Rev Dmytro Levytskyi
The present circumstances in Ukraine are almost the same as in other countries because there is one thing common to them – the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences. Throughout Ukraine, different zones of infection are coded green, yellow, orange or red, which correspond to the different levels of incidence of Covid-19. The overall situation in our country with regard to the infection is not at all stable.
Some areas of Odessa district are orange and red zones, with much heavier restrictions than in the city itself. At present, Odessa city is in the yellow zone, but the restrictions mean we have to wear masks everywhere and apply hand sanitiser after touching surfaces. Gatherings of people in schools, universities, colleges and even churches are restricted to one person every 10 square metres. We can have only five persons at one time in our small church, minister included.
At the same time, other circumstances in the territories in eastern Ukraine which are occupied by forces fighting the Government are very oppressive and are getting worse. There is no financial support from the Ukrainian state for the people there, and the Russian Federation does not have the resources to sustain them. Sadly, the deaths of civilians and Ukrainian soldiers is the news we have been accustomed to hearing every day for the last six years.
We are very grateful to the Most High for the support that is given by the people in the Church and that our mission and congregation in Odessa are still in operation. Despite our difficult circumstances, we are still gathering as a congregation by the mercy of God. We pray and hope that the Most High will deliver us even from the solemn scourge of this virus. Mission work at present is all carried out online, through the website of the congregation, over the phone and by mail. The work of translating books, and adapting the Psalms for singing in the local language, is still in progress.
Our congregation recently suffered a heavy and sad loss. One communicant member in the congregation, Mrs Tanya Zadorozhnaya, was removed from our midst to her eternal rest after a long illness. She was 62.
The religious situation in the country suffered a blow from Covid-19. Some churches ignored the warnings of doctors and everyone was infected. Many churches have public worship outside their church buildings but it is not always suitable because of the weather conditions.
On the other hand, many people started reading religious books because of the quarantine. Numerous people are requesting our literature and, because of this, the book, Line upon Line, is out of stock. Many of our correspondents are also requesting calendars with quotations from the Word of God.
People are being faced with the reality of death when they see that people are dying of coronavirus, not only in some far-away country, but also in their family circle – and in many other families in our country.
The Word of God warns sinners even today as in the times of the prophet Ezekiel: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezk 33:11).
A man may be awakened with a view of God’s glory; he may be alarmed by a sight of sin and hell, and may be aroused out of his sleep of security by the thunders of Sinai; but he is never converted and made a Christian but by a revelation of Jesus Christ as glorious in His robes of salvation.
There were never but two sinless men in the world, the first and second Adam. Satan came to both. When he came to the first Adam, he found nothing of his own in him, but he quickly got somewhat put in him and left it with him and in him and all his posterity. When he came to the second Adam, he found nothing in Him and could put nothing in Him by temptation.
Robert Traill