Eastern Europe News ⁽¹⁾

At the moment of writing I am in the city of Odessa in the Ukraine. Last Sabbath (the first of two to be spent in Odessa) I endeavoured to preach to the small congregation here, where about 20 people gathered for the morning service. Besides those who regularly attend, a number were first-time visitors; others attend from time to time. This service was delayed for some time as the interpreter had been driving the congregational bus, which broke down and had to limp along for the final 6 miles of the journey. The round journey to pick up some of the people who come to the services is 25 miles and it is only possible to pick them up about once a month for the services. Within the last nine months Mr Dmitriy Levitskiy has obtained his driving licence and has undertaken to take people by bus to the meeting place. Mr Igor Zadoroshniy did this before but feels that the journey is rather much for him, so we are thankful to the Most High that Mr Levitskiy can now do this work - at least in the meantime, since the plan is for him to move to Scotland to further his general education before pursuing his specific training for the ministry.

I preached on Sabbath morning from Mark 8:34,35, and in the evening from verses 36 and 37. As is common, after the service was over, a number of people were anxious to ask questions about some doctrinal matters. There has been no real increase in the number attending the congregation, but some strangers do come from time to time. This also opens a door for the spread of more literature - for example, one person who attended yesterday is studying New Testament Greek and other subjects and was given the Westminster Confession of Faith along with the Catechisms. The spread of these excellent summaries of the doctrines of the Word of God has been helpful to others, bringing them to appreciate more deeply the doctrines of the Word; so we hope this will be case for this person also.

Tomorrow (Monday 12 July), God willing, we will meet the lawyer Mr Vladimir Popov on the building site for what should be one of our last meetings in connection with plans for building the Charity House. It was more than disappointing to discover some weeks past that the cost of the building has greatly increased. The first estimate obtained through the services of the lawyer was in the region of £45 000. It was later decided to obtain a number of estimates, which came in at about £60 000. However, a final, more detailed, costing has come to £80 000. On top of this, we have been informed, there will be tax, bringing the final total to £108 000.

In the meantime, we cannot possibly begin building - until in God's good providence, if He so wills, the amount of money will come to hand. As I said in previous reports, the building will be used to store Bibles and literature and the work of distribution will be done from there. More importantly, it will be our first official meeting place for the public worship of God; at the moment the services are in a private home, as is all the other work connected with the mission. May the Lord graciously provide through the good will of those who feel constrained to contribute to this building! "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7).

Some of the money in the Eastern Europe Fund has been set aside for printing and cannot be used on the building. Indeed, £13 000 has already been spent in the purchase of the site, plus lawyers' and architects' fees. However, the more important work at the moment is to continue with our publishing programme, for which we need much of our present funds - to print such books as the Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith by Robert Shaw and Sermons of Rev Donald Macfarlane.

We trust the Lord will countenance this small work of the gospel for the extension of His kingdom in what were formerly hard-line Communist states. However much or little we may be able to do for the spreading of the Word of God, it will never flourish apart from Him prospering it. "But God gave the increase" (1 Cor 3:5).

(Rev) D A Ross

Endnotes:
1. This article appears later than intended due to a problem in transmitting it to the Editor.