Report 4, April 27, 2008 (from J. Kachelman)

Today is the celebration of Orthodox Easter—the highest religious holiday in the Orthodox belief system. Even under the former Soviet system the celebration of Easter was never fully banned (even the Russian name for “Sunday” was always “resurrection day”). When the Iron Curtain fell and Ukraine and other former Soviet Satellites gained their national independence, the religious spirit that had been oppressed erupted with an amazing force. On the first Orthodox Easter I was here Tanya warned me that there is a traditional Easter greeting that is spoken just on Easter Day, all day long. Whenever you greet someone you do not say “Good morning” or “Hello” or any of the other common greetings. The first to speak says “Christos voschres” (“Christ has risen”) and the expected reply is “Voistinu voschres” (“Risen indeed!”). This greeting occurs everywhere you go. As we entered the taxi this morning the driver greeted us in this way and we replied. Tonight I was invited to a guitar concert at one of the concert halls downtown and the very first words spoke by the emcee were the words of this greeting and in reply the entire concert hall responded. Can you imagine such a national spirit in America where everyone greets one another with the announcement that Christ has risen?

The protection of religious expression was written into Ukraine’s new constitution under the heading of “freedom of conscience action.” This law basically states that no one can be denied the right to express their religious beliefs and that such expressions must be protected by the government. Reflection upon this inalienable right for the created to worship the Creator brings the following thoughts…Along with the reality of blessings of freedom for religious expression also comes the reality of exercising grievous burdens being bound in the name of religion.
These “burdens” are the expectations, demands, and interpretations of those in positions of authority and influence upon those that follow their guidance. These self-appointed authorities coerce practices and beliefs that are not only contrary to the Scriptures but completely wrest the meaning of the Scriptures.

Such abusive burdens in religion have caused countless millions to curse all religions and turn from God in disgust but those displaying such disgust are ignorant of the true and living God--of His love, grace, and mercy; of His concern and care for mankind in providing His Church; and, of the blessedness that comes to those who trust and obey God’s commands. Feel the heartbreak of the Almighty God as He sees the sincere hearts oppressed, burdened, and abused in the name of “religion.” Imagine the consternation and wrath of the Almighty God toward those that have wrested and confused the Divine Will for religious belief and practice. Perhaps one of the most sensational illustrations of man’s abusive religious burdens is found in the celebrations of religious holidays. These holidays provide a mindset that easily accommodates the manipulation of the sincere heart.

Throughout the world, regardless of the religion and the worldview supported by the religious practices, it is observed that during the religious holiday celebrations the adherents are compelled to perform deeds that defy reason and all such is based upon the directives of some mortal and not upon the sure foundation of God’s revealed Word.

Tanya told me of talking with an older woman that illustrates the points above. This lady was told by her church that in order to be pleasing she must spend prescribed hours every day in reading her prayers, reading set portions from the Psalms, reading set portions from the Gospels and in reading from the “canons.” “Canons” are lengthy articles and stories about various saints canonized by that church. This woman said she was exhausted and could never finish the demanded readings until very late at night (past midnight) and then she had to get up around 5:00 a.m.
each morning and all began once again. She stated that she was so exhausted and would often fall asleep trying to complete each day’s readings. Such is the general religious climate—sincere hearts tragically abused by erring man trying to improve upon God. The message of Christ is indeed “Good News” because it proclaims freedom from the oppression of man’s religiosity and vain practices. This is why it is so urgent to proclaim the Good News of Christ far and near so the bonds of oppression can be broken by the grace of the Almighty God.

Today I worshipped with the Kuibechev congregation in Donetsk. This is the congregation where Bob and Anne Brewer and Don Green and others have worked for so many years. Sergey and Luba Podnezkov are the preacher and wife. I met Sergey and Luba on my first trip into Ukraine. Sergey had arranged a bus to transport those that came with me. He and Luba were present with their two children throughout each day and night of that visit. Sergey was in the Soviet Army and was wounded and disabled in the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980’s.

Many at the Kuibechev congregation were at Central in past years and I share a wonderful history with them. Sergey and Luba have worked in the distributions of our containers and have helped efforts in orphanages.
They are truly dependable whenever needed.

When I arrived Luba greeted and I told her that I was a grandfather. Luba said, “Your baby must be the most beautiful and most intelligent baby on earth.” I told her she was correct and I guess news of my grandbaby had spread over the Atlantic. She laughed and said, “No I also have grandbaby girl so I know how you feel.” I just happened to have about fifty pictures that I began showing Luba. She said that when she takes her granddaughter to the playground people will says, “Here comes that Babuska that is always smiling.” She says that all of the other grandmothers are so serious about following the daughter’s instructions that they never smile but she said, “I let my baby do right and do not waste time on the senseless modern mothering fears. What do these know?  Every time I bring my baby back to her mother I am asked ‘Well what did you let her eat—was it borsch? Did you give her milk?’ Of course I say I did all of those things! But it was that in past I do not tell all that she ate but now the baby is getting old enough to talk and she tells on me. Masha looks shocked and exclaims ‘You did NOT give her THAT to eat/drink did you?”

I laughed and told Luba she and I have the exact philosophy in grandparenting!  Yesterday I bought Makayla a huge cup that will hold one liter that says “I love coffee!”

The worship service began and we had sixteen present for worship. The rains and strong winds began just as worship was to begin. The lesson focused upon the strength that we have when we trust the unchanging God and live so our influence causes all to find security and comfort. The message asked “What history are you leaving behind?” After the sermon Sergey stood and said that he recalled the first lectures I had ever presented in Donetsk. He said that at that time his country had just dissolved into nothing and everything they had trusted for seventy years had disappeared.

But he said it was the message of the unchanging God that gave him hope and enabled him to survive the chaotic times following the dissolution of the USSR. As we visited afterwards he and Luba were talking about how their congregation had been plagued by a group that grumbled and gossiped and kept everything in turmoil. Luba said that when you attended services you never knew what to expect to happen. Finally Sergey went to those causing the trouble and told them to either change and be quiet or to leave. She said the group left and you could almost hear a sigh of relief from the congregation and now with the absence of those there is peace and harmony in the church.

Sergey said that some who had left now regret leaving. He has told them they are welcome back but they must specify why they left and repent of the trouble they caused and they will be welcomed back. But Luba says the pride of these people is too great to allow them to repent and return. I told them I had been involved in three separate instances like they described and pride was the sin responsible for the trouble that was still unrepented of by those involved. I told them that in the States we have an expression that such wish to return and do so by “slipping into the back pew” but that does not remove the sin. The sin of arrogant pride that casts aside God’s authority structure and insists upon self-willed pride being the governing is responsible for these disruptions and will face only the terrible wrath of the Living God at the Judgment Day. If one seeks to avoid such wrath there is only one option—repent specifically to all that have been wounded by that arrogance and turn back in humility to the way Christ has commanded.

In the Kuibechev congregation is a brother named Volodya. Volodya was present at the first lecture series I presented so long ago and has attended every class and lecture I have presented since then. Today I was told that he has every handout, lecture notes, and supplemental materials that I have ever distributed in my classes here and is using them to teach others!

Saturday I had several meetings with those interested in coordinating a system of shared educational opportunities between schools and institutes. They are interested in arranging teachers from American universities that will come and teach in the schools and universities here for 1-2 weeks. They are interested in these visiting teachers stressing how morality and ethics are to be practiced in every vocation. At this point the planning is at ground-zero but there is a goal to incorporate 20,000 schools and 20 institutes of higher learning. I visited with Vadim Andrevioch Palkin, the Director of the Economic and Humanitarian Institute. The institute of which he is the Director is the oldest institute in Ukraine since the Soviet Union collapsed. He proudly points out that graduates from this institute are employed in many important positions all over the world including NASA and several other places in the USA. They are especially interested in working with an American University and developing their distance-learning/online curriculum and professors and then conclude the online course with a 1-2 week on campus lecture and testing period.

I asked him to develop a guideline for the project so I could present it to several universities. If this develops then there is the potential of sending in teachers to any point all over Ukraine in the educational system. They are interested in teachers/professors from all disciplines who teach in various levels of the American educational system. These teachers would be expected to teach Bible in their courses and show the practical impact of Scripture upon the daily job for which the discipline is preparing them to perform in society. Those visiting would also be expected to be involved in the local congregations in the place where they are going to teach. Therefore one could request to go to a site specific in just about any location in Ukraine where a mission point is and be able to make a strong impression in the educational community and in the Lord’s Church. This is much more than placing a Bible in the classroom. This is placing a teacher of math, economics, accounting, literature, sociology, psychology, history, etc in the classroom and having the opportunity to teach the course but explain the practicality of the Scriptures!

A closing note…Lemon poisoning revisited

Most of you were not receiving reports when Tanya and I were struck down with “lemon poisoning” in the Russian border city of Ambrosevka (perhaps I can dig it out of the archives and share that adventure with you new readers). That was also during Orthodox Easter and the custom is to give everyone an Easter cake, boiled eggs and some candy. Usually there is also a piece of cooked meat that is also given (because the fast is concluded with Easter). I am still convinced we had the worst case of food poisoning ever to beset a human being but Tanya agreed with the town ladies who maintained that a trader brought in a truckload of lemons that were bad and so caused poisoning. The conclusion was that we did not have food poisoning because how could anyone get poisoned from the Easter food?

Well today we were given the traditional Easter food. I told them we had meat (SPAM to the rescue) but I wound up with two boiled eggs. “How long ago were they boiled? How long have they been at room temp or hotter? How fresh were they when they were boiled?”
All questions were shrugged off with the answer, “These are eggs.” So tonight I have eaten my Easter egg, cake, SPAM, and candy (picture to follow)…BUT Tanya assures me not to be apprehensive about lemon poisoning “because we did not have lemon.”