Freed!

Written by Timothy & Rhoda Sloan

I want to thank all, for all your prayers over the last days and weeks. The ordeal for the girl concerned is over, regarding her captivity, but we have no doubt she has many issues still to face mentally.

As I mentioned in some of my reports, I would not be personally involved in any of the discussions regarding freeing this girl. WHY? When it would have become known that a westerner was involved, the price for freedom would have risen sharply. Therefore, it was very important that I was not known to be involved. Indeed the Lord planned it so that I was not even in the country, due to my mother-in-law's illness.

Some suggested I should involve foreign governments and organizations in the girl's release. I appreciated the suggestions but two things were on my mind:

The time scale - bureaucracy runs slow

What is the track record of foreign intervention in Ukraine? The answer to this one is - BAD! We have an ex-president in prison. She was imprisoned on 11th October 2011 and America, Canada, the EU and many other governments have done their best to persuade the present government to release her. Strong language has been used and sanctions have been threatened but has it worked? NO! If they can't get an ex-president released, what would be the chances for a sixteen-year-old girl.

What did work? The prayers of the Lord's people and action!

In eastern ex-communistic countries, knowing someone who knows someone is the answer to solving problems. Contacts are invaluable. Someone might say that this is not the way it is done in the west? That might be so but Ukraine is not the west!

This young sister is, no doubt, traumatized and has a past to deal with, mentally. It is very important that, locally, as few people as possible know anything about her past nineteen weeks! This will be a big help to her as she seeks to adjust to "normal" living again. If it became known in her community what she had to do, she would be ostracized and forced to leave and it would be very difficult for her to find a husband in the future. She turned sixteen-years-old on the second week of November so, along with her Mum, we are going to help in every way possible. This will take time and much patience.

Your prayers have been invaluable. The Lord has answered and the girl is freed! Please do not stop praying for her and us. Pray that we might be guided in all that we seek to do in the way of helping and pray that the girl might be given the strength to get over this ordeal - to put it behind her and live her life for God. There may even come the day when she will be able to help another in a similar situation. The Lord, no doubt, has had a purpose in all of this.

GOSPEL WORK: There is much work to be done in Lutsk, Ukraine, over the coming weeks and therefore it is necessary for me to get back there soon. Saturday, 24th November, the assembly started to give out calendars, along with a little brochure about who we are and what we believe, as well as a gospel tract. Each Saturday and Lord's Day, between now and the 23rd December, the assembly will be on the streets of Lutsk and surrounding towns, distributing the calendars. Our yearly children's meeting is being held on Lord's Day, 9th December. We have to be careful not to wrap things in Christmas paper or western Christmas gifts, as the believers do not celebrate the 25th December as Christmas. Their Christmas Day is the 7th January with New Year on the 14th January! In the east, the 25th December is viewed as a Catholic holiday. We normally gather well over one-hundred-and-fifty children for this meeting.

Building work at the Gospel Hall In February 2009, we began to build and renovate a building in Lutsk for the benefit of the assembly. We started with no money set aside or in a building fund, so were totally dependent upon the Lord to meet our need. After nearly four years work, we do see the end in sight. We are confident we will see it finished in about one year's time. I am determined to see this work finished and the assembly owning their own hall. We would love to hire more workers and be able to get the work done quicker but the Lord knows our needs.

Pray: We have been called to preach and teach and we would ask for your prayers as we concentrate on the gospel in three local villages: Ozeraw, Kolkie and Cadisha, as well as the town of Lutsk. We appreciate your continued prayers for Nadia (now sixteen), Yuria (forty-year-old orphan) and Yulia (twenty-two-years-old), who were all baptized in 2012.

We appreciate your prayers for Rhoda and myself, our family and, most of all, that the Lord will continue to bless in the assembly in Lutsk.