Eric and Beth Yodis, WorldVenture
Fall Kicked in High Gear
Training Events – Church Planting Networks Forming – Travel – Mass Thanksgiving – Tech Glitches
This Fall has been crazy busy with some high-stakes training events and church planter network meetings, visits with our kids, as well as planning and preparation for future ministry events.
The biggest event was the first ever All-Ukraine Evangelical Thanksgiving day where the largest gathering of believers ever to get together in Ukraine took place. I joked with a friend, “We have enough people here to start our own revolution.” Truly, this was the largest gathering in Ukraine since the Maidan Revolution took place three years ago. Of course, it isn’t a political revolution we are hoping for but rather a spiritual one that awakens the hearts and minds of people all throughout Ukraine with a thirst for God’s amazing grace. (Video link below). Despite the size of the event, NOT ONE SINGLE UKRAINIAN NEWS CHANNEL COVERED IT!
Then a week and a half ago, we got sick at the end of a ministry trip to Odessa in the southern part of Ukraine. The upper respiratory issues were enough to convince us that God may have been saying, “Slow down and get some rest.” So that is what we have been doing and tomorrow (Lord-willing) will be our first time to really get out and test our strength since being sick, as we plan on attending our local church in the morning and speaking at a youth event in the evening. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Prayer Requests:
- For winter and holiday outreaches coming up in December and January throughout Ukraine.
- For the new church planter networks starting up in both Kiev and Odessa.
- For the continued church planter training that we recently “beefed up.”
- For strength, health and safety during the long, cold winter ahead.
- For the ability to stay focused in a multi-faceted ministry.
As you read our praises below, give God glory for all his deeds and blessings. As always… Thank you for your faithful prayers for us and the ministry.
New Network of Church Planters
First meeting of its kind with more to follow
Praise & Prayer: We are encouraging the group we work with to form networks of church planters and like-minded individuals in each of the oblasts (provinces) of Ukraine which will be led by a leader who will passionately promote church planting. In Odessa, we were able to see their network get a grand start at the end of October. To read more and see pictures of it, click here.
Ukrainian Evangelicals Unite
First All-Ukraine Evangelical Day of Thanksgiving Draws Ginormous Crowd
Praise: On September 17th, all the major and many smaller evangelical denominations of Ukraine came together for a full-day of activity in downtown Kyiv to thank God for his grace and provision. Evening crowd estimates ranged from 150k to 500k with the true figures probably being in the middle. To see a brief video summary, click here or click on the video graphic on the right.