I often get asked how things are going in Ukraine. I tell them the war continues, people are being killed and injured, but life goes on. As I talk with my friends in Ukraine and ask them what their needs are, they consistently share that the needs have shifted from humanitarian needs to spiritual needs. They share that God is working and because of how the evangelical church has provided so much care and assistance to the needs of the people the past 18 months, the church is growing and the needs for more churches and more ministers is greater than ever.
Summer camps offered this summer were some of the largest in a long time as the kids and families want something that can provide hope and perspective to them. But as I talk to my friends in ministry in Ukraine, they also share that people in ministry are tired. The demands and stresses of the past 18 months and the continued stress caused by the war and continual missile attacks across the country is wearing them out.
Having listened to the needs, we are focusing our ministry efforts in 4 areas and are raising funds to support these ministries:
First is a training retreat for church planters. We are gathering 25 church planters and their wives together to offer training, rest, and encouragement in October of this year. We will be speaking at this conference as well as providing the money to cover the cost of this retreat in a nature setting near Lviv.
Second, we are also sponsoring a training retreat for the Children’s ministry leaders from all regions of Ukraine. This group of leaders is so important as they are leading the efforts to provide programming for all the kids who attended camps this summer each week in the church. This retreat will take place in October and Beth will be speaking at this conference.
Third, we are looking for partners who are interested in helping to start new churches in Ukraine. Start-up costs for a new church are around $6000. This covers costs of equipment, seating, and rental of a facility for the church to meet in. Our goal is to help start 100 new churches over the next 5 years and want to find partners who would like to adopt and church plant.
Lastly, we are looking for partners who would like to sponsor a pastor and their family as they start a new church. Each church plant is being sponsored by a church in Ukraine, but there is need to help with the costs of supporting the pastor as they are in the start up phase. We are looking for partners who would commit to $500 per month for 5 years. This is $6000 a year.
We realize that that not everyone can cover all the costs, so we are pooling resources to help as many pastors as we can. Currently we have 11 church planters who have been approved as church planters by the Baptist Union of Ukraine and need financial assistance as they start their church.
If you would be interested in supporting these ministry plans, you can give donations at our website at https://www.potentialendeavors.com/donation/donate/ through Venmo to @Potentialendeavors, or by check made payable to Potential Endeavors at 840 Aspen Circle, Little Canada, MN 55109.
If you have questions or want to discuss more about sponsoring a specific pastor or church, please contact me at Rick.Post@potentialendeavors or call at 651-329-6033 and I would be happy to set up a time to meet with you or your church or organization.
We have returned from our trip to Ukraine. It is hard to put into words what we experienced, but I will try my best to share a glimpse into our time with friends and partners in Ukraine. As we visited with people, we asked these basic questions:
How has the war impacted you?
How have you seen God working during this time?
What are the needs you have?
How can we pray for you?
As we asked these questions, we were surprised at how similar the answers were. Specific details were unique, but the theme of the answers was very consistent. What we heard over and over was: This is hard, BUT GOD…..so that is how we will give an overview of our trip.
People have lost much, BUT GOD is RESTORING
On our trip we visited the sites impacted by the Russian invasion last February and more recent attacks on residential areas by missiles. We saw the buildings and homes that were badly damaged or destroyed. We visited homes that had been taken over by Russian soldiers that were damaged and looted. We heard stories of children that were impacted by the invasion and forced to leave their homes and try to find safety. Even though the damage was extensive, we saw recovery taking place. Homes had been rebuilt. Businesses were re-opened. People were out shopping and trying to recover a sense of normalcy even as the missile strikes continued. We heard optimism and a strength that they would survive this and ultimately be victorious.
People are hurting, BUT GOD is providing HOPE.
We heard stories of how God was evident even in the worst times. At the beginning of the escalation last February, the church was the primary source of mobilization and the churches worked together to help provide aid, comfort, and hope when it felt that all was lost.
Even now, 15 months into the latest escalation of war, the support continues from churches. They continue to send aid into the war zones to provide food, medicine, and essentials. We heard stories about how when they bring aid, people thank them for the assistance, but what they really want is community. They want someone to talk to and hear their struggles and loneliness. In the war zones, churches are filled with people looking for hope and community. But what is lacking is the pastors and church leaders who left when the battles started.
While there is still a need for basic aid, the needs now are greater for jobs and housing for the displaced people. Spaces have moved from feeding stations to training areas. The need is for church leaders to focus on the spiritual needs of people. The need for new pastors and new churches is great!
People are resilient, BUT GOD is WITH THEM
We visited with many church leaders during our visit. We heard optimism for the future! We heard them talk about how their churches are full and that they are working to find ways to add more seats and space for all the people wanting to come to church. Even though they face almost daily air raid sirens, damage from missiles and drones that are shot down, they stay positive and optimistic even as they are tired from a lack of sleep. One example, on our last Sunday in Ukraine, missiles and drones had been shot at Kyiv. All of them had been destroyed, but the shrapnel from the destroyed missiles and drones still hit homes and damaged cars. One of the church leaders at the church we were speaking at, shared how the past night pieces from a destroyed drone hit the roof of his home and started a small fire. He put it out and was there for church despite what he experienced.
One of our friends shared about her brother-in-law. He is in the military and serving on the front lines. She shared that he is a believer and that soldiers all want to be in his unit because they see how God is protecting him and the soldiers that he leads.
We heard stories from soldiers who shared how they had been protected by God from certain death. As churches provide resources to the military, they hear that in war, there are no atheists. All soldiers see evidence of God!
Life in Ukraine is hard, BUT GOD is FAITHFUL
As we asked about how the war has impacted them, we heard stories about how they have changed. One person shared how since the start of the escalation last February, he has shifted from reading the Bible on his phone to reading an actual Bible. He wants his kids to see him reading the Bible and not just looking at his phone. He keeps it on his desk for all to see as he has become much more determined to share the impact that God is making in his life.
One pastor’s wife shared how exhausted she is because of the air raids. When the alert goes off, they get out of bed and go to the shelters. They live on the 8th floor of an apartment building and are surrounded by miliary targets, so she wants to be safe. Even though she is tired, God gives her the strength to minister to others and is now going to seminary to work with other women who are impacted by war as well.
One pastor shared how they have moved their church 3 times during the war because they are out of space. They provide food assistance for displaced people and supplies for the military and each time they move to a larger space their church fills up. They have started a rehab center to help those dealing with drug and alcohol addiction and see that this need will grow because of the war. But God has provided the resources they need to minister to others.
We met with the leader of Children’s Ministries for the Baptist Union. She shared about a training conference she had last fall for the leaders from across the regions of Ukraine. Despite the war, they had leaders from across the country and many of them were new because the previous leader had left due to the war. This conference was a great encouragement to them, and the leaders shared how children’s ministry has grown during the war. People are looking for God especially for their children during theses hard times. She has published a book of stories and pictures created and told by the children impacted by the war. We are having it translated into English and hope to have copies available for purchase this summer.
There are questions about the future, BUT GOD is WORKING
People in Ukraine do not know when the war will end, but they all believe that in the end Ukraine will win. But even in a time of uncertainty we heard over and over the need for the development of new leaders and the creation of new churches. Many leaders have left Ukraine at a time when spiritual need is high. New leaders are needed as pastors, children’s ministry leaders, worship leaders, youth leaders and church leadership in general. We met with leaders of church planting organizations across Ukraine. They all shared that the need for training and development of leaders has never been greater. They asked for help in training leaders and the resources needed to start new churches. Funds for renting space for churches and funds to provide financial assistance needed for the new church planters. We heard over and over thanks for the resources that were provided to help provide aid from the impacts of the war. Resources are still needed, but now they have a need to provide training and develop the leaders who will help lead and rebuild when the war is over.
We heard from many of the pastors we met with that the existing leaders are exhausted from the impacts of the war. They have been working tirelessly to provide for physical needs and spiritual needs of people in their communities and for the war zones. They have a need for rest and restoration to help prepare them for the challenges that they will continue to face in the future as they deal with the impacts of trauma on soldiers and their families and for the displaced people.
It is hard to capture all the things we heard and experienced on this trip, but in summary we heard the following:
Thanks for all the assistance and prayers that people from across the world have provided.
Optimism on winning the war and returning to a time of peace.
A desire for continued partnership and assistance to help them rebuild.
The large need for leaders and pastors.
From this trip, God has left us with a renewed passion to want to help in Ukraine. He gave us a dream to help plant new churches and provide opportunities for training, rest, and restoration for leaders of ministries in Ukraine. These are big dreams and bigger than we can accomplish on our own. We will have to rely on God to provide partners who want to help with these needs and who want to adopt new churches and the church planters to provide support, encouragement, and resources.
If you would like to learn more about how you can be part of making this dream a reality or to just hear more about what is happening in Ukraine, please reach out to us. We are happy to talk over the phone or even visit your church to share how God is working in Ukraine.
We compiled a list of all the specific prayer requests we received during our trip and will include them in our newsletter. If you would like to receive our newsletter, please send us a message and we will add you.
We plan to return in October to lead a training for church planters and attend the children’s ministry training as well as work with churches to help them in their ability to lead change.
Prayer requests for Rick and Beth on their Ukraine trip
May 16- June 2, 2023
In years past we have known more about what we would be doing on our trips to Ukraine. This time, however, we don’t have a schedule (except for a conference on May 24-25). This is because there is so much uncertainity in Ukraine and plans and schedules change constantly. Therefore, we go into this trip not knowing much. But we are okay with that, as we know that we are meant to go, and He is in control. We are going with this three-fold purpose: Listen, Encourage and Train. This is a list of things that we are asking you to pray for during our time there.
Before the trip: Many times, this is a difficult time for us. We find that problems arise, or we are distracted. Please pray that we would be focused on what God wants us to do and that are minds are filled with His thoughts, so we leave prepared to do whatever He has for us. Since, we don’t have a defined schedule, we will be relying more on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our words. Pray that we leave refreshed, focused, and ready to do whatever God has for us.
Tuesday, May 16 – pray for safety in travel. We leave MN at 4:55 pm. We will fly to Amsterdam and then onto Warsaw, Poland. We will arrive in Poland @11:35 am (4:35 am CST) on Wednesday, May 17th. Some other things to pray for is that we would make our connecting flight in Amsterdam, with no delays. Pray that we would feel good and be able to sleep on the flights. We are planning on only checking one bag (ministry bag), so pray that we can fit it all in and not overweight.
Wednesday, May 17 – a short day in Poland. Pray that we would be able to get an Uber to our hotel with no issues. Pray that we could stay awake to help with the jetlag. Our plan is to walk around the city a little and then go to bed early. Pray for a good night’s sleep (usually not a problem). Pray for an extra sense of peace and calm as we get ready to start ministry the next day.
Thursday, May 18 – Vasily will pick us up in Poland between 11:00am-noon. It will be good to see him. We will probably not have a translator for the drive, so that will be interesting. We will begin our trek to Ukraine. Pray for safety in travel on the roads and pray for no issues as we go through customs at the border of Ukraine. We don’t know where we will be going in Ukraine. If we go to Irpin, Ukraine, that is a 10 hour and 15-minute drive, with no stops, so long day of travel.
Friday, May 19-Tuesday, May 23 – These 5 days we don’t have an idea what we will be doing. We be at church on Sunday. Rick will probably be preaching. Pray for good sleep at night. These first nights are hard with jetlag. Pray for peace when we sleep. In the past, this is when missiles are shot, so pray for peace as we sleep and that we would get good sleep. Pray for safety on the roads and no missile attacks. Pray for wisdom as we will have many meeting with pastors. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give us what we need to encourage them and to listen to them. Pray that we would be healthy with no sicknesses. Pray for wisdom as Rick preaches on Sunday, that God would give him the words he needs. Pray for our translator, Ghenadi, that he would be able to translate us clearly and effectively during our time there.
Wednesday, May 24 – Thursday, May 25 – We will be holding a conference for church planters and their wives. This will take place at a hotel in Kyiv. Potential Endeavors is sponsoring this, as we will pay for all expenses for the attendees. At the end of this document, there is a schedule of the conference and an overview of the content. Please pray that God would give us wisdom as we listen, encourage and train. There may be 20-30 couples attending.
Friday, May 26 – Tuesday, May 30 – Again, we don’t know what we will be doing in these 5 days. Pray from the same list above from May 19-23.
Wednesday, May 31 – travel from Ukraine to Warsaw, Poland. Pray for no difficulties at the border when we go through customs. This can take a very long time depending on what they decide at the border. Pray for a quick time through. Pray for safety on the road as it will be a long day of travel.
Thursday, June 1 – A day in Warsaw, Poland. Vasily wanted us to return to Poland on the 31st in case there were delays getting through the border. So, that means a full day in Poland. Pray for a relaxing time as we will have a little time to debrief our trip. Pray that God would give us time to reflect, process and time to begin planning future trips to Ukraine.
Friday, June 2 – Travel day home. We leave Warsaw at 6:00 am (11:00 pm – June 1 – CST). Pray for no issues getting to the airport in the middle of the night. Pray for smooth connections as we travel through Amsterdam to get home. Pray that we would feel good for the travel day home. We arrive in MN at 2:40 pm.
After the trip: Pray that we can effectively summarize our trip and be able to communicate our time there. Pray that God would give up next steps as to what He wants us to do next after this trip.
Thank you in advance for praying us through this trip. We are very excited to go and have a great deal of anticipation. We know how important prayer is and view it as a vital part of our ministry. So, thank you for partnering with us by praying for us.
Beth & Rick
Schedule for conference in Kyiv for church planters and their wives
Wednesday, May 24
(All times are Ukraine time, which is 8 hours ahead of CST)
12:30- 4:30 pm – Arrival to hotel, lunch, and relaxation time.
4:30 – 6:30 pm – Meeting all together. We will get to know each couple, about their family and ministry. Rick will share a talk about vision, developing leaders and creating a “come and see” environment in their churches.
6:30 – 7:30pm – dinner
7:30- 9:00pm – Roman from the Baptist Union will present. His role at the Baptist union is to plant more churches. At the end, the pastors will take a test about church planting strategy. We will be meeting separately. Beth will meet with the women and have them share about their families and ministry. She will ask them questions and listen to them.
Thursday, May 25:
8:00-9:00am – Breakfast
9:00 -11:00 – Meet separately. The pastors will talk through the results of their test and share. Beth will talk with the women about the topic of Tips for your Physical, Spiritual and Emotional health as a pastor’s wife. Beth will also talk about the topic of conflict in the church and how to deal with that.
11:00-11:30 – Break to check out.
11:30-1:00pm – Meet together. Rick will have a prayer time with the pastors and again listen and encourage them.
In one week, we will be leaving for Ukraine. After an 18 month pause due to the war in Ukraine, we have decided it is time to return to visit our friends and partners in Ukraine. Travel is not as easy as the past as we will have to fly to Poland and drive across the border as there are no commercial flights into Ukraine.
We are going on this trip for three primary purposes:
LISTEN
We will spend our time in Ukraine meeting with pastors and friends that we have worked with and supported. We want to hear how God is working, what challenges they face and what needs that they have that we can help with. The challenges that they have faced since the escalation of the war in February of 2022 have been enormous. They have had to deal with people leaving, refugees coming and working to meet the physical needs of people but also the spiritual needs.
ENCOURAGE
We also want to spend time with pastors to encourage them by letting them know that we have not forgotten them and that we want to return to continue supporting and working with them to reach people for Jesus.
TRAIN
This is a hard one for me, but it is also needed. It is hard to think about training and thinking about the future when they have gone through so much and they live in a world of continual threats and uncertainty. But we have to prepare for the future! God is working in Ukraine and people are turning to Jesus for hope in a sometimes-hopeless situation. We will be leading a conference of church planters and their spouses. We will spend time helping them to develop a vision for their church and helping equip them for the challenges they will face as they work to reach their communities for Jesus!
We will be spending a little over two weeks in Ukraine. During this time will be traveling across the country and trying to meet as many pastors and church leaders as possible. We ask that you pray for us as we travel and meet with pastors and their wives. Specifically pray for the following:
SAFETY
We are entering a war zone. There are missile strikes and threats every day. While we know that God is in control and He is our protector, we still pray for safety as we travel and meet with pastors.
IMPACT
We want our trip to make an impact. While we often do not know all the meetings and places we will go before we arrive, we know that God has a plan for us and that every meeting is what God has for us. Pray that God will use us to encourage pastors and that God will be glorified in all that we do.
Over the past year we have been able to send a large amount of money to Ukraine to help our partners in their ministry and to help with the humanitarian needs caused by the war. Thank you for all who have given to us or other organizations to help Ukraine. On this trip we hope to learn what the needs continue to be for Ukraine and bring back their prayer requests and needs so that we continue to support them in the future.
Thank you for your prayers and support and we will share what we learn when we return.
What a year it has been for Potential Endeavors. A year ago we were planning our trip to Ukraine in March and preparing for meetings that we would be having, and then February 24th happened. Russia invaded Ukraine and all our plans changed! This is the second time our ministry work has been changed – first was in 2020 with Covid and the impact on travel and now the Russian invasion.
With unexpected world change, our ministry plans had to change with it. 2022 became a year of helping deliver resources to Ukraine to support refugees, churches and pastors who were leading the efforts to help their fellow Ukrainians. We saw friends relocate to the US, others who have had to deal with split families between those who could leave and those who could not, and helping those who chose to stay in Ukraine and fight the evil that was attacking them.
We learned how to move money directly into the accounts of our partners so that they could get the money they needed to help others. We saw an incredible generosity of people across the US who wanted to help Ukraine and provide assistance to those who have been impacted.
As we headed into the winter months, we saw Russia attack the infrastructure of Ukrainian cities forcing the loss of power, heat and water to millions. This brought about a second wave of need to provide generators, furnaces and supplies to provide heating and power in new ways.
Through the course of 2022 through the generosity of so many, we were able to send over $150,000 directly to our partners who are working to provide physical aid to the needy and spiritual care for the many impacted by this war. This aid provided food, generators, medicine, medical supplies and equipment/supplies needed to make the care possible like fuel, transportation, washing machines, etc.
While we love providing assistance for physical needs, the passion of our ministry is to reach the next person for Jesus. Because the churches in Ukraine have become so generous and are being the hands and feet of Jesus to their community, people are making the decision to visit the church and are deciding to follow Jesus. Two stories that I want to share from two pastors that we have worked with over the years and churches that we have visited are below:
From Pasha in Uman: Anatoly, 74 years old. He has never been to Evangelical churches. But, three weeks ago, he crossed the threshold of our church for the first time. He says that he was just walking by the church, and as if someone pushed him to go inside. Interestingly, he once said that he would never go to church in his life. But the circumstances of life made his heart softer. One son died, and the other is now at the front. And here he is. Yesterday, January 1, 2023, Anatoly asked God for forgiveness and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior!
From Sasha in Kyiv: Yesterday (Christmas), a service dedicated to the birth of Christ was held in the church, 130-150 people attended the service, 30% of whom were visitors. We thank God for the opportunity to testify to people about the good news in these difficult times for Ukraine.
An incredible start to the year!
As we begin 2023, the generosity continues. We received a large donation from a church in South Dakota. These resources are being used to provide humanitarian aid across Ukraine. We have sent money to groups providing care to the people who live in the war zone, to churches who provide weekly food gifts for the refugees who have moved to their area, for generators to allow churches to be hubs to provide power to those who need to recharge their devices, to churches who have had to expand their facilities due to all the new people who have been attending their churches and all of the new ministry work that is needed to be done.
In addition, we have been providing care packages for pastors who have been leading the efforts to provide care for their communities. These care packages are meant as a way to encourage and say thank you to these pastors and their families for all they have done to help others this past year. The package provides basic necessities for the home such as cleaning supplies, food and few treats. In addition, we provide a cash gift that they can use for whatever needs that they may have.
The cost of each care package is $150 and we hope to provide resources for at least 50 packages. These packages are prepared by buying the contents from local Ukrainian businesses so it also helps support the economy and jobs in Ukraine.
If you would like to provide a gift box or several for an Ukrainian pastors to encourage and say thanks for their efforts to care for and share Jesus with their neighbors, you can give a gift through Potential Endeavors. Just note “Care Package” on the donation. You can give at our website Potential Endeavors, or by check made payable to:
Potential Endeavors
840 Aspen Circle, Little Canada, MN 55109.
Thank you for your generosity and prayers over this past year. The gifts of many have made a big impact in the lives of many Ukrainians.
Winter is Coming! Ukraine War Continues. While Ukraine is winning on the battlefield, the impact on the country contuse.
8 million refugees
3 million left the country and 5 million displaced
Over 100,000 dead or wounded Ukrainian soldiers
Thousands of civilians murdered
Homes and villages destroyed
Electrical power damaged across country
No electricity, no heat, no water in much of the country
Daily fears of what will happen next with air raid sirens and missile attacks
This is the current state in the country of Ukraine!
As I am writing this, Russia is firing more missiles at Ukraine’s power grid to cause more harm. Our friends in Ukraine need help. Winter is hitting and people are without power which means no heat, no ability to cook meals, charge phones, etc.
As the country heads into winter, the Russian attackers are doing everything they can to make life miserable for civilians. They are destroying power plants, transformers and infrastructure needed for electrical usage, water, and sewage. This has caused widespread power outages and fears of freezing in the cold winter months. As we talked with our Ukrainian friends, there is great fear around how they will survive this winter. Right now, the power is out at least 12 hours each day and without power there is no heat and no way to cook meals. Large cities are discussing plans to evacuate people out of the cities because there are issues with sewage and water and the conditions are not livable at the level of service they have today.
As we talk with our partners and friends in Ukraine, they share their needs with us. There is a great need for mobile generators.
These are used to produce power for heating, light and the ability to charge batteries for phones and other devices. Generators are not available for purchase in Ukraine, so they must be purchased and shipped from other European countries. The cost of one generator and to transport it from other country is between $500 and $1000.
The second biggest need to for resources to purchase supplies to heat buildings. Churches have been places that people are coming to for food and to get warm. The churches are having to purchase wood for those with wood burning stoves or coal if they have coal fired furnaces. Others must purchase fuel to run the furnace. These costs are much higher now as the building are in use round the clock, so they need to heat all day and not just when services are held.
The third biggest need is money to purchase food supplies and clothing that can be given to those in need. Most churches are providing food packs for the refugees who have resettled in their community but have nothing. They have no jobs, nothing but the clothes they left with and a shared living space with someone who has taken them into their home or provided a place in a vacant home or building.
We are doing a fundraiser through Facebook for Giving Tuesday. Facebook matches the first $7 million dollars given, so we hope to be able to get some of that money as well. We are hoping to raise enough money to purchase at least 20 generators as well as some funds to help some of our church partners with their heating needs.
Thank you for the way you have generously supported Ukraine this past year. Across the many different non-profit organizations we work with, I know that there has been a large amount of money already sent, but the needs still exist. Today’s needs are different than what they experience six months ago, but they still need our help. Donations can be made through our Facebook fundraiser at this link:
All money raised will go to support the needs in Ukraine.
We were planning to be in Ukraine right now, but due to the current situation in Ukraine we felt our being there would place a hardship on our partners. We hope to return to Ukraine this spring to meet with pastors, thank them for their hard work and dedication and try to be an encouragement to them. We have plans to do a leadership training for 100 pastors and their spouses. We will try to bring training that will help them as they lead into the future, deal with the trauma caused by the war and as they work to rebuild their country.
Thank you for caring for Ukraine! Thank you for your generosity and for making an impact in the lives of the people of Ukraine. And thank you for helping churches be able to care for people’s needs so that they can share the love of Jesus with them. Our hopes and prayers are that this war will result in seeing hundreds and thousands of people find a relationship with Jesus Christ through the work of His church. Please continue to Pray for Ukraine!
The war in Ukraine has had a terrible impact on the people of Ukraine, but it is the kids who are often impacted the most. They lose their sense of safety and peace and wonder if things will ever be normal again. This past summer, churches across Ukraine held camps for kids. Over 300 camps were held, and 30,000 students were able to attend. These camps were in every region of Ukraine except Luhansk.
In these camps, over 3,000 students made a decision to make Jesus the Lord and Savior of their lives! Praise God! Donations from many people made these camps possible, but there is a new opportunity to help. This fall, the leaders of the Baptist Union of Ukraine are holding a 3-day retreat for leaders of kid’s ministries from across Ukraine. This retreat is an opportunity to encourage these workers who have done so much to help the kids impacted by war by providing a retreat away from the stresses of a war impacted life. This retreat will be a time of rest, encouragement, training and preparing these leaders to continue to minister to kids of Ukraine. Originally this retreat was going to be in May and Beth was asked to speak at it, but the war changed that, and now we will not be able to attend.
If you would like to help provide for this retreat, we are helping to raise funds to pay for this event. The cost is estimated at $10,000. This is for housing, food and materials. You can make donations through Potential Endeavors at Donate – Potential Endeavors. Make a note on your donation Kids Workers Retreat. All money donated will go to help pay for this event. You can also send checks to: Potential Endeavors, 840 Aspen Circle, Little Canada, MN 55109.
I am back from Ukraine! It was a whirlwind trip, but it was so great to be back in Ukraine and to be able to talk to friends face to face and hear how the war has impacted them personally. The purpose of the trip was to have leaders from the Baptist Union of Ukraine and Converge (formerly Baptist General Conference) meet to talk about the needs of Ukraine during this war and about the potential for ministry partnerships in the future. This was the first meeting for many of the people on the trip. I represented Potential Endeavors and the work that we have been doing in Ukraine over the past 4 years.
The trip was different from any trip I have done in the past. Since there is no commercial air travel into Ukraine, we had to fly to Poland and drive across the border to get to Ukraine. Our meeting was in Lviv so it was about a 5-hour drive plus whatever time it would take to get through the Polish and Ukrainian borders. This was the first time I had been in Poland. From what I saw it is very beautiful.
Border Crossing
As we entered Ukraine, we saw the effects of war. There were many checkpoints along the road and a large military presence. As we were having dinner on the first night, an air raid siren went off. We were asked if we wanted to go to a shelter, but our Ukrainian partners were used to the sirens and chose to stay at dinner. We stayed with them. After all clear was sounded, we heard that there had been a missile fired towards Lviv and had hit 70 kilometers north of the city. That was close enough to make me a little jittery wondering if another siren goes off what would I do, especially in the middle of the night. As we walked around the city center after our meetings ended for the evening, we saw a vibrant city life, but noticed that all the lights on the buildings were off and there was a curfew at 11.
Our meetings took place over two days. We spent time getting to know each other and then we talked about the work of the Baptist Union in providing humanitarian assistance during the time of the war. As we began our discussion, the first humbling experience was that 4 of the 5 leaders had their homes damaged by the Russian invasion against Kyiv. They all lived around Irpin and this was the area that saw some of the heaviest damage. One even had the invaders staying in their home. Despite what they had experienced personally, they never allowed it to stop the work of aiding others impacted by this war.
Getting to know each other
All the resources that have been sent to the Baptist Union of Ukraine have been distributed to the churches across Ukraine that have provided assistance. Churches would submit their needs to their regional leadership and then the regional leadership would share their needs to the Baptist Union. Money was distributed based upon need and impact they could make. It was impressive how they had detailed documentation showing where the money was spent and how it was used to help. This is important as it builds trust that resources are not being wasted in any way.
The humanitarian efforts were in three main areas: Evacuation of people from the conflict areas, housing and care for the individuals as they traveled across Ukraine, and support for people as they resettled into new homes in the western part of Ukraine. Tens of thousands of people were helped by churches as they traveled across Ukraine.
Due to the war, 450 churches are now in occupied territories, 200 have been forced to be closed and 45 churches have been damaged or destroyed in the war. There are over 140 dislocated pastors who had to leave their churches and resettle in the western part of Ukraine. The Baptist Union is aiding these pastors as they have lost their homes, and their ministry. The Baptist Union is providing for their families and helping them to find new ministry opportunities in the communities they have settled into.
One amazing thing I learned on this trip is how the people from Ukrainian churches who have resettled in Europe are working in the churches to do ministry together and share the gospel with others from Ukraine who have resettled in these communities.
As the war continues, the Baptist Union is looking for new ways to provide assistance. As Ukraine retakes occupied territories, they are using mobile kitchens to go into these communities to provide hot meals for the people who have no utilities to allow them to cook. Churches have become support centers to provide food, water and battery charging sites.
While the churches are providing for the physical needs for so many, they are also providing for the spiritual needs. Churches are filled with new people who need spiritual support. People are suffering from the effects of trauma and how to deal with the loss of all they have and how to start anew. They need the hope of Jesus in an environment that can feel hopeless for many.
As our time continued, we moved to discussing future ministry needs. Due to the war and people who have emigrated out of Ukraine, the Baptist Union estimates that it will need 1,000 new pastors to lead churches and ministry in the next few years. With that need, resources to train and develop future pastors and ministry leaders is greatly needed. This need fits in with the work that we (Potential Endeavors) have been doing with Vasily Furta is developing mentoring groups in regions across Ukraine. Before the war we had starting 4 or 5 of the groups and were in the process of starting 10 more. These groups have been put on hold as the war has interrupted the plans, but we hope to get them started again this fall. We are hoping that we can partner with churches from Converge to provide resources to help these groups. In addition, it would be great if we could develop relationships between these young leaders in Ukraine and leaders in US churches to mentor and support each other. When the war ends and it is easier to travel again, these relationships could result in ongoing ministry opportunities.
Meeting time
As our time together came to an end, we spent time praying for Ukraine, the leaders of the Baptist Union and the potential for future ministry partnerships between Converge, the Baptist Union and Potential Endeavors. It was a great blessing to be able to spend time together and for me it was a blessing to get to know the leaders of Converge.
Our journey home was not without its adventure. The lines to leave Ukraine were very long and slow. Our driver got us to the border crossing area with the shortest line and then was able to get us to the front of the line, but the process of getting through the two borders still took over 3 hours. As we entered Poland all of our bags were searched, which takes a lot of time with all the vehicles who are going across.
Line to leave Ukraine
We made it back to our hotel and had an awesome time debriefing our trip together and celebrating how God has brought all of us together and for what we see as the future partnerships that are possible.
I was so blessed to be invited on this trip. Blessed to spend time with my Ukrainian friends and with my new Converge friends. I was blessed to see how God is working in Ukraine and how people are finding Jesus in midst of the war. I don’t know when my next trip to Ukraine will be, but I know that work will continue. We will continue to raise support for pastors in Ukraine and continue to look for partners to help with the work of the mentoring groups. We will be ready to return when the doors of opportunity open up.
Continue to pray for Ukraine. Thanks for all the prayers that were lifted up while we were in Ukraine. We could feel God’s hand of protection and blessing on us. The needs are great and when the war ends the needs of rebuilding the damage churches and lives will just be starting. Pray for new leaders to be raised up to do the work of God in Ukraine and to continue their desire to reach their communities for Jesus.
Today I am leaving for my first trip to Ukraine since the war escalated on February 24th. My trip will look different as I am not traveling with Beth, and we are not going to the places we normally work from. We will be flying into Poland and driving across the land border to Ukraine.
We will be in Lviv. While Lviv has been relatively quiet from a war damage perspective, there will still be impacts of the war we will feel such as the air raid sirens and the number of refugees that have moved from the east to the west of Ukraine.
I will be traveling with a group of leaders from Converge and we will be meeting with the leaders of the Baptist Union of Ukraine to discuss future ministry partnerships. Humanitarian needs and support still exist, but we want to be preparing for the future and the spiritual needs of the people. As some of you may know, Minnesota and other parts of the US have been working in Ukraine for the past 30 years. There has been work with day camps, men’s and women’s meetings, sports camps and church partnerships. Most of the work was done in the Cherkasy and Rivne regions and we want to talk about how to expand work across all the regions of Ukraine.
We want to listen to the needs and dreams of the leaders of the Baptist Union and discuss how we can continue to build on the existing partnerships and grow them even more. God knows what the plans are for the future, but it is up to us to search for and discover those plans for us. This could look like helping with church plants, developing new leaders, supporting missionaries who are being sent to unreached people groups and doing ministry in existing churches such as English camps, kids camps, etc.
As I leave for this trip, I have three prayers requests:
PRAY for safety in travel and for our time in Ukraine.
PRAY for our meetings that we see clearly where God wants us to partner together in the future.
PRAY for Ukraine. The war continues. There are humanitarian needs for the refugees impacted in the war zones. There are economic needs for those who were not refugees but have seen the economy destroyed due to Russia actions. There are spiritual needs for those who feel hopeless and need a relationship with Jesus in their lives.
We are so thankful for the many people who have made a donation to support the people of Ukraine. We have received $29,700 which has been sent to pastors, churches and ministry leaders in Ukraine who are providing aid to the many people impacted by this terrible war. Below is letter from a church leader sharing how the money they received is being used:
According to Zhashkiv church, we bought cereals, oil, things of the first necessary and packed 16 bags for families with children with disabilities, large families, and pregnant mothers. Also, today we handed over to our local military battalion in Zhashkiv food packages for their families. According to them, this is a great support for their families and children who do not see their fathers. That is, we distributed these packages to families whose husbands serve in the army.
In Buzivka the center of help was opened. The money you have sent was used to buy different products to this center. We also received humanitarian aid. And people call us, ask what they need, then they come to this center and receive help. Some people need products, some need diapers for kids or food for kids, some need clothes etc. We help refugees and needy people.
Thank you so much for your support! God bless you!
Sasha Kuts
We continue to accept donations for Ukraine and send the money to our partners as soon as it is received. You can donate through our website: https://potentialendeavors.com or through checks made payable to Potential Endeavors and send to our address:
840 Aspen Circle
Little Canada, MN 55109
If you have questions, feel free to reach out to rick.post@potentialendeavors.com
Note: We are an approved 501c3 and all donations are tax dedictible.
The past two weeks have been heartbreaking. I have been watching the devastation of a country I love and seeing innocent people being murdered and lives forever changed due to the loss of their homes, family, and friends. Yet despite the terrible times there are glimmers of hope. I have talked to pastors who have shared the work that is being done to help others. Churches are being used to provide shelter, food and comfort to people who have lost everything. Churches and ministries are donating or buying food, medical supplies, and transportation. Vans are loaded with supplies and drive to the war areas in the east and then filled with people from the east and brought back across Ukraine. The stop at churches along the way for a place to sleep and be fed and they continue their journey. In the Cherkasy region alone over 1000 people are being fed and cared for each day.
Here are some pictures:
Because of the generosity of so many people, over $27,000 has been donated through Potential Endeavors. We have sent this money to churches and ministries in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Zolotonosha, Buzivka, Korsun, Nikolaev, Lviv and Odesa. Your donations are being used to pay for supplies and fuel to move people and supplies across Ukraine.
When we started this fundraiser, we were hoping to raise $10,000 but God had bigger plans than we could imagine. I am working to connect with the Senior Pastors of regions across Ukraine to encourage, support, hear their prayer request and provide aid when we can. Each dollar that has been given is in the hands of a person in Ukraine that I know and trust. Your gifts are making a difference in lives across Ukraine.
There is still time to give. Our fundraiser in Facebook is still open and we will be accepting donation there until March 31st. We will also accept donations on our web site at https://potentialendeavors.com/donation/donate/
We also accept donations via checks made payable to our non-profit Potential Endeavors or through Venmo at @bandrpost. Just make a note on any donations that says Ukraine Support. All donations are tax deductible as we are an approved 501c3 organization.
Our address is 840 Aspen Circle, Little Canada, MN 55109.
