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MMI-Sponsored
Ministry in Ukraine Grows by Serving
by Helen Kaufmann
Pastor Victor Zaichuk recently baptized seven new
believers — six in a lake near Rivne, Ukraine, and one by sprinkling.
Zaichuk reports that they anointed the seventh young man (who is
very ill with diabetes and has recently come to faith) with oil
and prayed for his health. Just at that moment "the sun came
out from the clouds," as if it were a sign that God had heard
their prayers.
Zaichuk, finishing his second year as a 2 Timothy 2:2 church planter,
is one of a number of workers sponsored by Men's Ministries International
in seven countries around the world. He works in Ukraine with American
missionaries Greg and Brenda Hendrick. The Rivne church was organized
several years ago under the leadership of missionary Marcie Huson.
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Teaching
woodworking at the orphanage.
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The church's focus is clearly on serving. An early project was
a computer class with the help of members of the fledgling church.
Ministry was soon expanded to an orphanage and boarding school where
the director is very supportive of the church's ministry. A workshop
is provided where children work along with staff and learn to make
simple furniture. By March of 2004, Pastor Zaichuk reports, 28 cabinets
had been constructed, and some children are showing interest in
gaining professional carpentry skills.
There are other practical activities and crafts as well. In a baking
class children are taught to make cookies and pies. Sometimes boys
work on cars. Zaichuk comments, " One boy with whom I had spent
a lot of time … worked with me to repair a car. I had a chance
to show him how Christians relate to each other."
In addition to serving the children at the orphanage, the Rivne
church has reached out to the approximately 100 6- to 14-year-olds
at the Tuberculosis Children's Center. Members teach Bible stories,
verses and play games with the children, mostly from the Chernobyl
area, who are very open to the Word of God.
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Pastor
Zaichuk with children at Christmas.
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The church takes the opportunity to celebrate special occasions
with gift giving and extra attention to children. Christmas-time
brought a festive program with presents and candy bars for children
from the street, the orphanage and the church. At Easter, gifts
were distributed to three orphanages and food packages given to
25 widows in the area. And each month there is a group birthday
celebration with cakes at the Saturday children's meetings, with
as many as 40 orphanage children attending.
The church's attention to service is paying off for the kingdom.
Pastor Zaichuk says that, at first, "people are afraid to come
and see what we do in the protestant church, but when we come to
them ourselves, they make first steps and show their interest. If
people don't come to the church, the church goes to the people to
tell them about the love of Jesus!" He says that neighborhood
children are beginning to trust them and ask them to talk to their
family members who are addicted to alcohol or drugs.
This new ministry in the Ukraine has been greatly encouraged by
visiting teams from churches in other countries, like the group
from England who brought food for the poor and visited house to
house to share "physical and spiritual bread." Zaichuk
says that every group of Christians who come from abroad are a blessing,
that "it makes us feel that we have brothers and sisters all
around the world."
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