Memories - Nostalgia - Overseas Outreach

December 2024

Since this December 2024 issue of Overseas Outreach will be our final one, I want to share with you some nostalgic memories from our September 2014 issue:

Memories – Nostalgia

Does September also bring you a mysterious feeling of nostalgia? Many of you will probably remember the hauntingly beautiful lines and tones of Andy Williams’ popular song “Memories – memories etched upon the tablet of my mind.”

What really sparked the nostalgic flow of memories for me was walking around Warm Lake Bible Camp on Saturday, September 6th. (Randy went with me to the Eagle Christian Church Men’s Retreat at Horse Thief Reservoir, and we went to Warm Lake during recreation time.) The camp was deserted because summer camps were over, but the nostalgia flowed as I remembered bringing Della to that camp in August 1962, just four months before our wedding, and listening to Delbert White plainly, purposefully and passionately preaching the gospel and calling all of us to commitment – unreserved commitment to Christ. I remember Galen Farnsworth striking the chords of my heart along with the chords of his guitar as he sang the words to “I Won’t Have to Cross Jordan Alone.” I remember Kenny Beckman probing deeper into those chords of my heart as we sat on logs around the huge campfire. (Delbert had finished preaching – now Kenny had gone to meddling – but the call to commitment couldn’t have been clearer.) Souls were stirred and lives were transformed around that campfire. I remember baptisms in the cold water of that mountain lake. (Warm Lake only has a few warm spots from warm springs.)

Ukraine/Crimea Memories

I remember my first trip to Ukraine when I preached “Why I Believe in God” for Simferopol Christian Church. Following the church service, Shaire came to me with her face beaming to introduce me to her granddaughter and to tell me this: “God sent you here to share this message for my granddaughter. She is an atheist – and this is just what she needed to hear!” (Do you think that didn’t motivate me to return to Crimea again and again?) I learned that Shaire was one of very few Christians among the Crimean Tatars – an Islamic unreached people group. Now Pioneer Bible Translators has the entire Bible available in the Tatar language – and there are a few more converts. Shaire was a bold witness for Jesus in spite of suffering indescribable hardships. She has since gone Home to the loving arms of our Savior. May He continue to use her testimony to reach more souls for Jesus! (Another of Shaire’s granddaughters, Ira, was a committed Christian – and served as my interpreter for a few meetings. Later she went to a Christian college in Florida.)

September 11, 2001

My first trip to Ukraine for the “Man and the Christian Worldview Symposium” was in May 2001, and Vlad Devakov was my first interpreter. His father had drowned in the Black Sea during a terrible storm when Vlad was 16 years old, and the fact that my heart goes out to orphans, coupled with Vlad’s warm personality and quick wit bonded us so that I emotionally adopted him like another son. I want to share with you a note I sent to him on September 11, 2014.

“Dear Vlad,

Since today is the thirteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, there are memorial programs across the nation. This morning as I was listening to a 5:30 a.m. radio broadcast replaying recordings from that fateful day, I was reminded of you as well. Why? Because I clearly remember the heartfelt email you sent us as your heart was aching and your tears were falling on the keyboard as you typed. I had already come to deeply appreciate you on my first trip, but my heart bonded with you even more when we received that email. Is it any wonder that I requested for you to be my interpreter again in October 2011 for the conference, and emotionally adopted you to be like another son?

Now your nation is under attack – and the conditions are even worse. My heart aches for you, Tanya, your kids and all your many friends and co-workers in Ukraine. I’m thinking of the song, “We are one in the bond of love.”

Yours & His, Rick”

Memories – Man and the Christian Worldview Symposiums

I remember after my presentation of “Catastrophic Consequences of Darwinism” at a symposium in Yalta that Stephan Bruev, a retired M.D., stood up and said approximately this: “I grew up in the Soviet Marxist system, and I have been thoroughly indoctrinated with Darwinism since my childhood, but after hearing this presentation, I don’t believe it anymore!!!” Do you think that didn’t motivate me to keep going back to Crimea?” (By the way, Sergei Golovin published “Catastrophic Consequences of Darwinism” in Russian as a booklet, and it is now Chapter 3 of READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER in both the English and Russian versions.)

I remember meeting Valeriy Pavlov on the hotel patio (which had a grand view of the Black Sea), while we were seated at the same table listening to a concert on the first evening of a symposium. He had come to the symposium for the first time at the invitation of a Christian teacher at Crimean American College (now Commonwealth International University). Our initial meeting and greeting was cordial, but superficial; however, during our times together in ongoing symposiums and conferences, we bonded and became friends – in spite of opposite and opposing worldviews. Valeriy is a philosophy professor from Kiev and had come to the symposium to convince us of his atheistic Marxist views. Repeated exposure to Biblical truth and creation science evidence, coupled with strong doses of genuine love from Christian presenters and interpreters, brought about a dramatic turn-around in Valeriy’s attitude and manner. Sergei Golovin said, “We could hardly recognize him as the same man!” I’m glad professors love to read. Early in our friendship I gave Valeriy a Russian copy of IN THE MINDS OF MEN by Ian Taylor (which documents historically why Darwinism was accepted and promoted – and it was not because of scientific evidence. In fact, early on, Darwin’s strongest opponents were scientists.) Later I gave Valeriy The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. At the next meeting I asked him, “How do you like the book?” He replied, “I love it! I’ve highlighted favorite passages and shared them with my students!” Do you think that didn’t motivate me to keep coming back to Crimea for the symposiums?

In my presentation, “The Power of Perspective,” I used the strategy of Solomon in Ecclesiastics – to show that every humanistic philosophy seeking to find fulfillment is a dead-end road. Vanity of vanities – all is vanity – chasing after the wind. Three ladies were very upset with me about it and strongly voiced their objections during the comment/question time. Two of them were Russian speakers, professors of philosophy and culture. They said to me, “What you are saying is that what we are doing is worthless!” I didn’t argue with them about that. At least I could be pleased that they got the message! The third woman who objected was the wife of a Christian psychologist, and her objection was that I was too strong and blunt in my presentation. (In other words, she didn’t disagree with what I said, but thought I should have been softer in my presentation.)

Ironically, I really didn’t need to make much of a defense of my presentation because two other philosophy professors defended me – Yuri Mezensev and Valeriy Pavlov. They told the ladies they should calm down and really listen to what I was saying – all the way to the end. I had ended the presentation on the positive note of accepting God’s wisdom instead of man’s wisdom. That evening I asked Sergei Golovin, “Do you think I was too blunt?” He replied something like this: “Normally we take a more cautious and indirect route to expose the errors of our opponents. However, sometimes someone has to take the sledgehammer of truth and smash the false philosophies. You did it today!” Do you think that didn’t motivate me to keep coming back to Crimea? (“The Power of Perspective” is now Chapter 5 in READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER.) I remember Sergei Korniyenko saying, “One thing we can count on with Rick – we never have to wonder what he is trying to say!” (Clarity is a virtue – isn’t it?)

Another time I remember a comment from Sergei Korniyenko was during a long afternoon when we were drowsy from a good lunch, the warm sunshine, and a discussion that was dragging on and on about how to synthesize music with philosophy and science. I decided to try to liven up the session, so I mentioned that two ancient Greek philosophers were debating their conflicting philosophies. One claimed, “To do is to be!” Another claimed, “To be is to do!” They never resolved their conflict – but finally, over two thousand years later, Frank Sinatra brought the synthesis with music when he sang “Strangers in the Night” with the phrase “do – be – do – be – do.” The English-speaking presenters and the interpreters all burst out laughing. Sergei Korniyenko said, “Rick, this will go down in the history of our symposiums!” (Maybe I need to remind Georges Carillet, because so far, I haven’t seen it in any history books.) It did liven up our drowsy afternoon. Do you think that didn’t motivate me to keep going back to Crimea?

I believe it was my fourth trip to Crimea – (I was coming both for the symposium in the spring and the conference in the fall) – when I thought of the mule story for my introduction. On the first evening of the symposium, each presenter was called to the front to introduce himself and give his credentials. Almost all of them had far more academic degrees that I do, so when my turn came, I told them about a farmer in Kentucky who entered his mule in the Kentucky Derby. When his friends asked why he did such a foolish thing, since his mule had no chance to win against those thoroughbreds and the entry fee was expensive, he replied, “I know that – but I believe the association will do him good!” I told them, “I feel like the mule at the Kentucky Derby, but I believe the association will do me good.” Then I expressed my thanks to Georges and Sergei for allowing me to be there. My interpreter, Lena Osipchuk said, “Oh, Mr. Deighton, you have a story for everything!” I wish that were actually true, because Jesus taught primarily through stories and probing questions.

I remember when a nuclear scientist, Vladislav Olkhovsky, stood up during a discussion time to thank Georges Carillet and Sergei Golovin for putting on the “Man and the Christian Worldview” symposiums and conferences. He told them how powerfully these meetings had influenced his life, and then said, “My science is still very important to me – but no longer is it the most important thing in my life. Now sharing God’s truth is the most important! I’m writing a book on apologetics!” A few years later at a Biblical worldview conference in Kursk, Russia, I heard him give a tremendous presentation on the Christian worldview as the convergence of Biblical and scientific evidence. Praise God! For the conclusion of my small book, Is the Bible Without Any Errors?, I included this special memory from one of the symposiums:

“Euphoria in the Presence of our Awesome God!”

“Thursday morning, May 15^th, dawned an incredibly beautiful day on the Black Sea Coast. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the soft breeze was swaying the trees near our hotel balcony as I read from Genesis. I laid my Bible down, leaving it open, while I went back into our room (Sergei Golovin and I were roommates for the symposium), but when I returned to the balcony a few moments later, I was puzzled to find it open to Romans 11. There wasn’t that much breeze! As I stared at the page, I heard a voice nearby quoting, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” It was my friend, Vladimir Komlev, English teacher and pastor of the Evangelical Christian Church in Lugansk, Ukraine, who was also our next-door neighbor for the conference. Our balconies were actually connected, with only a small fence between. So, together, Vladimir and I soaked in the beauty of the early morning as we meditated upon the wisdom of God. Vladimir had quoted Romans 11:33, so I continued reading: “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory forever. Amen” – Romans 11:34-36. Yes, friends and prayer partners, there is euphoria in the presence of our Awesome God!”

What Will I be Doing after December?

Conscientiously fulfilling my wedding vows to Della before God and others to care for her and protect her from falling again if possible.
Trying to keep in touch with our ministry partners to encourage them and pray for their needs.
Prayer walking on Wilson Creek Trail for exercise and distributing Christian literature as a means of contact, outreach, and witness for Christ.
Writing articles for publication in Christian journals and magazines (I hope) and for bulletin inserts.
Continuing to read books I’ve been gathering for 60 years plus publications I receive from Creation Ministries to help keep my mind active and sharp.
Encouraging and further discipling younger men that I still have contact with from former ministries.
Prayer ministry for all of the above.

Here is a Sample!

Before we give you the full list of ministry partners on page 8, we want to give you a sample letter from John & Irina Murphy’s Odessa mission. What they are doing is significant and successful, praise God! What our other ministry partners are doing is also bearing fruit for eternity. (Sergei Golovin’s fall report is outstanding but came to us late. If you would like us to send you a copy, either by email or postal service, please let us know.)

Odessa Mission Newsletter (October 2024)

“Thanks to your generosity here are some of the things we’ve been able to do over the past sixteen months through our benevolence project called “Love for Ukrainians” with under $20,000:

Partner with Evangelism Church in Kharkiv, Ukraine to open a Christian rehab center for men called Mercy House and handle all of their rental costs.
Purchase a boiler to provide hot water for the men at Mercy House.
Fully repair Sergei Bakuta’s (our former neighbor in Odessa) van so that he could resume Bible-food distribution in some of the Odessa region’s poorest villages.
Meet the needs of 100 people for two months through Victory Church’s tremendous food-assistance outreach ministry in Odessa, Ukraine.
Gift a high-quality bulletproof vest to a Christian soldier named Ivan Yegorchenkov that wound up saving his life last October.
Help Shepherd’s Purse, a Michigan-based mission, organize a retreat for three Ukrainian pastors’ families serving Jesus near the front lines. The goals were to pray for the families and offer them some much-needed rest at a resort far away from the war zone in the fall of 2023.
Pay the full price for one injured Ukrainian soldier’s cornea-replacement surgery.
Successfully get Ivan Yegorchenkov’s mother out of harm’s way and transport her to Scotland where she was reunited with Ivan’s wife and son who had been living there.
Offset some of Anna Salkutsana’s (our former neighbor) medical expenses following her stroke.
Help House of Prayer Church to keep warm in the Carpathian Mountains and save considerably on their utilities by replacing its gas-based heating system with a wood-based one.
Send aid to Dima Grishuk (a former member of our church) to meet some of his basic needs as he serves in the Ukrainian military.
Supply Igor Perun (a former member of our church) with groceries and other basic necessities as he ministers to injured soldiers at a Ukrainian military hospital.
Cover most of Olena Filipova’s (a former member of our church) mother’s funeral expenses.
Assist Irina Litvinova, a Ukrainian refugee in Richmond, with her mounting medical bills in the wake of her recent cancer diagnosis.
Donate the Odessa Mission’s Nord Electro 5 keyboard to Word of Life Church in Odessa.

Wanting to support what we do? Checks are tax-deductible, payable to Calvary Christian Church, and mailed to Steve Dunham at: 338 N Snead Street, Ashland, VA 23005. By writing “Odessa Mission” in the memo you can help us cover our stateside operating expenses. Or you can write “LFU Project” and have 100% of your donation (minus wiring fees) support Ukrainians in need.”

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Note: I recently re-read the intriguing book The Fool of God, about the life of Alexander Campbell. He was strongly opposed to the hatred and bloodshed of warfare, and in his 70s practically wore himself out traveling and pleading with Americans in both north and south to rely on the grace of God and the leading of His Spirit to peacefully resolve their differences over slavery, states’ rights, etc. He did all he could to prevent the Civil War and division of the country but felt like a failure because it wasn’t enough to stop the hatred, war, and bloodshed. He had himself inherited slaves with the farm he had inherited from his father-in-law in Virginia but loved them as fellow human beings created in the image of God, trained them in various skills to become self-sufficient, and gave them their freedom. Several of them wanted to stay with Alexander and family on their farm, so he hired them as his employees. Alexander thought he had failed in his strong appeals, but history has verified otherwise! Only two Christian-based communions did not split during the “civil war” – the Restoration Movement and the Friends (Quakers) – both of them opposed to bloody warfare!

By the way, the Restoration Movement was the first “Back to the Bible” movement in America. The purpose was to restore the unity of the Body of Christ by going back to the Bible and obeying His Word instead of relying on human creeds and opinions. I still believe that the restoration plea is Biblical and valid. Our country is already once again involved in violent attacks and bloody warfare. Fellow Christians, what are we doing about it? Wouldn’t it be wise for each of us to pray, “Lord, what would You have me do?” Each of us is a tool in the Master’s hand, but we are not pieces of wood or steel. We are human beings created in the image of God with a free will. Wouldn’t it be wise to ask: “Is my will submitted to the will of God?” What about God’s will in these difficult areas: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you… You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:11-12, 43-45 (NKJV)

Coincidence?

On Thursday, August 29, I was walking on Wilson Creek Trail near our home, got tired and almost turned back. I’m so glad that I didn’t! Why? Because a short distance farther, I saw a man in a pasture trying to herd a small flock of sheep through a narrow gate. I spoke to him and offered him a gospel flyer. He was a black man with an accent, so I asked him about his home country, and he said Na-Geer. For clarification I asked him if it was Nigeria. No, he replied – Na-Geer. I realized he was saying Niger. Then he told me that he is Muslem, so I asked, “Do you believe in prayer?” He nodded “yes” so I handed him a copy of our prayer letter and mentioned Sergei Golovin and Ukraine. At this he perked up and spoke to me with a Russian greeting: “kak-da-la” (How are you?) I replied prēē vē -ēt (Hi!). From then on, we had a good, friendly conversation. He told me that he had studied for five years in Ukraine and completed his higher education at an institute in Kiev, so had learned some Russian, but his first language was French. He also told me that he would read the literature I had given him. Our conversation was briefly interrupted when a young woman on a bicycle stopped to also receive a flyer and prayer letter. Her two young children on small bicycles came up behind her and seemed pleased to receive the illustrated booklets I gave them. Their Mom is a believer, and said, “God bless you” as she began to ride off.

When I looked back, my new friend from Niger had managed to herd the sheep through the small gate (I had not even gotten his name). What does all this have to do with coincidence? Just this: that very morning on our Voice of the Martyrs calendar, the nation to pray for was Niger, so I prayed for Niger. As far as I know, I had never before met anyone from Niger, but on the very same day I prayed for Niger, I met a Muslem man from Niger, who accepted Christian literature and told me he would read it. Will you pray with me for the conversion of this educated, multi-lingual Muslem man from Niger? Did God bless me that day? What do you think?

Was my opportunity to share God’s truth with a Muslem man from Niger just coincidence? I’ll let you decide that too, but it reminds me of a story I’ve heard about neighboring farmers. One was a Christian and the other an atheist. Whenever the Christian would share a testimony of answered prayer with his atheist neighbor, he would brush it aside by saying “Coincidence! Just coincidence.” Finally, the Christian said to his friend: “Think what you will, but I’ve noticed that when I pray, the coincidences happen, and when I don’t, they don’t happen!” Della and I have a lifetime of amazing coincidences that just happened at decisive times in our lives. We acknowledge them as answered prayers, but you can think whatever you want about them. We have an unknown future before us, but we have peace and confidence in the great promises of our Awesome God.

More recently I met another black man who is working as a janitor at our Nampa post office. He graciously accepted the testimony flyer I gave him, then later I heard him talking while sweeping down the hall from our P.O. box. I noticed his ear plugs and realized he was talking on the phone, but I could not discern anything he was saying. I spoke to him again and asked him what language he was speaking. I think he said “Lingala.” Then I asked the name of his home country. He said “Congo.” So, I asked Big Congo or Small Congo? He answered Big Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Then I told him that I have read of lots of persecution happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and that I have been praying for his country. When I asked his name, he said “Immanuel,” and told me that he is a refugee. Once again, Big Congo was a country I had been praying for because it was listed as a persecutor of Christians on our VOM calendar, then for the first time in my life I meet a man from Congo (a refugee named Immanuel) indicating that his parents are Christians. Coincidence?

Is Almighty God your Father too? Do you think He has forgotten you?

Que Sera, Sera

Doris Day’s 1956 blockbuster song, Que Sera, Sera can have very positive, or very negative results. Why? First, here are the words that I remember:

Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be!

The Future’s not ours to see! Que sera, sera!

On the positive side, we can accept the fact that the future is not ours to see, and there will be circumstances we cannot control, so we need to commit the future to God Himself, and trust Him to provide and care for us.

On the negative side, many people are tempted to contact fortune tellers to peek into the future in order to control the future, thus violating God’s command to avoid the occult.

So what do you choose, the positive or the negative? The choice is yours whether you choose to obey God, or fall for Satan’s trap! Almighty God is the Sovereign, not Satan!

What Did I do to Deserve This?

Have you ever heard this question? Thought this question? Felt this question? My guess is that most human beings have. It is not only children who are unwilling to own up to the fact that they need a spanking. Sometimes it is not because of what they did but because of what they did not do. When you were a child, did you ever hear a parent ask you: “Have you done your chores?” or “Have you done your homework?” Did you own up to it and tell the truth about what you didn’t do, or did you make an excuse? Were you afraid of being punished?

Recently, I took a small blue, decorative pillow out to our garage and tried to beat the dust out of it without beating the stuffing out of it. What did that little pillow do to deserve a beating like that? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. It just sat around for years gathering dust.

Are you feeling sorry for yourself because you feel like God is allowing circumstances to beat the “stuffing” out of you? Are you wondering: “What did I do to deserve this?” Maybe nothing! Perhaps you have been doing nothing for far too long, and God is allowing the circumstances to get your attention. Is the pertinent word for you from God this verse: “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation”? (Hebrews 2:3) Have you heard over and over “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” as well as “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” yet you have neglected so great a salvation? If so, then you have done nothing for far too long! You probably have known John 3:16 for most of your life, but in that same chapter, the most accurate translations of John 3:36 say: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (ESV)

Maybe you have been a Christian for years and have heard the Great Commission over and over. What are you doing about it? If you are thinking, “That Commission is for missionaries and evangelists,” you are partly right and completely wrong! That commission is for every Christian! Are you praying for those you want to share Christ’s great salvation with? “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:12-17; “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 (ESV)

Conclusion: Now let’s refocus our attention away from our hearts, frustrations, and miseries to take a good look at the demonstration of the Love of God at the cross of Christ – where He bore the guilt and shame, the penalty and agony of our sins! Now let us each ask the same question – “What did I do to deserve THIS?” The answer is the same – Nothing! But the effects are the opposite – joy instead of bitterness! Gratitude instead of griping! Testimony instead of temptation! “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKJV)

Concerning Christian Evidences

Recently I re-read my copy of the Restoration Reprint Library books The Christian Preacher’s Companion (or The Gospel Facts Sustained by the Testimony of Unbelieving Jews and Pagans) by Alexander Campbell and Christian Evidences by James Challen. Both authors did an exemplary job of verification, but Alexander Campbell’s extensive research into the writings of opponents of the gospel from Josephus in the 1^st century to all the big-name philosophers of the first three centuries A.D. (who either ignored or openly opposed the truth of the gospel) was very impressive. I have a strong suspicion that James Challen read Campbell’s book before launching his own book with additional valid observations. One reason I think this is that on page 66 of James Challen’s book he gives a concise summary in one potent sentence for the main premise of both books! He wrote: “Christianity is a matter of history, and its existence can be proved from the day of its birth down to the present era; not only from its own records, but from independent sources.”

From Our Mailbox

Here’s the quote for the week: “Literature and history are full of people who suffered from handicaps, had talents that were inferior to those around them, lived in the worst of circumstances, or faced many defeats. Yet, many of these people are listed among the winners in life’s Hall of Fame. Why? What made them achieve? The secret is this: Whether you reach success or failure in life has little to do with your circumstances; it has much more to do with your attitude…with your faithful courage…with your choices! You see, non-achievers blame their circumstances; winners rise above their circumstances. Some concentrate on the blank wall that boxes them in; winners always look for a way to get under it, over it, around it, or through it. God bless—if you happen to need an attitude adjustment, spend some quality time with Jesus—love you! Jerry (Dake)”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Dear Rick and Della, I hope that God grants you health and comfort, I am sure it’s frustrating to deal with age. My parents are on this journey, and I know it’s getting harder and harder for them to travel as well. You are still making an impact whether you are going places or not. Your newsletters are powerful and encouraging, keep serving the Lord through the gifts He’s given you! Thank you for your support and encouragement. – – With so much talk about Ukraine in the news today, I want to remind you that no matter what is your political position on helping Ukraine at the governmental level, we are commanded by our Lord to defend the oppressed, take up the cause of the fatherless and plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17). Jesus urges us to look after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27). Together, we are helping widows, orphans and distressed Ukrainians. We know their names, we see their faces and we know their stories. Your support reaches concrete people on the ground and makes an eternal difference for them. We have the highest allegiance to God over politicians to be His vessels in this fallen world. Don’t grow weary during this political season, keep your gaze on Jesus and His truth! Natasha Reimer, Executive Director, Mulberry International”

Prayer Request

Please continue to earnestly pray for Ukraine, Israel, and America.

Important Information for Transition

Not all of our co-workers are listed here, but these are our primary ministry partners for outreach and humanitarian aid to destitute people in Ukraine and beyond. Please consider choosing from these if you would like to continue helping those in Ukraine when Overseas Outreach is discontinued at the end of this month. We highly recommend each of these – and you can contact them directly.

Sergei & Olga Golovin, Christian Center for Science & Apologetics

Email: president@scienceandapologetics.org Web site: https://scienceandapologetics.com/en/

Postal Address in U.S.: c/o TMI, P.O. Box 904, Melbourne, FL 32902 Phone: 321-877-8999.

“Also, if somebody would like to contact me through a messenger, all accounts are registered on my phone number +380 67 653 1960 “(Sergei’s comment.)