We woke up early, dreading the thought of dragging two teenagers out of bed for church. After much “encouragement,” they finally got out of bed and got dressed in their new clothes and shoes, Viktor standing proud and tall, grinning from ear to ear, and Tanya trying (unsuccessfully) to hide her smile.
Our driver picked us up and drove us to the village, passing farms and small homes along the way. We turned down a gravel road and arrived early at a modest brick church building, just as Pastor Nicolai and his wife Anya and their 3 young daughters arrived. We were greeted warmly by them and invited inside.
Pastor Nicolai’s smile beamed out at us, and his face glowed with the joy of the Lord. He is pastor of a Baptist church near Matvivka that has had a ministry to orphans for years, and Tanya wanted us to visit this church with her and Viktor. She had told Pastor Nicolai all about “her Americans,” and Pastor Nicolai had invited Scott to share a testimony.
The small sanctuary was filled people of all ages, with the women dressing very conservatively with longer skirts, no make-up or jewelry, and their heads covered with scarves. Pastor Nicolai apologized for the smell of cattle, as this was a village church, with windows open to the breeze, and some of the people smelling of cattle as well.
The service was absolutely delightful, full of joyful singing, Gospel-centered preaching (Natasha translated for us), and a chance for Scott to share with that congregation (and our children to be) a testimony of God’s grace in our lives for this adoption journey. He was able to share how much the Lord has done in our family and in our hearts to bring us to Ukraine and welcome these children in our home. Each of the texts that were read were powerfully used by the Holy Spirit to move in my heart personally. The Assistant Pastor read from I John 4:7-16 about the Love of God. I can never hear enough about the love of God, and as he shared, it was like a direct line from heaven was open, and the Lord himself was reading me his love letter. God’s love has been filling me up and spilling everywhere lately. I was praying for Tanya and Viktor, that they would be able to sense God’s love for them as he read and spoke.
Psalm 113:4-6 was also read, and it says, “For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.” But as I kept reading that Psalm, the Lord grabbed my heart even more as it read, “He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.” I thought about those sad, terrible days when I longed to be a mother more than anything. I was that childless woman, and suddenly we are being blessed with 6 children! My heart overflows.
And when Scott shared the testimony, he shared the first part of Ephesians 1, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Scott mentioned that there is no such thing as half of a son or daughter, you’re either one or you’re not. When we have been adopted into God’s family, suddenly we are heirs, we are sons and daughters, we have hope, we have security and a future -- we have everything in Christ. We are understanding a little glimpse of that great pleasure in going through this adoption process with Tanya and Viktor.
After the service, a meal was served downstairs, with babushkas serving hot bowls of borsht, saucers of buckwheat and chicken, with the table full of fresh herbs, pickled tomatoes, bread and cookies. Everything was delicious! What an unexpected treat to get authentic Ukrainian food in a village like this! The meal was served around a long table with benches around either side, and about 16 of us fit around the table. They served the entire church like this, each group taking turns, and Sunday School followed the meal. It was a long, beautiful and glorious morning, lasting about 4 and a half hours. Scott has been invited to preach there next week!
Our driver picked us up and drove us to the village, passing farms and small homes along the way. We turned down a gravel road and arrived early at a modest brick church building, just as Pastor Nicolai and his wife Anya and their 3 young daughters arrived. We were greeted warmly by them and invited inside.
Pastor Nicolai’s smile beamed out at us, and his face glowed with the joy of the Lord. He is pastor of a Baptist church near Matvivka that has had a ministry to orphans for years, and Tanya wanted us to visit this church with her and Viktor. She had told Pastor Nicolai all about “her Americans,” and Pastor Nicolai had invited Scott to share a testimony.
The small sanctuary was filled people of all ages, with the women dressing very conservatively with longer skirts, no make-up or jewelry, and their heads covered with scarves. Pastor Nicolai apologized for the smell of cattle, as this was a village church, with windows open to the breeze, and some of the people smelling of cattle as well.
The service was absolutely delightful, full of joyful singing, Gospel-centered preaching (Natasha translated for us), and a chance for Scott to share with that congregation (and our children to be) a testimony of God’s grace in our lives for this adoption journey. He was able to share how much the Lord has done in our family and in our hearts to bring us to Ukraine and welcome these children in our home. Each of the texts that were read were powerfully used by the Holy Spirit to move in my heart personally. The Assistant Pastor read from I John 4:7-16 about the Love of God. I can never hear enough about the love of God, and as he shared, it was like a direct line from heaven was open, and the Lord himself was reading me his love letter. God’s love has been filling me up and spilling everywhere lately. I was praying for Tanya and Viktor, that they would be able to sense God’s love for them as he read and spoke.
Psalm 113:4-6 was also read, and it says, “For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.” But as I kept reading that Psalm, the Lord grabbed my heart even more as it read, “He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.” I thought about those sad, terrible days when I longed to be a mother more than anything. I was that childless woman, and suddenly we are being blessed with 6 children! My heart overflows.
And when Scott shared the testimony, he shared the first part of Ephesians 1, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Scott mentioned that there is no such thing as half of a son or daughter, you’re either one or you’re not. When we have been adopted into God’s family, suddenly we are heirs, we are sons and daughters, we have hope, we have security and a future -- we have everything in Christ. We are understanding a little glimpse of that great pleasure in going through this adoption process with Tanya and Viktor.
After the service, a meal was served downstairs, with babushkas serving hot bowls of borsht, saucers of buckwheat and chicken, with the table full of fresh herbs, pickled tomatoes, bread and cookies. Everything was delicious! What an unexpected treat to get authentic Ukrainian food in a village like this! The meal was served around a long table with benches around either side, and about 16 of us fit around the table. They served the entire church like this, each group taking turns, and Sunday School followed the meal. It was a long, beautiful and glorious morning, lasting about 4 and a half hours. Scott has been invited to preach there next week!