Category Archives: Europe

Turkey — Trip to the City of Antioch and the Surrounding Areas with Relief Aid

Pray for the Church of Antioch – by Robert Jurjevich

Nearly thirty years ago, I stood praying from the hillside overlooking the city of Antioch (Antakya, Turkey), seeking the Lord about the spiritual condition and future of this Biblical city where nearly 2000 years ago, a powerful New Testament church was founded.

From April 30th through May 2nd, 2023, I returned to Antioch with a truck loaded with food and hygienic items for people who had lost everything due to the February 2023 earthquakes. Traveling with me were pastor Sargon Chamaki from Ankara, Turkey, and pastor Jozsef Nagy from Bekes, Hungary, along with our Turkish brothers in Christ, Mustafa (our driver) and Ibrahim (our interpreter and security). The food truck – which cost $20,000 in supplies – was made possible by donations from several ministries, including The Bridge International.

It is heartbreaking to see this city of a half million inhabitants being reduced to 15% of its population, who are all living in tents because almost all buildings have fallen or are beyond repair. More than 50,000 people died during those few minutes when the series of earthquakes (7.8 magnitude) stuck southeast Turkey and northern Syria, an area larger than the nation of Austria.

Amid such tragedy and despair, God is still in the midst to pour out His love and grace to the local Christians, as they are being used to reach out to the Muslim population within the earthquake zone. Although they themselves have lost their church buildings and personal homes, the local Christians are daily feeding thousands through their mobile kitchens. A positive result of this crisis is that the protestant churches of Turkey (with about 10,000 Christians) are more united and working together than ever before.

Someone asked me if I met God on my trip through the earthquake zone. I responded, “I met a little girl.” Of all my experiences during those two short but intense days, the closest thing to a ‘God-moment’, was the few moments I had meeting her. In the midst of a living hell on earth, she stood there like a springtime flower – the smallest of all the children surrounding our van – totally content with the single packaged muffin she was holding in her tiny hands. She looked up into my eyes and then she gazed off to the side toward the tent camp where she now would return to. What is her name? Did she lose family in the earthquake? What will her future now be like?

TRIP REPORT—TO THE EPI-CENTER

On Sunday morning, April 30th, we started our journey in the capital city of Ankara with the loading the truck with 768 food boxes to be delivered the next morning in Antioch (Antakya, Turkey). There are two kinds of trucks – this one is the smaller size, which costs around $20,000 in supplies. The larger truck would cost $30,000 to fill. Supplies cannot be shipped into Turkey from outside the country – they have to be bought from within. Since the earthquakes three months ago, the price per box has doubled, from $13 to $26. The truck drove on to Antioch ahead of us – we drove in a van behind, a six hour drive. On Monday morning, upon arriving at the church distribution camp on the outskirts of Antioch, along with the local ministry team, we set up tents where we unloaded the food boxes from the truck. Then we loaded up our van with as many food boxes as possible and headed for the city.

In Antioch, the local church is leasing a stable warehouse facility and operating a kitchen and bakery that is feeding thousands each day. They also have mobile kitchens so they can move from place to place to cook and provide warm meals on various locations. We delivered a van load of boxes (with food and hygienic items) to one of the tent camps in Antioch.

From a distance overlooking the city of Antioch, you see many buildings still standing and could conclude that the damage is not that bad – until you start driving through the city. Nearly every building still standing will have to be torn down.

The local church has been given permission by the Turkish government to build a community center and has been assigned a parcel of land to build it on within the container camp. Jozsef is standing on the foundational slab for that future facility. We were warmly received by the director of this particular container camp – he was so thankful for the work of the local church members – God is giving favor to the local believers on every side they turn to, and opened tremendous opportunities for the Gospel!

On our last night, we met with pastor Ihsan Özbek (overseer of the Foursquare Churches of Turkey) back in the capital city of Ankara to share about our impressions from the trip and to discuss how we could possibly help in the future the churches located in the earthquake zone with food trucks and teams.

On Monday afternoon we left Antioch and drove 7-8 hours to the city of Sanliurfa, arriving at midnight for a quick sleepover. Sanliurfa is located about 80 miles east of the Euphrates River. It is the Biblical city of Haran, where the Terah, father of Abraham, died on their journey to the promised land. (Genesis 11:32)

Early on Tuesday morning we drove with a van load of food to the city of Adiyaman, which like Antioch, is a city totally devastated by the earthquakes. We spent several hours visiting a local ministry who are helping in one of the container camps. When completed, each of the 20 container camps being built in Adiyaman will have 5000 containers – so 100,000 container homes. Like Antioch, and other cities within the earthquake zone, nearly all apartment buildings still standing are beyond repair and will have to be torn down.

From R.K.’s Corner

This is a follow up of the prior month’s Bridge Report, which featured the massive earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria, which took place on February 6. Thanks to all of you who responded generously in donating funds toward helping the victims near the epicenter in Turkey! So far, The Bridge has collected appr. $13,000.00, some of which helped complete a truck full of relief aid boxed, which our Bridge partners Robert and Sargon in cooperation with local Turkish believers, brought to the city of Antioch and surrounding cities. In this issue, Robert gives us a report from their trip.

Antioch is historically significant, as the Apostle Paul founded the first Gentile church there (Acts 11:20–26). The new disciples of Jesus in the city were the first believers called Christians. Paul started on his missionary journeys from Antioch. Today, Antioch is predominantly Muslim. Now, God has opened a wide door for the Christians to demonstrate the love of Jesus freely to their Muslim neighbors!

WILL YOU JOIN US IN HELPING THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN TURKEY?

The funds raised via The Bridge will be sent directly via the leaders we have presented you with here and administrate the receiving and distribution of goods on the ground. The Bridge will not deduct any administrative costs: Your donation will be sent overseas in full! Please mark your donation: 8162 Relief Aid—Turkey’s Earthquake Victims.

Turkey — Rebuilding People’s Lives after Disastrous Earthquake

This is a one of the reports sent via Robert Jurjevich by one of the leaders of a Turkish network of faith-based local Christian leaders who coordinate and work together in distributing the resources donated, most efficiently. to the most needy. This gives a glimpse of their daily dedication and struggles:

Before and After the Earthquake

”Greetings Brothers and Sisters:
Yesterday we went to Hatay again. This time we had the opportunity to see the ministry led by brothers Ali Öztürk and Umut Şahin.

Brother Ali from the Izmir Işık (light) Churches, together with brothers and sisters from other Light churches and other churches, are running a wonderful ministry. They serve three meals to hundreds of people every day with a simple kitchen set up on the side of a main street, opposite a ruined building that is on the edge of a whole neighborhood in completely ruins. They work with so much heart, so much dedication, making sure everything is well done and runs smoothly! The different local authorities that are patrolling the areas such as police and security guards serving in the region and the public form long lines just to eat. We are hearing amazing testimonies from everyone.

As we met and listened to the people coming , we realized that people don’t just come to eat. They are also coming because they feel God’s presence – the aroma of Christ but they can’t put a name to it – that aroma is there thanks to our brothers and sisters. ‘There is something different here. We don’t eat in other places. We come here to eat and for feeling this atmosphere.’

God is using our brothers and sisters as salt and light in this most difficult time, exactly as the Word states! Praise God! For this, we need brothers and sisters who will continue to serve with them, and carry this burden by putting their hearts and hands into this work. We advise you to go and lift the arms of the brothers there. The First Hope Association is a local charity where our brother Umut Şahin serves. They work with extraordinary labor and effort with a large team not only in Hatay but also in other places such as Gaziantep. Praise God, the services of their association are gradually growing. In the first days of the earthquake they actively took part in search and rescue and rescued dozens of people from under rubble of apartments that had falling in the whole earthquake region. Now they serve in a wide range of ways, from meeting the need for food to providing clothes.

Unfortunately, a large hospital in Hatay is unusable. Many patients and health workers have lost their lives during work. In the aftermath, the hospital’s large garden was transformed into two different “tent hospitals” set up with the help of Samaritan’s Purse, a faith-based organization from the united States. They brought in different medics from Bağcılar, Istanbul, and provide a broad range of medical service from simple health problems to surgeries. With their support in this chaotic environment, First Hope Association provides the most basic needs of thousands of people, employees, patients and their relatives: like toilets, showers, laundry facilities, and basic food, such as bread and coffee.

Dozens of our brothers and sisters serve there selflessly. Let us also thank our brother Umut, First Hope and all the volunteer brothers and sisters who serve with them for this wonderful ministry, Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give them strength and endurance to continue using them. Helpers and volunteers are needed there too. Please get in touch if you would like to be there and be part of their ministry.

Yesterday evening we went to see our brothers Hamdullah and Elmas again. We nervously entered their house, which they had worked on for years and used as a service center, but which is no longer considered a safe building. We drank tea together and talked among other things a bit about their earthquake experiences . At night, we returned to Iskenderun. We met again with our brother Bedri and the brothers we talked about that day. We saw the same characteristics in our brothers Hamdullah-Elmas, Brother Bedri and his team, brothers Ali and Umut and all our dear brothers and sisters who serve with them: The love and compassion, zeal and endurance, faith and hope reflecting from Christ within.

A ten year old girl protected her baby brother stuck underneath the rubble. When the rescue team approached them, she promised she would be their servant for the rest of her life if they would save her and her brother. Imagine the future destiny of this one little girl! Let us remember the boy with the starfish…It takes only one at a time!

Often without eating, drinking, sleeping, showering, or even going to the restroom, they serve with love those who are suffering, and suffer as if they are serving the Lord. They do not eat but feed, do not wear the clothes that are donated, but give what they receive and have to console those that are suffering. They truly deserve the divine reward, the crown. And they do all this in a sense representing the whole Church. What they do glorifies the Lord, but it also serves to praise the Church. Praise be to God. We thank the Lord for them. May the Lord bless them! May the Lord bless you, dear and precious brothers and sisters.”

FROM R.K.’S CORNER

You may recall the horrific earthquake which, on February 6, hit southern Turkey and parts of Syria. The news of the disaster flashed across the world news media for a few days before it vanished off the headlines—problem solved—right! Not exactly! Each number in the statistics on page three represents one grieving, suffering human being. All you and I can do, all but miniscule in comparison to the ocean of pain, is help alleviate the suffering of one victim, or a family, or a fellowship of believers by giving of our resources with our prayers. We are raising funds which will be sent directly to those who are serving the victims, many of whom live near the epicenter. Most of them are local Turkish Christian leaders affected themselves by the disaster. They come highly recommended by two of our trusted Bridge partners, Robert Jurjevich and Sargon Daniali Chamaki, men with faith and integrity who have lived and served in the Balkans for decades. You find their background information under COUNTRIES on our website.
The funds will be sent directly via the leaders who oversee the receiving and distribution on the ground. The Bridge will not deduct any administrative costs: Your donation will be sent overseas in full! Please mark your donation:
8162 Relief Aid—Turkey’s Earthquake Victims.

Robert and Sandrina Jurjevich – Update from Sarajevo, Bosnia, the Balkans.

BY ROBERT JURJEVICH

At a recent women’s conference held in Charlotte, NC, a woman sat beside Sandrina (she did not know this lady) during a lunch break. Amid the conversation, the lady (who is a church goer for many years) asked Sandrina what she did for a living, to which Sandrina answered, “I’m a missionary in Bosnia.” The woman then replied, to Sandrina’s surprise, “You are the first missionary I have ever met!’

How connected are we in our individual hearts and within our local churches with the Great Commission that knowing of or personally meeting a missionary is a rarity for one’s Christian walk?

As we enter the 4^th quarter of 2022, the ‘post-corona’ world is facing a global crisis in all spheres of the social strata – from the threat of economic collapse to energy shortage, from educational gender activism to political elitism, from potential nuclear conflict to interrupted food supplies – with fear and uncertainty trying to grip a spiritually lost generation.

What relevance do we as followers of Christ, particularly those of us serving as missionaries in distant lands, have in initiating change? Without God’s calling, anointing and presence, we cannot accomplish the work of God. Reflecting upon our own missionary service during this year in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are thankful for the continual faithfulness and encouragement from God and His people.

THE BOSNIAN BODY OF CHRIST

The local churches of Bosnia and Herzegovina generally are struggling with stagnation, with more believers seeking to leave the country in hope of a better life elsewhere. This is a common challenge throughout the Balkan nations. We continue to pray that the younger generation of Bosnian believers will have a heart and vision to remain within the nation and to grow the local churches.

The annual unity service with all the churches in Sarajevo and three other nearby towns took place this year since Covid restrictions were lifted on public gatherings – Robert was asked to preach, and his topic was A NEW BEGINNING FOR A NEW HARVEST.

BIBLE AND NEW TESTAMENT DISTRIBUTION

Through online offers via Facebook, we have mailed out 600-700 complete Bibles and Gideon New Testaments throughout the nation. No better gift to a spiritually desperate soul that the living Word of God.

PRO LIFE MINISTRY

The first ever Balkan Pro-Life Conference (nations of southeast Europe) was held in Sarajevo from June 28-30. The directors and staffs from all the pro-life/pregnancy centers in Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Croatia, joined with us in Bosnia and Hercegovina for three days of training, prayer and encouraging fellowship. Sandrina and Dejana both had opportunities to share during the conference. Sandrina gave an overview of the various pro-life activities and programs of the Center For Life LIGHTHOUSE (SVJETIONIK).

We were honored to have executive level leaders of the world’s largest pro-life organization, HEARTBEAT INTERNATIONAL, to speak at our church and to attend the pro-life conference in Sarajevo. On the far right of the picture is Jor-El Godsey, president of HEARTBEAT INTERNATIONAL.

BABY CLASSES

Sandrina and her assistant, German missionary Astrid Harms (who is a registered nurse), have conducted several workshops and classes for pregnant ladies to help prepare them for the birth of their babies.

CHURCH SUMMER CAMP

Nestled high among the steep Bosnian mountains beside a glacial lake, the Christian campground Emek Beraka (meaning Valley of Blessing) provided a beautiful surrounding for a peaceful and restful week for our local church family to experience together. The forecast for the entire week was to be rainy, but it turned out to be absolutely perfect weather the entire time. Our daily camp schedule was very simple and relaxing – breakfast, workshop, walks and swimming, lunch picnic, walks and swimming, evening meal, evening worship and campfire to close out the night.

This building (3 floors) was where we slept – enough separate rooms for each couple with children, and two large rooms extra for men and women separately – perfect for our group of around 25 people. The outside terrace was used for mealtime, workshops and fellowship.

The chapel building was covered but open-sided – in case of rain you are kept dry, but you might need a blanket for the evening breeze. This is where we held our evening worship meetings – singing, praying, testimonies and preaching.

Our daily workshops were on the theme ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ – while originally, we planned for it to be only for the children it turned out all the adults participated!

Our precious sister Suncana wanted her water baptism to be celebrated during the camp week! Oscar and Dania (Central American missionaries to Bosnia) asked to have their baby boy Noah to be dedicated to the Lord during the camp.

Normally in the Balkan nations, the men, women, youth and children all have their own summer camps – this was the first time for the members in our church to experience a ‘family camp’, where all the generations are together. It was a blessed time for all.

BALKAN CALL CONFERENCE

Nearly 30 years ago, the BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL hosted the first ever conference for Balkan/Turkish church leaders, which took place in the beautiful town of Orhid, Macedonia. The anointing released in that gathering continues to be manifested through the present-day BALKAN CALL network. PLEASE PRAY for the 2022 BALKAN CALL CONFERENCE, which will be taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, from October 27-29, 2022. The BALKAN CALL will be a gathering together of 300 intercessors and church leaders from all the Balkan nations for the purpose of repentance and forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration between these nations. Robert will be one of the speakers at this gathering.

FROM R.K.’S CORNER

Robert and Sandrina have deep roots in the Balkans. In 1985, as a young missionary couple, they left for the region. They spent several years in Sarajevo, Bosnia, pioneering a church among the Muslims. The Balkan war (1992) forced them to return home, where they stayed till the war was over and there were more stability in the Balkan countries.

In the interim years while living in the Netherlands, Robert was the coordinator of The Bridge’s mission outreaches in the Balkans, then later, pastored churches and fellowships in the Netherlands and the States, while raising their four children.

In 2013, Robert and Sandrina set again their course to Sarajevo where they live and thrive. This is an update on some of their recent activities.

On a regular basis, they return to their home countries to visit their children and grandchildren, as well as sponsors and friends. They were supposed to visit us here in South Florida, but Hurricane Ian had ruined the route and homes of their friends on Florida’s west coast, so we missed them this time.

Stephen and Sophia Schmalz – Their Background Life Story and Mission Work from the Republic of Georgia

STEPHEN RELATES:

The Lord is marvelous in what He does. We can testify of it day after day. The Lord Jesus brought a very special flower into my life from Holland. She was born in Holland in 1957. We met each other while we were in Jerusalem. Her name is Sophia. We were married in Holland and decided to live as witnesses to the Chassidic Jewish people in Monsey, NY.

During the three years that we lived there, we also took frequent visits to the Soviet Union. During these short mission trips, our focus was to distribute the Word of God to the Russian people. We marveled as we witnessed so many wonderful people listen and receive from us the Scriptures and the Good News of the Gospel. We traveled from one city to the next, cities like Tombav, Tula, Ryazan, Bryansk, and others. In each city we had the same response: On the sidewalk, we would start talking about Jesus for about 10 minutes. Then we would pray out loud with those who responded to us and offer the Scriptures to those who wanted to receive them.

Groups of 20 to 30 people would gather each time as they watched what was going on. With no waiting in between groups of people, we would continue to share, pray and distribute time after time, until the waist high stack of NT’s were all gone. We witnessed until our mouths were dry and our strength was gone. What a outstanding time that it was! It got to the point where we seriously asked ourselves – What on earth are we doing in America? Not long after, we decided to leave our jobs and do whatever it would take to continue reaching out to the people in the Soviet Union. I worked at IBM and my wife at Helen Hayes hospital.

In January, 1995 we moved to Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia. For the past 27 years we have been serving the Lord here and lifting up Jesus. For years we went to orphanages and shared the love of Jesus with the children.

The Lord made it possible to show the Jesus film in villages throughout the country, which became a great evangelistic tool. Due to the lack of electricity, we would set up our van with a TV in the back and share a video presentation of the JESUS film with the village pastor, often on a main road in the village. At the request of the pastors, we would present Derek Prince teachings for their benefit.

Thanks to the help of Steve and R.K., we would purchase basic food and most needed supplies and deliver them to the most needy pastors and their families to help them through the winter. Our primary goal however, has always been to distribute the Word of God, the words of life to as many people as we are able.

As the years have gone by, the Lord has opened up the door for us to reach out with the Scriptures and share with the Georgian, Ossetian, Turkish, Russian, Iranian, Jewish, Azerbaijani, Saudi Arabian, Armenian, and other peoples who either live here in the Republic of Georgia or who come to visit. As a result of things going so well, the Lord Jesus moved in our hearts to reach out to some of the foreign peoples living in Holland, Germany, and Belgium.

We don’t have the freedom at this time to go into detail. All this is with great gratitude from my wife and me for The Bridge’s continual help toward the printing of Gospels, Jesus film DVD’s, and other outreach material. Thanks also to Steve and R.K.’s great encouragement and favor.

It is and has been a delight for my wife and I to extend ourselves to others, who for the most part have never been exposed to the words or actions of Jesus. This is truly gold for both the heart and soul of those to whom we reach out. We Praise the Lord each and every day for the wonderful Kingdom He has allowed us to share with others.

The Lord is so marvelous in what He does! Jesus came into this world when it was dark to lift us up by giving His life. It is a joy for my wife and I to lift up His name where it is dark, and give our lives to do so.

Our best and thanks to all of you! Love, Steve & Sophia, Phil 2:14-1

MY BACKGROUNG LIFE STORY—SOPHIA

I grew up on the shoreline of the Netherlands, close to The Hague. As a little girl, I was a quiet, shy and insecure. My two year older brother and my three younger siblings competed for attention from our parents who had experienced World War II, and put every effort into giving their children a better education than they were given.

Raised Reformed, I found that the church gave no practical answers to why the world was spiraling so out of control: the genocide and famine in Biafra, airplanes crushing to earth without the survival of any passengers. Why was life so cruel? Since I could not find any answers to life’s basic questions, at age 16, I considered committing suicide.

Then a friend introduced me to Youth for Christ’s Bible study in Katwijk aan Zee for high school students. Here under the direction of Henk Binnendijk, the foundation for Salvation and the joy of living a life of holiness, life I accepted my Lord and Savior, Jesus! The prayers of my parents and grandmother had been answered! At age 19 I was baptized in the Spirit and water and began seeking the Lord for the purpose in my life.

The Lord led me to become a physical therapist. The choice for every day was always to seek the Lord’s ways first—and blessings followed: At age 25, I had completed a ten year practice of my own. The office was located at the border of a beautiful Dutch bird preserve. From my balcony, I looked out on the famous Kinderdijk village where 17 windmills beautify the landscape, drawing tourists worldwide.

That fall, I travelled to Israel to serve as a volunteer at the Feast of Tabernacle Celebration, organized by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. There I served alongside a young American who eventually would become my husband. We became friends. After the celebration my friend decided to do outreach in Dutch speaking cities, and he spent some time in my local area. Besides the love for Jesus, we had a mutual love for Israel.

At age 33 Stephen asked me to marry him. It came “out of the blue” and was unexpected, especially since he was an American! Therefore it was good that my Father in Heaven gave me three confirmations, one of which my earthly father had had a dream when I was eighteen which he interpreted would be fulfilled at my age 34.

The wedding ceremony was held in an over crowded church (150) people in Alblasserdam, Pieter and Heleen Benard were the presiding pastors for this event. Willem van der Hoeve sent his blessings by telegram to the newly married couple.

After the wedding, I sold everything, and emigration followed three months later which gave Steve time to find a little nest in the Chassidic village of Monsey, NY. Three years later, Steve and I received a word from God individually, directing us to emigrate to the Republic of Georgia, next to Russia The green light for the next calling on our lives was to bring the Gospel to 2000 deserted orphans when Georgia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Steve is presenting the rest of our life story.

APRIL 2022—STEVE AND SOPHIA’S VISIT TO FLORIDA

FROM R.K.’S CORNER

We trust you are doing many enjoyable summer activities with your family and friends after two years of restrictions and lockup. We also took a hiatus and combined the June and July issues of The Bridge Reports into one report.

When the U.S. missionaries return to the States for a little R&R and visit family, friends and sponsors, we so enjoy when they come to see us.

Recently, American-Dutch Stephen and Sophia Schmalz, a precious couple whom we have known and helped sponsor since the mid-nineties, visited and spent ten delightful days with us. They are both true evangelists with burning hearts for those who have never heard the Gospel, continually finding unique ways in reaching as many as possible with the love of Jesus.

Our website has several past updates on their mission activities which you will find under PD ARCHIVE, for September 2010 and March 2012. This time, however, that you may come to know them more personally as people, not only missionaries, as I asked them to share their life stories here… they both have tremendous personal testimonies! The Schmalz’ have proven over almost thirty years living and serving in the mission field that they are faithful, enduring, effective, humble and obedient servants of the Lord. Your support will produce good fruit! Please note on your donation 8337 Rep. of Georgia Workers.

Caring for War Victims in Ukraine and War Refugees in Australia, Poland and Moldova

UPDATE FROM ROEDIE RAP: WAR—GOOD AND EVIL SIDE BY SIDE

Left: Many devastated homes among thousands upon thousands. Middle: Sometimes the Body of Christ amazes me! In one day, FIVE different Christian organizations turned up to meet in Kaharlyk, bringing aid, networking and sharing plans how to do war-zone ministry. An ad hoc team from “A Jesus Mission” Romania is about to return for round two. Right: One of the five refugees safely staying in our home, cooking and serving us a national Ukrainian dish, Borscht.

VIA ROEDIE – A HEARTCRY FROM WITHIN UKRAINE:

“Good evening friends! Please pray for us! You can’t even imagine what’s going on here! My family and I are in the church on the left bank. By the grace of God, we are alive, The city is simply wiped off the face of the earth, it is completely destroyed. There is no electricity, there is no gas as the gas pipeline is blown up. People go out on the rubble in the streets to cook their own meager food over open fire, but there is no water. The streets are broken, shops are smashed and looted, guns are fired, cannons, aircraft, bombs just fall around us just a few meters from the church, but God controls this distance. Only our windows are blown out, but we are alive. Now the generators are turned on, so we can cook quickly and charge our phones as we briefly have a network connection. I keep writing faster until it disappears.

Please pray for us! When there was a corridor we wanted to leave with my family, but the car immediately broke down, the Lord did not allow us to go far, we are trusting He has a plan of rescue for us! Even if everything ends, people have nowhere to live as everything is broken!

This is not the end, but it is very scary. The corpses of the dead lie in the streets, no one is collecting them, perhaps they have no time to take care of them. Lots of saboteurs around ! By the grace of God, we have a meal twice a day in the church, but we save on everything. Yesterday, for the first time, I washed our children. May the Lord give wisdom to the rulers that they will quickly come to an agreement on peace! We don’t know how to continue living. The Lord is with us He is strong!

COREY BOOHER PRESENTS TEAM TRIP REPORT: FROM POLAND RESCUING WAR VICTIMS FROM UKRAINE AND FEEDING THE NEEDY WITHIN THE COUNTRY

Our truck is packed down with oil, flour, sugar, noodles, canned food, wet wipes, power banks, and other things deemed useful. Time for a short sleep and to hit the road to Ternopil, Ukraine. I appreciate your prayers, as do all the guys who are going and all the folks we are going to meet. Pray especially for those who will go as far as eight hours further East than I will on this trip.

My thought tonight before bed: “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” – C.T. Studd

April 8, 2022

Yesterday, we arrived safely in Ternopil. In addition to a longer stop at the border, we beat the route well. We were only questioned longer at the checkpoint before entering the city.

In Ternopil, we supplied one of the local churches with the most basic things the church needs to bring practical help to refugees from eastern Ukraine. The church used to run its gym in the basement, but now, the gym has become a place of refuge for residents in the surrounding area. Vitaly said: “Once upon a time, people didn’t want to hear the gospel and come to church. Now that the war is on, many people from around here come for prayer”. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness cannot overcome it. Crisis, drama, war are the beginning for the manifestation of the power of the Gospel in the heart of people. It is my prayer too, that the Ukrainians forced to flee will find the ultimate safety in salvation of Jesus.

In the evening, we visited YWAM (Youth with a Mission) in Ternopil. We met Sasha, who is the director of the organization in this city. With tears in his eyes, he told us about what is happening in Ukraine, with the same faith and confidence that after a short or long time this situation will change. There are 32 evangelical churches in Ternopil. They organize 22 shelters, where they take in 3500 refugees a day, along with providing food, clothing and finding a new home for the refugees in Europe.

YWAM has been helping to evacuate Ukrainians from eastern Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Almost every day they send their people to transport refugees to Ternopil from the east of the country and then further into Europe. YWAM at its base accepts 110 people a day per night. A baby was born at their resort yesterday. Due to mother’s stress, the baby was born prematurely. Sasha said with a smile that he should be named Victor – the Winner.

There are 13 full time workers at the YWAM base in Kiev. They are evacuating and feeding refugees – 600 people a day. They have themselves decided not to leave the capital unless Kiev will be completely besieged by the Russian army. Risking their lives to save others’ lives. There are miracles of daily multiplication. The chef says every day that there is not enough food to feed 600 people, but every day the food is miraculously multiplying, enough for everyone. Ukraine has violence but also God’s grace.

April 9, 2022

We are spending the night at another church in Ternopil. I awake at 3:00 am at the air raid sirens blaring. I can see the lights from people’s flashlights outside the window that they make their way to shelters. My roommates and brothers are sound asleep. One is snoring louder than the sirens. I don’t think I’ll wake them up just yet. These people live through this every night. “Lord, bring an end to this violence. Rise up and show yourself strong!”

The church where we are staying has turned its sanctuary and Sunday School rooms into actual sanctuary for 35 refugees a night.. A group of appr. 20 volunteers will spend the night here, tending to the needs of those who will come, having only the clothes on their backs and a bag or two of items they could take.

April 10, 2022

The three vehicles are unloaded. We will probably try to move on before curfew, but I’m not sure. Might stay here for the night. Our team is separating ways today. One of our guys is going to the Romanian border to pick up people who are waiting for him to take them to Toruń. Another is bringing people from Ternopil to Przemyśl to return back to Ukraine tomorrow. I’m heading back to Warsaw with four women and a child. They will be in our home for a few days. Good. They need family. They need a clean and safe place to be. They need the Word of God ministered to their hearts and minds.

The trip would take eight hours by car under normal conditions. The wait at the border could be at least 14 hours or as long as a day. We need endurance, they need comfort. These ladies have escaped a city up North which has been surrounded, bombed and under siege. They don’t speak English and I don’t speak Ukranian. Not a problem. He’ll figure it out. I want to be a blessing to them.

UPDATE: I’m safely home. Praise God! The wait on the border yesterday was only three hours, which to me was a miracle. The road was very challenging with a mixture of potholes and unpaved, winter-worn farm roads. We had to go through ten or so military checkpoint stops. Total travel time was 12 hours, but that includes an hour trying to find a store in Warsaw to buy some foldable mattresses, no luck – all sold out! That illustrates how many refugees are currently staying in homes in Warsaw.

FROM R.K.’S CORNER

War brings out the worst and best in mankind. Through the mainstream media and the web we are all daily, 24/7 being bombarded with horrific real-time images and video footages of inhuman atrocities and suffering on a massive scale.

Here, I focus on one of the positive side in this war—the thousands of ordinary people who have risen to the occasion to help their fellow man at their own cost and peril. I briefly present here our three contacts, our partners who bring the Bridge funds in full, directly into Ukraine to relieve the suffering of the war victims, and also help refugees who have fled into neighboring countries. They are true Ambassadors of Christ, heroes who demonstrate sacrificial love care towards the needy.

In last month’s issue, Roedie Rap, our Australian friend shared the historic background of Ukraine, and gave his view on the conflict. He is continually in direct communications with brothers and sisters within Ukraine and has brought five refugees across the ocean to live with his family in Melbourne.

Corey Booher, son of a dear longstanding friend and Bridge intercessor, Paul Booher who is now with the Lord, lives in Warsaw, Poland with his wife, Angelika. He is a full time missionary, and is engaged with a network of ministries and goes with their teams into the war torn parts of Ukraine to rescue people from death and destruction, and bring relief to those who cannot leave. He has just rented a larger home for his family in Warsaw to give shelter and care for the fleeing refugees On pages 2-3, Corey gives us a report from one of his April trips.

Andreius, son of Sargon Daniali, our Assyrian friend and partner serving Iranians in Turkey, is studying Economy and Management based on a Judeo-Christian theology at the University in Chisnau, the capital of Moldova. Andrei initiated and has brought together a team of four fellow students. They began raising funds to help the Ukrainian war victims who had fled across their border to find shelter in Moldova. With the funds they have rented an apartment for the mother daughter above, and a room where several families daily come together to be fed and ministered to.

Roedie and Jeanette Rap—with the Ministry of Love from Australia to Russia and Ukraine

My wife, Jeannette and I were born and grew up in the Netherlands. As a young businessman and newly married, Jeannette and I immigrated to Melbourne, Australia where we made our home, raised three children and built a thriving automotive business. Being active believers in the Lordship of Christ, we were ready to serve others with the blessings we had received.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, God gave me a burden to help bring the Gospel in person to the Russian people. Our church leadership came behind us and supported our call.

I had heard about The Bridge Int’l, so in 1997, I visited their Dutch office in Amsterdam. Connections were made, and I was hired to serve as head of the Bridge Bible School in St. Petersburg, Russia while overseeing some of the young churches planted by the graduates from the school. In December, 1997, I moved with my family to Russia where we spent two years in St. Petersburg. At the end of 1999, we were called back to Australia. We did not want to leave, but there was absolutely no doubt that God had called us home. We were sad, but we obeyed.

Back home, we are part of a thriving local church, Care Force Church, Mt. Evelyn, which has a clear vision for world missions. Our leaders were happy at our homecoming and asked us to serve in India, where our church already had a very large church planting mission. We loved it, but the love and burden for the Russian people were still in our hearts and prayers.

In 2001 God showed me a vision: A large map of the whole former Soviet Union while a finger appeared and drew a big circle on the map. All five …stan countries of Central Asia and a very large chunk of Russia were in this circle. Our church blessed us to return and pioneer something very new: A healing ministry based on the work of our senior pastor at the time. See: https://www.careforcelifekeys.org/default.as

We translated the programs and started training Facilitators in seven countries, Russia being the main one. The word spread fast, so in 2004 we were approached by Ukraine. A major Evangelical Seminary in Kyiv soon after made the course a subject for three of their Bachelor classes.

Since 1997 and Ukraine since 2004, till the end of 2019, we have been traveling every year on short term ministry trips to Russia while teaching and training church leaders and believers. Then, Covid-19 hit the world; Australia locked its borders. It shut down our travels abroad for two years which brings us to the present.

We are blessed to know and love so many Russians and Ukrainians across those two vast countries through our network of personal relationships which is a great tool in our current effort to help the victims of war from Ukraine. Right now, we are busy working on bringing several Ukrainian refugee families to Australia to stay with us to help them with a new start.

RUSSIANS AND UKRAINIANS — HOW HISTORY HAS SHAPED THEM DIFFERENTLY

Before year 1000, neither Russia nor Ukraine existed. Ukraine’s capitol, Kyiv (Kiev in English), however has a longer, rich, and often stormy history. There is archeologic evidence that various tribes and peoples have lived in that region since before time immemorial. The officially recognized year of the establishment of Kyiv as a city was in 487, so the Ukrainians celebrated its 1500 anniversary in 1982. Moscow was founded in 1147, 660 years later! Kyiv, located on the Dnieper River was an important stop on the trade routes by Slavic tribes and also for the Vikings who traded all the way south to Constantinople, as well as a connection point East-West via the Silk Road.

In 988, Vladimir of the Kingdom of Rus, a prince of Viking origin, having converted to the Christian faith, baptized the whole nation and established the Orthodox Church in Kyiv. By the 12th century Kyiv’s wealth and religious importance was demonstrated by its more than 400 churches, some of them are still beautifying the city by their craftmanship and splendor.

In the mid-1200, the Mongols invaded Moscow and Kyiv and destroyed them both by fire. Throughout the next centuries there were numerous wars and struggles for power between princes — Lithuanians, Prussians, Poles, Ottomans and Russians. In 1326, Russia moved the seat and Patriarchy of the Orthodox Church from Kyiv to Moscow, which after the fall of Constantinople to the Turks, was named the Third Rome.

In 1547, Ivan the Terrible was the first proclaimed ”Czar and grand prince of all Russia.” Through marriage, he marked the beginning of the Romanov Dynasty which lasted till the end of World War I, when the last Czar Nicholas II abdicated and subsequently was killed by the revolutionary Bolsheviks. From 1917 till 1922 civil war broke out in the Russian Empire, commonly known as the Russian Revolution which ended with the formation of the Marxist communist based Soviet Union, consisting of 12 republics, including Ukraine

From 1930-32, Stalin aggressively pursued collectivization of the rich farmland of Ukraine. When the farmers resisted, the Soviet Union caused the death of 5 million peasants by starvation (Holodomor). It is today recognized as purposeful genocide.

Less than 20 years later, Hitler invaded Ukraine. This was seen as an opportunity by Ukrainians to break away from the yoke of the Soviet Union, so many sided with Hitler. But, in 1943-44 Stalin returned with his army and subjugated them, again. Many Ukrainians were shot, being suspected of working for Germany. Stalin never forgave Ukraine for breaking loyalty to the “motherland” which made him inflict much suffering on the people.

In 1940, the three Baltic States were annexed, totaling 15 Soviet republics. Nikita Khrushchev, a native born Ukrainian, followed Stalin. In 1954, he annexed Crimea from the Russian into the Ukrainian Republic of the Soviet Union. All these conflicts and wars caused many changes and shifting of boundaries, especially to the borders of Ukraine and shaped culture, language and the Russian and Ukrainian peoples very differently.

Generally speaking, Russians are very fatalistic in their thinking. Ukrainians are go getters. Most successful ministries we have seen in Russia were started and/or are run by Ukrainians or Belarussians. Why: One of the advertising slogans of LifeKeys is: “Life can be better!” An average Russian will respond to that: “No life has always been bad, it is bad now and it will always be bad.” Say the same to a Ukrainian and the response will be something like: “O yeah? Show me how!” This will affect the way they read the Bible, the way they respond to tragedy, the way they respond to Grace, the way they see God as Father, also how they respond to propaganda.

We experienced this first hand in 1999. Our family lived with the Bridge Bible school students in a large home in the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The war was raging in the Balkans. One day the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade Serbia was bombed by NATO forces. Serbia of course was a staunch ally of Russia at the time. All the students watched the Russian TV report after dinner, which was brought in the old Soviet war propaganda style. In an instant, the spiritual atmosphere at the school changed. The Russian students, including our interpreter, became instantly fatalistic about what this event would mean for life and became very downcast. The three Belarussian students took it very differently. They did not become downcast but rather tried to encourage the Russians. It took two weeks to get back to our normal daily routine.

Putin has expressed that the collapse of the Soviet Union is one of the biggest disasters in history! This view is not shared by the other 14 republics, definitely not Ukraine.

We have hundreds of great ministry friends in Russia as well as in Ukraine. We find that, since 2014, it has been nearly impossible to talk with many of our Russian friends about the Ukrainian situation as they are ignorant about the reality on the ground in the country. The reason is that factual news in Russia are carefully controlled and being blocked by the government in favor of their propaganda and disinformation.

Many Russians living in Ukraine are unable to convey to their relatives back in their homeland that there even is a war Ukraine—they are simply not being believed! The general consensus by the public in Russia is that Putin’s invasion is a “Geopolitical Problem”, and with that, totally ignoring the loss of life and the suffering of the people, due to a war that was started by Russia (in my opinion) in 2014. The 2022 war is a continuation and escalation of the same conflict which now is a full scale invasion.My problem is not with the Russian people, as they are victims, as well. This is not their war, it is a war waged by Putin’s evil regime.

We are directly in touch with many of our Ukrainian friends & have received many eyewitness statements from so many on the ground fleeing the atrocities. The suffering is real! Our hearts and prayers are with them. We have decided to help as many as we can.

FROM R.K.’S CORNER

The Bridge had a large presence in Russia in the 90ties through evangelistic outreaches, Bible schools and church plantings, but we were not directly involved in Ukraine. Last month, when Putin with his Russian war machine invaded Ukraine, I wanted to give a perspective on the situation beyond the partisan news of the mainstream media by a outsider who knows the inside. I contacted our friend and former ministry partner in Russia, Roedie Rap from Australia. For 25 years, he and his family have been actively and broadly engaged in Bible based teaching and mentoring both in Russia and Ukraine.

To better understand the issues of the present, it is important to understand the past. Roedie shares his testimony, gives you a brief historic account of the two nations, and then expresses his views on the present conflict.

Through Roedie’s network of relationships and contacts in Poland and Moldovia, we are able to send relief funds directly to the Ukrainian victims of war. Please mark you donation Ukraine Relief