Voice of Ukraine

From Lyuda (Day 344): Dear brothers and sisters,

I start my day with this verse and want to think all day that the Lord is holding me by my right hand.

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. Psalms 73:23-28

Yesterday I was woken up by a telephone call. I didn’t sleep well at night and was sleeping late in the morning. It was my friend, Tatyana, from the local defense group that makes camouflage coverings,. She called me with a request to pray for her grandson, Vladislav. He is seventeen and wants to be a soldier so much. He went to the military draft office several times asking to recruit him but he was denied because of his young age. His parents are worried by his determination, so they decided to sign him up for a sports club where they prepare young man for the army service, they do a lot of physical exercises, wrestling. He is very excited to be there. They organize competitions where they compete with the same clubs from other cities. Tatyana worries that soon he will be 18 and he can join the army then. He is too young and for a grandmother he is just a little boy.

Last year I spent a lot of time in local defense center and I prayed with women there and read them Scripture. I am glad that Tatyana called me and we could pray with her and talk about her life and her family. I am sorry I can’t go often to the local defense center now, I think of visiting them.

I communicate with our refugees not only during the meetings we have with them, they often call me on other days and we meet, I visit the refugees that stay in our clinic building. It’s good that some of them do volunteering work and are involved in the social life. Some of them found jobs. Even if it’s temporal jobs like pruning the vine, it’s still good. One of our refugees, Yelena, is an English teacher. I suggested her to start doing tutoring. She said that she left all her books and materials for teaching at home and doesn’t know how she can do it without them. I told her it’s not a problem at all because I can share with her my stuff and I know people who want to learn English. She will start teaching next week. I am glad that people are active, it helps them to be positive and not depressed.

I wish you a good day with feeling of Jesus holding our right hands.
In Christ,
Lyuda

P.S. There are photos of the volunteers from the local defense group. My friend Tatyana is a woman in a blue sweater