28 February, 2022

Dear Partners in the conflict,

We thank God for working out many details to bring us out of Ukraine. And we are so grateful for all of you who flooded the throne of grace with intercessions on our behalf. The Father has been pleased to answer your prayers.

While we are not there in the flesh, nevertheless we are there in spirit. We have many loved ones who are in the very heart of the conflict. Please do not let up in praying for Ukraine. Most of our college students have gotten out of Kiev, but some cannot do so. We have an Armenian student who is here with his wife and five children. He has no way to evacuate. Some of our church members have been able to move to other cities to be with family or to places that are not immediately threatened. Many have no place to go and must remain in place. One family had damage to the apartment building in which they live when a rocket hit it. One woman has had to spend nights in the basement of her apartment because of shelling in her neighborhood. Another sent me a photo of her apartment where she has filled the windows with sand bags to provide some protection from flying glass. There have been explosions close by.

Our Hebrew teacher, Nina Grigoliya, along with student Denis and his wife and three-year old son are trying to get out of Ukraine. They were able to get a train to Lviv on the border of Poland. They went to the border where the crush of people is tremendous. They have been standing outside in cold winter weather for about 36 hours as of this writing. They say that they are getting close to the check point. Please pray that they can get across the border.

Denis needs additional prayer in that he is from Belarus. Since Belarus was a staging area for Russian troops who invaded Ukraine, and since rockets were launched from Belarus which targeted Kiev, he may have problems leaving Ukraine and entering Poland. Denis is one of the best students we have ever had at the Bible college, whom I believe will become an outstanding pastor and Bible teacher.

Update: right after I finished this letter I got word that Nina and Denis and his family got across the border. What a wonderful loving Father we have. Now pray that they can find shelter, work and other things that they will need. I am sure that the Lord has a purpose for them where they are and that they will be faithful in serving Him wherever they are.

Pray also for Oleg Lozinski and his wife Natasha. Oleg is pastor of Word of God Church and now has the incredible responsibility of shepherding a flock which is literally under attack. He is tirelessly working to encourage the people, to keep tabs on the circumstances of each family, to know where they are and what needs they might have.

We just heard that there is activity and a number of deaths in the city of Brovary, which is just east of Kiev. Brovary is just a couple of miles from our house where Oleg also lives.

Tomorrow we are hoping to fly to Istanbul and then on to Houston. We will keep you posted.

What a privilege to be alive right now. To think that God has put us here at this time to be His representatives in a world gone berserk! He has entrusted us with the greatest news that could ever be broadcast – eternal life can be yours as a free gift, paid for by Jesus Christ. Just put your faith in Him and you can receive that eternal life, you can have peace with God and peace from God.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

Jim