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HOPE4KYIV #026 ---- 11/22/04
#1 · November 22, 2004, 11:10 pm
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
HOPE 4 KYIVNUMBER 026November 22, 2004The In-Pact Prayer Newsletter ofBob and Jo Ann TolliverMissionaries to Kiev, Ukraine
Dear Friends, Family, and "In-Pact" Partners:
As we write, things are moving rapidly and furiously in our beloved Ukraine. Today is the day following national elections for a president. The choices of the people are clear ---- Yanukovich, Kuchma's hand-picked successor, is endorsed by Russia's President Putin. If elected, he will lead the country toward many former communistic policies and trends. Ukraine will almost certainly become part of a rebuilt union with strong leanings eastward. Yuschenko, a more forward thinking liberal, if elected, will move Ukraine closer to the European Union, NATO, and a more western form of democratization and socio economic practices, and will push for a more nationalistic and independent Ukraine instead of the "little sister to Russia".
Elections:
While most people don't say much outwardly, the vast majority of the EU hopes that Yuschenko wins, especially the three newest EU members such as Poland. The United States, for several years, has been sending confusing mixed signals . . . which has actually hindered the previous progress toward true democracy.
Unfortunately we are getting very little information from the American media about what happened yesterday and what is happening today. If you want to keep up to date, we suggest the following websites: http://www.reuters.com and World News Network at http://www.paphos.com. You might also check out Interfax. Sorry we don't know their website.
Here's what we know at this writing:
+ The race is very close, and, as expected, the pro-Yanukovich Election Commission is declaring Yanukovich the winner, while more independent and pro-Yuschenko polls show him the victor.
+ There are reports of many voting violations, including stuffing ballot boxes with forged duplicate ballots, the refusal to allow Yuschenko election monitors into many polling places, people being beaten, ballots being stolen, names not appearing on the eligible voter list, and so forth.
+ With more than 99 percent of precincts counted, showed Yanukovych with 49.42 percent to 46.70 percent for Yushchenko, several exit polls had found Yushchenko the winner. One poll, conducted by anonymous questionnaires under a program funded by several Western governments, including the United States, gave Yushchenko 54 percent of the vote, with Yanukovych trailing with 43 percent. Another poll put Yushchenko ahead by 49.4 to 45.9 percent, the Interfax news agency reported.
+ Observers working with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said there were extensive indications of vote fraud, including people apparently voting multiple times and voters being forced to turn over absentee ballots to state employers.
+ Yuschenko has already called for Parliament to immediately convene and conduct an in-depth investigation of all election accusations. Yushchenko's campaign also complained that Yanukovych supporters were given absentee ballots and bused out of their native regions and back again so they could vote twice.
+ Yushchenko's key ally, Yulia Tymoshenko (search), called on Ukrainians to begin a general strike. "Stop working, stop learning, make it all stop," she said.
+ The entire city council of Lviv in western Ukraine unanimously voted to recognize Yuschenko as the new president of Ukraine and to totally reject the outcome of the election as announced by the Election Commission. They have demanded that the Election Commission invalidate the election results in every district where pro-Yushenko election commissioners were not allowed to work. The cities of Lviv, Ternopil, Vinnytsia and Ivano-Frankivsk followed suit.
+ Currently there are reportedly in excess of 100,000 demonstrators in Maidan Square in Kiev, with thousands of others streaming in. Similar peaceful demonstrations are being conducted in other cities.
+ The police and military are guarding government buildings and the Election Commission building, and are making their presence very visible.
A colleague received the following report from a Russian speaking friend. Because it shows the thinking of many Ukrainians, we share it with you: "Yesterday, while election there were quite few instances where organized gangs of people tried to add additional votes for the pro-authority candidate. It was done many different ways like some people were trying to vote several times going around the law (some, I mean thousands), some places there were found hidden thousands of voting bulletins marked for pro-authority candidate and so on. Most of these things happened and were not caught. So, now the Central Voting Committee is counting all true and false votes together. And as for right now the results are following.
"Votes processed - 75%
Pro-authority candidate Victor Yanukovich - 48,65%
Opposition candidate Victor Yuschenko - 47,72%
"The last hours of processing the votes the percentage of opposition candidate was rapidly growing, and now when the difference is less than 1% the Central Voting Committee stopped for a break till 2 pm of Kiev time. Exactly the same thing happened 20 days ago when we had 1st election round (right now it is the second round). That time the CVC also stopped counting the votes (or stopped showing the results) when the difference grew up to less then 1%.
"So the fight is going on. We continue to pray. The corrupted authority feel their end and doesn't want nether to admit it nor to lose its position. But it has to... Every thing just starts."
What will be the outcome of this? We have no idea. But, regardless of the outcome, Ukraine will never be the same . . . and our opportunities for ministry will not be the same either. This will result either in more and more open doors, or the first steps toward the doors closing. This is why we have been "harping" on this for such a long time, urging Christians to pray for Ukraine and particularly for the election. We will know in a few days or weeks what the next chapter will hold.
We were not called to Ukraine to promote, be involved in, or support any type of political activity. So, we make a point to never voice our personal opinions. It is not our right nor our role. But we do urge you on to continued prayer that God will ultimately be glorified through this process and that He will use the "heart of the king", whomever it will be, to turn people toward a hunger for God.
Our Stateside Activities:
+ We returned to the U.S. on Thursday, November 4th, but arrived a day later at our home in Collins because of a delayed flight out of Amsterdam that caused us to miss our Memphis/Springfield flight. Cindy, Kevin, and Christopher met us at the airport, and we enjoyed four short, hectic, but enjoyable days with them before taking them to Kansas City for their flight back to Colombia. It will be four years until their next furlough, although they will be back briefly sometime in the Summer while we're still in Kiev.
+ From there we went to Midwestern Seminary where we interviewed two married men, a single guy, and a single gal about possibly coming to help us at International Church. We see some great potential for them all, and will talk with them further while in the States. One married man graduates in May, and the other the following year.
+ From Midwestern we drove to Jim's and Deanna's to spend a couple of days. We finally got to see little Nicole Grace for the first time. Grandma Jo Ann got to hold her many times. Grandpa Bob has to wait until this week. She is now over 11 pounds and five and a half months old. She continues to slowly gain strength and take a little food orally. But, she is still a very seriously ill little girl. Her five month birth anniversary was a special blessing because almost 90% of babies with her problems live beyond five to seven months. It was a joy to be there for that occasion.
+ We've had the joy of speaking in Missouri churches in Nevada, Bolivar, Dadeville, and Windsor thus far. We've also spoken in two missions classes at SBU in Bolivar. Our future schedule, though still incomplete, includes the following:
Nov 23 ---- (23-28) Thanksgiving with Jim and Deanna and also Cheri and her family.
Nov 28 ---- FBC, LaGrange and SBF, Wayland.
Dec 01 ---- FBC, Eldon
Dec 02 ---- Doctors' appointments for both of us.
Dec 04 ---- Missions Training Week-end in Bolivar
Dec 05 ---- FBC Eldorado Springs (our home church) and FBC in Clever.
Dec 06 ---- Mid-Lakes Associational Pastor/Wife Christmas dinner, Bolivar
Dec 08 ---- Follow-up interviews at Midwestern Seminary, and FBC in Lamoni, IA
Dec 12 ---- New Hope Baptist Church, Sedalia, MO. (PM is still tentative)
Dec 15 ---- Tentatively scheduled
Dec 18 ---- FBC, O'Fallon, Mo Singles Christmas dinner.
Dec 19 ---- Tentatively open
Dec 22 ---- Tentatively open
Dec 23 ---- (23-26) Christmas with family, probably in Collins
Dec 29 ---- Return to Kiev
To this we still have at least one speaking engagement in another class at SBU and other follow-up meetings with missions leadership in several churches.
What's Happening in Kiev:
While we are gone, the church leadership is carrying on wonderfully. We hear nothing but good reports as both Sunday and weekday church activities are being conducted by Ukrainian and American friends.
We asked our dear friend, Sveta, to live in our apartment for us to care for it while we're gone. She has done wonderfully. Our friends "Gator" (Jeff) and Vitalia stayed in our apartment a few days before returning to the U.S. The apartment still serves as meeting place for Tania's Spanish class, Sveta's youth group, and other meetings. Also, we've had the bathroom remodeled, with leaks and cracks being repaired, old mildewed tile being replaced, and new tile flooring installed.
'Jesus and Carmen, part of our Spanish ministry team, have been approved for immigration to the U.S., and will probably be gone by the time we return. Tania is still waiting for approval.
The church continues moving toward the transition that will be completed sometime next year, and continues to expand its ministries. We are resuming this week a ministry to a village where we planted a church a few years ago. We hope to strengthen that church by sending a team once or twice a month to do evangelism, children's activities, work with teens, worship services, and English classes. This is Sveta's home town.
Prayer Requests:
+ Pray that God will give us success in finding people to come and help us complete the transitioning process away from an IMB missionary as pastor to another native English speaker. Pray that God will also provide key people to lead the following ministries ---- sports evangelism, university student work, strategic prayer ministry, leadership development and equipping, and Spanish ministry. We urgently need qualified people who can take the lead in these areas.
+ Pray that God will raise up some churches to partner with International Baptist Church. The church is too strategic to close and too small to survive alone. Like a toddler, it's on its feet, but still needs some stabilizing by others who care. We're looking for churches willing to make a one to three year commitment.
+ Pray that God will provide our personal needs. Not only must we assume responsibility for our apartment rent beginning January 1st, but we also learned five days ago that the company from which Jo Ann and Bob's father's estate have been receiving substantial income since 1994 has been the victim of the parent company's bankruptcy filing. So, as of now, that significant monthly income which we used in the past to support the church and cover many personal and ministry related needs is now gone. This places an even greater added burden, and certainly could have some significance to our future ministry.
+ Pray that our ministry to churches will be effective in urging them to greater and more radical involvement in missions. Pray that churches will embrace a five-fold approach to missions. Pray that they will understand that missions is not optional, but is at the heart of the Great Commission. Pray that they will 1) Pray, 2) Give, 3) Send, 4) Go, and 5) Partner with a mission project.
+ Pray for Nicole Grace, as well as mom, dad, brother, and sister. Pray that God miraculously intervenes to heal her of her many genetic defects. Pray that she will be a blessing to all who know about her. Pray that Jim and Deanna will remain faithful, strong, and confident in the sufficiency of the Lord.
+ Pray for us that we both will quickly overcome serious allergy and sinus problems which hit us upon our arrival. Between the Hickory trees, the dust, the musty smell, and the apparent mildew in various parts of the house, we're having daily battles with itchy eyes and ears, tickling throats, bronchial congestion, and sinus infection. Makes us want to go back to the smog of Kiev; we never had problems there.
+ Pray that God will raise up more and more partners to join our "In-Pact" team of intercessors. We need prayer warriors now more than ever.
+ Pray that God will prosper IBC in every respect.
+ Pray that our children (Cindy in Colombia, Debbie in Ft. Worth, Cheri in St. Paul, and Deanna in LaGrange) and their families will prosper and be in good health. Pray that they never give up in the race or give out under the burdens of life. Pray that God uses them dynamically in spreading the Kingdom message. Pray that our twelve grandchildren, including baby Nicole, will be living testimonies and will be consistent in their living and courageous in their witness, wherever they are.
Finally:
Thanks again for your wonderful prayer support. Thanks for your friendship and encouragement. Even here in the States, we see more clearly than ever just how critical your prayer support is to who we are and what we do. Without a doubt, this ministry is not just ours. It is yours as well, and we praise God for you. We wish we could personally communicate that truth to every one of the more than 1,000 families who make up our prayer team.
Please drop us a note. If you're in the area, drop by and see us while we're in the States. Call first, though, because we're gone more than we're home.
We love you all.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom,
Bob and Jo Ann
Our Websites:
ministry photo albums.
http://www.praykiev.org for information on our city-wide strategic prayer movement.
To receive "PrayKiev", a monthly (or more) prayer letter on a city-wide prayer
network, send a blank message to praykiev-subscribe@associate.com.
To reach the "PrayKIEV" website, go to http://www.praykiev.org.
For weekly spiritual encouragement and current stories of our work here,
subscribe to "Shoulder To Shoulder", a letter to "lift up hands that
For Back Issues of . . .
More Helpful Resources:
If you have a heart for God and would like to be encouraged in your life and ministry,
and you have a burden for your church, your community, and the world,
then you may want to receive . . .
http://www.answersingenesis.org/ ---- one of the best Creation websites I've ever seen.
http://frangipane.org ---- for excellent brief words of encouragement from
one of America's premier evangelical writers/thinkers.
http://www.jfloydministries.org ---- great website for dealing with hurts and wounds through forgiveness.
http://www.cnsnews.com for daily world news without a liberal, godless bias.
http://www.worldprayerteam.org ---- A world-wide network for praying together.
http://www.watchword.org ---- excellent resources on revival, prayer, missions.
http://www.waymakers.org ---- resources on prayer, evangelism, etc.
http://www.operationiraqcare.org ---- To adopt and pray for a special historic city in Iraq.
http://www.nppn.org ---- "National Pastors' Prayer Network" newsletter. ~
Usprayercenter@cs.com ---- U. S. World Prayer Center.
Other Great Resources Are:
http://www.sermonindex.net for access to over 3900 downloadable audio sermons. Exceptional site.
http://www.biblemaster.com for great Bible resources and downloads. Exceptional site.
http://www.e-sword.net (one of the best free download Bible study site I've ever seen!)
http://www.discipleshipdirect.com/ for new and fresh evangelism & discipleship materials.
http://welovegod.org/camsoc/ctt/"Christian Communications Toolkit" (using internet wisely)
To subscribe to CAMSOC update newsletter, go to grga@myrealbox.com.
Online Resources on Ukraine are . . . .
Secular News on Kiev and Ukraine will give you interesting views at . . .
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