There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Psalm 19:3,4

The upfront team of 3 missionaries arrived in Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday after an 11 hour plane trip. They came to a country
of many differences, including language. One of the three is a native of Kiev and our interpreter. Of the seventeen additional
missionaries, one is an Ukrainian by birth attending Christian College and will also be an interpreter. Our Lord has supplied a
great need in these two missionaries.

Our first day was getting settled into the hotel, walking around the area of our main Metro stop, and looking for bottled water
nearby and also a place to change our American Dollars into Ukrainian Givens. Credit cards are not accepted by most places
with whom we will do business. Our second day was the Lord's Day and after breakfast the three of us held a small worship
service in our room and then proceeded to the center of the city to see first hand the amazing number of people here (about 4
million). We found a place in Central City that has a water purifying company that delivers, so we ordered our first supply of
40 gallons of water. We feel it necessary to do some things on the Lord's Day when on a Short Term Mission that we would
not normally do at home. Shopping for water and looking for businesses necessary for the Mission work is imperative. We also
found an Internet location in the Central City so that we can inform all those at home how God is blessing His people here in
the Ukraine.

The Metro system is vast in Kiev. It has a 3 color coded lines (red, blue and green). This is how we will cover most of the city
at a reasonable cost. The trip one way is 50 Givens (10 cents in American money). The trollies and buses are the same price.
We will supply a metro map to the missionaries.

We also have maps of the city and one map of the surrounding smaller cities which we also hope to cover.
On the third day (Monday), we went to the printer to check on our tracts, We will have an additional 60,000 tracts delivered
by the printer in addition to the 240,000 now in the hotel. We also purchased 800 Russian Bibles and 200 Ukrainian Bibles.
They are now also in the hotel. These Bibles were graciously donated by listeners who want to get God's Word into the hands
of those who could not otherwise afford one. We had ordered vans for transportation but as our interpreter would say, "That is the Ukrainian Way". That deal fell through, so we had to search out new avenues.

We have received a great deal of help from an Ukrainian gentlemen related to our Ukrainian missionary. He has made all the
contacts necessary for purchasing tracts, Bibles, buses and vans. What we need he finds, thanks to our heavenly Father.
Tuesday, we now have a 30 seat bus to pick up the seventeen remaining missionaries and their luggage which we were able to
obtain very reasonably. We also have a van that holds 10 people (at a reasonable price) for those who will be traveling to
places where the metro does not go. "That is God's way". He is in control of all things.

Two short stories: When looking for items needed, two of our women missionaries happened upon a street merchant who had
seen an ad for a free Bible but never sent for one. She asked us for a Bible and we will bring it to her. Also, when the Bibles
and tracts were arriving at the hotel, the director was overwhelmed, but when we gave her a Bible her whole demeanor
changed. She asked for three additional Bibles for the other directors, so we gave them to her. In addition we have given one
Bible to each of the staff. They are elated. Also, today when we went to breakfast the director started asking questions because she had been reading the Bible all night. She wanted to know where Cain got his wife?

We are pleased to report that everyone has arrived safely and tomorrow we will start our tract distribution. We ask for the
prayers of the listeners for God's mercy on the people of the Ukraine and all He has planned to save.


It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22,23

In Christian love:
The 2002 F.R. group in Kiev, Ukraine.

MISSION TO KIEV, UKRAINE
LETTER 2

"MY SOUL SHALL MAKE HER BOAST IN THE LORD: THE HUMBLE SHALL BOAST THEROF AND BE GLAD. O MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME AND LET US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER"

PSALM 34:2

Today was the first full day in the streets bearing withness for our Lord. May Day is a holiday during which many parades and
demonstrations line the streets of downtown Kiev. We sent a good number of people into this area and we came away with
mixed results. First, we had an opportunity to meet with and give tracts to thousands of people. Although we had some
refusals, many received and read the tract.

One of our missionaries found himself right in the center of a hugh communist rally. Even though the Soviet Union has long since
been disolved, we found hundreds and hundreds of people still honoring its memory. We saw hosts of World War II veterans
with their medals pinned to their shirts still reliving their days as members of the Communist Party lining the streets. One woman
approached our missionary as he handed out a tract and began to revile him. She took a tract and ran over to a waste basket
and slammed it inside. She continued ranting and raving about religion and its faults and very many heard her. This all happened
at the conclusion of the meeting and people began coming in droves toward our missionary. Almost every hand took a tract and
although a few looked at it and handed it back; so many others took it to readc. This always seems to happen when someone
gets loud and angry. Others want to see the reason and they want to read why this anger occured. Our Lord very often makes
good come out of an apparent problem.

The bottom line in our first day of distribution was that we did give out very many tracts to the glory of Our Lord. In past trips,
there has always been initial holding back from full acceptance in that the people didn't really know why we had come to their
city. When they realize that we are not selling anything, or doing anything except bringing a message from the Bible; the real
acceptance begins.

One fellow approached our team with a severe affliction. He had one leg that was missing and after taking the tract raised
himself up on a wall and began reading it. One of our missionaries asked if he wanted a Bible and he became joyful.
Another very tall man approached one of our women and asked her for a Bible. He first asked her what the charge would be
for him. When told it was free, he seemed amazed. He left and shortly returned with a box of candy. In his appreciation for this
free gift, he felft a response was needed to show his appreciation. When we think about our salvation and the joy that comes
into our heart when our sins are forgiven, our response is also one of continual gratitude. That we would be given a free gift of
this magnitude is amazing to each believer. We must continue to thank our Lord for each new day and His ongoing grace that
gives us a blessed hope.

We see this city as one that needs this message we bring. So many seem to be changing to the things of the world and have
many of the same problems we find all over the world. Reportedly, a number of people have approached our teams with strong complaints about us being here. Again we don't understand the languagebut you can pick up what they are saying by their gestures. We are being informed that the Ukraine is very reeligious but America is not. You send your movies to us that are very bad and influence only ungodliness to our people.

One missionary not knowing completely what was said but imagines this to be the question said to the merchant "I don't
understand what you are saying but probably most of it is correct." We have polluted our world. Thank God that His grace has
been given to His elect and the things of the world no longer mean anything to us. Also in the same way a very educated lady
doctor and her husband spoke to another missionary in English saying the same thing but in more eloquent language. Again they
were of the highly educated of this country.

We would ask that each listener prays for these coming days and that our Lord enables those on the team to be bold in our
witness for Him. These next four days will also be holidays with Sunday being Ukrainian Easter. We have found a great
opportunity for the Christian Gospel and we pray that we might remain faithful in our work.

We will be seeking places to deliver these one thousand Bibles donated by our listeners. Please pray that our Lord will provide
wisdom for this need. We are so thankful that our needs have been met by our Lord of Hosts. He is always faithful to any of
our true needs.

"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make Thy Faithfulness to all generations".

Psalm 89:1

In Christian love,
The FR Mission Team in Kiev

"O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD: CALL UPON HIS NAME: MAKE KNOWN HIS DEEDS
AMONG THE PEOPLE".

PSALM 105:1

Today our team in Kiev experienced a second day of witnessing on the streets. The reception of our tracts was wonderful and
an improvement on our initial try yesterday. Everyone was ecstatic with the results, and we searched during our Bible Study
time for answers.
The focus of our day was markets where the poor of the city frequent. In every city we find our best distribution always seems
to occur here. Our team of missionaries brought boxes of Bibles and tracts and a large number of shoppers gravitated towards
them. Many joyful people left with perhaps their first Bible. What better gift can we give a person but God's eternal Word.
A young man approached one of our missionaries carrying a Bible he had just received from another FR team member. He
held it up and pointed to his friend. "Can I have one for my girl friend"? he said using exagerated motions. The missionary
hesitated and then decided that in as much the youngster asked for a Bible; he would certainly provide one for his friend. The
thought that ran through our missionary's mind was, were they collecting them to sell? That thought was quickly dispelled when
the two friends began to hug each other and praising the Lord. We tend to quickly judge others even in matters such as this, but
our Lord God very often steers us in the right direction.
Drunks seem to be a real problem in this city. Today one of the market places was overloaded with people under the influence
of alcohol. We have to keep a constant watch on our women because these same drunks always seem to gravitate over to
them to chat. We usually critique our every day occurancess when we meet after dinner and this helps to pinpoint any problems
so that we can better deal with them. Do we give a drunk a tract? If he puts out his hand to receive one, the answer is always
yes.
A second team visited a Bible Institute with over eighty students. Many did not have Bibles and others had only a New
Testament with the Psalms included. We tried to give a Bible to everyone who needed one. How can a Bible student study the
Bible when he doesn't have one of his own. Now nobody in this Institute needs to experience this hurt.
Psalm 119:97 "O how I love Thy law: It is my meditation all the day".
There are cleaning ladies carrying brooms throughout the city of Kiev. When you travel through the streets, you immediately see
the work they put in daily. Naturally, they look at us with a mistrust. We try to keep them happy while providing a good witness
by picking up nearly every discarded tract. This is a necessary portion of every missionary's work.
We continue to praise our Lord for this opportunity. Please pray that we might stay strong and continue to want to help these
people to be given the Word of God.

LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND
ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONG, SINGING WITH GRACE
IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD."

COLOSSIANS 2:16

In Christian love
THE 2002 F.R. MISSION TEAM IN UKRAINE

MISSION TO KIEV, UKRAINE
LETTER 4

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to
the Jew first, and also to the Greek".

Romans 1:16

Friday, May 3, 2002

  Two of the original upfront team have now returned home after making all the arrangements for the hotel, tracts, purchase of
bibles, locating pure water to drink and all else necessary for our mission work to progress. The distribution here has settled
into a pattern that is working out well. Typically, several teams go to various market and other busy areas by van and other
teams take the underground Metro or buses to various locations within the city. Since this has been a holiday week prior to
Orthodox Easter, many businesses have been closed, and the normal flow of people has been disrupted. This has probably
slowed our distribution rate somewhat; but we know that God is in charge of this work, and we press on accordingly.
One of our greatest blessings is to put free Bibles into the hands of people who cannot afford to buy them. Often the
recipients will break into tears of joy and bright smiles when they understand that a Bible is a gift from Family Radio listeners.
They sometimes hug and kiss the Bible as well our missionaries to express their deep appreciation.

  One of group is associated with a missionary organization here that was very grateful to receive a supply of Bibles and tracts to distribute to other parts of the country. Please pray that God will bless their efforts to serve Him with this work. We are
continuing to explore the possibility of visiting a large prison next week. God has supplied a young Christian man to help us
obtain the necessary approvals. Please pray that God will guide this effort as well.

Saturday, May 4, 2002

  After a late start today, the markets became crowded with people shopping for the Easter holiday, and all the teams
distributed large quantities of tracts. The van teams visited some busy markets in the suburbs in order to spread the tracts out
farther from the city. Our general impression is that the reception rate has increased substantially. As more and more tracts have
been put into circulation and people have a better understanding of what we are doing here, we seem to be encountering less
resistance and rejection. At first, we detected a lot of suspicion and angry comments; but it seems that God is softening the
hearts of the people to take the tracts and accept our presence here. We continue to praise our Lord for His loving hand
upon us as we seek to proclaim the True Gospel to the Ukrainian people.
One team went to an Easter service at a large church after dinner this evening. People brought baskets of food and stood in a
circle around the outside of the church by candlelight to receive a traditional blessing by the priests.The people were cordial to
us and very receptive to the tracts. Please pray that God will open the spiritual eyes of many of these dear people to the truths
of His Word.

Sunday, May 5, 2002

  We held our own worship service after breakfast this morning. Some of our group went to church services afterward and
distributed tracts there. All the markets were closed on this special holiday, and many people gravitated to the city center to
stroll leisurely around as beautiful music played from loudspeakers all over the area. The atmosphere was festive and relaxed,
and many people could be seen reading the tracts everywhere. That is always a joy for us to see because we know that the
gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). Although it was raining heavily
when we arrived here last Tuesday, we are thanking God for giving us beautiful sunny days ever since to facilitate the work.
Please keep us in your prayers and pray that God would continue to open the hands to receive the tracts and the hearts to
receive His Word. Could it be that He would reap a great harvest of Ukrainian souls in these last days? Finally, brethren, pray
for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

"And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith"

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

The Family Radio Mission Group in Kiev, Ukraine.

FAMILY RADIO MISSION TO KIEV, UKRAINE
Letter #5 May 6-8, 2002

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you with meekness and fear"

1 Peter 3:15

Monday, May 6, 2002

  By God's grace, the tract distribution work progressed at a fairly rapid pace again today in several new locations on yet
another holiday. Many businesses will remain closed during this second week of a two week holiday. The van teams visited a
number of family-oriented places where large crowds gathered, such as a zoo, an amusement park, the botanical gardens, and
a few markets that were open. Other teams worked at various Metro stops and the busy city center, which had a lot of people
milling around the whole area like yesterday. There were street entertainers gathering crowds, and many took the "Does God
Love You?" tracts as they stood watching the shows. These kind of events offer many opportunities to talk to people on a
more personal and relaxed basis; and because of language difficulties, we often find ourselves in some interesting situations. For
example, a lady was desperately trying to communicate with one of our group who can't speak Russian, and a man sitting
nearby, who was originally from Iran, offered to translate. So the man, who was from a Muslim background and who was now
studying Buddhism, explained some aspects of the Gospel of Christ to the woman. He was also pleased to receive an English
version of "God's Magnificent Salvation Plan". Please pray that the Lord will apply His Word to the hearts of these two people
as well as many others who have received Bibles, tracts, and other Family Radio booklets in this beautiful city.

Tuesday, May 7, 2002

  Today was a somewhat more normal work day for Kiev. Although some businesses remained closed or were open for a few
hours, the flow of people to their jobs and markets greatly increased from yesterday. One team worked at the busy train
station where people travel to and from Kiev from other cities. The van teams worked for a few hours in the botanical gardens
again and in several bustling markets. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic to and from the public transportation systems, which
greatly facilitates our work here, and we probably distributed the highest volume of tracts of the trip today. People continue to
be very appreciative when they receive a free Bible in the Russian or Ukrainian language, and we encourage Family Radio
listeners to participate in this aspect of the ministry by marking their donations for Bibles to be distributed on future mission trips
and/or for the other costs associated with this work.

Wednesday, May 8, 2002

  Today was much like yesterday with regard to commercial activities in the city. We again sent a team to the train station to
handle the crush of people there, and the van teams worked in several new markets in the suburbs. The reception of the tracts
continues to be good and maybe even improving somewhat. We received the final batch of "Does God Love You?" tracts
today. The printer here has done a good job of printing and folding the tracts and meeting the delivery schedule.
By God's grace, the weather has been just about perfect again for this period, and we continue to thank Him for that blessing.
Please keep us and the Ukrainian people in your prayers.

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh"

James 5:7-8

The Family Radio Group in Kiev, Ukraine

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe"

Galatians 3:22

This is the final report covering the last four days of "Does God Love You?" tract distribution work in Ukraine. It is being
submitted after our safe return to the US on Tuesday, May 14. Time constraints and Internet access difficulties prevented an
earlier submission.

All of the Family Radio Mission Group wish to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for His hand upon us and our Family Radio family
of listeners who helped make this trip possible through their prayers and financial support.
Thursday, May 9, 2002.

Today was another full holiday commemorating the end of World War II. There were parades and ceremonies honoring the
Ukrainian veterans in many parts of the city, and many old veterans were dressed in uniforms with their chests covered with
medals. Lots of current military people were also in evidence. As a general rule however, the military and police personnel were
not interested in taking the "Does God Love You?" tracts.

Our teams worked in several places where large crowds had gathered.This is where we probably experienced the greatest
tract distribution of this trip so far. We visited a large stadium and returned to the train station, the botanical gardens, the city
center, and busy Metro stations again because of the masses of people in those locations. The reception ratio for the tracts was
about average, but large numbers of people contributed to the high volume. Since only about 30 percent of the people we
encounter will take the tracts, it requires a lot more time and effort to hand out the same number of tracts than in places where
the reception rate has been higher.

One reason for the reluctance to take our tracts might be the fact that several other groups are also handing out various kinds of
religious tracts and advertisements in the busy areas of the city, and the people seem to have built up a resistance to flyers in
general. Some people are suspicious of us because they think we are members of some of the many cults who are proselytizing
in the country.

One member of our group met a family at the train station that was distinguishable as a legalistic Protestant sect by their
clothing. The man took an English tract and began reading it aloud to his family, then his grandson said, "Grandpa, you never
told us we are sinners!" The man turned toward our missionary and said, "I have been preaching in Virginia, USA for 35 years,
and I never knew these things about us being such sinners!" The Lord truly works in mysterious ways! Could it be that God will
apply the True Gospel to the hearts of that family and of many others who read these tracts in Ukraine?
Friday, May 10, 2002.

We sent a team out before breakfast this morning to catch the early travelers at the train station and relieved them with another
team later in order to keep working there all day. We also focused on several busy Metro stations and markets again, and one
team visited a prison and a hospital where they gave out Bibles and tracts.

One member of our group was detained for awhile by a police officer who wanted to see a passport and visa; but when a
photocopy was produced he was satisfied that our missionary was here legally. In general, the police have been very tolerant of
our presence all over their city.

Saturday, May 11, 2002

Since we have only a few thousand Russian tracts left, we left only two teams working in the city today, and ten people took a
large supply of tracts in the Ukrainian language by van to an area about 100 kilometers south of Kiev. They intended to visit
some busy markets in a city that translates into English as "White Church" On the way they encountered a lot of people entering
a large cemetery and decided to stop there to distribute tracts. As they soon learned, it is a custom for the Orthodox people to visit the gravesites of loved ones at various cemeteries for several weekends following Easter. The people bring large picnic lunches of food and wine, and each family has a party at the gravesites in honor of their departed ones. The gravesites are quite elaborate with portraits of the deceased engraved on the headstones, wrought iron fences, and landscaping with bushes and flowers. Priests were kept very busy performing some kind of religious rituals for each family.

Busloads of people kept streaming in for several hours from various parts of the country and were very receptive to the
Ukrainian tracts. We thank God for guiding us to that place at exactly the right time. We did not have to find the people
because God brought them to us; and many thousands of tracts were handed out.

After leaving the cemetery we continued on our way and were able to hand out more Ukrainian tracts in several markets in the
White Church area. Since our van driver lives there, we gave him a supply of tracts for distribution by members of his church.

Sunday, May 12, 2002

We took all of our remaining tracts and Bibles out this morning in the same manner as yesterday. The van teams went to
another large cemetery on the outskirts of Kiev, and finished the work that God gave us to do in Ukraine by 1:00 PM.
Thousands of people kept arriving by buses and cars. The cemetery had narrow dirt roads within that became totally
gridlocked with vehicles which allowed us to give tracts to the passengers as well as those on foot. The reception ratio was about the same as we experienced in other areas of the city. Many people indicated they had already received a tract at some other location in the city.

While we were working, our van driver was informed by cell phone that over 2,000 tracts that we had given him yesterday
were distributed by members of his church in White Church. Many were taken to homes for the elderly in that city.
We were pleasantly surprised by the people's, and even the priest's, tolerance of our presence at their religious ceremonies
these past two days. The cemeteries were a perfect place to present the words of eternal life in Christ, and we thank and praise
our Lord for giving us those opportunities and allowing us to complete the work He gave us to do in Ukraine. Please pray that
God will do a mighty work of grace in this country and will raise up faithful men and women to continue to proclaim the truths
of the Gospel of Grace to the Ukrainian people.

"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! {9} For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness"

Psalms 107:8-9

The Family Radio Mission Group in Kiev, Ukraine