Rick & Pam Barry Prayer Letter - April 2008
Dear family and friends,
Thank you for your prayers and gifts that enable this ministry to continue. You are indeed coworkers with us for the Gospel in formerly communist lands. Here are highlights from Rick’s trip last month:
● Rick preached at the 7th anniversary service of a church planted by long-time friend Yuri Trofimov. The next day Rick and Yuri visited the Christian architect who is adapting blueprints provided by BIEM to fit their needs. In faith, the church plans to lay the foundation for their own building (with seating for 150) as soon as the weather will permit. (Currently they meet in a rented room at an institute.)
● Near Moscow, he visited the Christian rehab center. The men enrolled in that program evidenced good spirits, and a couple shared testimonies of how the program freed them of drug addictions and of their sin as they studied the Bible and entered into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
● Visited an American missionary in Moscow and shared God’s Word at an informal Bible study with a group in his apartment. The next day, one man who had attended shared how he was able to repeat and share part of Rick’s message with a woman at his work.
● In Ukraine, Rick preached in Fastov at a church BIEM helped to build. After a quick lunch, he and a dozen believers from there drove to a village church where a special service was held for widows. Rick joined in sharing God’s Word. Each lady received a plastic sack of practical gifts for daily needs.
● Visited Litvinivka, where BIEM provided funds for a church to continue their building project. Even though it was a weekday, about 15-20 people gathered for an impromptu service. Rick and the local pastor both preached.
● Also in Ukraine, Rick examined a plot of ground in Bilogorodka given to one of our churches by local authorities so they could start a second church there! In other areas, Rick visited coworker Igor Fomichov, who has accepted the pastorate in Desna so church planter Vitek Sychov can plant a new church elsewhere. He also had a good, long meeting with “Alexander,” one of our Ukrainians who recently spent several weeks in Muslim lands as he prepares for ministry there for BIEM.
Concerning the church-building project in the first item above, that church needed $84,700 to construct a building for 150 people. Since Rick’s return, a Christian businessman has promised $38,900 for the exterior walls and roof. Praise God! And since the church raised the initial $5000 for the foundation, they now need only $40,800. That is exciting news. If you would like to help this congregation to buy construction materials for this project, checks may be designated “Kazan Church Project.”
Thanks again for helping us to help others for the Gospel’s sake.
In Christian love,
Rick & Pam Barry