Fulness of Joy

So much time has passed since my last post, and so much has happened in that time. We've already noticed as we distribute food in the evenings that it's getting darker earlier. Our church's back-to-school picnic was yesterday, and tomorrow all the kids will be back in school. The summer months have already passed, and for me, they have been full of both celebration and sorrow. But in all of it, the Lord doesn't change. Recently, I've been meditating on Psalm 16 which says that "the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance" - my sufficient reward. And at the end, David declares that in God's presence there is "fulness of joy." When the ministry is thriving and everything in life is going well, God is enough and gives fulness of joy. And when ministry is hard and life brings sorrow, God is enough and gives fulness of joy.

Visa

A huge thank you to those who prayed for my visa. Back in May, I took a trip to Chisinau to receive my first visa for three months, and then in Odesa, I was able to extend that visa to a year. So at least until July 2026, I don't have to worry about the visa process. The process was longer and more complicated than I had expected, but I praise God that he's allowing me to learn the process and that he allowed me to get the visa in the end. I see God's hand in everything that happened with the visa. It's a weight off my mind and a sense of security to have the visa and be able to serve here in Odesa.

Church Life

Being back in Odesa has meant that I can take part again in church life in Odesa again. God has been so good to give us a church with people who want to serve, love to encourage, and enjoy fellowship. Friday mornings, we have a prayer meeting and Bible study, and I've taught for that study several times. I have also continued to teach the teens on Sunday mornings, and we started a series of lessons "through the Bible." Within 20 weeks, I am hoping to take the teens through the main stories and themes of the Bible so that they have a bird's eye view of where the Old and New Testament lead (hint: It's to Jesus). We've also been able to have some activities together such as riding bikes by the sea.

The church also needs a lot of prayer right now. In the past three months, the church and its members have had to address sin, deal with serious sickness, wrestle with theological questions, and fight Satan's attacks from within. Plus, there's a war in the country. But as I pray for the church, I see that the spiritual war is just as real; I see it in my own life and in the lives of those I talk to. Please pray for unity, comfort, holiness, and truth in the church.

Camps

In August, I helped at two Bible camps here in Ukraine. For the two weeks of camp, Sarah Sager (an American missionary in Romania) and Melissa Ignatieva (a Ukrainian living in Romania) came over to help, and their help was a huge blessing. The first camp was a camp for teenagers out in the village of Lemanskoe, about two hours from Odesa, at a church that we are well connected with. I went out there for a week with four leaders and four teens. Many unbelieving teenagers came to the camp, and God's presence was clear. I taught one of the lessons and led the games two of the days, and we all participated in the skits, verse memorization, and water balloon fight. There were opportunities to talk with the teens one-on-one about salvation, and the gospel was clearly presented multiple times. Plus, the fellowship with other leaders around the things of God filled my cup.

The very next week, we started our children's Bible club. Each morning, Pastor Mark, six other helpers, and I went out to the edge of Odesa where 30 or 40 kids would be waiting for us, ready for registration and the beginning of club. Our theme was the armor of God and the importance of being ready for the attacks of Satan. I taught two of the lessons and led the games, but I was glad to see that the helpers that came all used their gifts to help and make a great club. After those two weeks, I was exhausted. But we are praying that God's Word which was sown would find good ground in the hearts of these kids and teenagers.

Evangelization

Speaking of sowing God's Word, the church has continued to do food distribution and evangelism each night of the week. I usually participate with that every night except Friday; sometimes I ride with Pastor Mark and sometimes with Sasha, another servant in the church. In general, the people who come listen attentively, ask questions, and want to understand what we are preaching from the Bible. Several new people have started coming to the church services because of the evangelization. But I understand that none of this matters if their souls remain in darkness, without Christ. So many people here continue to hold on to their good works, claiming that they are not truly sinners. Only God can touch their hearts and show them their own sinfulness and need for Jesus. Please pray that God would give me, Pastor Mark, and Sasha wisdom to preach the gospel clearly. And pray that the people would not only understand but also see their own lost state and believe in Christ.

War

Of course, in my prayers I continue to ask for an end to the war here in Ukraine. In the months of June and July there were many long nights full of bombings, some not far from where I live. Praise God that August has been much quieter with much fewer bombings and sirens. We pray that it would not get worse.

In relation to the war, I got a call at the end of July from the wife of my close friend, Daniel Calin. Daniel was training in Ukraine to serve in the Ukrainian army, primarily for the chance to share the gospel with Ukrainian soldiers. When his wife called me, she told me that Daniel was killed in an air raid on his base. The last things that Daniel and I had texted about were his close spiritual walk with God and the opportunities he had to share the gospel with the soldiers he was training with. Fifteen of those colleagues died with Daniel in the air raid. Daniel and his wife lived in Timisoara, so I drove back to Romania for the memorial service and to talk with Daniel's wife, family, friends, and church. I praise God for the confident hope that I will see Daniel again in Heaven and for God's daily comfort and strength. While his death makes the war in Ukraine feel more real to me, it also makes the spiritual war feel more real. Our job here is to share the gospel with everyone we can because none of us knows when we will die.

The Lord Is my Portion

In church, in ministry, and in war, God is my sufficient reward. He is enough in everything I do. As I continue in these ministries, please pray. Specifically pray...

• That God would show to the people who come to evangelization their own sinfulness and need for Christ.

• That God would make me a good example in the church and give me wisdom as I talk with church members.

• That God would give direction for what ministries to start or participate in this coming fall.

• That God would comfort those who are hurting in our church right now and that He would comfort the family of Daniel Calin.

There are reasons to rejoice in what God is doing and reasons to weep with those who are weeping. Above all, there are reasons to fight faithfully. And in whatever circumstances we are in, we know that in God's presence there is "fulness of joy." I deeply value your prayers for me personally and for the ministry here in Odesa.