April update from Vinnytsia

Greetings to you, dear brothers and sisters, dearco-laborers
in ministry in the city of Vinnytsia!

We are glad to once again have the opportunity to address you and share how the Lord has led us through another month — April. Although it is already spring on the calendar, the weather still felt like winter for us. Nevertheless, we sincerely thank God that together we were able to go through this period, and not in vain, but in work and ministry.

The Lord gave strength, and the work continued — step by step, with His help and support. We see that it does not stop, but continues, and for this all glory belongs only to Him.

From our family, we sincerely wish each of you God’s blessings. May the Lord’s mercy be with you, your relatives and loved ones. May the living love of our Creator always be between us, uniting and strengthening us.

We pray that the Lord will bless all your endeavors — work, study, ministry — and also support everyone who is going through difficulties or treatment. May His great and holy Name be glorified in all of this.

We especially want to emphasize once again the great love and mercy of God that we experience daily in this place. All glory belongs to the Lord, and sincere thanks also to you, dear brothers and sisters, for your participation, prayers, and support.

We thank God that during this time we did not weaken in ministry, but on the contrary, had the opportunity to deepen it even more. The Lord gives strength to encourage people to read the Word of God, to invite them into fellowship, and to help them take their first steps in understanding what it means to be part of the church.

Through daily work, many hours of communication, and openness, we are already seeing certain fruits. But we clearly understand: this is not our achievement — it is the Lord who touches hearts and accomplishes His work in people.

We would also like to note the deep gratitude of those to whom we minister. People sincerely value the help they receive through the church. This includes food packages, hygiene supplies, and essential items for daily life — including medicines or help for the elderly. But even more, they value the attention, care, and love behind it. Their gratitude is sincere and open, and in these moments it is clearly seen how God is working in their hearts.

It is through this openness that deep conversations are born. People begin to share their lives — often very difficult ones. Among them are those who experienced the loss of parents at an early age, violence in the family, life on the streets, orphanages. Many have also suffered from the war and were forced to leave their homes.

And when they open up about these stories, there is an opportunity to testify to them about God’s work — about how the Lord changes lives, how His love is able to restore even wounded hearts. In these conversations, tears and deep emotions are often seen, but at the same time — hope. People begin to look at God differently, to see His mercy and power.

It is especially valuable to observe how their attitude toward life and others gradually changes. Some of them are already beginning to show care — bringing something to shared meetings, even if simple, but sincere. These are small steps, but they testify to inner change and the beginning of true community.

We clearly understand that all this work takes place solely through God’s mercy, as well as through your prayers and support. We want to emphasize: this ministry has great meaning and brings real fruit. Your participation is extremely valuable — both for these people and for our family.

As before, it was a month filled with work and ministry.

We had the opportunity to provide people with food assistance, and hygiene products also became a significant support — this was one of the most frequent and important requests. We sincerely thank you for responding to this need. Thanks to this, many people were helped. At the same time, we understand that the need remains great: not everyone was able to receive help immediately, and some are still waiting.

In addition to material support, meetings and ministries were held regularly. Every Tuesday we have personal gatherings in a warm atmosphere — over a cup of tea or coffee. In these moments we have the opportunity to explain what the church is, and it is during these times that people open their hearts and share their personal stories.

On Wednesdays we continue studying the Word of God. We try to present it in an accessible and practical way so that people can take concrete steps toward God and change their thinking and lives. After the lessons, we often stay for deeper conversations.

Thursday is a day of prayer. At the beginning of the month it was not easy: attendance was low. But over time the situation changed, and by the end of April people began to come more actively. Together we pray, thank God, open our needs and experiences — and we see how this unites and strengthens.

It is especially joyful to see that more and more people come not only for help, but also to Bible lessons and Sunday services. A living community is being formed, sincere fellowship appears, and there is growing interest in the Word of God.

We have also begun to pay more attention to teenagers and families. We held separate conversations with parents and are trying to find an approach to young people, especially during the end of the school year. This is not an easy direction, and sometimes there are limitations due to circumstances, but we are gradually building these relationships.

In general, the atmosphere of ministry this month was quite intense due to the large amount of work. The main days of gatherings — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday — are complemented by personal meetings and helping people in their daily needs. Although this is not yet widespread, such contacts are appearing more and more often, and this is a good sign of the development of the ministry.

We see that God continues to work: new people come, some stay, some are still observing. We understand that many need time, because they have difficult life circumstances behind them. But we believe that the Lord will continue to open their hearts and lead them into deeper relationships with Him.

Sometimes in the life of the church, quite unusual situations also occur.

One time a young man came to us at the end of a service. During the conversation he shared rather unusual things: he said he had a special mission, that he was being persecuted, and even called himself the president of Ukraine since 2019. His stories were emotional and at times contradictory, and it was clear that he was in a difficult condition..

We tried to listen to him calmly, not to push him away, but at the same time to remain discerning. At a certain point the conversation took on a rather unusual tone, but this once again reminded us that very different people come to church, and each of them needs the right approach.

Unfortunately, later his behavior became inappropriate toward others, and we had to intervene. After that he calmed down and left.

This situation became a reminder to us of how important it is to have wisdom and patience in ministry. We believe that even in such short encounters a person can hear something important, and the Lord is able to continue His work in their life.

As for our family, we sincerely thank God — by His great mercy we are alive, safe, and preserved.

Although April was quite cold, there were some minor difficulties. Our children, Makar and Sofia, got a little sick — they had a strong cough that lasted about a week. Because of this, they spent most of their time at home. Perhaps the reason was the cold both in the apartment and outside. But thank God, everything passed without complications, and after some time they recovered. For the children, it was a great joy to be able to go outside and play again.

Sofiika continues to attend kindergarten.

Now she is really asking to return to dance classes that she once enjoyed, so we are considering enrolling her in appropriate activities in the summer.

We are also thinking about activities for Makar.

He currently lacks interaction with boys, and this sometimes shows in his behavior. We understand that it is important for him to find the right environment where he can develop, learn interaction, and direct his energy in a good way.

Karina actively serves both in the family and in the church. This month she held a women’s meeting on the topic “Joy in the Storm.” It was a special time when women could openly share their experiences — both difficult and joyful. Such meetings help them grow closer, support one another, and go through different life circumstances together.

In general, our family’s life is closely connected with ministry. The main part of the day is devoted to church work, and after that we spend time together as a family — picking up Sofia from kindergarten, staying at home, or, if the weather allows, going out for walks.

There are also small family updates. Sofia got a bicycle — this became a new experience for her. At first it was accompanied by fear and emotions, but gradually she is getting used to it, and the first successes are already visible. For us as parents, it is also a time of learning patience and support.

In all of this, we see God’s hand and thank Him for His care for our family.

Dear brothers and sisters, once again from the bottom of our hearts we want to express our deep gratitude — for your love, patience, and constant support. What you do is extremely valuable and necessary for us. We thank God for your open and sacrificial hearts.

We clearly understand that this ministry is carried out not only by our family, but is the shared work of all of us — including you. Everyone who is involved, every family, every church is part of this great work. And we see how needed it is here: people respond, come, and listen to the Word of God.

Of course, for many this is not an easy path. There are inner barriers, fears, and struggles before making an important decision in their lives. But we pray to our merciful God that He would touch their hearts, grow the sown Word, and lead them to a true knowledge of Him.

We also sincerely ask the Lord to bless each of you — your families, your churches, your ministry, and all that you do. May His great Name and our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in everything.

May Godopen doors where we should be and close them where we should not go. May He protect us from difficulties and lead each of us in His way, so that we may live according to His Word and fulfill His will.

Wesincerely love each of you and value this spiritual unity. We desire to meet — with some of you perhaps very soon, with others when the Lord allows. And if not here, then certainly there, in eternity.

May the Lord give all of us strength to go to the end, holding onto His hand.

With love and sincere wishes,
the Dziabenko family.