Ukraine Update - August 12, 2023 (Baylee)

 Hello wonderful people!

I pray this update finds you well and discovering more of the Lord’s glory! I wrote this from Warsaw, Poland, in the middle of traveling back to the States from Ukraine. I hope this gives you a glimpse into what the Lord has done through our time there and what He did in my heart! 

*DISCLAIMER: Due to the sensitivity and severity of the situation in Ukraine and the information I’m about to share, please do not share details through social media. Feel free to share testimony, but please be mindful of protecting the team that is still there. Thank you!*

TRAVEL MIRACLES!

In total, it took us four days to travel from Seattle, WA to southern Ukraine. It was an exhausting few days, but it was in that place of stress and exhaustion that the Lord showed His faithfulness so clearly. One time in particular stands out to me; our train from a city called Chelm to Kyiv. We had been on this train for about four hours and had to get off at the Kyiv station, and we believed that we were coming up on our stop, however, we didn’t know for sure because we don’t speak Ukrainian or Polish. We gathered our bags and headed for the door, but as the train came to a stop, the exit flooded with people, and we were blocked from getting off the train before it began to move again. We thought that we had missed our stop, and in a bit of panic, we asked a woman next to us about the station on our ticket. She translated for us and told us that our stop was actually at the next station! The Lord had physically blocked us from getting off the train at the wrong station! In addition, He put English speakers at every ticket booth to translate for us so we could get the proper trains and buses, even though English speakers are very rare in Ukraine! The Father was so faithful to take care of us! 

MINISTRY:

After four days of traveling, we finally arrived in southern Ukraine to join the team there from A Jesus Mission. Each day looked different because of the nature of the situation out there, but most days, we had the opportunity to bring food and water out to villages who were within a few miles of the front lines. Those closest to the Russian lines suffer shelling nearly every day, and because of this, many of their food and supply resources have been destroyed. It was an honor to be able to give physical provision to those who would otherwise go without as well as be able to provide gospel tracts and Bibles which point to eternal hope and satisfaction in Jesus! For those of you interested in statistics, we were able to be part of delivering nearly 25,000 pounds of water and 12,300 pounds of food! We praise the Lord for His provision for His people, and we pray that the recipients are pointed to the Good News that Jesus can be their daily bread and the well that never runs dry! 

I believe that part of the reason the Lord called us to Ukraine was to encourage the long term team there. We were able to lead them in daily devotions and worship as well as bring general encouragement and reminders of the meaning of their ministry. One of the first nights there, I shared a part of my testimony with a team member, and he was so moved by how the Lord had transformed my heart that he invited me to share it at a Ukrainian Bible study that week! It was such a gift to share it with them, and the pastor who helped me translate said later that it was like “a spiritual bomb went off” in the room afterwards! God truly is so faithful to work ALL THINGS for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)!

PRAISE REPORTS:

• The team was noticeably lighter and uplifted when we left because of the encouragement the Lord brought them through us! (Romans 15:5)

• Hope, prayer, and physical resources were provided to churches and communities across southern Ukraine in their time of great need! (2 Corinthians 12:9)! 

• The Body of Christ is alive and well in Ukraine! They have risen up and are leading their nation in believing in faith that the Lord’s plans are being established, though they are suffering greatly (Philippians 3:14)! 

• The Lord put people in our path as we traveled to feed, clothe, and pray for. This would not be possible without your support, THANK YOU!!!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• That the Father would reveal Himself continually to His people in Ukraine and draw them near to Him.

• That the long term AJM team would allow the love of Christ to be the thing that compels them to do good (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) and that He would provide them daily rest and strength. 

• There is not a single person in Ukraine who is untouched by this war. All have suffered in some capacity, hundreds losing family, security, jobs, health, freedom, and hope. They desperately need to be met by the love of Christ above all. My heart breaks for these people, please pray that the Lord would break through to this nation in a radical way. 

• Though we were able to, by God’s grace, emerge out of Ukraine safely, there are hundreds who unfortunately do not share this reality. We heard air raid sirens and the sound of missiles landing all day every day, and though the people of Ukraine are doing all they can to go about their lives with some sense of normalcy, the reality that they are living in a war zone is one that they must coldly confront daily. This nation needs hope, pray that the Lord would give it in double portions. Pray that those who mourn so much loss would be comforted. 

PERSONAL UPDATE:

The Lord taught me so much this month, but possibly the most significant is what it looks like to find comfort in Him when I don’t have control over my environment. This was a very difficult month for me spiritually, and He taught me so much about my need for the gospel every day. I was frequently reminded of my weakness and the fact that I truly am nothing without Him, and that created space for Him to show His strength and glory! Thank you so much for all of your prayers for me while I’ve been away, knowing that I had a whole family of believers behind me gave me an immense depth of hope! 

WHAT’S NEXT?

As many of you know already, I will be participating in a discipleship and ministry preparation program through Adventures in Missions in Gainesville, GA this fall! Many of you are aware of the details of this, so if you’d like to know more, send me an email! In a nutshell, the purpose of this program is to equip those called into ministry to be effective in the long term! A survey of 40,000 missionaries and 600 mission agencies in 2019 found that 43% of missionaries don’t fulfill their long-term commitments to their field. A part of the reasoning behind this statistic is the lack of proper equipping and preparation beforehand, and this program strives to train missionaries to lead themselves and others healthily long term. I will be leaving for this just three days after I return to the US and am about 50% funded! Praise Him!!! If you feel led, please prayerfully consider how the Lord may be inviting you to partner with me prayerfully and/or financially in the work He will be doing in and through me in the next few months! 

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this newsletter and for your prayers and financial support! This would not be possible without the love and support of all of you, and I am so humbled by the generosity of God through each of you. I will leave you with the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ 

I love you all!!! Email or text me with questions, comments, prayer requests, or just to say hey! 

Much love,

Baylee