First Christmas & New Year’s Outreach

Update from Buddy, missionary

For 20 years in Russia we would celebrate the coming of Christ and the coming of the New Year with the biggest outreach we would do all year. We would go into every place that would open to us, with a Christmas/New Year program and do our best to present the story of Salvation through the coming of our Lord, and present to gospel through giving in this time of year when people of all ages are most open to hear. Many of you have been with us and partnered with us through those years.

We are determined that this war will not hinder the telling and showing of that story. Through our staff in Russian and along with our partners in Ukraine, we have already begun that outreach for this year. Once again, many of you are with us and helping us in the venture. It has never been more needed than this year.

As we have written since the beginning of the war in February, there are victims on both sides of this tragedy. For that reason, we cannot abandon those who live under the thumb of the oppressors in Russia as well. The folks that we have left in Russia faithfully continue to work with our kids there and in the churches we have aided for the last 25 years.

Of course, the victims of the oppressors and occupiers in Ukraine are in need, especially in this coldest part of the year.

If you have kept up with the war at all, then you know that the heaviest fighting going on now is around the area of Baukhmut in Donbass region. There is intense fighting and constant shelling in the area has not ceased for months. It is a town of 70,000 people and around 100,000 in the region. Though many have fled, there are many that have no place to go. There are faithful pastors in the area who remain and are serving the people as best they can and it is our goal to be a help to them in their darkest hour. This past week, Pavel and our team from Khust were able to go into the area and gather as many people as could make it to the church and have a Christmas celebration. There were people, not only from the church, but from all over the community, and as many soldiers as could break away, came and we were able to share much needed gifts with them that will help them through the winter. The soldiers were able to help with the distribution in the area as well.  We were able to share not only necessities, but we were also able to share gifts with the people that brought some joy to both kids and adults. That's never bad. Most important, the Gospel was shared through the Christmas story with the hope and prayer that even in this dark day, the light of the Life of Christ will shine in their hearts. It is good for the Church to be active in this way. There will come a time when this war will end, both children and their parents and grandparents need to remember that in most difficult days, God's people were active in trying to meet needs.

There is no physical war going on in Russia, but there is a war of evil deception that is raging. The kids that we have been working with for years are being re educated in a horrible false narrative. We must fight to keep the truth of the Gospel and the truth of history and of the future going to the victims there.

This outreach program will run all the way through February. We will also be doing our first outreach in the Roma (Gypsy) community in Romania with our partners there.

I will try to keep you posted as we go through this outreach. I am adding a few photos from both Russia and Ukraine. We cannot get as many photos out of Russia as before. I'm sure you understand. However, I want you to know that the work goes on. Many thanks for every thought and prayer for these who are victims of the war and for us as we continue to try to fill our small spot on this big front.