Brief Conference Report

Pastor Yura, Ron and Valentin, recovered addict and prisoner

On April 16-17, MPI facilitated and participated in a leadership conference for Ukrainian pastors and church leaders of the Ukrainian Missionary Church. The conference was held in Evpatoria, Crimea, a 2500 year old town on the Black Sea. Along with Ron, Heather and Doug, was Doug's wife Gloria and Toronto pastor, Rev. David DiStaulo. The theme of the conference was "Searching for the Depths." Topics covered included, "Your Personal Life: Be fervent and faithful in prayer," "Do you love and trust me?", "8 characteristics of a healthy church," "Challenges to ministry families," and a session for women only, led by Gloria. Last year was the first time this particular union of Ukrainian churches had ever had a session specifically for women and they requested we provide such a session again this year. Family life and gender relations have recently become hot topics in Ukrainian churches, so our seminars on families and for women were very timely and we received very positive feedback.

We were also able to spend a few days getting acquainted with the church in Crimea. It is still relatively small, whereas in some places, half of the population is Muslim. Yet the church is going forward, reaching out in practical ways to show the love of Christ. We visited 2 drug rehab houses. On Sunday, one of them was packed full of people from the village for the Sunday service, and a new deacon, a former homeless drug addict, now married with a family was commissioned. Pastor Yura from Saki took us to a residential school with 148 students, most of whom had developmental or physical challenges. It is a government supported school but the buildings are old and funding is inadequate. When asked who helped the school, the director, Victoria, said, no one except Pastor Yura, and he can't say no! The church had helped with the computer room, put a new roof on part of a building, and brought Samaritan's Purse shoe boxes so each kid would have a birthday present. Specific evangelistic efforts toward the Tatar people are also being made, where we met a missionary from Siberia who is believing God for the first Tatarian church in history!

There are great needs and great opportunities in the Ukrainian church and the church in Crimea particularly. The people there are getting on with the job, believing God for the strength and resources. Although they need our help, they are not waiting for it. Although they are stretched to the limit, the Ukrainian Missionary Church sees great opportunities for mission in central Asia, where Russian is spoken and everybody likes Ukrainians (sort of like Canadians!). So much missionary effort from the West is directed to Ukraine because it is open and responsive. But the church there sees that they must not simply be a missions receiving church, they must be a sending church. It is great to work with people like that!

Click this link to see photos from the conference and trip.