We took a few minutes to photo the kids in the English Camp with the Wikens. Pastor Petr then hijacked us with Vadym to visit a nearby village and a prayer house with only 6 aged believers left. We met Valentine, 91 years old, who lives in the back of the house of prayer and shared the history of the congregation; their persecution under the Nazis and the worse persecution under the Soviets. Stories you wouldn't believe if you weren't listening to the man who had seen them all. He was so crippled he could barely walk. With every step, his hand held his knee and hip in place. Then he showed us the house of prayer and prayed with tears for the glory of God to be present and he blessed us. When we asked what he might need, his answer was just shocking. "I'm happy in the Lord and I have more than I need." His broken teeth and torn clothing made you wonder, but you could tell it came from an honest heart. I told Packy, "Next time I complain, just tell me, I've got nothing on Valentine." I'm humbled and in awe. It almost seems like God is more good in Valentine's mind than He is in mine.
We spent the afternoon visiting old friends. We drove down to Michailovka where Yura and Sveta have taken an old congregation, breathed life into it's creaking bones and turned around decades of decline. It's grown tremendously in the 15 years since I was there last. They've built a gorgeous little church building right next to the old house of prayer where Yura first pastored. We toured his rabbit farm, his vegetable fields and enjoyed the most delicious dinner I've had here. Sveta is a great cook and the rabbit tasty.
We returned to Kamenka for a quick visit to Vadym's side business (a pastry and pizza kiosk) and one of Pastor Petr's side businesses (a sunglasses stand - he also grinds prescription glasses in an office at the hospital.) Pastors here must have an income stream outside the church. I don't know how they pull it off, but I've never seen a hint of distraction from God's work from these guys. Their priorities are abundantly clear.
Dinner tonight was at Vadym's parent's home. John was tired, but he came alive when he walked through this door. He's been housed there for most of his journeys to Kamenka and knows Vad's sisters and parents well. Lots of joy and laughter and lots of pictures of previous visits from the sister church in Owatonna. I think I saw the face of every person who came from Bethel. Great reminiscing for both John and I.
We then spent about a half an hour with the teen English camp we had not yet visited. And ended the evening with tea and ice cream at Pastor Petr's home. When Larry and Joanie joined us, we learned that they'd had quite a distraction from 3 non church guys who spouted the craziest theology. When we recognized that this was sent as a spiritual distraction from the wonderful things God has planned, we took it to prayer and asked God to bring victory and protect vulnerable teens from the spiritual deception advanced by the deceiver. Sweet time of prayer.
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| Pastor Yura and his Mom in front of church - Michaelovka |
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| Packy & Bogdan. "Ukrainian Gothic" |
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