Worst in Europe

In recent years, some of the highest new infection rates for HIV/AIDS has been in Russia and Ukraine. There are several reasons for this: poor (non-existent) sex education and drug use are among the top reasons. This, along with alcoholism has contributed to a high death rate, which along with a low birth rate results in declining population totals. These are very serious problems for any state, especially for those wanting to take their place among the world's leading nations.

Russia has finally begun to pay attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and is now devoting serious money to combat it. Their rate of new infections is starting to come down. But Ukraine still has a long way to go. Despite major international aid to combat the problem, Ukraine still has the highest infection rate in Europe and it is still increasing. Here is an excerpt from a report from the Kyiv Post (May 7)

Ukraine’s HIV/AIDS epidemic is a threat to Europe, according to UNAIDS, while international experts said the Ukrainian government is failing to curb the disease’s growth rate, which is the highest in Europe.

About 1.63 percent of Ukrainians, or about 756,300 citizens, were estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in 2007, up from 1.46 percent of the population in 2005, or 685,600 citizens, according to UNAIDS. The statistics only reflect official cases, while those infected is likely higher, officials said.

“The current efforts of national and local authorities, the public and donors to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS have failed to have a due impact on the epidemic,” said UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Francis O’Donnell.

The report cites inadequate implementation of the proper strategies and corruption as major factors in the failure to get the rates down. Some funding agencies have withheld funds or directed them to other, non-governmental bodies.

A lot of progress is being made in Ukraine in developing the economy. Church leaders there tell us that there is more money in Ukraine, so they have been able to fund ministry initiatives with local money that would have been impossible a few years ago. But, there are still massive social problems that seem to overwhelm the government. People are suffering and dying. The evangelical church makes a disproportionately large contribution to social welfare. For example, Pastor Valery and his union of churches with which MPI works has 25 drug rehab centres throughout the country. We are told that about half of the rehabilitants in the centres are HIV+.

Don't think that Ukraine, on the verge of joining the European Union and NATO, is like the rest of Europe in all respects.

You can read the full news report from the Kyiv Post here, until they archive it.

Hungry People

Food has become a newsworthy topic of late. Although we can grow enough food to feed everybody on the planet, there is a distribution problem and frankly, some of us waste a lot of it. The bitterly ironic thing about food is that while some people are dying for lack of it, here in North America some people are dying from too much of it.

CBC Television featured a story last night about a Canadian family attempting to live for 3 days on rations the UN distributes to hungry people. It is interesting, to say the least. You can watch it here.

As it happens, April and May are the months of MPI's food campaign. We support several ministries that have at least some component of feeding people and that is what we are raising funds for. For example, MPI is committed to $6000 per year towards the food budget at Children's Hope Orphanage in Kiev. Check our recent newsletter for some insightful information about what people live on in Ukraine.

You can contribute to our food campaign at http://www.missionpartners.org/donate.html

Is God to Blame?

The title of this entry is the title of a book by Gregory Boyd, published by Inter-Varsity. The introductory chapter is published in Mission Frontiers Magazine (well worth reading!). The book challenges the theology that says all things, both good and bad, come from God: if something bad happens to you, you must receive it as from God and try to figure out the lesson God intends you to learn. Instead of this fatalistic perspective, Boyd asserts a Christological understanding of God. That is, Jesus is the fullest revelation of God that we have, and whenever he met suffering people, he helped them.

Working in missions, one is constantly confronted with the problem of suffering. Its as simple as this: where you are born will largely determine how long you will live, and how healthily. North American popular theology likes to say that God has a wonderful plan for your life. Easy to say when you have everything! Think about it: God created humankind, and until say, the last 100 years or so, infant mortality was high, maternal mortality was high, childhood diseases took at least one child from most families, and the average life expectancy was somewhere in the 40s. And those conditions still exist in many parts of the world. So, yes, God loves us, but that love is not simply expressed in solving all our problems and making life as comfortable as possible.

Boyd is on to something. Jesus came to a suffering world and suffered with us. God neither sends evil or ignores the human plight. The calamity on creation that sin wreaks is still with us. Jesus shows that that is not God's desire. His presence is remedial and redemptive. But, we still live in that broken world. Believers are called to live out the life of Jesus - to be agents of redemption and restoration. Christian faith is not about living in comfort and blessing (although God graciously gives those) but to find and help suffering people. We may not be able to help everybody, but we can help some. God deserve the credit, not the blame!

Garbage In, Garbage Out

With all the talk of the environment and the necessity of 'going green,' most of us are aware that we need to change how we live. This weekend features 'Earth Day' when we are all supposed to turn off all the lights for an hour, or something like that. I don't mean to be flippant about it - just ask my daughter how I chase her around the house turning off the lights she constantly leaves on. No question about it: we are consuming way too many precious natural resources and we all need to simply and reduce our consumption. It needs to start with you and me.

But we also need to re-do our whole economic system. Right now, in our warehouse, we have clothes that were made in China, shipped to Canada, and when they did not sell in the proper season, were about to be thrown out if not for some intrepid donors who either purchased them for next to nothing or literally rescued them from the dumpster. Now they await shipping halfway back to China, to some needy family somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Think of the energy costs to produce what in effect were excess goods and then transport them around the world to end up in landfill, there to decompose over the next several decades. Crazy! Unfortunately, organizations like MPI are able to rescue only a fraction of perfectly good items from being thrown out. And we have not even started talking about food, some of which has passed an arbitrary best-before date but which is perfectly good and certainly better than what about a billion people are going to eat tonight.

In a society where people are known as 'consumers,' we are going to have to change. We will have to live with less, so it is better to get used to it voluntarily. But that opens up possibilities to be rich in all kinds of ways we have neglected, in things that really matter, simple things, like relationships with God and people. Taking out the garbage leaves room for other things.

Happy Easter

Easter is here already! Somehow, with snow still on the ground, it does not feel like Passion Week. But then, Good Friday comes before Resurrection morning. Not the way we usually think of it: death before life. But, Jesus did say, he who wishes to find his life must lose it. Nothing was ever the same after Easter. Life has new meaning. The open grave means the possibilities are unlimited for those who know God's power.

From all of us at MPI, we trust you have a blessed Easter. In order to enjoy a long weekend, when so many of our weekends are taken up with ministry, the office will be closed not only on Good Friday but on Easter Monday as well. After that, it is less than 3 weeks until our next overseas trip. I think it is already spring in Ukraine!

The Love of What?

My daughter works part-time at a bank while she attends university. Recently she had a performance review, during which her supervisor asked her what she was studying. She answered, 'Fine Arts,' (it is actually cultural studies from a fine arts perspective - she considers Africa, where she spent many of her formative years to be home), but her supervisor, whose first language is not English, must have heard, 'Finance,' because she immediately began advising Diane to think about getting into the wealth management division, where you can make serious money. Finally, Diane told her she wasn't interested in that sort of thing, and in response to the question of what she was interested in doing, she answered, 'Humanitarian Aid.' "Oh," her supervisor said, "you are not interested in making money."

Interesting conversation, given recent events. It was people in the banking sector, wanting to make lots of money that have recently brought all kinds of ruin. People are losing homes, many of whom could never afford to pay for one anyway, but now credit is being squeezed so that legitimate businesses and individuals can't get what they need. Think how much shareholder value was erased just from one company, Bear Stearns, which was sold over the weekend for just $2 per share. Apparently there is more to come.

The Bible says love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and that those who love money fall into many foolish traps. Of course, it takes money to live and poverty can be soul destroying. But by now, in the rich West we should have learned that wealth can be soul destroying, too. Quite literally, our wealth is killing us: bored kids who already have everything blowing their minds with drugs; out of control consumption of the earth's resources polluting the environment so that we cannot safely enjoy a summer day; families so busy working and playing with all their toys there is no time to get to know and enjoy one another; life expectancy for the first time projected to go down because of unhealthy lifestyle choices; billions spent on pet food while people in our own communities depend on food banks. I could go on ...

Thankfully, some people get it. The secret of happiness is not in getting, but in giving. Joy comes in serving, not consuming. The life that is remembered is the life that is invested in others. Easter surely serves as a great counterpoint to current events. In losing his life, Jesus conquered death for all. That's our model. I'm pleased with my daughter's values. She can make a bigger impact with her life eradicating poverty than in amassing a fortune. It might be a challenge for her co-workers to understand her, but deep down, many of them wish they could get out of the rat race and do something meaningful. I know, because people say that to me all the time. They just need the courage, or faith, to begin.

Fear Not!

Have you noticed how much of our culture is now built around fear? Things we formerly took no notice of are now too dangerous to touch! Promos for the upcoming nightly news shows almost always have some tidbit designed to create fear to entice you to watch. One of the most hilarious ones I saw recently went something like this, "Why your big screen TV is already obsolete!" I guess nothing too drastic happened in the world that day if the only thing they could come up with is that somebody else has a better gadget than you, if you have it at all (I don't).

To be sure, some things we did in the past were not all that safe. My father's first car had two doors, a front seat that flopped forward, and no seat belts. It was great fun to stand up and wait for the application of the brakes to throw you over the seat back. I've ridden in the back of pick-up trucks, walked a mile and a half to grade one by myself, and stood on the side of the road watching the approaching school bus slide toward me on a pure sheet of ice. Not good. Some things were not safe and I guess we were just too dumb to know it!

But wow, has the pendulum ever swung. Whole industries have sprung up to both create fear and then relieve us of it. If you listened to it all, you really would go crazy. Of course, the world is a dangerous place and eventually something really will kill you. But we have to live and sometimes the measures we take to reduce risk actually increase vulnerability. Our youngest daughter was born in Africa, and it was only natural to wonder how her health might be effected growing up in the developing world. Turns out, she is remarkably healthy, with no discernible allergies. Research shows that living in too clean a world prevents the body's immune system from developing as it should. Caution is killing us!

So, bring on life, and all its risks and rewards. I don't mean to do stupid or unnecessarily risky things. But, let's not live in fear. The Bible says, love casts out fear. If we believe God loves us, and we trust him, we can get on with life without fear. Even if that means traveling to 'dangerous' places, eating less than pristine food and living in 'dirty' conditions. What is life for, anyway? To live in a safe little bubble with no risk or reward?

I think it was Tony Campolo who said, "Missions is dangerous, but everything else is boring." Right on! But, it is OK to fear snakes.

Let me count the ways

This weekend is MissionFest Toronto. From Thursday evening to Saturday night, at the Toronto Congress Centre on Dixon Rd., MissionFest is a showcase of the variety of ministries that all aim to serve the Church and reach the world with the Gospel. About 350 exhibitors will be there. Think of it as a Gospel trade show. The unvaried reaction of first-timers is that they are overwhelmed. Most people have no idea that there are so many different missions and ministries. From every corner of the world to every approach imaginable, somebody, somewhere has a passion to do something for God that you have probably never even thought about.

There are MissionFests across the country. MPI tries to attend two each year. This year we were in Winnipeg (where the welcome is warmer than the weather) and will be in Toronto. We go to connect with existing supporters, and hopefully find some new ones. Out of all the conversations, usually one or two stand out as being particularly penetrating. You just never know which conversation you strike up during the long days on your feet, that God will use to change the direction of a life. For example, in Winnipeg, Wayde had a good chat with a young couple. The next day, they returned, just before the exhibits closed. The young man said he could not stop thinking about what Wayde had said. They chatted further, and we left them in God's hands.

We also go looking for a couple of other things. One, we look for other good ideas, some that we might use and some that are just inspiring. In Winnipeg we saw the world's first wind up digitial MP3 player, designed to play a Bible reading or Gospel story for oral learners in rural areas without electricity. It was pretty cool. Sometimes we have found ideas that we have been able to adapt and use ourselves. And, we like to think that we have one or two ideas of our own that others go home to use.

Networking is another aspect of MissionFest. Some missions work in the same part of the world and perhaps we can find ways to help each other (MPI's warehouse of new humanitarian aid is one of our tools for that). Other missions produce resources that we can use to bless our overseas partners. It is amazing what is out there!

You meet the neatest people in missions. They have passion, they have traveled, they have seen and done things most people never dream. We get inspired ourselves by hanging around with these folks. You will, too. Check out www.missionfest.org and if you are within driving distance of the GTA, drop in at the MPI booth.

How to change everything in two weeks

Clicking on the title above will take you to an article by Peter Bush, published in Faith Today, entitled 'Two Weeks Overseas.' There he points out that something like $300 million dollars are spent yearly by Canadians participating on short term missions trips. That's a lot of money! That much money spent on anything is bound to raise questions. In this case, the main one is, 'Is it worth it?'

MPI believes it is, if the short term mission experience is well planned and actually engages in meaningful ministry. As the article points out, although building-project teams are popular because they leave the participants with the sense of having achieved something, even more important is relationship building. Last year MPI helped a church based team go to a restricted country. Their feedback: 'the people there are starving for fellowship; they just want us.' What price can you put on a relationship?

The article also makes another point that MPI likes to emphasize. Missions is not simply one program among a church's many others. Done properly, it will propel all other ministry. For example, as a result of doing short term missions, members of one church came home and started asking, 'Who has the same needs in our own community.' Focus and drive for local ministry comes from missions and one of the best ways to get those is by going on a short term team.

It is not too late for this year's teams. MPI has one going to Kiev in June and another to St. Petersburg in October. Information, including application forms is on the website. I encourage you to read the full article, think and pray about it, and then get involved. If you can't go yourself, help someone else to go. There is nothing else like two weeks overseas!

Only the Christians care

A couple of weeks ago, Wayde and Doug attended MissionFest Manitoba, where we were repeatedly asked, 'So, what does Mission Partners do?' Good question. We do a lot of things - help support a drug rehab centre, an orphanage, a prison outreach ministry, collect and send humanitarian aid, assist with leadership development and work with a camping ministry. Its a mouthful! But at the basis of it all, the core of what MPI does is expressed on the sign outside our office in London - 'A Christian Humanitarian Aid Agency.'

Seventy years of communism eroded family life and any remaining social civilities were shattered by its collapse as people tried to adjust to new realities without any preparation. There is almost no middle class in some countries, although some, like Ukraine, have hopeful signs. The weakest are always most vulnerable - the elderly, the infirm, children, single mothers. Even with all the resources we have in Canada, we struggle to keep these people from falling into destructive cycles of poverty, addiction and abuse. There is almost no safety net in the former Soviet Union.

Consequently, there are many suffering people, and it is those people churches focus on to demonstrate that evangelical Christianity is not some foreign cult trying to steal the Slavic soul. Rather, real love and compassion is demonstrated as needy, hurting people are cared for. Go there and you will hear the repeated refrain, 'No one cared for me, only Christians.'

For a long time in our affluent Western church, we thought the business of the church was simply evangelism and we frowned on more holistic approaches to ministry that attempted to meet physical as well as spiritual needs. To be sure, it can be difficult to maintain a balance between the two approaches, but recently Western Christians have become more aware that the Bible says true religion visits the widow and that a cup of water given in Jesus name is received by Jesus himself. God created bodies as well as souls and we are to love both. So, MPI reaches out to people, through our national ministry partners, by attempting to meet physical needs so that the Gospel can not only be shared, but heard.

If we judge by how many people knit and sew and quilt for the poor, many folks understand this. A good article in Mission Frontiers magazine by Steve Saint, expressed his change in understanding. If you love people in tangible ways, they will receive it as from God. Click the title of this blog entry to go read the article (then click on 'Social Action and Evangelism: They don't compete'). Then do something!

In the News

MPI works with a Canadian church to sponsor a new church plant in Crimea, and in April, will be facilitating a Leadership Conference in Crimea for about 120 Ukrainian pastors and workers. Crimea is an autonomous republic in Ukraine and is quite different than the rest of the country. Now its population is predominately of Russian background. It has a remarkable number of Jews and prior to WWII had even more. It is also the area in which many Tatars settled. As the following article from this week's Kiev Post indicates, there are tensions around this largely Muslim group. Pastors there have told MPI that they feel that unless the Gospel makes significant inroads quickly, Crimea could become the next Chechnya, ie. site of open ethnic and political violence.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Unidentified assailants have vandalized a Tatar cemetery on Ukraine's Black Sea Crimea peninsula, destroying more than 200 grave stones and raising new tensions in the multiethnic region, authorities said Monday.

The vandalism happened in the early hours of Sunday in Nyzhnyohirsky, a village in the center of the peninsula, Crimean police spokesman Olexander Dombrovsky said.

The attackers killed a dog that was guarding the graves, and smashed the memorial stones with what appeared to be a giant hammer, Dombrovsky said.

Tensions between Muslim Tatars - a Turkic ethnic group - and ethnic Ukrainians and Russians persist in the Crimea.

The deputy head of the Tatar community organization urged authorities to investigate the cemetery's desecration, saying it could have been an attempt to stir up ethnic tensions. "The situation is very tense here," Remzi Ilyasov said. "It seems that someone is deliberately trying to destabilize the situation in the Crimea."

In 1944, the Tatar population of Crimea was deported en masse on the orders of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, who accused them of collaborating with the Nazis. Many have returned since the 1991 Soviet collapse, seeking to regain ownership of their property and sometimes clashing with other residents over land and housing rights.

You can see a video from a pastor in Crimea on our Video Page

Life and death for $5

The following report was written by John Norquay, who coordinates the Mercy Ministry in Kyrgyzstan. It shows the realities missionaries face and raises the question of what would we be like if our comfortable circumstances changed.

Shopping in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan certainly isn't like it is back home in Canada. In the bazaar in Tokmok, it is really quite unpleasant in mid December. The cold, the wind, the icy pathways make shopping something to be avoided as much as possible during winter months. However work doesn't go on hold for the winter, in fact it is a more desperate endeavor than other times of the year. The needs of some of our clients can become life threatening and with a limited budget and prices much higher, it is critical to make sure that everything is purchased as inexpensively as possible.

With this in mind, I sure didn't appreciate the rude attendant who apparently couldn't activate my phone card. So, while trudging through the bazaar, I was surprised to hear the phone chiming to tell me that time had been deposited on account.

Knowing how far I had to return to pay for the card, how unpleasant the attendant had been, how cold it was, I was sorely tempted not to bother returning. This, though tempting, wasn't really an option as I was raised to live by Christian values and one of them is honesty.
When I returned and showed the young girl my phone and handed her the money, I was rewarded by a smile that was worth so much more than the 215 som (about $5) that the card cost me.

On reflection, I thought that the value of the card could well have been the girl's salary for the day, and with the hand to mouth existence of so many here, most would not have returned to pay for the time. This is not meant as a critique on the honesty of the people here, as even in Canada so many people would not have returned. The big difference is that here, that money could be the question of survival. It is a sad reflection that here honesty can be a decision between values and survival. It is my hope that the work that we do here, and that is supported by kind donors in Canada, can help to reduce the suffering and make it easier for people to chose morals without need to worry about their existence.

Camping Anyone?

MPI helps to support a Christian camping ministry in Minsk, Belarus. Last year, Andrei Shaitar, chairman of Together Camping Ministry executive committee was in Canada for a month, during which time we raised money to purchase a bus for the ministry. You can see pictures of his trip under the Pictures link on our home page. For the third year, MPI has provided a financial subsidy to send the camp team to a leadership seminar in St. Petersburg, Russia by Christian Camping International. This provides inspiration, training, networking and friendship. This year's seminar is taking place now. Here are some comments from last year's participants:

On behalf of all members of our team I want to say big thank you for your financial support to go to the Christian Camping conference to St. Petersburg. We divided all money between 6 team members who went to the conference. Everyone was very blessed and happy to have such opportunity to go to the conference.

The Conference program was designed for Christian Camp Directors, Camp Program Leaders, Spiritual Counselors and Camp Speakers. There were pastors and youth leaders of churches running camps or willing to become familiar with this ministry. We’ve met many new people who do the same work as we do. We got new contacts and new ideas. Now we know many people from different places personally and it makes much easier to organize camps in different places.

Such conferences help you to look at yourself from different perspective. It helps you to think unusual, extraordinary. It helps to picture yourself in different situations and to look on situations that had happened in your camp from different point of view. I was very blessed by sharing our experience and learning people’s experience. I believe it will help us to avoid some mistakes in the future.

- Andrei Shaitar, Committee Chairman

Thank you very much for your support. For me the fact that you care about us, that you are not indifferent to our situation is a great encouragement already. You are great people of faith and for me it is a privilege to know you. During the conference I got invaluable experience and knowledge and if we apply even half of it, our camps will be much more effective. Please pray for us that we can carry out our own seminars and we are waiting for you to come and visit us this spring.

- Igor Biskupski, Building Committee Chairman

Hallo, My name is Galina. Thank you very much for your support. Every day at this conference was very special for me. I received many answers to my questions. I’ve extended my knowledge and gained new experience. I’ve never dreamt to go to such a significant conference and it was a great blessing for me. I’ve understood how I can be more effective in our camps. I don’t know you personally, but from what Andrei says, you are very kind people with a big heart wanting to help others. I praise God for you and send my big hug to all you.
- Galina Lukaschuk, Team Member

MPI is the camping ministry's only external support. Pray for the team as they attend this year's seminar.

Letters from prison

MPI works with a prison outreach ministry in Ukraine. The director, Sasha, himself was in prison for over 22 years before God changed his heart. Now he and his wife, Tanya, minister in 11 prisons. Each prison has its own prisoner-pastor. Here is a letter from one of them, from the invalid prison.

Peace and grace be with you our brothers and sisters in Christ! Hello brother Sasha and sister Tanya!

First of all on behalf of our church let me tell you a huge “THANKS” for help, care that you always show to us. All glory be to God, we are worthless slaves and God can show His glory only when we are obedient. Amen! May you always be obedient children of His. The authority of the church has risen high. Guess why? Everyone in prison knew about the wheelchair that you brought me and rejoiced. Now is the time when nobody needs nobody, crime is everywhere, that’s why people don’t have a reason to believe in something good, that’s why love has cooled down. Believers here (like probably in any other places) are considered to be pretenders. To be crippled is a real thing. Everybody can see that. I became an object of pilgrimage. Everybody is interested in me. For the world it is the most powerful testimony about the reality of God.

What happens in our church doesn’t happen in other churches. It is unique. God willing, very soon we will start planed outreach services for the whole prison. Please, pray for this need. Also pray for unity among us and that we will have a strong team. Satan is nothing. Jesus overcame him once and forever. Here in the prison Jesus will have victory. We have a vision of 500 saved people in the prison. May the Lord give us strength to fulfil what He has intended for us, amen. There are no irreplaceable people, because God will do His work whether we partake in it or not. Good servant gets bigger reward.

I am sick right now, but nothing serious, just flu. Satan is attacking on a physical level (remember Job). But we are aware of his intentions. The confession of faith written in Habakkuk 3:17-19 is very close to my spirit. The Lord is beginning something new here. Today we started fixing up a summer stage. I think it will be used for us. We are praying for God to arrange for you to come here on Easter with a band and evangelical program. Tomorrow we have church service. I think there will be many new people and many saved souls. Pray for me, please. It is hard for me to be here, many people curse at me, but in spite of that the church is growing. May the love, joy and grace of our God grow in you.

With love in Christ.
Prison #45 Church “Praise”
Michael.

You can see 2 videos of former prisoners under the MPI Video link on our home page.

First Steps in Missions Work

One of the ministries that MPI helps to support is the ministry to the deaf in Ukraine through Christian Hope Church, Keiv. Pastor Natasha is a passionate, determined woman who leads the ministry. As it happens, London, ON, where MPI is based, has a significant deaf training facility, and one of our supporting churches hosts a deaf church, Royal View Deaf Church. Pastor Joe Coreno and his congregation have provided support for the past few years to enable deaf ministers in Ukraine to meet for a conference. We rarely talk about this part of our work, but it is an exciting partnership that is rare (and therefore fun!). Following is a brief testimony by a young man who is called to deaf ministry. We trust it will give you a new insight into the breadth of ministry MPI is involved with overseas.


By Vitaly Zvarich

It is not by coincidence that I started attending the missionary training school at Christian Hope Church. It is the pre-determined will of God. Among existing ministries for the Deaf, there are no focused missionary efforts to reach the Deaf in smaller towns and even in some larger cities.

The Lord has sent me to this missionary training school in order to learn and to begin to spread the Word to deaf people living in remote areas of our country. While at the school, the Lord has been revealing His specific will for me in this direction. Although the work will not be easy, the Lord Himself will be doing it through me.

I have finished my first semester of study, and I'm greatly encouraged and built up. At first I felt uneasy being the only deaf person among the hearing students, but by the end of the semester I blended right in. I have learned a lot of a new things. I learned how vast and all-encompassing the will of God is for the spreading of the Gospel through targeted missions efforts (my research).

Soon my second semester will start. May the Lord give me a lot of patience and a big heart as I study. Please pray for me!

Something to think about

My brother-in-law sent me an interesting article to read yesterday. Its author lives in London, England and he started off by saying how expensive real estate there is. The reason he gave was that he lived close to the 'City' by which he meant the financial centre. Of course, London is one of the world's great centres of stock trading, insurance and other financial instruments. People who work in the 'City' are paid very well - and then they get year end bonuses. The author spoke of one of his neighbours, a nice guy, who like everybody else, complained about prices. But then he let it slip that his new house on the sun drenched coast of Portugal cost over a million pounds. All that money as reward for what? This neighbour and others like him, do not build factories, employ people, add value to the world. They simply get in other others' pieces of the action and take a slice of it. And they are the same people who are responsible for the global credit crunch in which billions of dollars have been lost. No one knows how bad the damage is because everything was cleverly hidden so that more transactions generated more trading which brings fatter bonuses.

As I read the article, I could help but reflect on the contrast with the people who typically support this ministry and others like it. They often have little - but give generously. How often we hear someone say, I wish I had more to give - and you know they mean they would give it. It is these people who change the world, one miracle at a time. They add value by taking their time, talent and money and using it to help others. The child who is rescued off the street, the drug addict who is saved, the prisoner who is renewed - that is genuine value.

Our culture likes to celebrate excess and envy wealth. So sad. Now that Christmas is past, it will be a while before we hear any more stories about selfless generousity. We at MPI love working with people, whether they have little or much in life, who know that the only thing you can take with you out of life is the lives you touch. All year long, when nobody is watching. Except God.

Merry Christmas

Ron and Heather have returned safely from their two week trip to Ukraine. This is a trip they always look forward to. Somehow, sharing at Christmastime what God has given MPI is extra meaningful! Buying food for the winter for the home-based orphanage association in Dneperpetrovsk, or gifts for all the kids in Children's Hope Orphanage is not only great fun, they really make a difference for people. In doing so, we are always mindful of people who worked and gave generously from their hearts. Those of us in the middle who pass the gifts on get the fun, but those who give in the first place get the credit.

With just a few days left until the end of the year, the MPI office will slow down for a few days. Each of us will be taking a little extra time off for rest and time with our families. Missions work always means at least some time away from loved ones, so we take the opportunity to relax and visit when we can. We look forward to January, which promises to begin another busy year. Yesterday Wayde got word of 9 skids of polo shirts waiting for us in Montreal. That's 3000 shirts, all needing to be re-packed and shipped. Almost matches our 4000 pairs of socks!

From all of us at MPI, we pray you have a blessed and happy Christmas. May you enjoy peace and bring peace in the year ahead.

What's it like?

We often are asked what it is like in the former Soviet Union. If the question relates to the political climate and civil and religious liberties, the answer is, it depends. Each country is forging its own way. For example, in the countries in which MPI is presently engaged, major political events have recently transpired in each of them.

Krygyzstan recently had parliamentary elections. The governing party won all the seats, admid widespread allegations by election monitors and others of vote rigging and fraud. In 2005 a popular uprising forced the previous president to resign. The present president then took office and seems determined to prevent anything similar from happening again. In contrast, Ukraine held early parliamentary elections at the end of September. It has taken until this week for the new prime minister to be confirmed. This was Ukraine's third consecutive election in which it is recognized that the will of the people was more or less fairly expressed. The new government has a one vote majority, so political paralysis of some sort is almost guaranteed, especially considering that the prime minister was dismissed by the president after only 8 months following the Orange Revolution in 2004 that brought them to power. But Ukraine's economy seems to keep functioning and it remains probably the most free in terms of civil and religious rights.

Russia also just completed parliamentary elections and the president's party won an overwhelming majority of the seats, so much so, that the government has almost unrestricted power, including the ability to amend the constitution. President Putin, who constitutionally must step down next May, has agreed to serve as the new prime minister. Commentators suggest that the Russian political system is now a combination of political power a la Soviet Union with the business oligarchy created under Yeltsin. One gets the feeling that Russia is closing in on itself. Then, last week, Putin met with the president of Belarus to revive the idea of the federation of the two countries. Belarus is now virtually a dictatorship. The presidental election in 2006 was not free or fair. Its closest friends are Iran and Venezuela. It is widely thought that the idea of federation would be to allow one of the presidents to circumvent term limits and continue on in power. Which president is an interesting question!

So, the social and political questions in each country are unique and complex. The Church must work under a variety of less than ideal circumstances - just as it has throughout most of history. MPI certainly does not involve itself in political issues but we must be aware of the conditions in which each of our partners must live and work. Understanding all of that is quite a challenge!

Jesus still says, "Go!"

Each year MPI leads several teams of volunteers on a short term mission trip, usually two weeks. If you ever wondered why people go on a short term trip, or if it is not better to just send the money, you'll want to read Victor Cassells' article in the January newsletter in a couple of weeks. In it he reflects on the things that would never happen if everybody just stayed home. It takes more than money to touch lives. Often, for people living in difficult situations, the thought that a North American, who has everything and is comfortable, would take the trouble and expense to go to see them in their place and to share with them is of tremendous value. There is no substitute for presence! And that presence works both ways. The first time you go on a missions trip, you go thinking you will try to help. But you soon find out that you come home with more than you gave. Your life is changed, usually forever. Not only can you never again comfortably live in your luxurious cocoon but you discover that the little you can do means much and everybody can do something to make the world a better place.

This morning in the mail an envelope arrived from one of our recent team members. In it were several cheques. The story of the trip had been shared and people gave money to help - because they heard from someone they knew and trusted - who had seen it for themselves. In the envelope were funds to go over right away for a project and there were funds toward the 2008 trip. You see, going on a missions trip actually results in more, not less, money for missions. Why? Because hearts are changed, passion is engendered, stories are told. Isn't that what God did at Christmas? He sent his Son - and nothing was the same ever since.

You Just Never Know!

We find ourselves often saying around the office the phrase, "you just never know." Sometimes we use it ironically, but often it has more to do with the unpredicatable and fun things that happen in missions. Doug's wife Gloria was inspired one morning over breakfast and wrote this poem that says a little of what its like to be part of a ministry like MPI. Let us know if it speaks to you!

"Because You Just Never Know"

by Gloria Whitelaw

Because you just never know
What will come through the door!
Brought by ladies and men
We’ve never seen before!
Dentist chairs and sewing machines
Bikes, wheelchairs and more
Because you just never know
What will come through the door!

Because you just never know
What will come in the mail!
Blankets, hats and mittens
Knit by fingers so frail!
Handmade socks and quilts
Rabbits, cats , dogs with a tail
Because you just never know
What will come in the mail!

Because you just never know
What will come over the phone!
Hundreds of dollars from folks
Who are home all alone.
They haven’t given in ages , they say
In tears, you can tell, by their tone
Because you just never know
What will come over the phone!

Because you just never know
Who will go on a trip!
Some who’ve hardly ever travelled
By bus, plane or ship!
Young or old, ladies and men
With cameras and phones on their hip
Because you just never know
Who will go on a trip!

Because you just never know
What God has in store!
A mission full of miracles
"God Moments" and more
Circumstances and coincidences
That leave our jaws on the floor!
Because you just never know
What God has in store!

A Prisoner's testimony

MPI supports a prison ministry outreach in Ukraine. The director, Sasha, himself a prisoner for 22 years and his wife, Tanya, visit area prisons to establish and nurture congregations inside the prisons. You can see video testimonies of a couple of ex-prisoners on our Video page.

Here is a brief testimony of Arkady, of Disabled Persons Prison 45.

I'm 29 years old, and first came to Jesus in 1992, but did not want to live according to His commandments. In 2003 I came to this prison, and my faith was strengthened, in that I saw and was amazed by these people with all kinds of physical limitations, in a hurry to meet with the Lord in the prayer room, to give Him glory. Our brothers serve at the medical department. They help ones who have no one to turn to, except God. Many of our brothers are discovering character traits that are most wonderful, qualities of which they never thought or dreamed of, now they believe with a holy faith and thank the Lord Jesus Christ. After receiving water baptism, many of our brothers have been set free from bad habits (smoking, swearing), have received healing, and also salvation. For example, my brother Anatoly left this world and went to be with the Lord painlessly, pure and happy. I was personally the one who carried him to his water baptism, with faith he received baptism and is now saved. Praise be to Jesus, for pulling us out of the jaws of Satan.

You can read more about Sasha and the prison ministry in our Projects section. If you would like to help support the Prison Outreach ministry, please visit our Donate Now page.

Still searching for Christmas gifts?

Christmas is less than 3 weeks away! Still searching for a gift for someone who has everything? Why not give a gift that lasts? One that is in the same spirit as God's gift to humankind on the first Christmas. Consider donating to MPI in the name of your loved one. Any amount can be designated towards any of MPI's projects. We will provide a card to give to your friend or loved one that specifies what the gift in their name will be used for. Call us at 1-877-551-5525 for more information or to donate by credit card. You can also donate securely online via CanadaHelps from our Donate Now page.

Give a gift that lasts. A gift that will change a life. Give an MPI Gift Card. Everyone wins! A 2007 tax receipt will be issued for all gifts received by Dec. 31.

Something different

Yesterday we completed a different kind of project. Most of MPI's work reaches out to the disadvantaged - drug addicts, orphans & street kids, shut-ins, prisoners, etc. Unfortunately, there is very little government help for these people in the former Soviet Union. Only Christians seem to care, and while the needs can seem overwhelming relative to the resources the Church has, those who are helped take their place as productive members of society. One pastor told us his number one source of new church planters are those who complete his drug rehabilitation program. It is not far fetched to think that a rescued kid, educated with love by a dedicated Christian teacher will someday lead his country. It happens!

But this project focussed on the other end of the social spectrum. Earlier this year MPI was approached by a Canadian university professor who has been helping develop a private university in Russia. He was looking for a partner to help move the relationship to a new level. A Russian professor, who had been a Soviet dissident and became a world-class scholar in France had died. His daughter wished to donate his unique collection of books to the European University at St. Petersburg. Could we help? It was something new to MPI, but Wayde plunged in. After many calls and much correspondance (most of the library was in Paris, France), the books are now in Russia, on their way to the university. While in St. Petersburg with his short-term team in October, Wayde visited the university and has been invited to the grand opening of the new collection next June, when MPI will be publicly thanked for its role.

If societies such as those in the former Soviet Union are to overcome the challenges they face, such as corruption, the erosion of civil rights and poverty, a new kind of leadership is required. By working with those at the top levels of society, those who will take significant places of leadership, there is the opportunity to develop those new leaders. If you want to get to the bottom of a problem, sometimes you have to start at the top. MPI is grateful for these new relationships with significant leaders. It will be interesting to see where God takes us with them.

Get Connected

Do you Facebook? Then join the MPI group, administered by Marilyn Crewe (MPI's office manager). It's a great way to connect with others who are interested in what we do or who have in some way been touched by this ministry. Re-connect with those who were on your mission team. See pictures and share stories. Receive notices of MPI news or notice of a new video posting. Let us know what you are doing. All the things Facebook is good at. Now with MPI.

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