Ten years ago, today, our children and I arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine. John was here 2 months earlier preparing a home for us. We came with nine luggages, one cello, a violin and a flute. It was all the possession we had after leaving America. We didn’t speak the language nor did we know the culture. The only thing we had was the promise of God:
Genesis 12:1-3, "The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’”
Our children were at that time Maria Joy--14, Christy--12, Sarah--11 and Johnny--9. The move had been the hardest for them. There were many tears as we left America. We had to overcome many difficult obstacles. One winter we had no heat in our new house while the temperature plummeted to -30 C (-22 F). I didn’t know if we were going to wake up the next day. Then, we had the Orange revolution. We were learning Russian in the university, but after this revolution we thought the language of the country would change to Ukrainian, so we switched and began learning Ukrainian. It was God’s great providence because Ukraine is a bilingual-speaking country. Also the university that we are pioneering is in the Ukrainian and English language.
God blessed our ministry and our family. All our children finished their high school in Ukraine, and Maria Joy finished her university studies in Istanbul, Turkey. Christy studied two years in Istanbul as well. By God’s grace he provided all our children full scholarships to study in Chicago at UIC, NIU and KKC. Our children have been our closest coworkers in our church. Our girls all took a year off their studies to help us in Ukraine.
God also provided us a new chapter in Kyiv at the city center district called Podil. He granted us a beautiful Bible House with many coworkers, who help us do God’s work here. We thank God for Ambassador Joseph’s family who have been helping and supporting us. They joined our ministry at the beginning of our pioneering days. Their family has been a source of blessing and comfort to us. Though Misn. Joseph is the Korean Ambassador of Ukraine and Moldova; he is very modest and faithful. One time our family had a crisis and he helped us out. Misn. Josephine serves in our message rotation and leads our group Bible studies. Their children are music servants and Bible reader. We also want to thank God for Sasha and Olena Tiutenko who cowork with us to set up our English club, and who helped us find and buy our Bible house. God granted us wonderful Ukrainian coworkers like the Khmelevsky family and Lena Gerasymova; Canadian coworkers like Paul and Cynthia Bateman. Surely God had been with us these past 10 years. God in his great mercy, kept his promise and has blessed us and made us a blessing.
In Christ,
Maria Peace
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