In recent months, we have received many sorrowful reports from Ukraine and Russia, but also some good news have ”streamed in” over the past few weeks. This time, we start with the sorrowful reports that have recently reached us.
Students Killed in the War
Two of our former students at the mission Bible school in Kiev have fallen victim in the past week of the war, that Russia started in Ukraine in February 2022. These are Aleksander, a student from the 2017 Mission Bible School, who is the second from the left on the top row in the picture below, and brother Sergej, a student from 2018.
Their Dream of Mission Work
Both brothers had a big vision of becoming full-time missionaries, a dream that partially came true as they were able to focus on soul-winning through their local church for a significant period. Even at the front, they had the opportunity to testify about their faith before their earthly journey tragically ended far too early.
Perhaps you can pray for their closest relatives and for the staff at Kiev Bible Institute, who are currently in deep sorrow. They were in the midst of preparing the fourth trauma course when the shocking news from the front reached them.
Ukrainian Missionaries in Africa
Some of the students from our Mission Bible Schools at Kiev Bible Institute have also been sent to Africa to work as missionaries. At the mission camp in Sweden in August, four of our former students participated and shared how their lives have developed after attending the Bible schools.
Pavlo and Galjina Shuliak have worked for about five years in Kenya among a tribe with the name Pokot, a nomadic people group, who are one of Kenya’s indigenous groups. There are roughly 988,000 Pokot, of which 848,000 live in Kenya. It is estimated that over 45 percent of them are Evangelical Christians. Nearly 40 percent of the population is under 15 years old.
The Shuliak family has had the opportunity of working at a school founded in one of the villages, where the Pokot people reside. These efforts have significantly elevated the children’s educational level in recent years. They have also organized spiritual activities for children and youth and recently founded a new congregation among this ethnic group, who lives under simple conditions.
Ukrainian Missionaries in Kenya
Currently, about 40 Ukrainian missionaries are working in Kenya, many of whom are young. A significant number of them have studied at Kiev Bible Institute. Even though they currently live far away from their homeland, they feel great concern for the situation in Ukraine. Many of their loved ones reside in areas occupied by Russia. Others live as refugees, uncertain if they will ever be able to return to their homes.
Prayer Requests
We hope you will remember them in your prayers, so they can continue to work as pastors and field chaplains amidst the horrors of war. Currently, we know of 27 Pentecostal preachers who have been killed during the war. The number of widows and orphaned children is continually increasing. One of my acquaintances was shot to death two weeks ago. The war constantly overshadows our daily lives, even here in Sweden.
Please pray also for the Ukrainian missionaries who have moved to Africa for working among minority groups in rural areas. Their work is now bearing abundant fruit, and their efforts have become a model for both national Christians and many other foreign missionaries.
came to faith through the school’s work.
Photo: G. Shuliak
By supporting with our prayers we want to prepare people to walk through the ”narrow gate” and follow the ”hard way” to the eternal life, which Jesus has promised to all who believe. The journey to the heavenly land has already begun for hundreds of people, who have come to faith through our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
There are however still many challenges, which we must not forget. In eastern and northern Kenya many people groups have Muslim bakground. At least 10 of them are completely unreached for the gospel and they speak Somali languages. The work among them has barely begun, so all our prayers and a spiritual breakthrough among them are greatly needed!
Support the Work!
If you want to support our work in Ukraine or among the nomadic tribes in Kenya, you can send your gift to the Pentecostal Church in Borås in Sweden via bank transfer or Swish (in Sweden). See the numbers and information below.
The fourth trauma course for 40 students in Ukraine is going on just now and the fifth starts at the end of September.
From Abroad
Recipient: Pingstkyrkan Borås/Jesus4Eurasia
Address: Kungsgatan 58, 503 35 Borås, Sweden
IBAN: SE20 8000 0803 2500 4002 4234
BIC/SWIFT: SWEDSESS
From Sweden
Recipient: Pingstkyrkan Borås/Jesus4Eurasia
Bankgiro: 5861-2417
Swish: 123-092 04 88
Mark your donation with the reference: ”Ukraine” or ”Africa”
Rauli Lehtonen, Jesus4Eurasia
Swedish
Janis
Great work!