Anatoliy, Oleg, Olga and Liuda along with eleven others recently went from spiritual death to life in Ukraine. They even individually chose to identify with Christ through baptism this summer. What a glorious celebration Wally (Volodymyr), AFCI Ukraine Ministry Leader, had as he and trained Ukrainian leaders had actively shared Christ with them through LifeWorks this year. LifeWorks spurred on conversation and answered many of their questions. Celebrate!
"I could use ten more leaders' LifeWorks DVDs soon in Ukrainian and Russian," Wally (Volodymyr) said. With summer in Ukraine being such an intensive time of activity before winter rolls back around, we offered to ask Boris to duplicate more copies of what he had so capably translated for us. Boris sent those copies off to Wally last week and a new relationship has begun between these two brothers in Christ. We are certain that each copy will be the beginning of a distribution in Ukraine that will bear much fruit.
Wally and his wife Natasha drove a few hours weekly to lead the first LifeWorks course in Ukrainian to men in a rehabilitation center this spring. We know of five that have put their faith in Jesus Christ! Others have taken steps towards Christ. Currently Wally is leading what he calls a "family group" with ten couples going through LifeWorks on Saturday afternoons. He is gaining experience leading the course in preparation to train others in how to most effectively lead it throughout the entire nation.
Pray for Wally as he seeks to get AFCI registered in Ukraine in the very near future.
The subject on the screen simply read "Pictures" and they were from Wally (Volodymyr) Vasylovich in Ukraine. We eagerly clicked on the attachment and brought up the photo. Our hearts were flooded with joy and awe. We saw Wally with a group of men in a rehab center eagerly watching the LifeWorks video in their language. Our eyes slowly went up and down the rows looking at and praying for the individuals that God had masterfully been working in the lives of to bring them to AFCI's first LifeWorks course in Ukraine.
Wally watching the video portion of LifeWorks with rehab clients in Ukraine
Just a few short weeks later, Wally began writing of men coming to know the Lord Jesus through LifeWorks and their attentiveness each week to the lesson and discussion. His pastoral heart with a gift of teaching and evangelism was overjoyed. So were ours! Wally's weekly 50 mile drive with his wife, Natasha, to the rehab center was just the beginning of a far broader outreach into Ukraine. Wally's enthusiasm for how God will use this evangelism tool has him speaking to many churches and leaders in Ukraine. They are all seeing the Ukrainian version of LifeWorks as a perfect answer to the need that has existed for decades for an effective evangelism course.
An incorrect click on a computer in Barcelona to a computer in Pennsylvania was the beginning of watching God's sovereignty unfold for provision of a camera for Volodymyr (Wally) in Ukraine. Hang on to your hats with the details of names and places as you see the sovereignty of God in action!
Just days prior, Sarah had urged Wally to take photos of his many meetings and "firsts" as he lays the framework for LifeWorks in Ukraine. When Wally replied saying he would love to but did not own a camera, Steve emailed AFCI's regional director in Europe and told him of this need. Eugenio then replied with a heavy heart to say that there simply was not money to be able to provide this for him even though someone was going to be meeting Wally in Kiev in a few days. Eugenio mistakenly sent this email to the wrong man who read it in Pennsylvania and believed that God creatively had that go to him so he could be the instrument of provision for this camera!!
While this was happening another story was unfolding. Scott Gardner 'just happened' to send his fine camera and all of the accessories with his parents to use on their trip to Kiev as they met with the Moores and to meet Wally for the first time. Wally took the overnight train from his oblast to meet Allan and Pam, AFCI's International Ministry Advisor.
You guessed it! Money for the camera came in and the camera to be purchased was this trustworthy, fine camera that Scott sent for his dad's use that he then realized could be put to an even greater use. That made for one extremely excited Wally and delight for all involved to be a vessel of God's sovereign plan. Praise Him!
