Prayer Letter: December 2018

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

Thank you for your prayers and support in December. We pray that you had a good month and a good Christmas week. This month we were able to invite people out to a special Christmas service. Other than Family Day in November, we had no events planned for the winter before the new year. The government and society in general is putting more emphasis on December 25th, rather than the traditional Orthodox Christmas on January 7th. This year, December 25th was made a holiday from work, so it is becoming more customary to celebrate Christmas on that day. Either way, this day gave us a chance to invite people out to hear the Gospel and give them free Bibles, gifts, and Scripture calendars. We had over 30 people, mostly children, but several parents visited with their children as well. We were thankful for another chance to meet people in the area and witness to them. Many of the children that visited have already been saved in our summer camp, so we recognized them and encourage them to come to church regularly.

Ukraine is still embroiled in political troubles, and passed through a month of martial law in the provinces bordering Russia and Belarus. Its sailors are still in Russian custody, so this will continue to be an issue for the foreseeable future. We know that with the publication of the Russian translation of the King James Bible, there has and will be much spiritual opposition. One point of opposition is resentment over Russia’s treatment of Ukrainians. Some Ukrainians do not want distribution of any Russian material, so the language is an issue that the Devil can use to keep people from the truth. We completed the transcription of the Ukrainian translation of the King James New Testament, so we pray that this project will be completed quickly and accurately, so Ukrainians will be able to read a much purer text than they have ever had in either Russian or Ukrainian. Continue to pray for the Ukrainian Bible translating, the Russian Bible printing, and for those who are having their eyes opened.

We are gearing up for our Bible institute and revival week. We regularly have our weekly Bible institute, but people from around Ukraine look forward to this revival week; to hear Bible-believing teaching, fellowship, preaching, and witnessing to the lost in soul-winning hours every day. We will have Brother Niko Verhoef and Jacek from Poland, in addition to Ukrainian pastor Vladimir and Perry Demopoulos. We have heard from many who are planning to come out, and anticipate a large crowd this year. Pray for this time, for our learning, revival services, and for salvation of souls during the street work.

I took a picture of an object lesson after our time of street preaching and witnessing near a subway entrance. After preaching about hell and salvation through Jesus Christ, the whole area became smoky from a trash can that caught fire! Pray that someone who heard the Gospel would be saved before they end up in hell fire that can never be quenched. Thank you again for your faithful prayers.

Until His return, David and Naomi Lohman