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Dear Friends,
This has been a really encouraging week for the team. The situation within the region is still escalating slightly, with local villages continuing to be hit hard with drones and missiles. In nearby Vorozhba, harvesting machinery working in the fields was targeted. In Mezarych, the school has been closed due to the building being hit by bombs - thankfully with no children were in the building at the time. Sumy is now being bombed day and night, and is gradually being reduced to just rubble. Bohdan asks the question of how long before they turn to Lebedyn where their buildings remain relatively untouched. We continue to pray for their protection.
The team have given special focus to the outlying villages, which the government have used to house refugees. Bohdan visited a man who had no shoes, so he gave his own boots. When going home to share the story of how little people had, his own family once again gave away personal clothes.
The church membership also gave of their clothes and belongings to help these refugees. Bohdan even gave one of his mattresses to a family in desperate need. The sewing team also got to work and made many sets of bed linen to distribute. Bohdan said that the people cried when they delivered all these things; they thought they had been forgotten. A doctor who Bohdan knows has now also been visiting, as there are major health needs. Together they will be trying to access new medications to help in this area.
Pastor Andrew concentrated on visiting the refugee centre nearby. Azat, who was the Pastor of the church in Okhtyrka, has managed to acquire some aid and sent it through to the team. There was a huge container of shampoo as you can see in the photo below, which they siphon into bottles. This has been in short supply, so it has been gratefully received by all. Services continue to be held for refugees and those enquiring about faith. Numbers doubled this week. Bread was baked and given out in the service along with the villages and refugee centre.
The team, through the church, know a number of soldiers fighting on the frontline and sent them food, medical aid and Bibles. One soldier has been encouraging the troops, and now has a regular prayer meeting with colleagues as and when they can. Sadly, another soldier who used to come to the camps was very seriously injured this week and taken to a specialist unit in Lviv. He has brain damage, so his mother who is part of the church has asked for prayer.
The puppet theatre continues to grow again, and now 30 children forming 3 teams train with Musical Sergey. Bohdan told me this morning that they have new shows, and have been asked to show these within the hospital and at Larisa’s orphanage. Schools are wanting them too, but safety has to be assessed first before this can happen.
In other news and items for prayer:
This week has seen an increase in the requests for help. Thankfully, we have been able to rise to this challenge and we will continue to try to do so in the coming months. Your continued support and prayers are so appreciated.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
