Just Last March
(Written on April 23, 2020)

With all that’s going on in our world today, it’s difficult to imagine that a few months ago life was relatively carefree. Looking back on my “normal life,” it seems like it was just a dream. I’m sure you have felt the same.

In my case, I can’t believe that just last month I led a “Missions Awareness” conference in Eastern Ukraine. Thank you for praying with me about this conference. To be honest, I had several concerns before I went.

• Would these young believers attend the conference because they wanted to learn about missions, or would they just come for the food and fellowship?

• Have any of the believers in this area ever served abroad — so they could set a good example for the attendees?

• Would their parents and church leaders encourage them to volunteer as missionaries, or would they try to discourage them?

• Most importantly, would these young people respond to the call to serve the LORD as missionaries?

Here’s what actually happened. We held the conference in Zaporizhia in Eastern Ukraine. The city was founded in 1770 and is famous for its hydroelectric dam, built in 1932, and for the secret factory in the former Soviet Union that made airplane and rocket engines.

Our team of speakers included myself, Roma Dichyuk, who partnered with me before, and Artur Nideif, who had arrived from China. We met in a seminary building in an older part of town and stayed in its dormitory. About 80 people attended — young people mostly, along with half a dozen pastors and some of the parents.

(For a better look at our conference, click here to watch our four-minute video: https://youtu.be/rfTDrKZKj3Q)

In response to my four concerns:

• The youth were definitely alert and sincerely interested in missions, although they enjoy the food and fellowship too.

• I was pleased by my team’s biblical and inspiring presentations, but praised the LORD that a local group gave their missions testimony. Four of their own people had just returned from a short-term mission trip to the country of Georgia. They shared the love of Jesus with neglected teens, thereby demonstrating that the Lord can use Ukrainians — not just Americans — to spread the Gospel.

• I wasn’t really sure that the pastors were listening until our last session when our panel of speakers answered questions from the audience. One pastor stood and asked, “How can I learn more about financially supporting missionaries from my church?” Wow! That was an answer to prayer. I spoke to some other pastors privately and learned that they were interested in sending missionaries, too.

• Not only were the young people singing praises and listening intently to the speakers, they prayed long and fervently for the spreading of the Gospel and for the needs of missionaries.

The Lord spoke to these young people. They took the responsibility of sending missionaries seriously and some committed to go as missionaries themselves.

This world crisis is temporary. These committed young people will soon be sent by their local churches to spread the Gospel where it has not been heard.

It was definitely worth the trip. I’m so glad I went. Lord willing, I will continue leading “Missions Awareness” conferences in Eastern Europe.

Please pray for our next conference.

Blessings,
Rich