Post Box 1, Suvorova 3A, 08200 g. Irpen,
Kievskaya Oblast, Ukraine
e-mail: cefukr@irpen.kiev.ua
www.cefukraine.org.ua
Update on the Ukraine
Your prayers and gifts have enabled CEF workers in Ukraine to take the message of salvation to thousands of children in recent months. Eternity alone will show how many of them have come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Thank you very much for the vital role you play in our ministry. I trust that you will be encouraged as you read news of what has been happening in the work, thanks to your involvement.
Let's hear from the workers themselves.
Igor and Viktoria Dragunov, the national office
For the past two years, we have been assisting Sebastian Edelmann, the CEF Team Leader for Ukraine and Belarus. The Lord has blessed this time of preparation for our future role as Country Directors. Our main responsibility at present is in administration and in finding ways to develop the ministries in Ukraine. We have visited the local areas where our workers are serving. During our latest visit, we delivered 25,000 Wonder Books for distribution, as well as teaching materials for the summer work. We are often called on to work out solutions with government offices for receiving permissions, visas, items through customs, etc. A couple from Belarus is ready to help us with registering CEF in that country and developing the ministry more in the future.
Please pray for a special conference for CEF Country Leaders from Eastern Europe, which will be held November 20-24 in Ukraine. February to May next year, Igor will be taking the CEF Institute. We will be officially appointed as Country Directors for Ukraine and Belarus in May, 2007.
Larissa Berezhnaya, Kharkov
During my practical time I was able to observe and learn how to work with children in the orphanage, health centre, hostel, social centre and on the streets. I also could see the work of the Holy Spirit in children's hearts. During the day camp, which was held in an open area, I asked one of the boys: "Did you ever ask the Lord for forgiveness?" I was astonished when he answered: "Yesterday evening at home I asked the Lord to forgive me!" That boy remembered God's truth that he had heard during our programme. The work of the Holy Spirit gives me strength each time and assures me of the importance of reaching children with the Gospel. In December and January I will be teaching in Christmas Clubs. In March 2007 my practical time will end and I will start the CEF ministry in Kharkov. I plan to organise Good News Clubs in each village of the area so that many children will be able to come to know the true and living God.
Olga Kiseliova, Lugansk
This summer I took part in children's outreaches in Kiev, Chernigov and Zhitomir. God gave us a good team of volunteers. Many children came and listened to the Gospel for the first time in their lives. Some came to the Lord. One pastor from Zhitomir asked for permission from the authorities to do outreach in the village of Komarovka. This village was sinking into the depths of drunkenness and immorality. An official from the village said to the pastor: "God sent you to us!" Yes, God sends us to bring the Gospel to children. I thank God that He used me this summer. I want to build a team of volunteers for the CEF ministry in my home area. Please pray that the pastors in the Lugansk area will be open for ministry among the children. Pray for the people of God's choice to share in the ministry in Lugansk.
Olga Litvin, Kiev
I thank God for the privilege of being in charge of the Bible correspondence course ministry. We would like to see more and more children enrolled in the courses. We are planning special outreaches this Christmas and will give children Operation Christmas Child boxes with The Mailbox Explorers first lesson. Praise the Lord for a new course that was printed this year "Teens Talk." In this course teenagers can get many answers to their questions. I also give answers to them in the personal letters which I write. We plan to translate and print new courses for younger children.
Please pray that more volunteers will get involved in the BCC ministry. With the help of volunteers, we are reaching more than 30,000 children with the lessons. Many children write that they have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. In many areas there is no evangelical church. Please pray that God will make it possible for believers to follow up these children.
Maria Starovoitova, Donetsk
God blessed the summer ministry in the Donetsk area. I thank God that He helped me to teach three 5-Day Clubs in different parts of the city. I also held three week-long camps. One of them was a teenage camp (for 12-16 year olds); the two other camps were for children from 5 to 12 years of age. As a result, more than 200 children and young teens heard the message of God's love and nine of them trusted the Lord for salvation. Together with Tania Danilova (she is the Local CEF Director) we are praying for another training class in Shakhtiorsk. I am preparing for a conference for Sunday School leaders. I thank the Lord for the possibility to teach children in a hospital and in an orphanage. Praise the Lord that children, who attended the summer camps, are now coming to Good News Clubs and Sunday Schools. In November we will hold Holiday Bible Clubs during the school holidays. Please pray that God will call more volunteers to work among the children in the Donetsk area.
Natasha Molostova, Lviv
During the summer, I started to pray for God's leading in my ministry for this school year. It was a special encouragement that young people from different churches of Lviv would like to be involved in reaching children outside the church. So we started the work in a boarding school and an orphanage. I thank the Lord for a number of Christian young people who help me with this ministry. I thank the Lord for the training class which began in October. Please pray for the ongoing work in boarding schools in the Lviv area, for the opening of new Good News Clubs and that the churches will support this ministry. I need wisdom from the Lord and for His leading in my life and ministry. I appreciate very much your prayers and support.
Julia Hrab, Chernovtsy
The Lord has blessed my practical time. Earlier this year, my 10 year-old brother was killed in a tragic accident. The Lord gave me again the conviction of how important it is to reach children with the Gospel. Just one year before his death, my brother received the Lord as his personal Saviour. Thank the Lord for summer camps and 5-Day Clubs, where I reached children for Jesus. Praise God for Good News Clubs, which have begun this autumn. Please pray for the rest of my practical time. Right now, I am helping in the Bible correspondence course ministry among Romanian-speaking children in the Chernovtsy area. It is sad that some people do not value our ministry; they say: "What is she doing?" However, God values this ministry and that is what matters most. We are doing what the Lord commanded us to do: "Train up a child in the way that he should go." (Prov 22:6).
Thank you for your help
These national workers have persevered in raising their support; they have found 20% of their living and work expenses from inside Ukraine. We are grateful to friends in Ireland who are helping to make up the difference. They are looking to the Lord for 12 people to give about ?25 a month, in order to make up the shortfall. Any regular gift or special donation from time-to-time would be much appreciated.
Your help is vital for the outreach to the children of Ukraine to continue and to grow. We have the opportunity to witness a new generation being raised up, a generation whose lives have been transformed by the grace of God. The change is happening already. The biggest growth in the number of believers in Ukraine in recent years has been among the children and young people. The Lord is changing a new generation from the inside out. Your prayers and gifts are very much appreciated.
May the Lord richly bless you.
Yours in Christ,
Sebastian Edelmann
CEF Team Leader
Address for gifts:
CEF
195 Templemore Avenue,
Belfast, BT5 4FR.
Please mark gifts "For Ukrainian workers."
Tel: 028 90732263
E-mail: info@cefireland.org