and Living Waters (Pastor  - Muslim & Olga Mernick) from Gorlovka came together for a GREAT service.

The worship started with a “bang” and we were off and running and jumping (literally).  And created a problem for me.  My “Overseas Sanguine Personality” suddenly appeared and – well some of you may have been ashamed of me – if you were with me – but you are not and I had a great time of declaring the Word. 
You dare ask: “How long did I preach?”  Well it was longer than any 20 minute sophisticated popular sermon time limit anyway.  AlI know is that I was given the service about 11:40 and I gave it back to the pastor at 1:45! 

HOLD EVERYTHING!  It was not “all” preaching.  I had to do communion after preaching and then it was time to defeat the devil in the area of sickness and pain.  So we beat him up real good for about one hour.  That leaves about one hour of delivering the Word.  I did not come all this distance to give them a “little ditty – a little poem – a short prayer – a quick good-by-thank-you!”  Not for one minute.

If you had heard the almost immediate response to the prayer for healing, prayed by the body as they laid hands on one-another and witnessed the expression on their faces as the testified to the disappearance of pain – you would have jumped with me.  All I can say is: “This final service here exploded with the power of God as the Holy Spirit poured through the vessels to other members of the Body of Christ.

Suffice it to say: “We had Church!” “WE HAD CHURCH!”

Now sitting here exhausted – but “satisfied” – attempting to relay it all to you – well it is difficult!

Tomorrow we (Oksana and I) go by car to Donetsk – about 70+/- kilometers – and board the train for Khmelnitksky to complete the second phase of my ministry to Dawn of Life.  We get on the train at 1:39 PM and arrive at our destination at 9:00 AM the next morning.

So until you hear from me at that destination, God bless and thanks for your prayers.

Dr D

UKRAINE MINISTRY BLOG 17 - LOCATION: Karlomarksovo

 

Top: 11:00 Service -- Bottom: 2:00 Service -- Children were gone to their classes.

 Saturday is over (almost) and Sunday is coming!  It will be the last day of this trip in the Yenakievo area of the Donetsk Region.  It is a good feeling but also a sad feeling.  Good to know you have completed a task assigned by our Heavenly Father, but sad because will be leaving some old and new friends (old only in terms of knowing them for a longer period of time than the “new” friends I have met on this trip.)  In fact, I better correct myself: CORRECTION!  I saw again some of my “family” and met some I have never met!  The Family of God!

Today at Good News Church, with Pastor Alexander and Tamara Gorbachev we had their Sunday Services on Saturday – at 11:00 and 2:00.  Why?  Because they desired for me to be in their Church and switched their services to Saturday so other Pastors could keep theirs on Sunday.  That almost sounds “Christian”!!!!!  At least the “spirit” of brotherly love between pastors and Churches.

It is thrilling to sit down and just talk to these pastors and discover how God saved them and placed them in the ministry position they have leading their Churches.  And to hear their burden for the lost and how they have heard from God the direction they are to use to accomplish their assigned task.

Pastor Alexander, four times, recited the events that led him to the Olenivka Pastors’ Retreat.  He had given me his card when I was here in this area and speaking at Rock of Salvation (where I will be tomorrow) and that was back in 2008.  Then when we started the Retreat in 2010 we sent everyone whose name we had an invitation.  He saw the location, noticed it was on the beach and a resort.  Saw the “cheap price for food” (as he said) and noticed there was no cost for the rooms, so he decided he needed a rest so he came just to get the “freebies.”  But God touched him and has ministered in a special way to him each year.  The last words he said to me as he left the house this evening was: “I will see you next year in Olenivka!”

He has a quiet demeanor and I had conversations with him at the retreat, but he was hard to “gage.”  In fact this last year he was one I asked to bring devotions one morning.  I was shocked!  When he opened the Word, his whole personality changed and a “dynamic” Alexander appeared.  So spending this time with him was a privilege and I am honored to be able to count him as a “friend.”

O yes!  The services!  How were they?  They WERE GREAT!  I mean how do you explain the leading of God to share His Word – 4 times while here in Good News – and to hear the Pastor and other leaders tell you how you spoke directly to their needs as a Body and to them personally.  Then to lead them in body ministry praying for one-another and see the expressions on their faces as God healed them.  And to spend time praying individually for others and hear God put something in your mind and you tell them and they begin to weep, wondering how you knew their personal situation.  Only God!  I am blessed to be a “Pipeline” for the Holy Spirit’s flowing into these precious people.

Tomorrow is the last service and I am looking forward to a great move of God.

Thanks for your prayers.

Dr D

PS: Nicole got the car home safe and fixed.  Thanks for you prayers

UKRAINE MINISTRY BLOG 16 - LOCATION: Yenakievo & Karlomarksovo

Two days have moved very fast and on this morning of Saturday, June 1, it is time to “catch-up” on those two days.

The Malyshevs: Adam, Liana, Edward

The Rehab Center:

Thursday, in Yenakievo, Rock of Salvation Church – pastored by Edward and Liana Malyshev we (my interpreter) Oksana and I spent the evening with the leadership and then a beautiful time of fellowship inthe pastor’s home.  I return there on Sunday morning and I am expecting a great Sunday with them.

If you have been reading the blogs you will notice that in almost every Church where we have more than one service, at least one meeting is with their leadership.  And this is regardless of the size. 

Because the majority of pastors have to supplement their income by working, they depend upon the body to fill needed leadership positions in order to carry out the goals and ministry of the Church.  They need encouragement and direction, so we are called upon to speak specific “requested” words to them – words of encouragement as well as admonishments. And as well, any “word” God has laid upon me for their Church.  This is challenging and also very rewarding as you see the “lights” being turned on while sharing.

Friday, we began our day at 7:15 and departed for the Karlomarksovo (a village named after Karl Marks) and the Rehab Center of Good News Church, which is pastored by Alexander and Tamara Gorbachev.  They have a very interesting and successful Rehab Center.  There are 5 houses, with gardens, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, cows and “hot-houses” for growing during the winter – all to keep the ladies and men busy as they progress through the progam.

Then it was back to our abode, some “sleep” because I had not slept good for two nights and preparation for the 5:00 leadership meeting. 

Thank God for “Skype” and the ability to communicate with family who are in a crisis.  Nicole took Marilyn and David (her son - my grandson) to the Miami airport.  And on the way home the water pump’s pulley came off close to Ikea in the Miami area.  It came off at the very time I had placed a call to her, having been alerted of a possible problem by a previous call to check to see if Marilyn had arrived and was in line for check in.   Anyway, I was able through several hours to maintain contact and give advice and insturctions and permission to use my debit card to get it repaired.  Because of the time, they had to get a motel, spend the night and wait until after 3:00 on Friday (this all started Thursday eve) to get back on the road to Ft. Myers.  She made it home safely.

Now to stop and get final preparations ready for two services today: 11:00 and 2:00.

God bless,

Dr D with Oksana Zeleniviska - my interpreter and Ukrainian Secretary