Teaching Resources International

We Need a Little Christmas, Now (December 2014 Update)

Ukraine does not celebrate Christmas until January 6^th.  Usually trees and Christmas decorations do not go up until around December 25^th.  But we decided to start ours early.  Following the US tradition, we put away fall decorations and brought out our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving.  We also began to play Christmas music pretty much around the clock.  We bought our first Christmas tree in Ukraine and had a great time decorating it and the rest of the house.  We are having Advent devotions with our Advent Wreath.  Why?  Because we need a little Christmas! 

This has been a very difficult year as Ukraine has gone through massive changes that are affecting everyone in Ukraine.  From November through February last winter, hundreds of thousands of unarmed protesters stood day and night in Maidan Square protesting our terribly corrupt government.  The government constantly sent special police and forces to beat unarmed protesters and even took people from public hospitals, beat them and left them to die in the cold forests.  Last Christmas, fires were burning every night in the streets near Maidan and barricades were set up to stop the government’s brutal attacks.

As we entered the New Year, we all expected the worst as the government continued to attack and beat protestors and journalists.  TV stations were taken over and even laws were passed making it a criminal offense to take pictures and videos of government forces beating defenseless people.  Each government brutality was met with more people pouring into the streets, at times over 1 million stood in the Square in protest.  Similar protests spread throughout most of Ukraine as protestors took over government buildings in three-fourths of the oblasts (like states), demanding the government’s resignation. It looked like we were clearly headed for a civil war.  In the midst of all this violence and uncertainty, Kristina was born on January 28^th and we rejoiced even though we had no idea what kind of a world our baby girl would grow up in.

Then, at the end of February, as government police shot and killed nearly 100 unarmed protesters, everything changed.  No one knows why but the president and his government all fled the capital (most going to Russia for protection).  A new government was formed and they began the process of putting Ukraine back on stable footing and moving toward a partnership with the EU.

Then Russian troops in Crimea began spreading out, taking over government buildings and surrounding Ukrainian army bases and demanding they surrender to the Russian Federation.  The Russian Black Fleet also left their moorings and blockaded the Ukrainian navy demanding they surrender also.  They never surrendered but they became virtual captives on their own bases and ships. Russia sent more and more troops to “secure” Crimea all the while claiming there were no troops operating in Crimea. Following a fast (and phony) referendum, Putin then annexed Crimea and finally admitted Russian soldiers had been responsible for the takeover.

In April, the same scenario began in eastern Ukraine as groups of Russian unmarked soldiers systematically took over government buildings and declared their independence from Ukraine and their desire to join Russia.  This time, Ukraine responded by sending troops to recapture the territories and by the end of the summer, they had recaptured most of it. Then regular Russian troops (which Putin had moved to the borders of Ukraine in February) began pouring across the border and they drove the Ukrainian troops back.  We are now in a “ceasefire” in which Ukrainian troops hold their ground while the pro-Russians attack and shell the government troops every day.  Also, every day, Russia sends columns of tanks and troops into Eastern Ukraine.  It is clear that the conflict is far from over and we don’t know what the coming year will hold for Ukraine.

All of this has had a tremendous impact on the economy of Ukraine.  We are currently seeing rapid inflation while the currency has devaluated nearly in half.  This makes life, already difficult by European standards, much harder for the average Ukrainian.  Additionally, Russia nearly doubled the price of gas for Ukraine so Ukraine stopped buying Russian gas.  From May through November, most of Ukraine was without hot water and heat.  Even now, our heat temperatures are kept low to conserve what little energy Ukraine has available. We are hoping for a warmer winter so that Ukraine can survive without Russian gas.

So… we definitely need a little Christmas now!  We need this time to reflect upon the wonderful blessings we received when the Prince of Peace came to become one of us, to live among us, and to suffer and die in our place.  As we face these difficulties, we are reminded that this little baby not only died to pay for our sins, but he also rose from the dead and has conquered sin and death!  So, no matter how bad things might become in Ukraine, we need a time like Christmas to remind us of what really matters in life – “the peace that passes all understanding” that only Jesus can give!  So we celebrate Christmas this year with great joy!  We sing the songs and we decorate the house, not because everything is good, but because we have a Savior whose birth is worth celebrating!

Last year was also a wonderful time for ministry.  I was able to teach a number of classes, World History, the Theology of Prayer, Systematic Theology, Research and Writing and Church History.  Additionally, I was able to be involved in teaching a number of English Clubs as evangelistic outreaches.  We also have been able to host an evangelistic group reaching out to students in the science department.  And we participated in a number of outreaches and ministries to families.  We stand amazed when we look back at this past year.  God’s grace has been so evident, from His protection over us, to the birth of Kristina or finding just the perfect apartment for our family and ministries. My Russian studies have also been a tremendous help and I can now carry on a conversation without too many major errors.  But I still have a long way to go!!!

Pray for:

1. Pray for Ukraine as the country faces many problems with its failing economy, limited energy resources, and continued conflict with Russia. We really don’t know what will happen next but Russia continues to send more and more troops into eastern Ukraine.
2. Pray for the people of Ukraine as they face economic hardships and the possibility of being without heat this winter.
3. Pray for outreach to this nation. We have many friends involved in various outreaches.  We are working with Campus Ministries here to reach out to non-believing students.  We have other church members who are going to minister to the soldiers in the east and seeing some trust Christ for the first time in their lives.  Pray for this door of opportunity to remain open.

Thanks again for your support and prayers for us.  We know we could not be here if it was not for you.  We pray that you and your family will have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  But most of all, we pray that you will remember what a wonderful savior we have in Christ!

Merry Christmas!

Jim, Katya and Kristina