How to celebrate Christmas usefully?

Have you ever felt yourself empty? Have you ever felt that you had already given everything you could and hope to meet this New Year in silence? This was the way we felt this time before going to the South. Besides, till the last moment we weren’t sure that we would go. But God had other plans! He doesn’t want us to be idle and wants us to trust Him to the last.

I'm glad we went. Despite the fact that some people got sick, the car broke down, sometimes there was no electricity and water, we visited almost everyone we wanted. I thank God for you, because without your support and prayer nothing would have happened. God kept us safe on the way there, while we were there and on our way back. We were able to meet new people and talk to them about God's love. Pray for this people further. It is difficult for them to accept the Savior. I think because they rely a lot on themselves and on their righteousness. Therefore, it is difficult for them to understand their guilt before God. We tried to speak with them so that they could understand. We said that because of our disobedience, we dishonored ourselves before God and now can’t do anything by ourselves to remove this shame. Pray for the Gospel could reach their hearts and bear fruit.

Thanks to you all, God made a miracle for us! Four days before the trip, when we had almost canceled everything, the whole sum was found and there was no way back) He gathered a good team and we set off. On our way there, God filled my heart with peace and quiet, that I lacked. Now I am sure that we went for a reason. Someone had a need in communication, someone in encouragement, someone in the Word and someone in the wise advice. God gave all this to us, because He is the One who will never leave his children and He is the One who wants to spread His glory among all nations.

I am especially grateful to God that we were able to see our teenagers (some of them are already taller than us). On the day when we were going to gather them all at the place we were staying in, there was lots of snow, the roads were terrible, our car didn’t really want to go. But despite this, we decided to go to their villages. And it was very cool! We could be at their homes, talk to them and pray for them. We visited girls first and then boys. It was a long-awaited meeting!

We were also able to visit some of our friends with disabilities and spend some time with them, give them presents and pray with them. Remember them in prayers! It is hard for them, pray that they and their families seek God.

I am especially grateful to God for the Volodya and Olya’s family, who work among this people. Pray for them and their children. Pray that they will not give up, because it is difficult to do something and invest a lot, but to see very little fruit.

Pray also that God will send new servants to this nation, because there are many opportunities, but few hands. Also I ask you to pray for support for this ministry: we want to organize camps in summer for both disabled children and their families, and for teenagers. But often we are limited in finances. Pray that this will not be an obstacle for sharing the Gospel among this people!

Plyva Ira