| Dear Praying Friends and Family, I already had this prayer letter written in my head two weeks ago…or so I thought. I can hardly remember what I intended to write now. So much has happened and things are changing daily regarding the war in Ukraine. While I was not surprised that Putin would invade and take Donetsk and Luhansk, I was completely taken back by the scale of this invasion. From the moment that we understood the magnitude of Russia’s invasion we devoted ourselves to helping our friends and loved ones in Ukraine get to safety. Our first concerns were for the safety of the Kline family who were in Kherson, and for a young lady from our church named Vladislava in Kiev. We were relieved to hear that the Klines made it out safely. Vladislava, however, was left all alone in the university dorm building with no one to help her after a rocket hit the building right next to hers. She had no money nor her traveling passport needed to leave the country. Thankfully, she met up with the Taraniuks who took her with them to Ivano-Frankovsk, where they endured some air raids. We were able to send her money to get to the Romanian border. We were also very concerned for the welfare of Darina and her two children in Odessa who were there alone while her husband was working on a commercial ship. She spent several nights in the bomb shelter before gathering the courage to flee to Romania by herself with her small children. We were also very thankful to hear, little by little, of other missionaries who were making it to safety. Many women and children from our church loaded up what they could and were escorted to the border by their sons and husbands. They sought safety before any heavy fighting came and they are now scattered in Romania, Poland, Hungary, Germany, and Moldova. Several of our men have volunteered and others were conscripted to fight. Some are serving right on the front at this very moment. Quite a few people from our church stayed in Rozdilna. Brother Alexei, the pastor of our church, along with his wife Vika made that difficult decision. She is expecting their second child and they also have a handicapped son, Vanya. Our deacon and his wife, Andrei and Ella Bondarchuk, also decided to stay with their two precious children. I asked them if they needed help getting their families to the border as refugees. They decided to stay and care for the church and defend their city in case of an invasion. Both families are looking after the church’s elderly and shut-ins, along with some of the mothers with small children who stayed. Though our people are scattered they are communicating using an app called Viber. That app was used in the past for things that caused our church much trouble and heartache. I’m so glad that it is being used of the Lord for prayer requests, fellowship, Scripture, and valuable information needed for survival. It is quite evident that they have matured in the Lord. What a blessing it has been to me to read their posts (see 3 John 1:4). Several came to realization that they did not truly value their church as they should have during peacetime. To my surprise, they met for church services last Sunday in spite of the danger! Brother Alexei told me that the sirens of an air-raid began to sound as they prayed! The men present determined to pray, one by one, till they were done. Alexei said that it was quite a sight to see. No one flinched. They kept on praying in spite of the sirens! |
| As we learned of the conditions along the border to the west, Brother Kline and I began to discuss the possibility of me making a special trip with my son, Samuel, to help. However, after a few days, the world-wide media coverage has prompted quite a humanitarian response. Though the conditions are hard inside Ukraine’s border, once the refugees make it through, there is plenty of humanitarian aid to help. The real need is for tracts and reaching people with the Gospel. I’m told that local churches on both sides of the border are responding with literature. The apartments and hotels are booked up and there is little room at the border for us to set up a food line or the like. After praying about the situation and hearing the reports of what really could be accomplished by my physical presence at the border, I decided that more can be done by coordinating aid to get to people inside Ukraine where there is a greater need. I may make a trip later after the hype is over. We have opened channels by which we can get money to people in need using their bank cards. I am also working on getting both Russian and Ukrainian literature for use on both sides of the border. The men in our church are stocking up on supplies and storing them in our house, which is also being used as a shelter for some when the air raid sirens sound their warnings. Brother Alexei, his brother Vitya, and Andrei are busy buying supplies and taking them to the others in the church so that there is less risk to the elderly. We recently opened a second place to help in Dnepropetrovsk, where Oleg, my translator, relocated to take care of his elderly parents. We have opened the channel for him to receive money. He has been a friend of mine for many years. He is one of the best translators I know in all of Ukraine and he has translated enough material to gain himself a Ph.D. in my opinion. I contacted him about the possibility of him stepping up and becoming a missionary to the area while there is such a great need. He agreed! He is currently working to help people with basic food and medicine while giving them the Gospel. We are so thankful to hear that our people who stayed are witnessing and have even led at least five souls to Christ over the past few days! One sister, who has tried to lead a soul to Christ for years, finally got two! The Lord opened a great door to reach Ukrainians with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Joel Logan raised the funds to push an advertisement campaign over four social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TicTok, and another). When the dear people in Ukraine log onto these websites an ad pops up taking them to a website that Pastor Logan and his men have started. There are two presentations of the gospel there: one in Ukrainian and the other in Russian. Pastor Bevins Welder approached me about filming this gospel presentation in Russian using the equipment and men in his church. We worked until midnight. After twenty-two takes we got it down to twelve minutes. They said that it has already been viewed by almost a million souls by the fourth day! They raised money to air the ad for ten days! My heart is overjoyed with the thought of souls being saved as a result of these videos! |
| We have received many phone calls from dear saints expressing their desire to help in some way. Now that we have at least two channels open to help people inside Ukraine we can receive donations to that end. If you would like to help, please send a check to our mission board with the words “Rue/Ukraine” on the memo line. There is a lot of hype right now, but after it blows over the hard work and desperate needs will begin. I would like to be ready. My number is 513-376-1011 if you have any questions. Thank you for all that you do for the Lord, giving us the privilege to serve Him in Ukraine. Until our next prayer letter or our meeting in the air! That Ukraine May Know Him, Christopher Rue Phil. 3:10 |