Odessa Mission Updates

10/09/2026

Volodymyr and Mariana Vakula operate a Christian rehab center in Uman, Ukraine and use their van to serve the region's visually impaired, which resulted in seven baptisms in July. Fortunately, when their van broke down and everything stalled our Love for Ukrainians benevolence fund swept in to do all the necessary repairs. The good news is that, thanks to your generosity, they're now back up and running with their benevolence outreach program to the needy in that region. The bad news, however, is that the rehab center is not fully functioning due to insufficient funds. Four men currently reside at the center, two of whom minster there. The other two men are former residents who successfully completed the program and were in turn baptized this past summer. Ample space remains for housing eight additional residents for the rehab program but feeding and accommodating them requires funding, which is still lacking at this time. Thank you for all the good you've done for this ministry and please continue to remember them in your prayers!

To support their work please use the following link and choose the “Odessa Mission” option: https://giving.myamplify.io/app/giving/gethsemane

09/29/2026

Before the war Oleksandr Matsiuk was very active in our church and now he continues worshiping with a small congregation there in Odessa. As prices continue to soar in Ukraine's war economy, life for retirees like him has gotten exponentially more challenging. Over the past several years Oleksandr has been dealing with a variety of heart-related issues and were it not for our help he probably wouldn't have had the means of getting the proper medical attention he needed this past month. Thank you all for not only being the answer to his prayers but also to so many others! "Do everything in love" (1 Corinthians 16:14).

Wanting to support what we do? Just click on the following link and choose the "Odessa Mission" option: https://giving.myamplify.io/app/giving/gethsemane

09/17/2026

For many of you the name Evgeniy Molody might ring a bell. He came to Jesus in Kharkiv through Christian Life Church, which I helped plant in 1994. He later became a church planter himself until his family was forced to flee the country shortly after the invasion. In fact, you yourselves helped three of his family members escape then. His family now serves in Austria and at various times throughout this ordeal you've been a direct answer to their prayers. Thank you all for being such a blessing to them and to countless others!

I wanted to share this from Evgeniy's video blog and I encourage you to check out more of his videos so you can pray more specifically in regard to their family, their ongoing struggles, and their ministries.

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08/31/2026

Blessed to have been invited by Gethsemane Church in Mechanicsville, VA to update them recently on how their generosity is touching so many lives. Many thanks to Gethsemane and to all our loving supporters for all you do in Jesus’ Name ❤️

Here I am at Gethsemane wearing traditional Ukrainian attire to commemorate Ukraine’s Independence Day, which was on August 24th. And next to me is Teressa Pearson, a faithful member of Gethsemane who for decades has devoted so much of her time and strength to the advancement of world missions. God is good!

08/12/2026

Through our benevolence initiative, “Love for Ukrainians”, Volodymyr and Mariana’s service van in Uman, Ukraine has been fully repaired and is now back in business. Many thanks to all of you who made this possible ❤️

07/29/2026

There's a remarkable couple in Uman, Ukraine attending Salvation Church. Volodymyr and Mariana Vakula spend the bulk of their time running a multifaceted ministry involving benevolence outreach and faith-based rehabilitation programs for men battling alcohol/substance abuse, while sharing the love of Jesus with the visually impaired throughout the surrounding region. One key tool in their arsenal happens to be a service van used for the purpose of transporting many of these folks to worship services, to small group gatherings, and elsewhere. So, when we heard that their van broke down and that there were no available funds to fix it we didn't hesitate to step in and meet that need. What's more, their Kingdom efforts have resulted in seven baptisms over the past month. God is good!

Wanting to help Ukrainian ministries like this one? Just use the following link and choose the “Odessa Mission” option to send your tax-deductible gift today: https://giving.myamplify.io/app/giving/gethsemane

06/06/2026

Dear friends, if you would, please keep us in your prayers. Our "Love for Ukrainians" benevolence fund, which uses 100% of its income to help Ukrainians in desperate situations, is running low and in need of stable funding. It presently has no recurring support but we're hoping and praying that'll change soon. Thankfully, online giving is now available through Gethsemane Church of Christ in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Just head to the online giving portal on their website and choose the "Odessa Mission" option.

If, by chance, you'd rather have your donation(s) support the Odessa Mission's general fund instead then please contact us here on Facebook to let us know. Otherwise, we will assume you're wanting to support the LFU benevolence fund. Thank you and may God bless you all!

"Do everything in love" (1 Corinthians 16:14).

05/26/2026

Serhii began working in construction and preaching to some of our personal friends at Odessa's Christian Life Center after his family fled advancing Russian forces in the east, that is, until he was forcibly mobilized this year. Before long his family's debts were piling up in the wake of what seemed like a never-ending string of bad news. Eventually, though, we learned about a potential opportunity for Serhii to serve part-time as a military chaplain and operate away from the front as a Signalman. The caveat was that Serhii had to buy his own equipment, which was infeasible now that his family was two months late on the rent, that is, until our “Love for Ukrainians” fund paid their outstanding debt in full. Thanks for keeping Serhii safe and please pray for him as he serves both God and country.

Want to help Ukrainians like Serhii? Just click on the following link and choose the "Odessa Mission" option to make your tax-deductible donation: https://giving.myamplify.io/app/giving/gethsemane

03/26/2026

Well, I know many of you have been praying for Anna Prokopova who’s been facing stage 3 cancer. And thanks to your love and generosity we’ve also been able to come alongside her family with some monetary support during this long-fought battle. Never once, in all my interactions with Anna, have I ever sensed her faith waver or her hope wane. Never have I sensed her questioning “Why?” Throughout all the surgeries, rounds of chemo, and radiation, though her body may have shown weakness her spirit exuded remarkable strength and resilience.

Today, we joyfully celebrate the results of her most recent biopsies, which indicate that Anna is finally CANCER FREE 🙏❤️🙌 Many thanks to all of you and thank you Jesus for answering our prayers!

03/10/2026

A number of people from Evangelism Church in Kharkiv have now emigrated to Germany and formed a small church there including former pastor, Vitalii Lakh, who's ministering to them with his family. Others from E.C. are still in active duty on the front lines. The rest are in Kharkiv serving their community.

Dmytro Gritsenko, a deacon at E.C. and founder of Mercy House Rehab Center, is now serving as the interim minister along with his wife Irina. Thanks in part to your generosity four M.H. graduates who were baptized in the past two years are now serving in leadership roles at E.C.

Though circumstances forced us to close down M.H. Dmytro says that conditions have improved such that they're considering re-opening the center. Please keep that in prayer if you would.

Dmytro, with our financial assistance, successfully switched the church vehicle's gas tank to a natural-gas based system instead, which greatly cuts costs and allows them to do considerably more outreach and benevolence within the community. Glory to God!