The morning session on Friday was particularly powerful. Misha was our special speaker all week, and emcee. He is a car mechanic by trade, and a preacher in his church. Misha had laid the foundation all week for the gospel. On Friday morning the he gave the campers and parents an opportunity to respond. Alyosha, one of the boys from Romaniv was the first to come forward. He got up immediately and walked boldly to the front of the worship hall. 13 others came forward. 2 more from Romaniv, 4 parents, and the rest campers. Their faces clearly showed they knew what they were doing.
One of the moms, Valya, came forward. She has two severely disabled children. She has had 2 abortions. Her husband is disabled from working at Chernobyl and being exposed to radiation. He is antagonistic against the gospel and will be very angry when he learns what his wife did. And she is pregnant, and worried that her child will be disabled as well. Natasha came forward. Her daughter Nastia is precious. Natasha is a university professor, as is her husband. Before the camp the Bible was shelved in their library with the other fiction books. She has searched out many religions and philosophies, but none of them have given her peace. After many conversations this week, she came forward because she believes that Jesus is the answer to her many questions.
Later that morning we had our last moms’ group. At the end of the time, a babushka (grandmother) came forward with tears running down her cheeks. She told me she wanted to confess her sins and receive Jesus. Her name in English is Hope, and she takes care of her granddaughter, Anya, who became severely disabled as a reaction to an immunization she had at the age of 1. It turns out that the Ukrainian government had purchased a cheap and faulty batch of drugs. Hope decided to follow Jesus, and again there was no mistaking her decision regardless of the language barrier.
