Rev Neil M Ross
About 11 o’clock on Tuesday night, May 29, I was cordially greeted at Odessa International Airport by our friends, Mr Igor Zadorozhniyy, elder, and Mr Dmytro Levytskyy, divinity student, who took me by taxi to our Mission Centre in the city. There I was warmly welcomed by the other members of the Levytskyy family into their flat on the first floor of the building. Having left home at 5.30 that morning, I was more than happy at last to settle down for the night in the visitors’ quarters, adjacent to the Mission flat.
I had expected to be accompanied by Mr Edward Ross, elder, as it was intended to have a communion season in the Odessa congregation, but on the day previous to departure he was strongly advised by his doctor not to travel. It was disappointing for us all to be unable to have a communion season, but the Lord has His own wise purposes in all His providential dealings with us. I decided to use the weekdays set apart for communion services to prepare and give some lectures on church principles.
On the Thursday after my arrival we had the usual prayer meeting in the evening, in the Mission church on the ground floor of the building, when I preached on Hebrews 4:16 to the few people present. We had much need to be at the throne of grace to commit our way to the Lord and seek His blessing on our work in the days ahead.
We spent most of Friday on the business of our Eastern Europe Field Committee. Now that all building work, including paving of the surrounding area, the boundary wall and security gates, is fully completed, the Mission compound looks good, although there is little space around the building. I was struck anew by the suitability of its location, close to where two major city thoroughfares cross. The meeting noted that Mr Zadorozhniyy continues steadily with Bible and literature distribution in Ukraine and beyond, and that Mr Levytskyy has had to rebuild the website of Odessa Free Presbyterian Church because someone had hacked into it and compromised it. The publishing of books in Russian goes on: the children’s book, Line upon Line, is now printed; The Life and Sermons of Rev Donald Macdonald is being translated and edited chapter by chapter, and we agreed to print a booklet of the completed 65 Metrical Psalms in Russian.
We also considered the Mission vehicle. Since our old and well-worn, high-mileage people carrier is now sold, and as some of our people live at a considerable distance from the church, we decided that we should purchase a new Lada hatchback car at the basic cost of about £5800.
On Sabbath we had a new visitor at the services – an elderly widow who had many intelligent questions after worship. She attended all the other services, bringing a friend on the following Sabbath, and was present at the three lectures. We look forward to the day when, God willing, a pastor will be settled over the small congregation and be permanently resident on the Mission. This will be a major factor in the development we hope for, and expect, in the congregation.
Between meeting with the people ten times in the church, and twice with the Field Committee, plus preparing for these meetings, my stay passed quickly, and departure time early in the morning of Tuesday, June 12, came round rapidly. It was a privilege to be with our people there once again. I greatly appreciated their kindness to me, especially the generous hospitality of Mr and Mrs Levytskyy, who looked after me. They all wish it to be known that they are deeply grateful to the home Church for sending out deputies, and for the support it gives in maintaining the Mission there. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (2 Th 3:1).
“God hath said”, is to faith more than if it saw all that the angels in heaven see.
Thomas Charles