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Dear Friends,
Again another day with relative calm. There is still the sound of battle in the far distance and the occasional bomb but Lebedyn has been much calmer over these past few days. People that have been locked indoors for weeks are starting to get out as confidence returns.
It appears that Ukraine troops are not only holding back the Russians but forcing them back towards the border. However, word on the street is that the Russians are re-grouping for another onslaught to try and push through. You cannot imagine living in that tension of what could be the whole time. When talking with our Mission Director today he said that when he has been driving around other villages and towns nearby and the devastation he has witnessed, he said Lebedyn has been blessed. The prayers of the many are having an effect.
Today, as planned, they went round and invited all the large families to come to the centre. This means families with large numbers – not in weight and size! These are often extended multi-generational families often crammed into small residences. They were all welcomed and producing a steady queue for the hours open. Bags were filled with food, stories shared, tears shed and much love given. The people were immensely thankful. Many were offered the literature we have there and took it away to read.
Tomorrow I meet with our Mission Director and our translator to start to plan the next phase of activity. He is concerned for the youth and the children. There has been no school now for 6 weeks and no means for the children to play. If safe they would like to run regular activities and help families with all of this. There are online learning programmes but unreliable internet. Still a third of all of Lebedyn is without utilities including water. All of this we will look at so that the centre can be a beacon of hope and love. Please pray that our scheduled meeting can take place.
Our Mission Director has asked that we pray today for the building up of troops in the distance. As they think they might be gaining in strength. Pray that God will thwart their plans. Pray too that the children’s and youth ministry they do so well can go ahead safely and pray for the families that are really struggling. Whilst Lebedyn has not been completely obliterated, many are living in very unacceptable conditions. Houses where windows and doors have been blown out through bombs but they have no where else to go and the temperature can, and has, dropped to around -10 or even more at night.
Please keep standing with us in prayer!
Please continue to stand with the team in prayer during these very uncertain times. Our Mission Director and the team are still visiting the front line every day. Please pray for the soldiers and the wounded and for the team as they to give hope in a very dark world there.
I am so grateful for all your support. Our Mission and Music Director, alongside the rest of the team all send their thanks and greetings on behalf of the team and the church there.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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