Committed to spreading the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ across the vast population of people in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union who have been deprived of this Good News for generations

I am the LORD

I Change Not MALACHI 3:6a November/December 2016

No Change WRITTEN BY

Thomas Watson (1620 - 1686)

For I am the LORD, I change not. Malachi 3:6 God is unchangeable in His nature. There is no eclipse of His brightness. No period put to His being. His essence shines with a fixed lustre. ‘With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ James 1:17. ‘Thou art the same.’ Ps. 102:27. All created things are full of vicissitudes. Princes and emperors are subject to mutation. The crown has many successors. Kingdoms have their eclipses and convulsions. What is become of the glory of Athens? The pomp of Troy? Though kingdoms have a head of gold, they have feet of clay. The heavens change. ‘As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.’ Ps. 102:26. The heavens are the most ancient records, where God has written His glory with a sunbeam, yet these shall change. Though I do not think they shall be destroyed as to their substance, yet they shall be changed as to their qualities; they shall melt with fervent heat, and so be more refined and purified. 2 Pet 3:12. Thus the heavens shall be changed, but not He who dwells in heaven. ‘With him there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.’ The best saints have their eclipses and changes. Look upon a Christian in his spiritual estate, and he is full of variation. Though the seed of grace does not die, yet its beauty and activity often wither. A Christian has his aguish fits in religion. Sometimes his faith is at a high tide, sometimes low ebb; sometimes his love flames, and at another time is like fire in

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the embers, and he has lost his first love. How strong was David’s grace at one time! ‘The God of my rock, in him will I trust.’ 2 Sam 12:2. At another time he says, ‘I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.’ What Christian can say he does not find a change in his graces; that the bow of his faith never unbends, the strings of his viol never slacken? Surely we shall never meet with such Christians till we meet them in heaven. But God is without any shadow of turning. The angels were subject to change; they were created holy, but mutable. ‘The angels which kept not their first estate.’ Jude 6. These morning stars of heaven were falling stars. But God’s glory shines with a fixed brightness. In God there is nothing that looks like a change, for better or worse; not better, because then He were not perfect; not worse, for then He would cease to be perfect. He is immutably holy, immutably good; there is no shadow of change in Him. But when Christ, who is God, assumed the human nature, there was a change in God. If the divine nature had been converted into the human, or the human into the divine, there had been a change, but they were not so. The human nature was distinct from the divine. Therefore there was no change. A cloud over the sun makes no change in the body of the sun; so, though the divine nature be covered with the human, it makes no change in the divine nature. There is no period put to His being. ‘Who only has immortality.’ 1 Tim 6:16. The Godhead cannot die. An infinite essence cannot be changed into finite; but God is infinite. He is eternal, ergo, he is not mortal. To be eternal and mortal is a contradiction. See the excellence of the divine nature in its immutability. This is the glory of the Godhead. Mutableness denotes weakness, and is not in God, who is ‘the same, yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ Heb 13:3. Men are fickle and mutable, like Reuben, ‘unstable as water.’ Gen 49:9. They are changeable in their principles. If their faces altered as fast as their opinions, we should not know them. Changeable in their resolutions; as the wind that blows in the east, presently turns about to the west. They resolve to be virtuous, but quickly repent of their resolutions. Their

minds are like a sick man’s pulse, which alters every half hour. An apostle compares them to waves of the sea, and wandering stars. Jude 13. They are not pillars in God’s temple, but reeds. Others are changeable in their friendship. They quickly love and quickly hate. Sometimes they will put you in their bosom, then excommunicate you out of their favour. They change as the chameleon, into several colors, but God is immutable. See the vanity of the creature. There are changes in everything but in God. ‘Men of high degree are vanity, and men of low degree are a lie.’ Ps. 62:2. We look for more from the creature than God has put in it. It has two evils in it; it promises more than we find, and it fails us when we most need it. There is failure in omni. A man desires to have his corn ground, and the water fails; the mariner is for a voyage, and the wind does not blow, or is contrary; one depends upon another for the payment of a promise, and he fails, and is like a foot out of joint. Who would look for a fixed stability in the vain creature? It is as if one should build houses on the sand, where the sea comes in and overflows. The creature is true to nothing but deceit, and is constant only in its disappointments. It is no more wonderful to see changes fall out here below, than to see the moon dressing itself in a new shape and figure. Expect to meet with changes in everything but God. Comfort to the godly. (1.) In case of losses. If an estate be almost boiled away to nothing, if you lose friends by death, there is a double eclipse; but the comfort is, God is unchangeable; I may lose these things, but I cannot lose my God; He never dies. When the fig-tree and olive-tree failed, God did not fail. ‘I will joy in the God of my salvation.’ Hab 3:38. Flowers in the garden die, but a man’s portion remains; so outward things die and change, but ‘thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ Ps. 73:36. In case of sadness of spirit. God seems to cast off the soul in desertion, as in Cant 5:5, ‘My Beloved had withdrawn himself;’ yet He is unchangeable. He is immutable in His love; He may change His countenance, but not His heart. ‘I have loved thee with an everlasting love.’

Jer 31:1. Hebrew, Olam, a love of eternity. If once God’s electing love rises upon the soul, it never sets. ‘The mountains shall be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart from thee, neither the covenant of my peace be removed.’ Isa 54:40. God’s love stands faster than the mountains. His love to Christ is unchangeable; and He will no more cease loving believers than He will cease loving Christ. Of exhortation. Get an interest in the unchangeable God, then thou art as a rock in the sea, immoveable in the midst of all changes. How shall I get a part in the unchangeable God? By having a change wrought in thee. ‘But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified.’ 1 Cor 6:6: Whence we are changed, a tenebris ad lucem [from darkness to light], so changed, as if another soul did live in the same body. By this change we are interested in the unchangeable God. Trust to that God only who is unchangeable. ‘Cease ye from man,’ Isa 2:22; leave trusting to the reed, but trust to the Rock of ages. He that is by faith engarrisoned in God, is safe in all changes; he is like a boat that is tied to an immoveable rock. He that trusts in God, trusts in that which cannot fail him; he is unchangeable. ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ Heb 13:3. Health may leave us, riches, friends may leave us, but, says God, I will not leave thee; my power shall support thee; my Spirit shall sanctify thee; my mercy shall save thee; I will never leave thee. Oh trust in this unchangeable God! God is jealous of two things; of our love, and of our trust. He is jealous of our love, lest we love the creature more than Him, therefore He makes it prove bitter; and of our trust, lest we should place more confidence in it than in Him, therefore He makes it prove unfaithful. Outward comforts are given us as food by the way to refresh us, not as crutches to lean on. If we make the creature an idol, what we make our trust God will make our shame. Oh trust in the immortal God! Like Noah’s dove, we have no footing for our souls, till we get into the ark of God’s unchangeableness. Ps. 125:5. ‘They that trust in the Lord shall be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed.’ n

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In November its citizens will be electing a president out of the two candidates who are presently attacking each other with words, political issues and are hanging out each other’s “dirty laundry.” Not only the citizens of the USA, but the whole world should be troubled about the choices that are left. Some call it a judgment from God. Certainly a change from the past will be following. Will things become worse yet? Worldwide life is full of unrest and anxiety. Although no time in human history has ever been perfect, in our time we see a steady downward trend of morality in all of society with ever increasing speed. Many of the sensitive issues we are troubled with today, like same sex marriage, gender identity, abortion and doctor-assisted suicide, all openly approved and supported by our governments, would have been unimaginable for our grandparents (or for the younger generation, great-grandparents). They did not live that long ago. The same applies to changes in technology and means of communication (just think of the magnitude of Facebook and some other channels). Our forefathers did not (could not) have the slightest vision of the changes the world would experience so soon after their time. It probably would have frightened them, if they had. Sometimes one wonders what still can change in the next ten, twenty or fifty years. No doubt the trends could continue. They almost always have. Considering the moral and political changes, we could come to the conclusion that religion must be on its way out and atheism will flourish. However, a major study published in Washington last year, predicts that the number of those that call themselves Christian (quality is really more important than quantity) will grow from 2.17 billion to 2.92 billion by the year 2050.

Change is in the Air WRITTEN BY

Mr. Bas DeLeeuw COAH Chairman

With the last months of the year slipping away, nature itself confirms it: “change is in the air.” After a summer that has been the warmest since they started keeping score, quite suddenly cooler nights and days confirm that the warm (rather short) summer season has passed once again. Before long we hope to be enjoying “Indian Summer” with its usual magnificent array of colors displayed on the great variety of trees all around us. And then soon after, the first snow will be coming down, that is, if climate change does not affect winters too much. Most people do not like change. Change carries with it a certain feeling of unrest, a sense of “what is wrong with the way things are.” Change indicates that we did things inadequately in the past and maybe we cannot deal with changes like we should. In Canada we had a change in the political realm last year. There were serious concerns as to how the new government would deal with the issues that affect the lives of Canadians, especially of Canadians that are Christians. However, life continues for the most part as it did before, but as we expected, negative changes are being implemented by the new government. As I am writing this, the first presidential debate in the USA, the greatest economic and military power in the world, is taking place.

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grant revival. That would be real and lasting change! In the COAH organization there has been a change as well. Our former administrator, Cees Brouwer has left COAH to pursue other career interests. Cees has served as our administrator for four and a half years. We thank him for all his labors during these years. Raymond Roth is now the new administrator for COAH. Raymond is an educator by profession and has taught at a Christian school for fourteen years and was principal for three years. He and his wife Paula have been married for 13 years. He comes with the highest recommendation from his former school board and we are very excited and thankful to have such a candidate interested in the work of COAH in Eastern Europe. We pray that the Lord may bless Cees as he leaves us, and prosper Raymond as he joins us. n

The Moslem population supposedly will grow from 1.6 billion to 2.76 billion in 2050. Each religion will have one third of the predicted world population predicted to be 9 billion then. Things need to change. How much different are we from the people that lived before the Flood? In Genesis 6: 5 and 6 we read: “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” If that were written about the world of today, none of us would be surprised. We need to change. We need repentance, a turning back to our Creator in every facet of our lives, personally and publicly. The prophet Jonah in his day was sent to Nineveh to tell them that the city would be destroyed in forty days. Though he was unwilling to bring that message, the effect was above expectation (except maybe Jonah’s). The Ninevites repented and we read: “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.” Individually and collectively we need to evangelize the world as commanded by the Lord Jesus, before he ascended. Each of us in his own sphere of influence and calling needs to be involved. With the present means of communication the world can be reached almost effortlessly and immediately. Change could go “viral.” At Come Over and Help we also need to press on with the work of helping to bring the real Good News to everyone in Eastern Europe (including the Moslem “Stan” countries). We cannot change the hearts of people but we can bear (or help bear) witness of the Truth. And God can yet change the world and

Raymond and Paula Roth

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Ministry of

Books

AMERICAN ADDRESS: P.O. Box 431, Hudsonville, MI 49426 CANADIAN ADDRESS: P.O. Box 275 Stn Main, Brantford ON N3T 5M8 Phone: 888-844-2624 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: coah.org

WRITTEN BY

Mr. John Vergunst COAH Board Member - Book Ministry

LITERATURE SUPPORT Mr. Raymond Roth Administrator & Project Director

U.S. Charitable Registration Number 38-3415486

Mr. Jack Tamminga Marketing Director

CDN Charitable Registration Number 868109091RR0001

COAH is a non-profit organization with charitable status. COAH extends aid to Churches and Christians who have suffered or still suffer under hardship or repression. The foundation of COAH is the Bible, which is the Word of God. COAH adheres to the revealed truths and principles in that Word and to the Three Forms of Unity (Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dordt, Belgic Confession) and the Westminster Confession. The board and staff of COAH are affiliated with conservative, Reformed, Bible-believing Churches and ministries.

Board Members Mr. Bas DeLeeuw, Board Member Chairman

Mr. Tom Moerdyk Board Member Secretary

Mr. John Brink

Board Member Treasurer

Mr. Rob Brouwer Board Member

Mr. Ross Derkson Board Member

Dr. Gerald Procee Board Member

Mr. Doug Vandenberg Board Member

Mr. John Vergunst Board Member

Pastor Arnoud Vergunst Board Member

Committee of Recommendation The Committee of Recommendation consists of men who support our organization. By being a member of the committee they demonstrate their support for our mission: to spread the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ across the vast population of people who have been deprived of this Good News for generations and providing aid to Churches and Christians in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Dr. Joel R. Beeke

Dr. Lawrence W. Bilkes Dr. Sinclair Ferguson

Pastor & President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI

St. Peter’s Free Church Emeritus Minister of Free Reformed Churches in Dundee, Scotland of North America

Dr. Albert N. Martin

Pastor Conrad Mbewe Pastor Iain Murray

Emeritus Pastor Trinity Baptist Church of Montville, New Jersey

Pastor of the Author and former Kabwata Baptist Church editor of Banner in Lusaka, Zambia of Truth Trust

Dr. W. Robert Godfrey Pastor Gerald Hamstra Dr. Steven J. Lawson

Pastor David Lipsy

Dr. Samuel Logan

President Emeritus of Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

President of Westminster Theological Seminary (West), Escondido, California

Emeritus Minister of President of OnePassion Pastor of Heritage Free Reformed Churches Ministries. Reformed Church, of North America Burgessville, Ontario

Dr. Jon Payne

Pastor Maurice Roberts Dr. Derek Thomas

Pastor Peter VanderMeyden Paul Washer

Senior Pastor of Christ Church Presbyterian in Charleston, South Carolina

Emeritus Pastor in Inverness, Scotland and former editor of the Banner of Truth (UK)

Emeritus Minister of Free Reformed Churches of North America

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Senior Pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, South Carolina

Dr. John MacArthur Pastor & President of The Master’s College in Newhall, California

Dr. Luder Whitlock

General Director of Former President of Reformed HeartCry Missionary Theological Seminary, Society, Radford, Virginia Jackson, Mississippi

Alexander Comrie; ABC of Faith. While perusing the publications brought to light in the Ukraine by TULIP, a publishing arm of the Union of Reformed Presbyterian Churches in Odessa on the Black Sea, it struck a chord. For people growing up in the Reformed circles in the Netherlands, and in the U.S., Comrie’s name is a household name, like Brakel. How does such a work end up on the shelves of a book shop in Odessa, Ukraine? What was the impetus? That is so often the beauty of God’s providence and the content of Reformed lore if you will. Comrie was Scottish by birth but ended up ministering to the Dutch Reformed Church of the 18th century, and his connection with the Scottish Presbyterians of course never ceased. It might surprise some that the 16th century Reformation penetrated deep into the East of what is present day Ukraine. There were 35 Reformed churches with 3,000 members in the 1930s. The Red Army moved in and over time diminished this denomination to ashes. Besides these there were also Presbyterian Churches. In the 1990s the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was moved to begin church planting again after the breakup of the USSR. They moved into cities and began to gather the dispersed as it were, and form new churches again. In Odessa the first church was instituted and the subsequent denomination, the

Evangelical Presbyterian Church was reborn. The government even returned its original Odessa 1898 church building, which was restored with the help of the PCA. However, the church did not turn inward; from Odessa missionary outreach to various other regions in Ukraine have resulted in the institution of a number of congregations in numerous cities in Ukraine: Kiev, Lviv, and Kherson. The goal is to have 44 independent churches throughout Ukraine in fifteen years, D.V. For such goals, there needs to be a seminary; hence the Evangelical Reformed Ukrainian Seminary was born - but that is another story; By the end of the 16th Century there were about 100 Reformed Churches as well. In the 1920 this diminished Reformed community received a lot of help from the Canadian Reformed communities to augment their witness in Ukraine. As noted above, in the 1930s there was a substantial presence of Reformed faith in Ukraine. The Reformed community of the Netherlands came in and by God’s grace and providence there are seven Reformed congregations today in one denomination: the Evangelical Reformed Church of Ukraine. And

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Ms. Liudmyla Vorochenko - far right

now, we arrive at the cross roads of Scottish Presbyterianism and Dutch Reformed traditions in a name like Comrie. These two denominations, the Evangelical Reformed Churches and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine, combined their efforts to form a seminary, and this Union of the Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Churches of Ukraine resulted in the above-mentioned Evangelical Reformed Ukrainian Seminary. ERSU has served more than a 150 students in its first fifteen years. Current enrollment is 42, with students coming from all parts of Ukraine, as well as Belarus and Georgia. TULIP. Who does not recognize this Calvinistic acronym? This is the name of the book publishing and distribution ministry of the Union of these two denominations. It is at TULIP that Comrie along with other Scottish worthies, translated into Ukranian, find a place on the shelves. Ms. Liudmyla Vorochenko is the director of TULIP Publishing House of the Union of the Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Churches of Ukraine. The goal of TULIP is described by her in her own words: “We aim to equip ministers and believers with the necessary literature. To achieve this goal, we publish and distribute Reformed

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literature, as we consider it sensible and useful for learning and spiritual growth of all the faithful. It is worth mentioning that our publishing house is well known in Ukraine and Russia (as one of our major bookstores recognized that the books of our publishing house are in demand) and it pleases us since it means that that sensible biblical teaching spreads and goes beyond our denomination... Of course, this did not happen at once and with God’s help we had to overcome many difficulties and work hard. For example, we send mailings to the churches in Ukraine, visit more than 20 offsite events in Ukraine and beyond where we sell books and just tell people who we are and what we believe in... Some major Baptist unions order hundreds of books as presents to pastors (many of whom were previously committed to Arminianism). The book Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod or The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes by Thomas Brooks was also presented to many churchmen and believers of Ukraine and we thank you for your support in its printing. However, we know for certain that without God’s blessing all our efforts would have been in vain.” We thank God that despite our shortcomings by His mercy He allows us to take part in

extending of His Kingdom through the spreading of, as Ms. Vorochenko puts it, “sensible biblical teaching.” When Ms. Vorochenko was asked to share something of her own spiritual history, we received the following. “I repented of my sins and wanted Christ to be my Lord in 1998 while I was reading a book by an Orthodox author. For two years after that I attended an Orthodox church but God encouraged me to read the Bible and showed me that I needed another church than the Orthodox Church. I had been praying and looking for this, and in 2000 I was invited to our church. I did not come there right away because I was scared of getting into a cult. But when I came there the Lord spoke to me very clearly and I understood that I was in the right place, a place where the Word of God was taken seriously. In addition it was important for me that it was not a new church but one having its roots in history. At that time I was working in an advertising company and in 2005 I was approved to organize the work of a publishing house representing our denomination. Since then I have been working here and I am thankful to the Lord for that because it is what I dreamt of:

to work with books. As a publishing house we translate, publish and spread books, sell many but also give some away free of charge. We have four employees on our permanent staff and four or five people are hired additionally to work on various projects. COAH is partnering with this organization to print more authors from the Puritan and Reformed school. It is so marvelously beautiful to note their zeal and desire for their own countrymen and women to know the truths that touched their hearts. This year TULIP is bringing to press John Owen’s Overcoming Sin and Temptation through our partnership. We are considering publishing Calvin’s Commentaries here, as in Belarus this has become difficult. We also have many other Reformed and Presbyterian titles in mind for publication. Please consider and note where your donations are going - to spread the Word of God!! God used the Book to manifest His will, and “The Lord gave the Word: great was the company that published it”. (Psalm 68:11) TULIP is in that ‘company’. Will you keep company with such? n

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denominations who work together for the furtherance of the gospel in Rivne. Children programs are organized year-round. During this past summer holiday, a Vacation Bible Camp was held. About 50 children from the surrounding neighborhoods attended the day camp. In the early years parents were hesitant to send their children; they wondered what the intentions were of this new ‘religious’ group. Over time, also by inviting the parents to special events, trust was gained. The programs are a challenge for the staff. Like every camp it requires creativity, wisdom and patience to deal with children from different backgrounds. To instill in them a sense of God the Creator and Saviour of men is a calling only to be fulfilled in dependence on the Lord. Book translation and printing Christian literature is another branch of The Light of the Word. In addition, a children’s magazine, Noah’s Ark is produced here. These magazines as well as good books are distributed wherever there is a need, or where interest is shown. Even a Ukrainian community in Israel is served from here! Nina is also the contact person for the family sponsorship program in the Rivne region. In cooperation with local pastors she distributes financial assistance made possible by COAH sponsors to eligible, needy families. This past summer, a suitcase full of new dresses and pajamas, sewn by students of the Home Ec. Class from Timothy Christian School, BC, Canada, was delivered to the centre. Nina will distribute the clothing to families which can use this help. It was much appreciated by them! On the following page is the story of two families supported by COAH through Light of the Word:

Light of the Word WRITTEN BY

Mrs. Carlien Brouwer COAH Staff

FAMILY SUPPORT

Summer Visitation of Projects in the Rivne Area In the city of Rivne (Rovno), situated in Western Ukraine, traffic moves the Eastern European way: as fast as possible, bumper to bumper, with unannounced changes of direction. Driving on high alert here is essential. The Light of the Word ministry is located in a part of Rivne that is common in many large cities. Here, highrises flank the highway with a patchwork of older, small houses strewn in between, alongside small alleys. Many of these small houses are divided and serve as home for two families. The facility for The Light of the Word is located on a corner of a regular road. In plain view are a row of high rises which hundreds of families call home. This is where Nina and Natasha carry out their work. Nina has been the contact person for COAH for many years now. Natasha is supported through the family support program. Her husband is not able to find work because he is paralysed and in a wheelchair. Though both are well-educated it is difficult for them to make ends meet with their special needs, in addition to raising their son. Natasha studied English and is able to act as a translator for Nina. Light of the Word functions as a city mission. Originally an initiative from a local Baptist Church, it is now staffed by people from different

1. Family Samoylyuk

support of both parents goes towards the rent for the apartment. Father works as a cleaner at McDonalds, a job he is very thankful to have. These meagre earnings, plus the family support received from COAH keeps this family afloat.

Both parents in this family are deaf. Rivne has an Institution for the Deaf, a remnant from the communist era. All deaf people were collected into one apartment building and put to work in a factory. The living space was free of charge at that time and a low, but steady income was secured. While this system worked, it had its flaws too. Integration of handicapped persons into ‘normal’ society did not take place. The one or two room apartments/living quarters in the building were, and remain barren. There is no running water in the apartments. There is a single shared washroom per floor, and kitchen/ laundry is shared with several families. You can imagine this can become a stressful situation for many families. This is especially true in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, when escape from one another is impossible. The Samoylyuk family are Christians. Dad struggled in his younger years with an alcohol addiction and related problems. However, he found direction when the Word of God changed his heart and mind. He was in his early 30’s when he confessed Christ to be his Saviour. He met his wife in the church he then attended. This church is a special outreach to the deaf people in Rivne. Sign language is the second language in this church, and many deaf people ‘hear’ the Gospel preached to them. The Samoylyuks are blessed with three children, none of whom are deaf. They live in a two room apartment as described above: no tap, no sink, no toilet for private use, day in, day out. Still they are thankful for the apartment. Living in the ‘new’ Ukraine, income and housing are not secured anymore. At the moment the social assistance

2. Victor’s Family

Victor is a 10 year old boy with Down’s syndrome. His family, which includes his parents, a grandmother and 3 siblings, also lives in one of the Rivne highrises. They are a welcoming, friendly family. This family receives assistance for health-related issues. Dad, a diabetic, has a job as a night guard but simply does not make enough money to support his family and cover the costs for his medication as well as some special care for Viktor. Good insulin is expensive and not covered by insurance. Viktor is a happy boy who likes good smells and music. He attends swimming classes to practice his coordination and loves to show off his skills. They are a wonderful family with a healthy Christian outlook, maintaining what they have to the best of their abilities, but lacking the opportunity to be self-sufficient. Still they witness of their trust and thankfulness to the Lord; He is their Hope and Life. In many ways, their example is humbling to us from the West. What a responsibility we have, we who have received so much! n

Left to right: Natasha - translator, Nina - COAH Contact in Rovno, Raisa - Book keeper, Pastor Alexander Pavluyk and his wife, Carlien Brouwer

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Samoylyuk Family

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Granny Project SUBMITTED BY

Sister Zsoka Kondor COAH Contact in ROMANIA

ELDERLY PROGRAM

The CE House (Christian Endeavour) is the location from where our partners in Oradea, Romania operate as they seek to serve the Lord and their neighbor. COAH supports this muchneeded work. Many activities are undertaken by the workers to minister to their fellow countrymen. Their care extends to all life stages, from after-school programs for kids, to senior Bible Studies. The Granny Project is one of the programs for seniors. Zsoka Kondor, who has worked for CE for 18 years, is the coordinator of this work. She shares her story and thoughts about her work. Hello Zsoka, Please tell me something about your work! Dear COAH reader, I am Zsoka Kondor. I am responsible for the Granny Project. At the moment there are 112 elderly women that benefit of the social care program. The Granny Project is a part of the Home Care Program where we focus especially on the social needs of isolated elderly women. My job is to schedule the home visits of our workers so they can minister effectively to the needs of the elderly enrolled in this program. I also keep in contact with the main office of Dorcas Romania which is supervised by Dorcas the

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Netherlands, which is the partner organization supporting the Granny Project. I write financial and progress reports for our sponsors through Dorcas, to ensure a continuous stream of information about the work done. Besides this (and this is the favorite part of my work) I do get to visit the elderly. I have the privilege to help them by talking with them and listening to their stories and problems they encounter in their specific situations. I work together with other organizations too in Oradea who share the elderly care responsibilities on a governmental and social level. When we have volunteers or students at the CE House, which is quite often, I am responsible to introduce them to our work. How do you start your day normally? First of all I like to spend some quiet time with the Word. I feel I need it for my soul, to start my day or my work this way. I realize that is so important for me to ask God to lead me and to give me the right wisdom for all the things I have to do during the day. Next, with my coworker, we try to plan the daily duties and we discuss the different needs. Then we divide the work between us, considering our talents and focusing on the priorities. What do you find most difficult about your work? It still affects me when I see somebody in a very difficult situation and there is no way to help. This happens sometimes because we don’t have enough resources or time to give. Another thing what also can be very difficult is when we try to give our best in our work and the person is never satisfied with the help received. Maybe it is just one person in a hundred, but it can be enough to make us frustrated. I think it is very important to know ourselves and our limits. Otherwise we will find ourselves burning out very soon. What do you love most in your work? The biggest thing for me is that I love what I do. Maybe it is a bold statement, but very honestly I often feel that “my job is my hobby”. I like to work with elderly people and I like to learn from them. I like to listen to their life story and to get an impression of the wisdom they have

How does your faith play a role in your daily doings? Do you see the Lord working in you and/or the people around you? I think without God’s grace I could not do what I do now. Let me quote from Uncle Ferenc Visky, who said: “God keeps us not because of our faith, but because of His faithfulness”. My faith fluctuates day by day, but His faithfulness keeps me in His presence. Even when I have to go through hard time and struggles, it is a huge thing to experience that He uses the tough days for our good. I think it depends on where my focus lies. If I depend on God’s work I can experience His presence everywhere, even in a State or Government office where we don’t really like to go. God opens doors in different ways for us. It is the grace of God when we realize that we can be “God’s hand and His feet” through our work. When we do what God asks us to do and when we are being His witnesses, we are there where God wants us to be. Many times we hear from the grannies that we just arrived at the right time with the right help. I’m sure these things are not by chance. This strengthens me and our team: God is willing to use us in His plan. n

collected during a whole life. I’m thankful to God that He allows me this experience; when I’m ready to give, I always receive much more. Also when I focus on other’s needs I forget about my own. I really appreciate that through my work I learn a lot and God is shaping my thoughts all the time. What keeps you motivated, what drives you to stay in this job? It is not a misunderstanding if I say that my work is more than just a job. Many times I’m convinced that this is my calling, though I must say that I do not always see it that way. When we experience difficulties my doubts quickly appear. Still, God strengthens me again and again and He renews my thoughts to accept that: to life belong the battles, too. So, I cannot really explain what still keeps me motivated. Visky Ferenc , the grandfather of Istvan Visky, influenced me spiritually very much. He was not only a blessing, but also a good example for me. How he persisted in serving his brothers and sisters even in very hard periods! This community, where I felt accepted from the beginning, slowly just became my second home. Probably this keeps me motivated in my daily job; that what I do is not so much my work, it belongs to God and to the Christian community I represent. It is a huge thing to feel that there is a community behind me and they are supporting me completely. What would you like others to know about the problems/issues you encounter? I think we should not forget that we are human and we are limited in our strength and power. That is why it is so important for caregivers to stop and have time to regroup and rest. After a while “we are not able to give if we don’t receive”, our spiritual tank becomes empty. Of course in our culture it is still a little bit of a strange thing to take time for reflection, but we must do it to protect our mental health and to be able to be there for our elderly to the best of our abilities. These things become a problem if we don’t take them seriously, and of course can affect our daily work as well.

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shone in my life too, and I believed in the strength of God’s Word that I started to read here. When I came to the church Living Hope, I met there two pastors – Sergey and Anatoliy. They acquainted me with good people from this community, and they became my very close friends. I began to love them, even though I had only met them recently. I love them now, and I will love them tomorrow and forever. I’m closer to Christ now, then before. It is very good. I cannot say that everything is going perfectly. Sickness, expenses for medicines, high rent – all these problems create unrest and depression. But Bible study with the church and prayer help me to overcome them. Good people in the church don’t allow me to remain sad. Now I read my Bible every day, I try to understand what I read, I meditate - and then feel a sense of relief. I thank the Lord for His care for us, old and sick people, who had to become migrants. Now I live a full life and I’m glad. I now understand that in my life I don’t need many things. I thank Come Over and Help for the spiritual and financial help. I thank you all. I receive this help every month. Having this support helps us to survive far from home. They help us to not despair in this difficult situation. All of the people who take care of us understand our position. We experience the delight of thankfulness mixed with quiet sorrow, due to the terrible days of the war in eastern Ukraine. I was born on the eve of World War 2, and I could not imagine that there would be another war that would darken my life. At the same time I’m surprised that precisely this black, awful period in my life was turned into the light in my life. Here I received the knowledge about God. I thank and I pray for all the people who take care of us, who help us to quench the feelings of uncertainty, fear and unrest. Their kind words give us rest. Our desire is to respond to you with love and thankfulness. Here I love all people. I like to be in the Church. I like to hear the sermons and singing. It penetrates to my heart. I want to sing with all people together. Peace to you. n

WinterHelp WRITTEN BY

Ludmila WinterHelp Recipient

My name is Ludmila. I celebrated my seventyfifth anniversary in Kharkov. I used to live in the city of Pervomaysk in Lugansk rejoin. All my life I have been working in schools. I’m a teacher, and in my life I have met many different people. When war came to our cities, my life changed a lot. As a result I became a forced migrant. I left my house and everything I had in my former life. Here in Kharkov I have met many of my graduates. I was greatly surprised when I learned that the lives of many my former students, some of whom had been drug addicts and criminals, were changed. I saw completely different people and could scarcely recognize them as ones who used to study in my school. Some of them told me that they had met the living God, and that He changed everything. I could not believe it, but suddenly light

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WinterHelp

occupied areas and those who have become refugees, is 21. The refugee pastors have also been supported with funds for renting apartments or houses under our Housing Project. In the occupied areas we work with the same churches we used to work before the war started. In most places about half of the church members have left to other parts of Ukraine and to Russia, and people that remain behind are primary elderly people with no relatives left and having no place to go. From our side we have been able to support about 200 families in the occupied areas with funds designated for purchasing firewood and coal for a winter. This remains a very big need and over the next months we’ll do as much as our resources allow us to support families with funds for heating. Every month we receive a list of needs. We then

and

The challenge with WinterHelp is how to help refugees and those in the occupied areas to adjust to the new painful and sad realities of their lives. The refugee’s main concerns are finding places to live and in finding jobs. With the help of your support we have been able to assist many families there with funds for renting homes in the villages. The amount given was enough to rent a house for 6-8 months. Some of these families need ongoing support. In Kiev, we work with refugee pastors who are reaching out to the people from Donetsk and Lugansk region (the occupied areas). Pastors Oleg and Yuri distribute food packages but also invite people to Bible study groups. In fact these 2 groups are more like new church plants, as regular Sunday worship services are taking place. The total number of pastors we support on a monthly basis, both those who remain in the

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go to the places where the help is being requested and meet with the people in need. It is difficult to see the extent of their needs, along with the pain and tears. I often feel very down, seeing all of this, but again and again I see the mercy of the Lord. I see His faithfulness in giving what is needed. I am always saying to my team here – it is not about the money, but it is about showing God to people, using the money. Thanks again to all who contribute to our ministry here. We appreciate your support very much, and understand that without your support there would be hundreds and thousands of people who would not be able to show love and mercy in this way. Thanks so much, on behalf of all the people we are serving together! n

of us. Many parishioners were disappointed and left the church. Sometimes I myself did not want to go to church on Sunday, even less to conduct a meeting and preach there. But God helped me to carry on through this difficult trial and supported me. Our life went on peacefully, and the church increased and strengthened. At the end of 2013 the Revolution of Honor took place in our country. As a result the Crimea was occupied and annexed, and in the eastern part of Ukraine antiterrorism operations started. Suddenly our city appeared headed to an active war situation. For several months the headquarters for the antiterrorism operation was located in our city. Afraid of losing their life, many people from Donetsk and the Lugansk region fled. Our church opened its doors to these people and we started to minister to them. We tried to assist them with their monetary needs: to give them a place to stay, and to help them with medicines and the like. But primarily we tried to comfort their souls. It was the first time we had been involved in this kind of ministry. Looking back now on these past two years, I can see that God was preparing our church for this ministry. Our church building is located in the city center. It is convenient for transport. Before I became a pastor I had been a journalist

Ministry in War Zone WRITTEN BY

Pastor Vjacheslav Voronin Reformed Church in Makeyevka

PASTOR SUPPORT

Greetings to my dear readers. My name is Vjacheslav. I am 36 years old. This year we will celebrate my 11th wedding anniversary with my beautiful Christian wife Tanja. God has blessed us with us six children. Our oldest daughter is 9 years old, and our youngest son was born in February this year. By God’s mercy for six years I have been working as a Pastor in the city of Izjum in the eastern part of Ukraine. I was born and grew up in a non-Christian family. When I studied at the Institute I understood that there is such a thing as spiritual life also. I started to look for the truth, and God called me to Himself. After graduation I returned to my native city. There I was involved in the youth ministry in the recently started church community. After two years our church lost its minister, as our pastor was excommunicated. It was a very hard time for all

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and also worked in the city administration. I knew very well how city administration officials and different city services work. Many brothers in our church used to be in the military. Some of them used to live in Donetsk region. Before our church opened its door for refugees we studied the Gospel of John, where Christ condemned the hypocrisy of religious people, and gave us an example of how we should serve our neighbor.

grandson Egor. He will be 7 years old soon. In the summer of 2014 both of them escaped from Makeyevka to Esum. Egor’s parents remained at home. A family from our church took them in, giving them a place to stay. Since these people had no means to provide for themselves, our church decided to take care of their needs. For more than a year these people stayed with this family. They visited church and went to Bible study. Egor liked attending the Christian children’s camps which we organize during the winter and summer vacations. Egor also liked lessons in the children’s club called Compass. He liked to study texts from the Bible. God started to work in their hearts and also in the heart of Egor’s mother. Natasha started to go to the church in Makeyevka in spite of her husband’s opposition. He does not want her to communicate with Christians. Now she has come to our city. This family needs to make a difficult decision: will they stay here or go back to their home? But one thing they know for sure, that wherever they live, here or in Makeyevka, they want to be with the Lord. We see how God leads our church, and we realize that we shouldn’t sit still. We need to constantly seek to understand God’s will for us as a spiritual family. But now, in the Lord’s providence, we are facing several issues which we need to address. First of all, too many people come to our Sunday meetings, and we don’t have enough room for all. It is very difficult to socialize with churchgoers after the service. We have reduced the service length from 2 to 1-½ hours. And after the service we get together in groups,

Now we continue to serve refugees that have stayed to live in our city permanently. We started a group to provide spiritual assistance for refugees, where we study the Bible. We want to give these people whose lives have been shaken, a solid foundation for life. We shared with them bread and continue to do this, but we would like them to understand that man shall not live by bread alone. I’d like to share with you the history of one family. It consists of two persons – Tanja and her

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Thank You Testimony SUBMITTED BY

Pastor Oleg Serbo COAH Contact in Ukraine

PASTOR SUPPORT

where we can learn about each other better, and provide answers to questions. But in our church building we don’t have space for all these groups. Therefore we plan to have two meetings on Sunday. Secondly, we understand that for spiritual growth we have to study constantly. Growth is almost impossible, if people only meet once a week on Sunday. Therefore we pray and plan to start groups of home Bible studies in the different districts of our city. Thirdly, within a radius of 45 km there are three churches that need spiritual support. One church has only one deacon. The pastor of the second church has problems with his heart and it is difficult for him to conduct a service. The pastor of the third church lives 70 km away. We are praying, and would like to start to provide some spiritual care to these communities, by having brothers from our church regularly visit and serve there, becoming acquainted with the people and their lives. n

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Diana Philipova is 34 years old and was born in Drujkovka, Donetsk region. She now lives in Kramatorsk. Diana takes an active part in the life of her local church. She eagerly witnesses about Christ. She visits hospitals, and witnesses there about Christ to the people with serious diagnosis such as oncological diseases and AIDS. Diana’s way to Jesus Christ was very difficult. She was born in a very ordinary family. In her childhood she was an obedient girl. Her grandmother often took her to the Orthodox Church. She ordered Christian literature and was happy when she received it. She received joy and comfort from them. But time passed by. Diana grew up. Sin more and more exerted its influence on her. When she studied at school she started smoking due to peer pressure. Then she tried alcohol, next light drugs. Soon she used hard drugs such as heroin. At first it seemed to her as if she was experiencing real happiness. But little by little she became a slave to drugs. Needles brought her to her knees. The years passed. Diana desperately tried to rebuild her life, to create a family, to earn money, to build plans for the future. But drugs destroyed everything. Diana’s life gradually turned into a complete and utter nightmare. Several times she tried to give up drugs, but Satan firmly held his victim in the captivity of sin. Then disappointment came into Diana’s life. She admitted that she was a drug addict and that nobody could help her. Often she pondered over her life and her goals for life. Thoughts about death more often came to her mind. And what could she expect then? This is how she went on for fifteen years of narcotic dependence.

Left to right: Pastor Oleg Serbo and his wife, and Diana

Diana lost everything in her life. She lived alone in her apartment. She sold everything that she could in order to provide money for drugs. Her friends and even relatives left her. Her body was completely covered with wounds because of needles. There was not one vein good enough for injection. She was wracked with pain and slowly dying of starvation. Her body demanded the next dose. Diana wanted to end her life. However, one day as she was lying alone on the floor of her empty apartment, she remembered the God she had heard about in her childhood, and she called out to Him. She prayed to God: “Lord! Stop my life or change something in it. I can’t live such a life any longer. Help me!!!” God heard this prayer and showed His mercy to Diana. He made sure that Diana was registered in the rehab center in Kramatorsk. In this place He enlightened her mind with the light of His truth. There she became acquainted with believers. She started to read the Bible, listen to sermons, and visit meetings of God’s children. Diana turned to God with all her heart and she started to live a new life. It was a life of spiritual victories and defeats. But at the same time it was a different life – a life with God. Her sinful life had many consequences. In the past two years, Diana has had five difficult operations. One of her jaws had to be operated on. It also appeared that one of her legs needed to be amputated. But God was merciful to

her and the doctors managed to preserve her leg. Recently thanks to the financial assistance of Come Over And Help Diana had her next operation. A surgery was performed where some bone was taken from her rib and implanted in her jaw. Gradually many people who knew Diana saw that God had done a miracle for her and restored her spiritually and physically. God and His grace restored what was destroyed by sin and Satan. Beside this God has blessed Diana with a good husband. His name is Gennadiy. He used to be a criminal. Several times he was imprisoned and served time in different correctional institutions. But by the mercy of God he was saved while in prison and after his discharge met Diana at church. Now Gennadiy visits correctional establishments and also preaches the Word of God in church. Their mutual desire is to glorify God with their lives and to show through their family the love of God and His Light to the world that is perishing in its sins. Both of them try to turn sinners to Christ as much as possible. Diana thanks God heartily for all way she had to go through during her life. God led her. She thanks God for sorrows, for all trials, because they brought her closer to God. One of her favorite verses from the Scriptures is Psalm 119:71: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes”. n

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an outdated wood stove which consumes a lot of wood. As Alexander could not go out, their 13 year old son Bogdan had to provide wood by going to the nearest forest, cutting the wood by hand and splitting it to size. Still that was not enough to heat the house and the children were often cold. Their life is tough and Alexander regularly needs expensive medication. They are doing as much as they can to renovate the house and work on the garden. On our last visit with them they expressed their weariness, and their fears about keeping the house heated this winter. With tears in her eyes, Nadezhda asked us to help them with funds for a new heater and for updating the heating system in the house. When visiting families like this, we never make any promises, because we rely on God, who is the owner of all the gold and silver and who opens the hearts of those to whom He has entrusted it. So we can pray for this dear family, hoping they will have heat in their new house this winter. The good spirit of this family is evident and for the many years we have known them they have never complained and never asked questions about why this is all happening to them. They show themselves to be faithful pilgrims traveling to the promised land .

WinterHelp WRITTEN BY

Brother Sasha COAH Contact

Family of Alexander and Nadezhda Alexander, Nadezhda and their four children have never had a smooth and easy life. We got to know them years ago, when Alexander, who was a coal-miner, was badly injured at work. They formerly lived in the Donetsk region and their local church asked us to consider providing some financial support to the family, since the breadwinner of the family could not work anymore. We started supporting them and over time became close to this modest and sincere Christian family. In August 2014, as the war neared their home, they had to escape that region and after changing locations several times they ended up in western Ukraine. Since that time they have lived in the village of Sytne, Rivne region. The local authorities of the village gave them an old school building for their residence. In spite of their poor living conditions, the family was happy to be in a safe place. The building is heated with

Nikolaichyuk’s Family

Pastor Yuri Simonenko & his Family

This family has five children ranging in age from 3 to 15. Before the war they lived in the town of Pervomaisk, Lugansk region. They were a hard working family, working on their own farm. The livestock provided the family with meat, milk and other provisions. There was enough production to eat and have extra to sell to make a living. When the war came, their house was destroyed and many of the farm animals were killed. For some time they had to hide themselves in a basement. They left Pervomaisk and now are trying to start over in Kiev region of Central Ukraine. They asked us to help them with the funds needed to start farming again. For the cows, equipment and feed they need an amount equal to $2,200.00 USD. With their experience in farming, they hope with this start-up funding to be able to start a new life here.

Pastor Yuri Simonenko was pastoring a congregation in the town of Alchevsk, Lugansk region which was in the heart of the war zone. When the war started, he had to flee with his family. He had to leave everything behind. The city is occupied now by separatists, and Pastor Simonenko is on the black list because of his pro-Ukrainian position shown during the conflict. He ended up in a town on the other side of the country, in Western Ukraine. He immediately got involved in church planting. He has health concerns and is required to use various medications. The rental costs for his apartment and the medications consume most of their small income. A monthly support for this pastor and his family would alleviate a huge financial burden. He has the gift to preach, and the Lord has blessed him with a true pastor’s heart. The amount needed is $200.00 per month.

Nikolaichyuk's WinterHelp Need • Start up Funding for Farming

Pastor's WinterHelp Need • Monthly Support

Family's WinterHelp Need • Funds for a new heater system

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issues and because lack of proper medical care in the occupied areas. When the war started they had to escape from there, but because Andrey could not find a job and place to live they had to return to their apartment. Their apartment building was not badly damaged so they can live in there, although neighboring apartments were badly damaged. Andrey is a man who deserves much respect. He is not giving up under these hard lifecircumstances. In fact the hardships have led him to the church people. He does not have a church background, but people from the local church got in touch with him, provided him with Christian literature and are supporting him in his spiritual search.

Andrey's WinterHelp Need • Monthly Family Support

Andrey with his two youngest sons. The oldest son was at school

Andrey and his Three Sons Andrey works at a coal mine as an underground electrician. Due to the military conflict, the mine does not produce any coal and only the supportive services are still functioning. Andrey works on maintaining the ventilation in the mine, but the payments are minimal and always late. He is a widower, who takes care of his three boys, aged 1, 8 and 11 years of age. One year ago, his wife tragically died. She was entering the elevator in their apartment house along with the youngest son in a baby carriage. The elevator suddenly failed and plummeted to the bottom of the elevator shaft. She was killed immediately but her son survived, even though bones were broken. Two years ago the oldest son had a stroke. Unfortunately it was not diagnosed properly and in time, so the surgery on his brain was done belatedly, which resulted in partial paralysis. He needs rehabilitation and proper medical care, which is not affordable for the family because of financial

Natalia and her Four Children

Yana and her Two Children

It is a tragic story indeed. Natalia is 40, with four children; the youngest is just 3. Natalia’s husband was killed by the Ukrainian armed forces. He was evacuating people from the war zone using his car and at one of the Ukrainian checkpoints he was mistakenly taken as a separatist and shot dead. What made it even worse was that he was a pro-Ukrainian patriot himself. For quite some time the body was withheld from the family. Following this, Natalia’s mom got cancer and died from that. So the widow was left bereft of her close relatives, but as she witnessed to us, the Lord has granted her grace to forgive those who killed her husband. They had to move back to the occupied area and live in the area very close to where Flight MH17 crashed. They in fact witnessed fragments of bodies, people’s belongings and parts of a plane falling down from the sky to their yards. She showed us a business card from somebody on the plane, which they had found that in their yard. The house they presently live in is in very poor condition. They need to install a restroom and shower in the house and fix the kitchen. The overall cost of the project is $5,000.00 USD. The funds raised up by this time are equal to $2,000.00 USD. The remaining cost of the project is $3,000.00 USD.

Yana was born in 1997 in a disadvantaged family in the Kiev region. She was sent to an orphanage, where she lived and studied until she was 18 years of age. After graduating, Yana was left alone without a place of residence and registration. She got married and received two children. Her husband is now in prison. Yana is taking care of her children. The oldest child is 2 years old, and the youngest girl was born a few months ago. The newborn girl has a heart defect. Now she is in intensive care unit at the hospital. The doctors did a closed heart surgery a few weeks ago, but there were complications afterwards. The problem with the blood vessels of the heart persists; the baby suffers from pneumonia and has an enlarged liver. Doctors say that if Kate will survive to a year they will need to do an open heart surgery and then her health will be restored. Yana temporarily resides with her mother- inlaw. The state allowance is only enough to buy food for the baby, and she needs the money for daily medications in intensive care. Yana is very worried about the life of her baby and hopes that doctors will save Kate’s life. n

Yana's WinterHelp Need • Monthly Support

Natalia's WinterHelp Need • Remaining Cost of Renovation

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WinterHelp in Siberia WRITTEN BY

Brother Riko COAH Contact

The Kuranakh church has been reaching out to a nearby Evenki village for several years now. And together with the few believers of this village named Khatystyr, we have been praying for assistance in ministry, especially with the children. Two weeks ago two young Christian women from Yakutsk , both Yakut and thus Yakut-speaking (as are the people in Khatistir), moved there being, called by God to minister to children. Khatystyr is an Evenki village on the bank of the Aldan river. Almost a thousand Yakut-speaking Evenki live in this southern Yakutian region, famous for its hilly landscape and taiga forest. This settlement of reindeer herders and hunter-fishermen is located more than an hour’s drive from the district center and about a halfan-hour drive on gravel road from the closest town, Kuranakh. In Kuranakh there has been a church since 1991, and as a result of regular weekly mission trips, there are now believers in Khatystyr. It has been a constant prayer of the local Christians that God would send workers that could live in

Khatystyr to have a more permanent presence. And God has answered our prayers in the following way. Two young Yakut believers from the capital, Yakutsk, were stirred by God to consider the mission field. Vika Akimova and Veronica Simyonova were sharing with each other about their experiences working with children, while washing dishes at a Christian conference. They both had rich experience, the one in villages amongst unbelievers and the other in city ministry in church settings. Soon they started to pray together that God would use them as a team and send them far away to the unreached. After discussing their desire with the brethren of the local Association of Churches, and realizing that it would be wiser to be of help to a young growing church than to be completely on their own without any local support, they felt called and led to Khatystyr. In Khatystyr the news that two young Yakutspeaking workers were willing to come live there and work with children, was received with much joy! Soon a house was found where they could live on their own and where they could invite children and hold Bible lessons. Help with firewood, water and other things followed. The house had been recently built so the ceiling and some inner wall covering wasn’t finished yet. Together with Vika and Veronica came the first snow, the very next day. Together with that came the bliss of village living: firing up the stove, ordering water and carrying it inside, insulating windows, chopping firewood. There remained however more serious preparation for the coming winter and for receiving

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guests, especially the unreached children of Khatystyr. The ceiling and inner wall coverings needed to be completed. By God’s grace this was an opportunity for the blessing of WinterHelp. The two sisters greatly rejoiced when they received WinterHelp from kind brothers and sisters they will probably never meet. Immediately they thought of buying everything they needed to finish the project. And with help from believers of the Khuranakh church, the necessary material was obtained and two brothers offered to

assist in finishing the ceiling. Two weeks have past since they came and the house is almost ready to serve. Soon the children of Khatystyr will have a place to come to, once a week, to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We praise the Lord and are grateful to those who make WinterHelp possible! Please pray with us that God would touch many hearts and convert many souls among the younger generation of Evenki in this little village. n

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WinterHelp Programs in Eastern Europe Soup Kitchen • Daily Bread • Winter Boots • Food Parcels • Firewood • Coal The winter months are bleak for many in Eastern Europe, especially the elderly and children. Many of them have lost everything due to the war in the East. Money is scarce, they shiver while waiting in line for a warm bowl of soup, many share a pair of winter boots, and a load of firewood or coal for many is a great gift. These gifts do not cost us much. $25 will feed a family for a month. $100 could feed a family for the winter. How many months or how many families can you help out this winter? n

There are lots and lots of children who have less ‘stuff’ than you and I. Their parents wish they could give them more but they cannot. All the money is spent on food, heating, clothing and other necessary things. Often there is not even enough for that. Who gave us all these things? God gave us these earthly blessings. We do not always have an answer why other people receive less. What we do know is that God tells us in the Bible that we need to care for the poor, the helpless. We are commanded to share: He that despises his neighbor sins: but he that has mercy on the poor, happy [is] he. Proverbs 14:21 COAH receives money from people who are willing to give. With that money poor children and people in Eastern Europe are helped in their daily needs, to show them they are not forgotten. Not forgotten by the ‘rich’ people, but more than that, not forgotten by the Lord. Christians, who offer this help to them, share with them the Good News. The Good News that God sent the greatest Gift of all: His Son, Jesus Christ. Whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life! That is an undeserved Gift because in our hearts we do want to be our own boss, we do not want Him to be King in our life. When we know this truth, then we can be truly thankful, and then we can be truly content…and willing to share because our eyes are opened for the needs of others… “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His

Thankful for... Content with... SUBMITTED BY

Mrs. Carlien Brouwer Sponsorship Coordinator

CHILD SUPPORT Look around you, what do you see? Lots and lots of things… Things you use for everyday life; a couch to sit on. Clothing that keeps you warm when winter is on its way. Pens, paper to do your schoolwork. You are provided a full meal; you do not go to bed with an empty stomach. Yes, your house is warm and your bed has enough blankets to keep you cozy. We often do not realize how much we have. Until we notice other people who have more, or less. When another child has more or nicer things than you, jealousy can move into your heart. Sometimes it can really hurt too. When you want something so badly and you cannot buy it, or your parents tell you other things are more important… Still, to live a comfortable life, you have most likely more than enough. When another child has less than you, and you really notice that…then you become thankful and content with what you have. Can you figure out which of these pictures are needs or wants?

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love endures forever!” n

A need is something you need to have in order to survive. A want is something that is not necessary to live but makes our lives easier.

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Oft earth, and hell, and sin have strove, To rend my soul from God; But everlasting is His love, WRITTEN BY Ralph Erskine (1685 - 1752)

Sealed with His Darling’s blood. The oath and promise of the Lord Join to confirm His grace; Eternal power performs the Word, And brings the strong solace. Amid temptations, sharp and long, I to His refuge flee; Hope is my anchor, firm and strong, When storms enrage the sea. The gospel bears my spirit up; The never changing God Lays, for my triple ground of hope, The Word, the oath, the blood.