January 22, 2024 (Day 698)

January 22, 2024 (Day 698)

Today is sunny but a bit сol. The whole last week was frosty, snowy and windy. The good news is that we have already lived through half the winter and there have been no major power outages.

Night attacks continue and Odessa is constantly under attack. We thank our air defenses for shooting down many drones and missiles. But it is impossible to shoot down everything and therefore there is damage and death.

The war situation is very difficult. There is no progress, everything is unpredictable. The army continues to attack our positions. In winter, it is very difficult for soldiers to live in trenches and dugouts, especially in frosty weather. It's hard not to lose heart in such a situation. At one Bible study we had a good discussion about the fight with evil. We paid attention to the fact that the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people have always fought and continue to fight now. They had to learn to live, work, relax and raise children while fighting. This is what we are learning now because we understand that our victory is not yet near.

A new ministry was started in our church. We saw a serious need for transporting the wounded. Many wounded people need to be moved from the hospital to home, from home to a rehabilitation center, from one hospital to another. There are specialized ambulances for this, but there are not enough of them in quantity and many wounded people must wait their turn for transportation. The men of our church removed the seats in the church van, put in a mattress. So they were able to take the wounded Sasha to western Ukraine to a rehabilitation center. It was fast and rather comfortable for Sasha. They can help other wounded soldiers now.

We continue to work on our project of the Refugee Center. The building is old and is undergoing renovations, but progress is being made and we are ready to accommodate another family. The work slowed down for several reasons: One of which is that many men in our community went to war. This obviously caused problems in businesses and any contracting. Additionally, there was a delay in getting the necessary construction materials and other items we needed. We hope that we will still be able to complete our renovation project soon. So many families have been displaced and left destitute because of the bombing of innocent civilians, women and children.

Even in this state, our Center is already an oasis for our refugees. The family that already lives there now (Sergey and Svetlana) is very hospitable and ministry-oriented: They often invite other refuges for tea, and Svetlana treats them with pies and pastries she bakes. We began to arrange a library so our refuges can read helpful Christian literature. Svetlana potted many indoor plants, and together with Vika (one of our counselors from Odessa), they planned the design of the garden. Learning to care for the Center (inside and garden work) helps our refugees to normalize life and to experience some peace and comfort.

We are ready to place a new family in the center next month. The second living space is almost ready: Praise the Lord. We need to improve the heating system and equip the area with furniture to make it accommodating and comfortable for living. This expense will cost $3,000.

After this space is completed, we will start the improvements on the second floor (a former attic). We plan to create at least two living spaces on this floor. The total costs will be $16,500 ($8,250 for each living area per family).

We want this place to be a shelter and a refuge for people who need comfort and peace. It is a Bethesda (a House of Mercy) for those suffering the ravages of war. They receive spiritual, emotional, and mental counseling as well. We also help them with physical and humanitarian needs. The wonderful thing is that the Center is within walking distance of our church; hence, they have constant opportunity to join in worship and fellowship with a community of caring believers.

Our ministry is an outreach of Pathway Ministries, which began our work in 2005. We now have developed our own counseling group called, The Spring (Rodnik) in Odessa, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, and other places in Ukraine. Our counselors continue to work with displaced families throughout Ukraine and Europe, and even, the United States.

Thank you for your prayers and thank you for you support.

Please, send your donations to Pathway Ministries
E. Langston Haygood,D.Min.,Ph.D.
Pathway Ministries, Inc.
288 Huntington Parc Circle
Birmingham, AL 35226
(205)835-3325
http://www.pathwayministriesinc.com

In Christ,

Lyuda

P.S. There are photos with the refugees who attend our group meetings and the renovation of the Refugee Center building