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First Covenant recently bought a seven passenger van for our Sister Church in Kalinovka, Ukraine. The following is a letter from Pastor Igor:
Dear Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Rockford!
Please receive the warmest greetings from brothers and sisters from Kalinovka as well as Igor and his family. We have recently finished our Christmas program that God allowed us to serve in the surrounding villages.
We have started celebrating Christmas last year on December 25th. (Christmas in Ukraine is generally celebrated by the Orthodox calendar, the first Sunday in January.) Brothers and sisters gathered together in the evening time in the House of Prayer where we all together read Christmas story from the Bible and shared with each other stories and wonderful experiences how Jesus was being born in our hearts some time in the past. It was a very special time with a cozy and peaceful but at the same time so joyful atmosphere when all of us could meet in a friendly circle as one big family of God. We thank God and of course thank you for making it possible for us to meet in such a beautiful place for fellowship.
On the 6th, 7th, 8th of January we had a Christmas program in villages Omelianiv, Bogdanivka, Skibin and Kalinovka. During all the trips we had lots of snow and a good frost but God has blessed us with a wonderful transportation, where 7 people could fit plus gifts, literature and a musical instrument—accordion. It helped us to greet people from these villages right in their homes as we went caroling. Some people we have visited are invalids and can’t move by themselves. Our team worked hard during those three days and everybody was so happy, even though they felt a little bit tired as the third day was coming to the end. But it was fatigue of joy and satisfaction and happiness as we could all together serve the Lord.
God has blessed us with gifts and we could organize a special Christmas performance with the help of Word of Life students. There were more than 200 kids and adults in the village club who came to this Christmas performance and heard the good news about Jesus. Also we had a puppet performance in Kalinovka kindergarten for the children there. There were adults as well. Our last Christmas meeting was in Bogdanivka where more than 100 students heard the gospel presentation.
Now we are so happy as we realize that God gave us this privilege to serve Him. Thank you again for enabling us to do such a great ministry God entrusted us to do. Automobile is a big blessing for us. I am very very thankful for your generosity and thank God for that.
In Him, Pastor Igor |
