Through your prayers and giving, you are our partners in proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that we would continue to do so with all boldness and without hindrance!
Zhytomyrs’ka Oblast is a province of northern Ukraine, and one of particularly great spiritual need, with at most 0.5% people who are professing Protestant Christians. In the north of the oblast is Sushky, where Vadym Kuchinskyy, with his wife Yana and three children, is faithfully working to plant churches in a cluster of villages, starting with Open Bible Ukrainian Biblical Church in their own village.
Life in these villages is one of poverty. After trying to manage full-time ministry, Vadym took a job drilling holes and packing explosives at a granite quarry to provide for his family. The quarry recently became insolvent and has not paid Vadym for three months, so a few weeks ago he began working as an ambulance driver for much less. But Vadym also perseveres in evangelism, helping his community with their needs, pastoring the local church, and preaching and teaching in other churches and house groups across the province.
Vadym and Yana used to crowd people into their small house, but thanks to a gift several years ago, they were able to buy a dilapidated house which slowly they have been repairing and remodelling to be a church meeting place. They now have a suitable main hall that they use each week, but it is flanked by two seriously decayed rooms, lacking heat and electricity. They have not let that hold them back: they continue to both “go and tell” the gospel in their community, and invite people to “come and see” the gospel at work in the church gatherings. God will provide, and he is already doing so.
In early 2019, Vadym heard about Ryan King and work he was doing to train church planters and pastors with Grace Baptists in Europe in another oblast. Vadym and Ryan began corresponding and calling each other occasionally. Later in the year, Ryan and his wife Uliana - herself a native of Ukraine - went to visit them and shortly thereafter, at the beginning of 2020, Grace Baptist Church Wood Green committed to providing monthly support for the work there. Through this, practical needs of the church continue to be met: not least, new windows and doors have been installed. This may sound quite unspiritual to some, but facing -24C temperatures in the winter in an inadequately heated, draughty building can be a stumbling block to people hearing the gospel. They have also recently been able to organise technology for livestreamed services that have been especially useful in reaching people who wouldn’t normally attend services, or who cannot because of deep snow. The church is growing and developing, and looking to plant in other villages. Though there is much that could make them afraid, they are bold. Though there is much that would stand in their way, they are unhindered.
Pray for the effective evangelisation of Sushky, especially for efforts in the lead up to Easter, and for people to repent of sin and trust in Jesus Christ.
Pray that plans to begin services in other villages, Ushomyr and Hulyanka, will succeed and result in churches being planted.
Pray that God would supply for every need of the Kuchinskyy family and the church.
You can make a gift to Grace Baptist Partnership and the ongoing work of leadership training, church planting and revitalisation, using this link: Donate | Grace Baptist Partnership.
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