A small glimpse of worship in Ukraine. Praise has no language barriers! “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
The Fruit of the Gospel in Ukraine
a trip recap by Pastor Keith Tucci
I wanted to take the time to give you a fresh-off-the-press report from Ukraine. We are leaving Zurich now and will fly into Newark, New Jersey.
We left Kharkov on Sunday afternoon and drove until curfew. Then we left at 6:00 a.m. and drove to Chernivtsi, Ukraine, ate lunch, changed vans, and arrived at the border at about 3:00 p.m. Unfortunately, the Romanian side was backed up and we sat for another three hours, so it took us about 26 hours to get out of Ukraine.
Our Romanian friends hosted us for some quick sleep and then took us at 4:00 a.m. to go to the local airport for our flight to Bucharest. We arrived, ate breakfast, and then caught up on some rest. Our flight from Bucharest to Newark didn’t leave until early this morning. I look forward to the day we can have a more direct flight. At least we gain a day flying home.
The ministry there was fast moving, well organized, and very fruitful and encouraging. On the way into Ukraine, we spent two days in Chernivtsi. We did three meetings there—one with refugees who have relocated to the area and two with the local church team that manages the warehouse and transport into the war zone.
We have become good friends with these dear folks. Some of these guys have spent many hours with us in the van and then also helped us minister once we arrived.
We hit the ground running. The main church, Holy Trinity, does a Saturday 10:00 a.m. service. After that, we went to a small town for the first meeting of a church launch. They rented a small building but brought the chairs and sound system outside.
The vans were set up with food packages. Although the food situation is much improved, those on the fringe still very much appreciate the help. The cooking team was already onsite brewing up a great rice dish to serve a hot meal at the end of the service.
The worship team was ready and the pastoral team that represented several churches was making contact with those who attended. I’d say eighty plus folks attended the first service; there were maybe just a couple believers in that crowd. We came back the next Saturday. No hot meal was served that time, but a trailer of clothes and some household items were available after the meeting for those who needed them. All the clothing was readily and gladly taken by those attending.
We ministered at another recent church plant that night. One of the strategies they have used in planting the new churches is that of using Saturdays as the main service through Sunday nights until they get more established. This allows each team to be working two, three, or even four locations in a week—it’s a pretty brisk pace.
We also dedicated a new building of a church plant that was only nine months old. There were several hundred at that meeting and a dedicated team-focus there. We were the special guests, and they honored NRP for our investment. Part of the offering from our Winter Leadership Conference this year went into that plant. Near the end of the meeting, some folks in the back started calling out in broken English, “What can we do for you?” It was an endearing moment.
In addition to the three regional leadership meetings that we did, we also ministered at a youth conference. It was powerful to be a part of this and to see their hungry hearts! We also visited three small plants in very rural villages.
Once you get out beyond the city and town perimeter, it gets very rural. Two hours out of Kharkov is like going back in time.
None of the areas we were in had any other church. The villages, with maybe 200-400 people, consist mostly of large, working farms and villagers doing other side jobs—bartering their wares and services to make a living.
In one village, they bought a little house that we filled up. The pastor and his wife are new in ministry and are full of life. In each of these villages, the pastors are already reaching out to adjacent villages to replicate what they are doing. In that village, they served us a buffet of delicious made-from-scratch desserts! Everywhere we went, they felt it was their duty to increase our food intake capacity!
In the second village, one of the tents that NRP purchased was pitched on a piece of ground they had purchased. We had a wonderful time there and, once again, a young pastoral couple were so excited we were there.
The third village was one I’ve been to twice before. This village existed around a large dairy farm that, in one way or another, employed almost the whole village population. It was occupied by Russians who shot the entire dairy stock of over 500 milk cows and blew up the town. Many of these folks are still living together in small dwellings because there is nowhere for them to live.
Here's what's very special: They have been meeting outside for over a year and a half; even in the dead of winter, a core still shows up. There’s nowhere to meet; it’s all destroyed. They recently were able to buy a piece of land on the edge of the village. Real estate is very cheap right now, as you can imagine. Thanks to Christian Fellowship Center in Potsdam, New York, Living Hope in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and Cornerstone in Amite, Louisiana, they are now purchasing a prefab building to put on that spot!
I take the time to mention these villages because it exemplifies the heart of their leaders and the heart of Jesus. Talk about no one left behind! Who plants churches in places like this? The other church plants are in town settings that are not a lot different than what we know.
We did go and visit one rural established church. Pastor Illia asked us to visit them, as this pastor was under occupation and refused to leave. He said the visit would really encourage him, and it did! I was able to get an interview with him. It’s at the end of this update. Please watch it. It will encourage your soul.
In our regional meetings, there were approximately nine different pastors who stayed with their flocks while their towns were under occupation. Houses were ransacked, families threatened, personal property taken. How humbling and intimidating it was to get up and teach these people!
We did 33 meetings in eight days—morning, noon, and night. We did meetings in the middle of the day all week long, and people came. Yes, we were tired most days. We were leaving the house at 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning and getting back around 10:00 at night.
The last Saturday, when it was my turn to speak, I was praying for strength just to stand. Very seldom in my life have I felt that spent. Somehow, the next day I regained my strength, and we had a great day. We spoke at two churches. After that, the whole local team got together and honored us with a feast. It will always remain a keepsake in my heart.
I kept thinking how I wish that all those that have given generously and sacrificially could see and hear the fruit of their giving, of their encouragement and prayers. I hope that those who have made this trip could see the fruit of their labor of love. I am incredibly honored to represent all of you.
For this trip we had another great team–of course, Pastor Mervin Strother, a great leader, plus Doug Allen and Daniel Paladin. We worked together seamlessly, each using the gift and graces God has given them. Pastor Mervin’s no-nonsense clear teaching, and the fact that this was his seventh trip, gives him the equity to say and lead in certain areas that others couldn’t. Pastor Doug’s insight and humor kept them on their toes. One young leader said to him, “Thank you for teaching us how to laugh again!” Daniel was spot-on with illustrations and stories. They always cheered when they found out he was the father of eleven children. If you asked me how important worship and music is to the Kingdom of God, I’d say it is number one! Even so, I was not prepared for the impact of Daniel doing part of the worship, especially when Marina, our interpreter, who is also a gifted worship leader, would jump in and do parts in Ukrainian. They would cheer for an encore!
At the end of the day, it’s really not anything we did or said; they have very gifted teachers. It’s that we came to be where they are to tell them that we stand with them, we esteem them, and we love them. We came to hug them and pray for them. They receive us like heroes, but they are the heroes in this story.
Kharkov is rebuilding, even as the war is not far away. Bomb and missile attacks are still a fact of life. Air raid sirens were going off every day. The constant flow of military vehicles and the numerous military checkpoints were constant reminders of the life these people face every day. We prayed with those who have lost fathers, brothers, and husbands.
Everywhere we went, they thanked us for the generators, the wood stoves, and the supplies we have provided. Your care and concern has left a legacy that is now expanding the Kingdom! We are a lifeline to them—it’s important that we don’t forget about them now. Thank you again. We really are making history “His Story”!
In the Master’s Service,
Keith Tucci
FROM MERVIN STROTHER: I am still in awe at what God did on this ministry trip to Ukraine. We got to see New Testament church planting happen right before our eyes. We ministered in 35 different locations. Some meetings were pastors’ meetings, some new church plants, and some dedications of new church buildings. NRP has played such a vital role in what we witnessed. As Pastor Illia said, every location we visited has been blessed and helped by NRP support.
FROM DANIEL PALADIN: It was a great privilege to witness, in person, the great work going on in Ukraine. I saw the way Pastor Ilia and his team are very active in Kingdom-expanding ministry. They’re planting churches and reaching people through meeting practical needs and spiritual needs at the same time.Witnessing the devastation in the formerly Russian-controlled areas and hearing the stories from the pastors that stayed gives me a whole new understanding of the situation. The help NRP has been able to provide has been crucial for tangible resources and ministering to their hearts that they are not alone. They are our brothers and sisters!
FROM DOUG ALLEN: This trip was my second time visiting Ukraine, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The Kharkiv region where we are based has seen ongoing random missile, rocket, and bomb attacks. It was surreal as we traveled and ministered around the area while air raid alerts sounded 10 to 20 plus times per day. On two occasions, explosions occurred close enough to feel the vibrations. The people paused and then went on with their lives. It is the reality of their situation, but the Gospel is bringing hope and joy to many in hopeless situations.
Over the past 2-1/2 years, when many believers, and even pastors, have fled the country, the teams and churches of the Kharkiv region have planted 22 new churches, with two of them opening while we were there. We had the privilege of visiting churches that were outdoor gatherings last year and are now in their own buildings or the building process.
More exciting was the apparent growth in the believers. Last year, there was such heaviness and emptiness in many people’s eyes. This year, they are bright and alive, praising, worshiping, loving, and reaching out. I am convinced these churches will transform their communities.
Thank you to the local churches and believers for your generous support of NRP and their efforts to come alongside our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in their hour of need. I believe that what God is doing in Ukraine will be the doorway to revival in this nation and across Europe.
Pastor Illia, from Ukraine, talks with Pastor Keith about what it has been like since the war started. Pastor Keith asked Pastor Illia what message he had for us: "Preach the gospel. Spread God’s Kingdom. And pray for Ukraine."
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