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We have several personal items of interest.
First is the political situation here. In recent weeks at least two famous
people have been assassinated. Latest was a man arrested AND shot
through the heart by snipers as they walked out of the courthouse. His
requests for security were ignored.
A German company was interested in a local business, offered $200
million for it. For some legal reasons, the sale could not go through.
Now another company, from Russia, is in the process of buying
few months back to protest the corrupt election, they thought they were
supporting a candidate that would clear up corruption and make things
open. Now it seems that most of them have lost hope. The president
has publicly stated that he does not know the men that have a monopoly
on supplying gas to this nation even though he signed the contract. Now
the next best hope for many is a woman that, along with her husband,
was accused of stealing billions from this nation. Does this make the US
seem even better? The cost for several things here is higher than in the US. I have seen gasoline as high as $3.38 a
gallon and sugar up to 50 cents a pound. Utilities are still fairly low, but have gone up about three times in recent
months. Fish that I used to buy for about $1.00 cost $3.25 when I purchased one today. The heat is now turned off
in the apartments and the temperature right now is 48 degrees and down as low as 39 degrees at night.
Christmas in the Ukraine follows the old calendar and comes January 7, but Easter here was the same as the US.
Our believers were out in the streets evangelizing here in the city and the small auditorium was full with folks standing
down the hall. Please pray for a larger and permanent place to worship. We had a Good Friday service with
communion and then communion again in the Sunday service. Everywhere I have begun foreign churches I have
tried to follow local customs as much as possible to make it a local church. Here, that means drinking from the same
goblet when we have the Lord's Supper. I do have folks using a tissue to wipe the cup.
As soon as the water is warm enough, we have people eager to be baptized! This week I will drive out of town to
evangelize in a church we had a good part in establishing. They always receive me well there and we have seen many
miracles and answers to prayer on this town. A man scheduled for a cancer treatment one week and was told to
return home. His cancer had gone away! Another new lady had a large sum of money come to her after it had been
swindled by crooks. A believer I baptized will take my place in Kiev.
It will be garden planting time in a few days and we could use funds for that as well as any extra for our work budget
because of the cost of living. Thank you so very, very much for making our work for God possible. I gave just 20
cents to a beggar lady this week and brought tears to her eyes! Even a small offering can bring a big smile to a fellow
Christian that is in need.
In His Service,
Ralph and Olga Roberts
