by KEVIN PLASTER
November 8, 2023
PURPOSE
MAIN — EVANGELISM
SECONDARY — STRENGTHEN AND ENCOURAGE THOSE IN COUTRY DOING MINISTRY
PREPARATIONS
A. 10,000 TRACTS
10,000 tracts were prepared, tracts we used in Russia, translated from Russian into Ukrainian, in order to do evangelism in Ukraine.
The name of the tract is “Are you an intelligent person? Test yourself.”
There are eight simple tests that prove God’s existence and your need to prepare to meet Him. It’s really a fun tract and it makes evangelism a little bit easier.
B. PRAYER
Going to a war torn country to do evangelism brought on more than a little anxiety. So, I spent a lot of time on my knees in prayer. This was not so much an act of humility, but rather an act of desperation.
I needed God to act on my behalf.
One of my greatest fears was accidentally getting myself killed. But I had to see what God was doing, and I had to go whether I understood what He was doing or not.
One of the things I prayed for is confirmation that I was where I needed to be, doing the things I needed to be doing. God did that over and over again.
Eph 3:20 says God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. He did that for me.
I never felt threatened. It was a totally different atmosphere than that of Russia. The Ukrainian reaction to evangelism seemed subdued, especially compared to Russia.
I landed in Bucharest Romania. From there my friend Erick Schrock helped me get to Ukraine. We crossed into Ukraine near the city of Chernivits.
RENTING A CAR
In Chernivits I rented a car from a friend of a friend.
The arrangements took place in Russian, my second language. As I listened to the conversation my distrust issues quickly came back to the surface. I took pictures of every flaw in the car because I didn’t want to be unfairly charged for preexisting damage.
As we were leaving this friend of a friend said, “Kevin, the documents you received are such that you could sell the car and never return it.”
I thought about my distrust issues and realized this man had fully trusted me with his vehicle, and I showed absolutely no trust in him.
It was a little embarrassing and I wondered where in the world I had landed.
CITY BY CITY
1. Entered near Chernovits (along the Romanian border)
2. Then to Zhytomyr, a 6 hour trip — I was there for two weeks.
3. Then to Lviv, a 5 hour trip — There for three hours.
4. On to Berehove (and Mukachevo) — there initially for one weekend.
5. Next to Odesa, a 13 hour drive — There for one week.
6. Then to Kyiz, a 6 hour drive — There for one week.
7. Then back to Berehove and Mukachevo — and finished the time in this area.
I drove approximately 5000 miles, or 8000 kilometers in country.
GETTING STARTED
ZHYTOMYR
From Chernivits we went to Zhytomir and I stayed two weeks with the Hansen missionary family.
While there I missed a couple of opportunities to go to the town square and do evangelism. I was very upset with myself.
I prayed and said “God, if I cannot do the work I came to do, then why am I here?” I said it twice.
DAD
My father is 95. I try to communicate with him on a daily basis if at all possible. I called him. As I was speaking to him a still small voice said, “Go Kevin. Just go.” And I said “Dad, I have to go.” And he said, “I’ll talk to you later.”
I told Tony, “I’m going to do evangelism on the square.”
He said something that was so encouraging to me. He said, “I’m going with you.”
NEXT LVIV, a 5 hour drive.
I planned to be there a few days but was there only three hours. I found an extremely busy street and did evangelism.
My senses were fully tuned. Honestly I expected some sort of aggression. There was none.
I prayed, “God if I am where you want me to be, doing what you want me to be doing, would you please confirm it. Please.”
An elderly lady came up to me and saw what I was doing. She said a prayer for me. But I was focused on the pedestrian traffic and somewhat ignoring her. Then she took both my arms, gripping them tightly, and prayed the exact same prayer again. Since she was holding both my arms I focused on her. She prayed in Russian, “Father, keep this man safe, protect him and bless him.”
FROM LVIV TO BEREHOVE, a 4 hour drive
I met Frank Grabanski there last year and invited him to go with me on my evangelism tour. He said, “I can go with you. But I don’t have any money to help with the expenses.”
I told him to go with me and we would see how things worked out. His presence with me would do two things – First there would be accountability, and second, encouragement. I was glad he went along.
At this time I also met Andrei and Olena Matsola, sister and brother in law to our pastor in Russia.
FROM BEREHOVE TO ODESA, a 13 hour drive
Frank said he knew a missionary in Odesa and we would get in touch with him when we got there.
When we drove into Odesa, we drove not knowing where.
When we got to the middle of Odesa I called to make arrangements for a place to stay the night.
I called one place and told the lady on the phone to send her address to my phone and I would use gps to get there.
She said to just tell her where I was located and she would tell me how to get there. I looked around, couldn’t see a street sign or any other coordinates. I told her I didn’t know where I was and to send the street address to my phone. She said just tell me the region. I didn’t know the region and told her so. She insisted I tell her my region and location. I pushed the little red button on the phone that indicates I don’t want to talk with you anymore.
Google. I spoke into my phone. I need a motel for the night. It gave me directions to the nearest motel.
It was a good place to stay and I was satisfied.
The next morning Frank got in touch with his friend Mark Priem, and asked to meet with him.
Mark sent directions to the church. Odesa is a big place and I thought it would take us 1.5 hours to get to where we needed to go. When I looked up the church address on my phone Google gave walking directions, not driving directions. We were less than 1/3 of a mile away, 450 yards. That was incredible.
We did evangelism around city center each morning and went with Mark each evening to help him in his evangelistic endeavors.
FROM ODESA TO KYIV, a six hour drive.
We were there for 1 week. What was so interesting in Kyiv was people would take the tract, “Are You an Intelligent Person? Test Yourself” Then they would sit down and take the tests. That was surprising.
FROM KYIV BACK TO BEREHOVE, a 10 hour drive
My pastor in St Petersburg, Russia is Ukrainian. His sister Olena and her husband Andrei live in the Czeck Republic but are building a house in Mukachevo, about thirty minutes from Berehove.
They invited me to their home for lunch. Then they offered it to me as a prophets’ chamber while I was in the area. I was very grateful.
ANDREI
Andrei told me I would get the keys from Stepan. He emphasized several times that Stepan is a good brother. And that he could be trusted.
1. Andre called and said when I saw Stepan to ask him about printing Bibles in the former USSR. So I did.
Stepan said with a flick of the wrist, “O that. That was a basement deal. There were five of us. And we did everything we could to keep it a secret. We printed Bibles. When they were ready we delivered them to Moldova. We had a big truck used for delivering fruits and vegetables. We would load the Bibles first and then cover them with produce. We did this between 1986-1988.
Our endeavors ended with they killed the man who organized our efforts.”
I thought, this guy is a hero. Heroes need to be remembered. Then I asked myself if it was a Biblical principle to remember heroes. What came to mind was Hebrews chapter 11, the faith hall of fame.
2. Andrei called again and said when I saw Stepan to ask about his mother smuggling Bibles.
When I saw Stepan I said tell me about your mother smuggling Bibles.
He said that happened when he was three years old, 1967. She was taking a load of New Testaments to Czechoslovakia. She stuffed my clothes with NT’s. I could not move because of all the NT’s in my clothes. And I was throwing a fit, screaming.
When we got to the border the guards did not want to deal with a three year old throwing a temper tantrum.
I asked how his parents came to know Christ. He said the Gospel came to them in 1950 from the states. He said they decided to accept it and live with the consequences.
3. Andrei called again and asked if I would go by to see his in laws one more time before I left Ukraine.
I had one Sunday left and said I would go visit their church and enjoy the worship, sitting in services with them.
When I got to church a few men gathered in a room and began talking about the people I knew in Ukraine, how they were related, etc. Then one of the men said, “Kevin we will be praying for you as you speak to us today.” Let’s pray.
That’s when I found out I was the guest speaker. I would have like more time to prepare my sermon in Russian, but that was not to be.
When I went into the services I sat on the right side. Children wanted to touch me. So I was being poked from behind and the kids in front reached under the benches to touch me.
When I got up to speak all the men were on the side I had been sitting on and all the women were on the other side. I was so glad I sat on the appropriate side.
After services I had lunch with Olena’s parents.
Pastor Ivan also invited me to visit afterwards. While there I told him my purpose was evangelism. But I want to strengthen and encourage the pastors.
He said, “Kevin, if you want to encourage me, come back. Don’t forget us.”
I wasn’t sure if I was that committed to the ministry of encouragement. But, I do hope to return after the winter holidays.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Please keep me in your prayers. Kevin