We’ve been in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, for the past three weeks. We’ve been partnering with an organization called Teen Challenge, which reaches out to people of all ages who are drug addicted and/or alcohol addicted. We’ve been working with Sergey Glushko and his wife Mariana, as well as with Ben Wade, and several different translators. They have started this here in Kiev and have been working for about a year, year and a half.
Monday- Prayer at Ben’s place
Tuesday- Outreach at Methadone clinic with Sergey(drug addicted people looking for legal drugs) and train station with Ben (homeless men, many alcoholic)
Wednesday- Coffeehouse Ministry- meet at local church with coffee/tea and cookies, and hang out with those who we invited the day before, get to know them. We meet in small groups and discuss one or two questions (ex: How do you view God? Do you think drug addicted people can quit on their own? If so, how? If no, why? Etc.), then we meet in a large group and hear a couple words/testimonies, sing praise to God, and have a time of prayer. If anyone wants to go to rehab or give their life to Christ, there is ample opportunity in this place.
Thursday- Play/share Jesus with kids at an afterschool program for at-risk kids, this was a small group.
Friday- Visit men’s rehab center and speak with, ask questions of, share our lives with, and encourage men there who are seeking Jesus and quitting drugs/alcohol.
Saturday/Sunday “off”
This schedule is light compared to Sergey and Ben’s schedule, as they usually visit clinics/the streets all throughout the week. It is amazing to see their passion for these lost ones who are in darkness. Sergey was drug addicted a long time and hit rock bottom before he allowed God to change him and he repented. His story has Jesus’s love, grace, and power written all over and through it and it is beautiful to hear. God is at work in this place and through these people, and it’s a joy to be around and to see. Just last night at Coffeehouse we witnessed a man who has been drug addicted and suicidal come to God and ask forgiveness for his life and for judging God. We got to pray for him and encourage him as he begins his new life. We pray that he really allows God to come in and break him and change him completely and that his family sees this as well.
Working with TC, Sergey, and Ben has been great. I don’t know how else to say. But it will be something we will tell of many times in the future as we move from this place. Once again we are moving. We will leave Kiev in about four days and begin our final month of the World Race. This year has seriously been ridiculous because the Lord Jesus Christ is amazing and ridiculous and his love and grace and power are scandalous. Holli Lewis will be working with and leading the worship team this month in Berlin, making our clan of 6 now 5. We don’t know where we are going yet, but we’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!
