TITLE: Those Curves in Our Road March10,205 By Verna Mull 03/10/15 |
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The first year that my niece, Carolyn and her husband, Lee asked us to go to Ukraine with them, it seemed like an adventure to go to another country, and we would be trying to win people for Christ, and that seemed like a good goal. They had began a summer Bible School ministry along with a few other visitations etc.
When we arrived, we were taken to a very meager home, even though it was an apartment. A rat ran over my foot at one time when we were coming home late in the evening after a meeting. The lady with whom we stayed was a beautiful, gray haired lady who truly loved the Lord. She gave us her bed and made a bed on the floor, and our interpreter slept on the sofa, but it didn’t take many days for us to realize that we were in a country of poverty which we had never witnessed before.
We visited many villages, and they were very gracious, but there were times we wondered what we were eating and would rather not have eaten, but did not want to hurt anyone’s feelings. One look around, told us that we were receiving the best that they had. My husband and I both spent 4 weeks of sleepless nights as the plight of these lovely people griped our hearts. When we came home that first year, I vowed not to buy anything that I had thought that I wanted and began to plan to take things back that would be helpful for those we already loved.
The country was beautiful, the streets were lined with apricots and cherries, but they were small, and many were wormy as they could not afford any spray. They made compote out of them anyway.
The services were thrilling times as Lee and Paul presented the gospel and many people raised their hands and prayed the sinner’s prayer, with tears streaking down their faces.
When the final Bible School program was held the first year, there were over 80 children who had given their hearts to the Lord, and suddenly the poverty and food situations meant nothing at all.
We had planned to go to Italy the next year on a vacation, in fact, that is what we had planned for the year we were asked to go to Ukraine. We had just retired and planned to see the world.
Well, to tell you the truth, we have never been to Italy, but have spent from 2-4 weeks in Ukraine each year for the last 13 years.
We have seen conditions improve, only to see all of their hopes dashed, when Russia invaded and took over some of their best areas. We had spoken in all of those areas through the years and were so happy to know that whatever happens there, God has a remnant of wonderful people who we are praying for Him to protect through all of the conflict. Many who are dear to our hearts, we do not know if they are still alive, but we will never forget the joy on their faces when they first met Jesus Christ.
We always visited orphanages, which was dear to our heart. One year, probably nearly 3 years ago, I met and talked to a girl who was trying to learn the English language in hopes of becoming a translator. I’m sure I talked to her about Jesus, and she informed me she was a Muslim. I have no idea what I said to her.
The next year, we visited the orphans at camps and this teenager rushed to hug my husband and then to me. She hugged and hugged me, and announced that she had given her heart to Jesus Christ, and that she was the Muslim girl I had talked to the year before. I asked her what had convinced her that Jesus is the Savior of the world? She said, “It was something you said to me last year!” Tears of joy , confidence and hope, filled my heart to overflowing. I always feel that I do so little in just giving my testimony for Jesus Christ. God had given me courage and assurance that there are no coincidences in our lives.
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