Dominic, Maxime, Joshua, and Veronyka at the park.
We began this month by attending a combined church service with two other local churches at an invalid center here in Bila Tserkva. We were greatly encouraged to hear about what God is doing in other towns and communities. I had the opportunity to meet the director of the Bila Tserkva City Association of the Children-Invalids and their Parents. He invited us to come back to the invalid center early next month to see how we could possibly help out with the children there. Please keep the possibilities of this open door in your prayers.
Dominic and Joshua after church at the invalid center.
Another opportunity for sharing the Gospel recently presented it itself. One of Dominic’s friends from school showed up at our place one morning. He said that he wanted to talk about the Bible with us. Dominic was a little reluctant because his friend, Yulyk, is a Jehovah’s Witness. We prayed about it and decided that it would be a good opportunity to boldly speak the truth of God’s Word. We invited Yulyk and another woman he had brought with him to come in and have a Bible study. It went really well as we were easily able to show them in three different Bibles (Ukrainian, Russian, and English) the answers to the questions they asked. I don’t think Yulyk got the results he was looking for so he promised to come back the following week with more people to “study” the Bible with us. I couldn’t be more excited. Yes, please, bring more people. Praise the Lord.
Edna was in California all this month so the boys and I were on our own. Somehow, the term “the boys” turned out to include Maxime as well as Joshua and Dominic. Shortly after Edna left Ukraine, Maxime began showing up here in the mornings and going back home when it was time for him to go to bed. There were several days when Maxime ate all three meals at our place. I didn’t mind the extra child and it gave us more opportunities to teach Maxime about Jesus. He has been eagerly going to church with us every Sunday. We have witnessed amazing changes in him.
We are also excited about how well the Children’s Ministry at church has been going. The children finally have a time on Sundays that is just for them. I have been teaching from several of the parables of Jesus using a Ukrainian Bible, a Ukrainian Bible activity book, and my limited Ukrainian. So far, I’ve managed to hold their attention and come up with some fun crafts and activities. Now that Edna is back with a bunch of new craft ideas, I’m hoping that the children will be even more excited about learning God’s Word.
Children's Ministry
Our small, but growing church.
I was surprised at all the people here that would ask me when Edna was coming back home. There were several of the girls from our neighborhood who were counting down the days to when “Miss Edna” would be home. I don’t think she realized just how much she was missed. The Lord has given her several opportunities for discipleship with these young girls here.
I’ll let Edna describe her trip to California in her own words:
As most of you know, I took a very sudden and unexpected trip to California. The Lord laid it on my heart to make the trip to see my Mother and Father-in-law, Ann and Rich Silva. Ann had a knee replacement in April which healed up very nicely. Then, in July she stepped into a hole and herniated several discs in her back. She had been in a lot of pain and was left feeling a little depressed from it all. Right before my arrival, she went in for a procedure called an epidural, which is a conservative approach before surgery.
Before I left Ukraine for California, I wrote in my journal that I wanted to come to be a blessing to Ann and Rich, to uplift and encourage my Mom in particular. I wanted to help her around the house with whatever was needed. I just wanted to bless her in any way I could.
I also made a trip to San Luis Obispo and stayed with my very dear friend from Calvary SLO, Tiffany Cook. I stayed for 4 days and had such a wonderful time! I want to thank Tiffany for her kindness and hospitality during our stay. It was so good to see Justin and Arabella again. Thank you, Tiffany for your valuable friendship and unconditional love and acceptance towards me. And thank you for the clothes that you gave to me to take back for Maxime!
I visited Calvary SLO on the same Sunday that Jake & Anya spoke at the church about what’s happening up in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Jake said it the best when he spoke and said that America is cool for a few weeks, and then you want to go home. I wanted to cry when he said that because it is so true. I felt pure indifference visiting my hometown, which I have always loved so much. It just didn’t seem the same to me. I was really missing my real home in Ukraine. God really sealed that in my heart that day and I won’t ever forget it.
Edna, Maia, and Anya
I want to say a big THANK YOU to Pastor Bryan. He gave me a $200 shopping trip to Michael’s so that I could get anything that I needed for the children’s ministry at our church in Ukraine, House of Mercy. And thank you to Cindy Ecret, who gave me a very big bag of her own assortment of different crafts! Thank you to Roxanne Foote who gave me a big bag of books for us and the boys to read. I just felt so full of joy and happiness because those were things that were really needed back home since we began a children’s ministry with nothing but some markers!
”No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” –Luke 8:16
“As an encouragement to anyone who may desire to preach the gospel in a foreign language, I must mention that the first member of this family who was converted came merely out of curiosity to hear my foreign accent.” -George Muller
Prayer Requests
• That God would continue to lead us according to His plan
• The wisdom to share and defend the Inspired Word of God
• Learning the Ukrainian language and culture
• For the children in our neighborhood and in the church: Maxime, Veronyka, Masha, Oksana, Anya, Angela, Yaroslav, Olena, the twins (Masha & Dasha), Vika, Marina, Katya, and Zhenya.
• For the boys as they adjust to Ukrainian public school
• Wisdom in sharing the Gospel
• Opportunities for discipleship
• Financial provisions
• Health and safety
• For opportunities to serve at the invalid center
• Spiritual growth and discernment
• Pray that Edna would have the opportunity to share the saving message of Christ with Maxime’s mother, Vera
Support can be sent to:
Calvary SLO
P.O. Box 1463
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
With an attached note: "For Greg and Edna Silva"
In Christ,
Greg, Edna, Dominic, and Joshua
Our blog: On Second Thought
Our photos: We Desire Him
