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Staff Reports
Reports of recent Trips and Work by Godspeed Missionary Care
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Staff Missionary Reports
Reports and Experiences of the Godspeed Staff
"Light and Darkness"
Saturday, February 16
Dear friends and family,
Home, again, having arrived last evening from Kiev. My laptop
contracted malaria or something akin while in Mozambique, as it
took to bed and refused to work during my time in Ukraine,
rendering me incapable of communicating with you during the time
there. Now back in the U.S., I wanted to write to again thank the
many of you who had written me during the trip. Your words of
encouragement, and your prayers, were felt and appreciated.
The Kiev experience, abbreviated version:
Thanks to the many of you who were obviously praying for my
acclimation to the frigid Ukrainian winter after my time in
tropical Mozambique, there was no snow, not even any sub-freezing
temperatures during my stay. The locals were puzzled by the
unseasonably warm weather; those who know Who runs the weather
machine and Who answers prayer should not be surprised.
More wonderful music and worship exposure: The first evening I
was in Kiev, at the sanatorium where the missionaries were
meeting, an evening was planned where they would have a chance to
take a break from their intense training schedule and watch a
video movie. Just before they all assembled in the plaster-walled
and marble-floored conference room, all electrical power went out
in the entire building. With no windows in the area, the term
"darkness" took on a deeper meaning. Everyone was speaking
Russian, so I could neither see nor understand what was
happening; I considered standing in one spot, rotating slowly and
making foghorn noises so that no one would run into me. There was
no panic; a few candles appeared, one young Ukrainian missionary
picked up his guitar, and soon there were more than thirty voices
singing worship songs, with rich harmonies and powerful
intonations, amplified by the reflective qualities of the walls
and floor. I could not understand the words, but such
comprehension was not needed to feel the message of the music.
Singing continued unabated for thirty minutes; when the lights
suddenly came back on, it felt like an unwelcome intrusion. These
young servants had already brought their own Light into the room,
and it was dazzling.
I stay busy: seven days, 15 individuals, 9 couples, total 29
counseling sessions averaging 1.5 hours each, plus six hours of
lectures. All this is interspersed amid worship services and
reports from the different teams who are now working in multiple
regions of Ukraine. Their work is primarily with the
intelligentsia, the teachers, doctors, lawyers, those who will
have influence over the future of this country that just
celebrated its tenth anniversary of freedom from Soviet rule.
Bible discussion groups are started in a city, and as those grow
in number, a church is started to provide a location for ongoing
worship and further training. This missionary group has about 50
members, most themselves with professional training. The pastor
of one new church in Simferopol trained as an astrophysicist. A
team leader in another city is an attorney, while another is an
oncologist. Most speak at least two languages (Russian and
Ukrainian; one member is also fluent in German) but only a few
speak English.
These highly competent, totally dedicated young Ukrainians have
almost all had significant life stresses in their earlier years.
Raised under communist rule, none had Christian homes of origin,
and most had at least one alcoholic and abusive parent. Several
are still struggling with the consequences of pre-salvation
behaviors such as promiscuity, abortion, and illegal work
activity. While almost all can be seen as victims of personal or
national tragedy, none are blaming or self-absorbed with their
emotional pain. As the week proceeds, I am awed by the desire and
the ability of each of these young servants to prioritize God
above all their personal pain and hard life circumstances. "You
shall love the Lord God with ALL your heart, and with ALL your
soul, and with ALL your mind..." (emphases added by yours truly).
I am convicted of my own tendency to be distracted by minor life
circumstances and inconveniences.
These highly competent, totally dedicated young Ukrainians have
almost all had significant life stresses in their earlier years.
Raised under communist rule, none had Christian homes of origin,
and most had at least one alcoholic and abusive parent. Several
are still struggling with the consequences of pre-salvation
behaviors such as promiscuity, abortion, and illegal work
activity. While almost all can be seen as victims of personal or
national tragedy, none are blaming or self-absorbed with their
emotional pain. As the week proceeds, I am awed by the desire and
the ability of each of these young servants to prioritize God
above all their personal pain and hard life circumstances. "You
shall love the Lord God with ALL your heart, and with ALL your
soul, and with ALL your mind..." (emphases added by yours truly).
I am convicted of my own tendency to be distracted by minor life
circumstances and inconveniences.
My brain is now clumsily finding its way through that flu-like
syndrome known as jet lag, and I am operating at about 35% of
efficiency. The memories of these last weeks are rich, but my
ability to share them adequately is painfully impaired. I will
therefore close with another round of thanks for your prayers,
your support, and your willingness to be part of these wonderful
opportunities to see God at work in different parts of the world.
He is very, very good.
Godspeed,
Barney
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