Nelson newsletter
March 2022
“Let us
not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow
weary.” Galatians 6:9
Dear Praying Friends,
As the war in Ukraine continues, we are amazed and
thankful that the Russian army has not defeated the much smaller and less
sophisticated Ukrainian army. David is holding his own against Goliath! It is
far from over. We don’t know where it will end. The devastation and loss of
life is a nightmare. Like many of you, we never expected war to return to
Europe in our generation after the two horrific World Wars that began there.
But the nightmare is a reality for the millions of refugees fleeing for
their lives to Poland, Moldova, Romania, and to many other countries. It is a
reality for those who stayed to fight bravely in Chernigov, Kharkov, Mariupol,
and Kiev, to mention just a few of the cities under siege.
Danelle and I have been following closely the events, especially since we spent 6 years in Kiev, and took countless mission trips all over Ukraine. Our heart is there with our friends. Our hearts break every day. But we continue to ask God to intervene. As the verse above admonishes us, let us not lose heart in doing good. Don’t give up fighting on your knees dear brothers and sisters!
Sonich and Vera were trapped in their
apartment near Kiev when we Skyped last week. They sat in the dark for fear of
being a target for Russian bombing. It made the nightmare more real for
us as we spoke and exchanged love and affection for one another. It was
sobering. We all cried.
We met Sonich years ago when he drove Grace and Merry to Kiev International School. After a few years of hearing the gospel from our missionary friends, he came to faith in Christ. Later, his son, Sasha repented as well! Sonich had to have his foot amputated a few years ago because of his diabetes, making it difficult for him to travel. He and his wife live in Brovary. You may have seen photos of the tank battles near their home. Good news!! This week they were moved to safety (for the moment) in Kiev.
Another friend recently wrote, “Steve, thank you
so much for your prayers for remembering us. My family is now safe in Poland.
We help here with refugees; we also fight Russian propaganda with our
professional methods.” Most families are separated because the men are fighting while their
families fled. Most of these men have no military training, but they are committed
and courageous. Genady in Odessa and Sasha and Dima in Kiev are a few friends
to pray for.
Please pray for:
6. Giving. If you wish to help with the overwhelming needs, you can give to the Ukraine Relief Fund that Reliant set up for this purpose. 100% of these funds will be used for relief. The money goes to meet the needs of the Christians we know and worked with in the gospel. You can give here: https://reliant.org/ukraine.relief.fund You can also mail your gift to Reliant at the address below. Thank you so much! We hear daily reports about how your gifts are making a difference for refugees and those who are still in Ukraine.
Steve & Danelle
