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Through the grace of God and His work, we are privileged to present a project in Krivy Rih, eastern Ukraine. It is a project that welcomes and cares for people who are marginalized by society. God has miraculously given us a house where these people can stay. We have named this house the "House of Mercy." Through our work and love for these people, some have already come to know Jesus and surrendered their lives to Him. God works in diverse and wonderful ways. And where we often lack hope, God intervenes and gives people renewed meaning in their lives.
How it all began
My name is Vitali Burlatschenko. I am a deacon at the "Ark of Salvation" parish in Krivy Rih. I would like to thank God and all of you for the help you give us and everyone at the House of Mercy. Now I would like to tell you about the work and care that is given here to people in need.
It began three years ago when some brothers and I met for prayer. During the prayer, God spoke to me and revealed that I was meant to work with people. In the Book of Revelation, the harvest time was already over, and the time had come when only what had fallen could be gathered. A voice spoke to me, saying, "Go and gather!" When I heard this voice, I was initially frightened. I asked God, "Lord, where should I gather the fallen ears of grain?" I received the answer, "In the streets of the city." When I heard these words, I also understood their meaning. It refers to the people no one needs anymore, those rejected by society, those who are lame and crippled, and those who are no longer noticed by anyone. There are no government institutions or homes to help these people. I believed the word and accepted it from God.
At home, I talked about it with my wife. Shortly afterward, we cleaned up our summer kitchen and waited for God to send us the first people. And indeed, after a short time, God sent us the first person. It was an elderly woman. The second person was a man who had recently suffered a stroke. He was paralyzed and could barely lie down. The third was a blind man. We took all these people into our home. After a short time, we were able to witness how, through this work, people repented and surrendered their lives to Jesus. Some of them died shortly after their conversion; others, sadly, died without having repented. Some left us again after they had regained their strength; others stayed with us.
A new home for the sick
Since we quickly ran out of space in our apartment, we began asking God for a house for this ministry, as we also have children of our own and space was becoming quite limited. The risk of infection was also too great for our children, as the people who came to us often brought a variety of illnesses. God guided the hearts of some friends and brothers and sisters from various churches and countries, and they donated money for this project. CDH Stephanus also contributed. After some time, we were able to buy a house. We named this house "House of Mercy." It is located near our property and is about 100 square meters in size. Currently, 10 people with various illnesses live there. One person lives with us at home because there is no more room in the House of Mercy. By God's grace, two people are already members of the church, and two more are currently being prepared for water baptism. I am very grateful to God for this, because it gives us renewed hope and strength in this ministry.
Our means of transport – a blessing
We would also like to express our sincere gratitude for the bus we received from the mission. We use it to transport people to church services twice a week, for doctor's appointments and hospital visits, and for other everyday tasks. The vehicle not only offers ample space for many people, but also for wheelchairs.
This car is a great answer to our prayers. When the question of a larger vehicle arose, I had the idea of selling my car to buy a cheaper, larger one. I told a brother about it. He advised me, "Just wait." And God performed a miracle. He placed it on your hearts to buy this bus for us so that we can continue our ministry here.
Activities at the House of Mercy
Our work with the souls at the House of Mercy looks like this. During the week, we hold services at the house. The brothers from the congregation come to us and conduct these services. Twice a week, we take all the residents of the house to the church for worship. During the day, the people work at the home, according to their abilities. For example, one brother sews bags. Some members bring him leather goods, which he uses to make wallets or bags, and we help him sell these items so he can earn some money. Another brother bakes bread and other things. One of the stronger members works in the garden. Others plant plants, chop wood, and so on. Everyone pitches in according to their abilities, so they are not idle and can be a blessing to others.
A report card
In the House of Mercy lives a woman who came to us in a truly terrible state. At first, I thought she wouldn't survive. But God showed her His grace, and she sincerely repented. Now she paints pictures and beautifies our home. One evening, as we gathered to pray for the night, God baptized her with the Holy Spirit during that prayer. Praise be to the Lord for that!
Our prayer request
By God's grace, the House of Mercy is currently overcrowded, and we simply don't have room for any more people. Therefore, we pray that God will grant us a larger house. I must mention that our neighbor, who fled to Germany because of the war, has offered us the use of her garden and yard and would even be willing to sell us the house. We simply pray and hope that God will grant us this opportunity.
Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for the effort and generosity you regularly bestow upon us. We continually receive donations of food and hygiene products. Your monthly financial support also enables us to purchase food and essential medications here on site, as well as to conduct medical examinations for the residents. May God richly reward you all.
Vitali Burlachenko, Ukraine
Daniel Just, Municipality of Speyer
More information about the project and the opportunity to donate: