I am Wealthier Than Bill Gates!

Four years ago one of our listeners who is a student in our correspondence school, Violetta Yefremova mailed us a wonderful prayer introduced with the words, "Usually, I start my each working day the following prayer at the radio ministry Lutheran Wave." The prayer reads:

"Oh, Lord, give me strength to calmly face everything this day brings!
Allow me to fully rely on your holy will. This whole day help and support me.
Whatever news comes today, teach me to receive it with peace of mind and with a firm conviction that such is Your will.
In all my actions and words direct my thoughts and feelings.
In every case don't let me forget that everything is given by you.
Teach me to be wise and considerate to everyone and not to offend anyone.
Oh, Lord, strengthen me to endure all the events of this day.
Direct me and teach me to pray, believe, hope, have patience, and love. Amen."

Violetta is from Odesa in southern Ukraine. Although two years have passed since sister Violetta received a certificate on completion of the course of our correspondence school, she remains our devoted friend. In my prayers I always thank God for my important work. It allows me to communicate with the people who connect their lives with the Lord and try to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the Word of God. Last Sunday we celebrated began the celebration of Advent. This is a very good time-at the start of the church year-for me to report about successes that our correspondence school experienced over the past year.

Dear students and listeners, five days a week I read your letters in the morning. I check your assignments. And, I worry about your problems and rejoice at your successes!

I am happy that I can comfort you with the right words, and offer a piece of advice. I am happy that I can explain something that is unclear to you or simply answer your questions. I am happy to mail to you the Christian literature that you need. I carefully register each piece of mail in a special record book and in an electronic database. It already contains 1,922 entries about your letters. The record book has the information of 241 students who have participated in our Bible classes by correspondence now or in the past. Our Bible school has 57 graduates. Overall, our students reveal that they have a good level of understanding while as they fulfill their assignments.

Thank you, dear friends, for the pictures you mailed us! Thank you for drawings, cards, and icons that you made yourselves. If I had a bank deposit filled with your sincere wishes and good words, I would be wealthier that Bill Gates! And, finally, I would like to turn to your letters and quote from a few of them, my dear students.

--This is an extract from the letter of our student Mykola Doroshenko who is a prison inmate in the village of Stari Babany.
"Hello, dear sister Yuliya. With respect and gratitude I turn to you personally in this letter. I want sincerely to wish you all of God's blessings. I am sorry if I have written something wrong-I mean spelling mistakes. In my youth I didn't study much. I mostly fiddled around. From the very beginning I was informed that I would take 20 classes, so this is the last one in our course. I am very happy that God allowed me to take this course and to receive this knowledge. I appreciate your help and the tolerance with which you treated me for almost two years."

--This touching letter we received from Snizhana Posternak from the village of Zaluzhzhia in the Vinnytsia region of central Ukraine.
"Dear sister Yuliya! I'm so pleased to receive your letters. My radio receiver is out of order and I so I could not listen to the Lutheran Wave program. I was so sorry that I missed the last program. Sermons that are broadcasted give me strength and confidence. I think more about what I do and try to do the right thing although it is not an easy thing and I sometimes fail. Sister Yuliya, may God generously bless you. May God keep you for your good work. Thank you for turning people to the Lord!"

--Sometimes our students and listeners move to another place of living. But their love to God and their love for the Lutheran Wave doesn't stop. For instance, brother Oleksandr Kuziominsky moved to the village of Hornostaivka in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, but he didn't interrupt his studies at our school. He always found some time to write a letter filled with Christian love. Here is what he wrote:
"God's peace to you, dear brothers and sisters! Thank you so much for the Banner, Our Review, the Good News Journal, and the assignments you mailed me. This time I didn't manage to answer all the questions. But each time I am pleased because it only helps me to read the Bible once again. I am mailing you answers to the 20th assignment and look forward to your reply. I hope we'll stay in touch after the completion of the course!"

--This is an extract from the letter of Ruslan Adamovsky. Long ago brother Ruslan finished his course at the Correspondence School but we continue our correspondence and friendship. Brother Ruslan distributes the Christian literature that he receives from us. He spreads the true faith in Jesus Christ among prison inmates. He instructs his own mother who is now interested in Lutheranism. His dream is to come to a Lutheran worship service in Ternopil where he was born.
"Dear sister in Christ Yuliya! Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. With your help I came to our Lord Jesus Christ. I will be grateful to you for this for the rest of my life. Everything comes from God and if there's his will for that, some day we will meet and pray together to our Lord Jesus Christ who gives us great mercy and love"

--We are especially proud of those students who start Lutheran preaching stations and later register congregations in their home towns. Among them is Dmytro Didkivsky from Malyn in central Ukraine. We'll pray that everything brother Dmytro dreams of come true
"I am grateful for the opportunity to take Bible classes through the correspondence school. Although I was a Christian earlier, every now and then I entertained thoughts that I was wrong. Presently, due to your efforts, my faith has been strengthened. These studies encourage me to serve the Lord. I cannot stay calm when I see that people are dying in their sins. When I finish my course at the Correspondence Bible School, I dream of entering the Seminary in order to more effectively work on the God's field. I want more and more people to believe in Christ and have everlasting life".
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-- It is always a joy when children come to God. Children are as talented as adult students at our school. I'd like to tell you about Tetyana Filinska from the village of Serhiivka in the Zhytomyr region of central Ukraine. Tetyana always shares her joys and troubles with me. I do my best to help her with good advice. Here's her letter:

"Thank you so much for your smart advice and sincere help. You help me to resolve my first life problems!"

I am sorry that in a short article I cannot quote all the letters of our students.
May Lord bless all of you!

Teacher of the Correspondence Bible School
Lutheran Wave Ministry
Yuliya Sokoliu

ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS

Ukrainian Lutheran Church - 2004
www.ukrlc.org