English Opens Doors! (October 2015 Update)
Over the last two weeks, I have been involved in teaching English classes through Campus (Crusade) Ministries at Shevchenko National University. We had 360 students come to interviews to be part of this 2-week intensive English classes (3 hours each evening). This year, we were only able to take 160 students. But it is one of the few campuses where they still allow us to teach biblical passages in our English lessons and we have had some really great discussions.
In my class (of about 22 students), we have discussed salvation, eternal life, forgiveness and many other spiritual topics. The students have been very open and full of questions about Christianity. In addition to the classes, we are meeting during the day with some students who want more information about Christianity and following Christ. After the classes end this week, we will be following up personally as well as inviting students to come to a weekly Bible Study. Please continue to pray for this ministry. It is amazing to see how many doors (and lives) are opened to the gospel through simply teaching English!
My next class will be in Lviv in Western Ukraine. I will be teaching Worship and Prayer at the newly formed Ukrainian Baptist Seminary that Katya and I helped with last year. This will be my first time teaching there and I am excited to see the students at the seminary. Also, they have a new Academic Dean, Alexander Savich, who was one of my students in the first graduating class from Kiev Theological Seminary! It is exciting to see how God is using the students that we have invested our lives in years ago! Be praying for me as I finish up the syllabus and work on PowerPoints and lectures for this class that comes in the middle of October.
Also, Katya and I are hosting a small group from our church on Thursday evenings. We are currently working through a precept Bible Study and we really like the strong attention given to studying the text of the Bible in this group. Also, pray for us as we minister to those who participate each week. It is especially difficult for us because we have two small children we are putting to bed at the same time the Bible Study meets, so pray that the children will be cooperative too so that Katya and I can give attention to the group.
In early November, I will be teaching Church History at Kiev Baptist Seminary. I’ll be working with a Ukrainian professor mentoring him for teaching this class alone. We are meeting to talk about the class and how he can best be involved in it. Additionally, I will be mentoring another former student as we teach 1 Corinthians together in April. But we will be working on the class this fall to get ready for the spring.
Documents, Documents, Documents …
Thanks for your prayers about our documents. This summer was an especially intensive time as Nadia, Katya and I all needed to get new documents (visas and passports). We spent most of August getting documents and having them translated and then delivering them to the various agencies. Then in September, we waited to receive the documents back. All of the documents came back the same week. We were especially pleased that they gave Katya a 10 year visa this time (usually 5 years)!
Surgery …
This week (Friday, October 2nd), I will be having surgery to repair a “belly-button” hernia. I had hoped to wait until I returned the states to have this surgery. But it has grown worse and become very uncomfortable. So, as much I am uncomfortable having surgery in Ukraine, it really has become necessary. I also need to have the surgery now because I have a very small window of opportunity between the English Club and teaching in Lviv. Be praying for the surgery (which is supposed to be not difficult) and especially for the recovery (which is supposed to be difficult the first few weeks).
Family …
Our family is doing well and the girls are growing rapidly. Nadia is now in the cooing stage and she smiles and “talks” when we talk with her. Even Kristina notices this. It used be to be, when we asked “What does Nadia say?” Kristina 
would respond, “Wa-wa.” Now she says Nadia says, “A-goo.” Kristina’s vocabulary is increasing rapidly (in English and Russian with some Ukrainian) and she is always amazing us with what she says. A few nights ago, when she was taking a bath, Katya asked with she was ready to get out. She calmly replied, “No.” And then looked at Katya and said, “Not at all!” Also, she loves to say, “That’s all” when she finishes eating. But she has also started saying it whenever the elevator reaches the bottom floor! Both girls are doing well and are a real joy to be around.
We are also really blessed to have Katya’s family helping out. Her mother and grandmother and sister come and help often. Also, one or more of her 3 nieces come over almost daily to help out in some way. We are really blessed to have them nearby!
The Situation in Ukraine …
Please continue to pray for peace and safety in Ukraine. The war in the East has settled down some but still Ukrainian servicemen protecting the country against the Russian-supported militants are dying nearly every day. Also be praying for the country as we have parliamentary elections in October. Pray for level-minded leaders to be elected. There are many candidates running and many are radical and probably would make the situation in Ukraine worse.
Also, if you can get assess to Netflix, be sure to watch the documentary on the Ukrainian revolution last
year called “Winter on Fire” (coming October 9th). This was the most intense and scary time in my life as we watched daily for nearly 3 months as the government attempted to brutally put down a popular uprising. I will never forget the closing of the metro stations that I traveled on daily and the smoke and fires in the streets as people stood for nearly 3 month in freezing temperatures to protest a corrupt and brutal government. I will never forget hearing the church bells waking us in the middle of the night, calling people to come to the square to stand when the government was advancing its forces to put down the protests. And I will never forget the day that nearly 100 Ukrainians were shot and killed on the square standing for freedom. Ukraine has changed a lot since then but we still have a long way to go. If you can, watch this film and remember to pray for Ukraine!
Be sure to continue to pray for the gospel to be spread in Ukraine. We have students in every area of Ukraine (although some have been prevented from coming to classes from Lugansk, Donetsk and Crimea). They are preparing for ministry and they are reaching out to young people and starting new churches. Due to the current crisis in Ukraine, many are also involved in refugee work. Pray for many open doors for them.
Thank you again for your prayers and support for us! English Clubs are a great way to open doors into the lives of university students here in Ukraine and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve in this way. We are also thankful that you are helping us prepare leaders for the churches here in Ukraine. Thanks for helping us do this ministry here!
By His Grace,
Jim, Katya, Kristina and Nadia
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