I sent an e-mail to all of our foreign missionaries and asked for specific prayer request for their ministries. So now, I am going to be starting a special series of blogs over the next few days. This series will profile some of our missionaries, their specific prayer requests and the culture of the target area of their service. This series may get interrupted by Christmas week break but I'm starting it nonetheless.
I want to start with Ukraine. Ukraine holds a very dear and special place our hearts. It was the first mission trip ever taken by Pioneer Baptist. It was this very first trip that really led us down the trail of missions in a way that has radically transformed our church body.
When the USSR fell apart before our very eyes the Soviet states were able to declare their own independence from Moscow. Ukraine became a sovereign and independent nation in 1991. Known as an important military position to the USSR and for her fertile growing fields, Ukraine was now ready to move forward without the watchful eyes Mother Russia. I wonder what it must have been like back in those first days of their freedom? What a sense of hope and excitement there must have been. What a sense of expectation the people must have felt. The government today is still struggling however to find its footing. Ukraine is very "western" leaning. This means they want to be more like the US than the old USSR. The leaders in all levels of government however are corrupt. They take money from programs and use it for personal gain and bribes are still a big part of how they do their business...all the way down to the police at the local levels.
The closed doors of Ukraine were blasted open some 17 years ago now and Ukraine has been heavily targeted by the American church. In fact, Ukraine wouldn't necessarily be classified as a "Christian nation" but it's getting there inch by inch. Of all of the former Soviet Republics, Ukraine is the only nation that is now SENDING missionaries to other former Soviet Republics. Ukraine is at a great spot geographically as it is really the link between Asia and Europe. It would be amazing to see what God could do with this position for the sake of the Gospel.
The MacDonald Family arrived in Lutugino Ukraine on July 5, 2005. They have 12 kids (no twins). Five of these children are now proudly serving our country in the United States military with our buddy Ben (lovingly known to Sarah and me as Asher) making #6 sometime next year. Bruce MacDonald is known as "papa" to his kids. He served and has retired from the military and is using his retirement to help fund this mission work in Ukraine. Pia is the strong, spiritual woman that keeps Bruce grounded and the kids growing! They are amazing people to me. Just like our John and Joe Trailblazer they are true spiritual heroes to me. They have given up a life of comfort and American luxury to go to a country where there is no safe drinking water, few working telephone lines, and a spirit of darkness that is almost overwhelming at times. Here's a funny for you. The Eastern Orthodox is obviously very threatened by REAL Christianity coming in on their turf. They teach that the Baptists are cults that eat their children. This of course is told so that people will not listen to what is being preached and taught. Bruce laughs at this and assures people that ALL 12 of his kids are alive and well so there is no need to worry!!! LOL!!!
Bruce and Pia serve in a small village in the eastern part of Ukraine, near the Russian border, called Lutugino. With a population of 19,000 people only about 300 people are Evangelical Christians. The rest of the people are either Eastern Orthodox or have no belief at all. Sad to say but the governments of USSR had imposed an atheistic doctrine of "no God" so there are many generations that believe in absolutely nothing. This belief shows up in the cultural make up as well. There is no value given to human life. Babies that are thought to have defect as detected by an ultrasound are aborted because they aren't perfect. An Eastern Orthodox believer would say that God has cursed the mother by giving a bad baby and that mom would receive much shame should she choose to have the child. Old widowed women can actually be kicked out of their homes and into the freezing cold, literally! Their family takes over all of her possessions and she is forced to find somewhere else to live with or die from exposure to the elements. Yes, there are results from the government's sowing in a Godless belief. It is obvious everywhere you turn.
Alcholism is very high here and it's no wonder. There is a general feeling of sadness in the land. There is a feeling of hopelessness that I can't quiet explain. There is a real sense that all is lost and the future isn't so bright. It's interesting for me to observe year after year that the only people you see smiling in this country are Christians and people that are drunk. The ones that are drunk are trying to find something to MAKE them happy and feel that voided and lifelessness. The Christians have something that gives them joy (the love of Christ) in spite of the lifestyles around them and seem to enjoy the fullness of their life.
I am proud that our church body has been with Bruce and Pia in the field since their first full summer in Ukraine in 2006. It has given us a chance to grow in our missions work and understanding as they grow their mission and ministry. We have been able to testify to the great things that God has done here simply by sharing and partnering with them over these 3 years.
Our first year in the field Neal and I were ejected from a hospital that we were visiting because we were sharing the gospel. The administrator told Pastor Sergei (local pastor of our sister church "Way To Eternal Life Baptist Church) that he was a traitor for helping the Americans and that Ukraine didn't need any other religions. Over the course of the next three years, the MacDonald ministry and Pastor Sergei and Alla didn't give up. PBC even sent enough money for the hospital to buy a shower unit. This has opened the doors wide. Now Pastor Sergei or Bruce or our teams can go inside the hospital whenever we or they want and pray and share the gospel. Sergei has even been able to pray with that same administrator. She isn't a Christian but we're still praying! It's taken 3 years though you say...is it worth it? 100% YES!
Bruce and Pia have been making incredible strides in their work with the youth of the community. Their children are a big part of this effort. Bruce and Pia regularly have the neighborhood kids over to their home for fun, food, and Bible studies. God showed me 2 years ago that He is targeting the young generations of Ukraine so to be careful not to ignore them or their overall importance to HIS plan for this nation.
One of the big goals for the future ministry of On Point For Christ (Bruce and Pia's ministry) is to build a small ministry center beside their house. Bruce and Pia own a small piece of land next door and it already has a foundation. This would be a vital next step in seeing things progress here. This would allow them to have a small church type structure in their neighborhood and allow them to house some of the ministry teams that come to help in the field (both are huge needs!). This project will only cost $25,000 to complete and if I had the money, I'd send it today because it's that needed. Please pray that the sponsoring churches that help Bruce and Pia will use some of their resources to make this happen.
Bruce and Pia have other requests that they are asking you to join with them in prayer over: From Pia,
"We would like you to pray for this area to bear spiritual fruit. We have sown lots of seeds, but see little, if any, results. Many make professions, as you know, but almost no one gets into a church or gets baptized.
Also, pray for our health. Mercy broke her leg last Sunday night by just walking. It's a fracture above her ankle and is on the inside of the bone. Praise the Lord, we got to see the best pediatric bone surgeon in the area. She is in a cast for three to four weeks. already the cast was slipping off and I repositioned it this morning.
Pray also for our trip to the states in the middle of Jan. Pray that my wisdom tooth surgery goes well and that I get to see an ENT about mt throat problems and the pulmonologist,and my GYN about another surgery I put off three and one half years ago. Looks like I have to use my old Primary care doc whose competence I have always doubted. Pray for God's will to be done. I am really not looking forward to this trip. Surgeries and being away from my family for so long are the main reasons.
Pia
So there you have it. I hope it's a satisfactory summary of a little of bit of the life in Ukraine and what the ministry of the MacDonalds is doing. Thanks as always for your faithfulness to pray!
Ron
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