John White - Developing Church Leadership in the Russian Speaking World DCU, Prospect Ilicha 106-A, Donetsk 83059, UKRAINE November 2004 011-38062-345-5342 | jwhite@alumni.princeton.edu | http://www.marucheck.net/jw
Sometimes, when I get sick or have a migraine headache, I feel helpless. And when I’m in the middle of doing something very important, it’s easy to despair. Yet, every once in a while, my helplessness leads to hope. You see, I realize that if something absolutely has to get done and there’s no way that I can do it, God will get it done Himself. I think that’s a little bit what Paul had in mind when he said that he could be "content in all circumstances" in Philippians 4:11.
Lately, I’ve been sick. I guess I knew it was coming. Over the summer I got lots of rest (so good that I didn’t write any prayer letters - sorry!) because I knew that this semester would be so crazy. I’ve taught one class to two groups of full-time students, taken a three-week public relations trip to the States to translate for DCU President Rybikov, and am now teaching an intensive class to our part-time students, for four hours per day (including Saturday!). And all this has happened in a little over two months!
And DCU is having other problems. Financially, we’re struggling, already behind paying salaries and running out of paper to make copies. We haven’t seen results from our trip to the States yet. We’ve had four students speak out against the school (one being very close to me), following a "spiritual" leader from Switzerland’s teaching on holiness and unity that is in reality judgmental and divisive. These students are now leaving our school, and encouraging others to follow this false teaching. We’ve also had a couple of thefts on campus, leading to a cloud of suspicion.
Yet, I have hope. I’m usually not that much of an optimist, but I really think that God is preparing us for something good. I see it in my teaching, which is going better than ever before. I still can’t teach everything in Russian, but I’m connecting really well with my students. I’m seeing students which last year were failing out and immature now seeking God, being responsible, and encouraging others. I see it in the other staff and teachers, standing together despite not being paid and reaching out in love to the very students who claim the leadership is not following God. I see it in our chapel services, which have been some of the most encouraging I’ve been to in my four years here in Ukraine.
I often feel as if I’m just surviving here. There’s so much to do, I’m just trying to make through the next class or next meeting. But being helpless is therapeutic! I’m not sure what our next steps will be as a school, but I think God is leading and not us. I would ask for your prayers, that God would carry us through these next steps, and that we would be His instrument for whatever He wishes. Pray that we could help other Ukrainian churches who encounter this false teaching that four of our students have left DCU to follow. Pray that if any students are guilty of theft, that they would confess their sin. Please pray, too, for President Rybikov and the rest of the leadership to listen and follow well.
If you’d like to help us in our difficult financial situation at DCU, we would very much appreciate it!
Please simply make a check out to CBI (CBInternational, 1501 W. Mineral Ave., Littleton, CO 80120), and indicate that you’d like it to go to the DCU Special Project (#6433-903).
Thanks so much for your prayers and help!
Thanks for your listening ear and prayerful heart,
John