History
We arrived in Ukraine in 2001 and joined a team that had for seven years been working in Kaharlyk. We were initially based in Kaharlyk, Kiev State, but have since joined a group from there to a neighbouring regional centre Rzhyshchiv, also in Kiev State. We have been working here since 2003, and have helped establish a strong church core amongst the student population.
[Ben] “Originally Sergie and I came here one day a week. We sang on the street, passed out tracts and talked to whoever wanted to. Soon others from Kaharlyk joined us and we had a really strong response from the people of Rzhyshchiv. Even the mayor's assistant stopped and talked to us and welcomed us to work in the town and especially amongst the students. Not long after that our family felt called to move to Ryzhchiv. We purchased a house and started church meetings in our very un-renovated lounge! I invited Daniel Gollan to join us as he has more experience in both pastoring and living in Ukraine.”
The Gollan family followed suit and purchased a house that would also be able to serve as a meeting place and a “safe house” for students needing to have somewhere to study. The church still meets on the 3rd floor of their house.
As a team we have a focus on the student population of Rzhyshchiv. There are four higher education faculties in Rzhyshchiv. They act as something like an old fashion finishing school/technical school. There is also a Teachers' College. In all 3000 – 5000 students come here from all over Ukraine. It is this group of people that God has called us to minister to.
Latest Newsletter
God is good. Just in case you forgot. We haven't. We have just returned from another trip to Turkey! Yes again. We wanted to go to Anzac Day at Gallipoli and God provided at the last minute. We, Clarkes and Magdala Williams (from New Zealand) were able to attend the dawn service at Anzac Cove. Sorry I didn't write earlier. I planned to email from Turkey but wasn't able to activate an account in time. So I will back up a bit.
Our car sold! At last. We threw our luggage into the van and headed off. The trip was uneventful in the good sense. Let me share some "God" highlights. At times Tam and I were given to worry about money; petrol was much more expensive than last time. We sometimes took our eyes of our true source of security, God, and looked at the dwindling reserve of US dollars we had. But God had ways of turning our eyes back to him.
Once we were trying to camp as close to a beach as possible and I drove the van onto sand... and we sank! We tried digging and putting some broken bricks under the tires and were having limited success. Then Magdala prayed that God would send an angel to help us. Did you know that angels can drive "Fergie" tractors? One came down the road behind us, saw our problem and the driver backed up to us. I quickly got a rope out. The guy pulled us out without a problem. Then he headed back down the road the way he had come! An angel on a tractor! Many times God turned our eyes back to him. I will write some more and put them and a few photos on our web sight. Will let you know when they are there.
We returned to Rzhyshchiv in time to finish a drum and headed off to church conference. God is using my hobby to bless his church. I gave a drum to the church in Pultava and in the end I gave away Tamara's drum too, and took 4 more orders. Two of the churches are pastored by Ukrainians. One in the Crimea, and another is similar to our town just on the other side of Kiev. Neither church has "foreign" money so it is a privilege to be able to share there in this way. I can make a drum for about US$50 where to buy a similar drum costs US$500! Quite a saving and there is little or no sound loss. Actually at one of the sessions at conference, the "Talent Fest" I heard that they favored my drum over a professionally built one!
God spoke to Tamara and me at conference about the freedom we have in Christ, and the need we as Christians have for fellowship. I will try to post something about that on the web as well.
We are having major team shuffles. Within the next month Tamara's mother will be visiting us, Jono will be returning and a guy from Tasmania will be "trying us out" to see if he will serve here. Cheryl is also going back to Canada for a few months. Daniel Gollan has started planting Strawberries, and other berries with the aim of starting a business to provide employment and management training. Gav (from Tassie) may be the main guy to take that on.
I hope this has you up to date. Tam and I both are really feeling challenged by God that our Christian brothers and sisters are a more valuable asset than we have thought in the past. That is you! We value your prayers, and want to make our relationship more than a monthly prayer letter! How? Don't really know but if you have any ideas or even if you could reciprocate with a monthly prayer letter from your end we would love to bless you as you bless us. God is still good!
Quote from a Christian Brother we met at Conference. He is from Russia. "We are brothers. We have the same Father, just different mothers."