Rev D A Ross
For a number of reasons, the communion season in Odessa was put back from June to July / August, but then had to be delayed further because of political unrest in the Ukraine and eventually armed conflict. The plan was that Rev Wilfred Weale would, along with Mr Edward Ross, go to Odessa at this time, and attend also to other activities connected with the Mission. On the advice of the people in the Odessa congregation we have had to cancel this engagement.
As one can imagine, the present situation is causing difficulties, not least in relation to travel. Mr Dmytro Levitskyy, who has now finished his divinity course, was unable to attend the Western Presbytery in June and is hoping he may be able to attend the next Presbytery meeting in September. The advice given by the Government is that travel should be restricted as much as possible and that it is expedient to be indoors after 6 pm.
Kiev, Ukraine’s capital city, is where the unrest began and fighting in the east of the Ukraine is particularly serious. To obtain a visa to visit Britain, Mr Levitskyy has to attend the British Embassy in Kiev a number of times.
The distance from Odessa is about 300 miles and safe travelling cannot be guaranteed. Not a day passes but there are reports of one, perhaps two or three, violent deaths in Kiev – mostly, it seems, by criminal gangs. In these circumstances it is not advisable for Mr Levitskyy to travel. However, in the good providence of the Lord, a way round this difficulty may be found; we trust that Mr Levitskyy will not have to wait indefinitely for a visa.
Another problem in the Ukraine, not only for our people but the whole of the country is that Russia has cut off the gas supply, due to the enormous Ukrainian debts. While the country is coping during the summer months, it is inevitable that, come winter, conditions are going to be rather difficult. Heating the Mission property has been entirely dependent on gas and electricity. The Government has advised the people to take measures to prevent hardship, and both Mr Igor Zadorozhnyy and Mr Levitskyy have purchased convector wood burners, two for the Mission building and one for Mr Zadorozhnyy’s home. We intend to help in the purchase of these. The men are able to install the wood stoves themselves, which will be a large cost saving.
The great fear among our people is that the conflict will continue and matters will become increasingly worse. This would inevitably affect every section of society and one cannot but fear that it may touch our small group in Odessa. Mr Zadorozhnyy’s ability to post literature throughout the Ukraine and into Russia and other countries would doubtless be hindered. The division among the people in the Ukraine is between those who are pro-Russian and those who are pro-Ukrainian and has been the cause of a number of deaths in Odessa. All men under the age of 45 will in due course be called up to train for the reserve army and pastors are not exempt.
The printing of Rev Donald Macdonald’s Memoir and Sermons had to be delayed until Mr Dmytro Levitskyy was free to attend to it. During this time, the price has increased and we had therefore to reduce the print run from 2000 to 1000. These books are having a reasonable reception but not as much as Rev Donald Macfarlane’s Sermons had. The translation by Mrs Natasha Hopkins of the Catechism of the History and Principles of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland is undergoing its final edit and should be ready shortly.
The attendance in the congregation is much the same. Some people come spasmodically and we hope that they will yet obtain a spiritual taste for the biblical teachings we continue to proclaim. “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Ecc 11:1).
Mr Igor Zadorozhnyy, the elder in Odessa writes, “Despite these tragic events in the country, we continue to receive e-mails from different regions of Ukraine with a request to send the Word of God and Reformed literature.
Nowadays the internet has become the main source of information in this country and it is almost the only possible means of communication in the eastern part of Ukraine, where an anti-terrorist operation is in action. Now many Ukrainian citizens have a mobile phone and access to the internet and can visit the Church’s Russian-language website, on which a list of suggested literature was placed. Although orders for literature mostly come to us by phone and e-mail, we also continue to receive requests by post.
“We are also actively communicating on Facebook, where we have more than 400 regular readers. Recently on Facebook we met Russian-speaking residents of Israel, and we are trying to tell them about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Some Jews are embittered and insult us with bad words; others, who are more polite, ask questions about the Old Testament.
“The congregation is still worshipping regularly and from time to time we have different visitors, who come not only from Odessa but also from other parts of Ukraine. While there is an open war in the east of the country, in Odessa yesterday terrorists blew up a military registration and enlistment office . . . . We pray that the Lord will stop this fratricidal war and give repentance to the people of Ukraine.”
This report from Mr Zadorozhnyy emphasises the need of prayer for this troubled land and to plead for the gracious intervention of the Most High, of whom we read in Psalm 46:9:
“Unto the ends of all the earth wars into peace He turns:
The bow He breaks, the spear He cuts, in fire the chariot burns”.