We are Going Back!
After 15 months of dealing with the Covid restrictions, we are finally returning to Ukraine! We are so excited to return to continue our work and to see the many friends we have been missing. While we have been able to see pictures and talk on social media, there is still nothing like face to face interactions.
While we have been to Ukraine many times, after this pandemic it feels like we are starting new again. Much has changed in the world since we were in Ukraine last. Travel requires masks, Covid tests, vaccinations and possibly quarantines. Gatherings have been limited. People are encouraged to stay six feet apart. Transportation has changed as have services provided by hotels, like meals. People’s lives have changed due to sickness and deaths. And in Ukraine, worry over Russian threats has increased.
Yet, with all these changes, we are excited to return to Ukraine. We still know that even though conditions have changed, the Good News of Jesus is still the same. We know that now is the time for churches to think differently about how they connect with people. We know that people have moved to more on-line experiences and the importance of a church’s online presence has never been more important. The world has forever changed, so churches cannot go back to trying to be as they were before covid hit.
As we return this week, our theme for the trip is “Come and See”. We took this from The Chosen, which is such a great telling of the story of Jesus. As people met Jesus, they would tell others to “Come and See” what an amazing person Jesus was. Nathanial and the woman at the well, used these words as they shared with their friends, family, and neighbors about their interaction with Jesus. Throughout the gospels, Jesus healed the sick, provided for the needs of the hungry, challenged the teaching of the religious leaders, spent time with the outcasts from society so that He could share the Good News of Living Water, Truth and Life.
Our prayer is that as we share with pastors and church leaders, we can accomplish three things:
- Encourage them as they have been leading through a challenging season.
- Challenge them to ask the question “Is our church and place where people can “Come and See” Jesus.
- Provide them tools to help them make the changes that they need to make them relevant to this changed world.
Be praying for us as we travel. Pray that we have negative covid tests and can manage 20 hours of wearing a mask. Pray for our meetings and time with pastors and leaders that we can encourage and support them in their ministry.