February 2010 Update - Bila Tserkva, Ukraine (Our Final Update)

Our last day in Bila Tserkva with Olya and her granddaughter Alyona

On the 21st of February we left Bila Tserkva, spent the night in Kaharlyk, and traveled the next morning from there to the Kyiv Airport with the help of Micah Claycamp. We traveled through Moscow, then on to Los Angeles, and drove the last leg to Visalia getting in just before midnight on the 22nd. (You can see our last post from Bila Tserkva by clicking HERE.)

Edna with Dima and Svitlana

It was a very emotional month for all of us to say the least. In our last days in Bila Tserkva we spent as much time as possible with all the people we would be leaving behind. We are so grateful for all the help we received from our Ukrainian friends. They helped us in so many ways including cooking meals for us and interceding for us in prayer. We will never forget them.

View of the Sierra Nevadas from where we live

When we flew out of Moscow it was snowing heavily and when we arrived in Los Angeles it was sunny and warm. The next morning in Visalia we were shocked to see green grass everywhere and blossoms on the trees. Looking to the mountains we could see snow, but it was such a drastic change from Ukraine. Joshua told Edna that it was beautiful here and that God had really blessed us. I think we can all agree on that.

Another view of the mountains

Almond blossoms

Joshua and Dominic are trying to adjust to life here as they have both started school. Dominic is now in high school and even has some of the same teachers I had. Edna is receiving treatment for her spinal condition and is feeling much better. I've been busy trying to make all the repairs to the house we are living in and get all of our things put away so we aren't living out of boxes.

Taras enjoying some sunshine and green grass

We will definitely continue in ministry here in some capacity as God leads us, but we will always have a heart for Ukraine. We are so grateful as to how God has been providing for us through friends, family, and the church body here. Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us (including our Ukrainian friends) and to those of you who are helping us with our transition.

This will be our final blog post for The Silva Family in Ukraine, but I will continue posting to On Second Thought about our lives as a family and anything else I find interesting.


"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" - Romans 11:33

"Jesus was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again." - George Whitefield

Нехай Бог Благословить Україну
(Let God Bless Ukraine)

Prayer Requests

• Pray that God would provide financially for Dima and Svita to attend Bible college this fall (We are working on raising support for them).
• That God would watch over and reunite Maxime and his mother, Vera.
• That God would continue to lead us and take us in the direction He wants us to go.
• For Edna's health problems and medical costs.
• Pray that both Dominic and Joshua make friends and adjust to school here in Visalia.
• For new opportunities (especially among our neighbors) that lead to Christ being made known as a personal Savior here in Visalia.

• For spiritual growth in all of us and unity in our marriage.

In Christ,
Greg, Edna, Dominic, and Joshua

Our blog: On Second Thought
Our photos: We Desire Him


To see updates for previous months, please click the link below "Older Posts"

January 2010 Update - Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

Dominic, Edna, and Joshua in Krakow, Poland

January was our last full month in Ukraine and we spent it preparing for our departure on February 22nd. This has meant making sure all of our documents were in order and that we could spend as much time as possible with all of the friends here that we so dearly love. One of the things we had to take care of was leaving the country to avoid paying for registration (something you need to do in Ukraine even with a visa). Our Wizz Air tickets to Krakow, Poland cost us about a hundred dollars and gave us 90 more days to be in the country without registering, making it much cheaper and easier to play the registration game. Staying in a hostel also helped keep this trip low budget and introduce the boys to several interesting international travelers. The highlight of our two day excursion was a history lesson Dominic and Joshua will never forget, or any of us for that matter. We spent about two and a half hours touring Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration/death camps. You can read about our time there by clicking HERE.

Looking into Auschwitz

One thing that God has taught us is that just because we're getting ready to leave Bila Tserkva, it doesn't mean that the ministry is finished here. We recently met a married couple named Dima and Svita who live in Bila Tserkva. We have been so encouraged by them and about their passion for serving the Lord here by ministering to His people. They have a similar vision as ours for pointing out the Biblical truths of who Jesus Christ is and what a personal relationship with Him means. Churches here are often filled with so many man made rules, legalism, and unhealthy traditions that the true message of Jesus is sometimes obscured and at worst, lost. Man-centered doctrine and practices tend to keep people in bondage rather than make them free in Christ. It has always been on our hearts to simply share Christ in word and deed through God's inerrant Word, the Bible. It has been such a blessing to have fellowship with Dima and Svita and to be able to introduce them to others in the Calvary Chapel fellowship of believers.

Dima and Svita

Dima and Svita met in Ukraine, but later moved to Russia where Dima is from. About a year and a half ago they moved to Bila Tserkva where Svita grew up. Svita is one of the best translators I've met in Ukraine and that is how we were introduced one Sunday when my translator at church was sick. I know Edna has really enjoyed and benefited from having a close friend in Svita. Life here can be difficult and lonely when you don't have someone close that you can confide in. We often wonder why we didn't meet them sooner, but God has a purpose. I really love Dima and the fact that he does his best to speak Ukrainian to me (since I don't understand that much Russian and he's actually learned a lot of Ukrainian since moving here) and also English, which Svita is encouraging him to learn. He's also a very talented musician who once played bass guitar in a popular Russian Christian rock band called Fimiam. (You can see a video of Dima's band by clicking HERE. Dima is on the right.)

Dima and Svita helping Joshua make some plaster coins

Dima and Svita have been involved in different types of ministry both here and in Russia and are hoping to become better equipped by attending the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Hungary where we also attended. We're praying that the Lord would provide for them to spend the fall semester there if it's in His will. We would really love to see them strengthened for the work and the need that is here in Bila Tserkva. It's an answer to prayer that Dima and Svita would continue ministry in our neighborhood in the same spirit as we have. I feel that it's no coincidence that we live a short walk from each other. Our only regret is not having more time with them, but we know that God's plan is bigger than all of us.

The only news we have about Maxime and his mother Vera is that she now has a job, but Maxime's grandmother Luda still won't let her see Maxime. Joshua plays with Maxime outside, but he isn't allowed to come over to our house. Please keep him and his mother in prayer.

We want to thank all of our supporters for their prayers and support in helping us transition back to California. We hope that all of you have been blessed by our journey here and that you will continue to support ministries in Ukraine. There may be future opportunities to support what God is doing in Bila Tserkva and all of you know that is where our hearts are. God bless you.

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction." - 2 Timothy 4:2

"I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done." - Hudson Taylor

Нехай Бог Благословить Україну
(Let God Bless Ukraine)

Prayer Requests

• Pray that God would provide financially for Dima and Svita to attend Bible college this fall.
• That God would watch over and reunite Maxime and his mother, Vera.
• That God would continue to lead us and take us in the direction He wants us to go.
• For Edna's health problems and medical costs.
• Pray that we finish well here and make Christ known in all possible ways.
• For God's protection against illness. (Praise God that we are staying strong!)
• For continued friendships (especially among our neighbors) that lead to Christ being made known as a personal Savior.

• For spiritual growth in all of us, unity in our marriage, and an easy transition back to CA.
• For the planning and everything that must be done in preparation for our move back to California. (Almost done.)

Support can be sent to:
Calvary SLO
4029 S. Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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


To see updates for previous months, please click the link below "Older Posts"