kingdom travelin'

Oleg’s doctors remain cautiously hopeful. There will be another surgery Friday.

Thank you folks for checking in and praying. We know that God hears out prayers.

Let’s pray specifically for the Lord to guide the surgeons minds, eyes, and hands. Asking our Father to renew the blood circulation and touch bone, tendon, and muscle.

O Lord knit together this foot and bring health for you to get glory!

To God be all glory.

This morning Oleg and his family are waiting for a fifth surgery. The doctors remain cautiously hopeful that his foot can be saved.

Here’s the prayer I’m praying this morning:

May our Lord give peace and may the surgeons’ hands be guided by He who created the body. In the name of Christ, Amen

Thank you for keeping up and praying.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah” Psalm‬ ‭61‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

During a brief texting session just now I learned that the doctors have detected some circulation in his foot.

This is a very small encouragement, but I insist on being hopeful and renewing my prayers.

His kidneys, which were troubled due to infection that transpired between being wounded and getting medical care days later, have largely cleared. This is good news indeed.

The doctors continue to remove shrapnel (that came from the mine). I understand that this may continue for some time.

Join me in thanking God for the progress, the doctors, and the strength of Oleg’s mother. Pray, please, for Anna to be strong on the midst of this nightmare.

Please keep praying. These small bits of positive news are great, but pale compared to the greater need of not losing the foot.

Praise God also that with such injuries, he was able to crawl 2 kilometers to avoid detection, and crawl multiple kilometers later to relatively safe ground and eventually get aid.

Thanks for reading and praying.

Beginning today, I will be publishing updates about Oleg, the son of Anna, our longtime friend and ministry partner in Ukraine. Throughout the war, Anna has been our key person in Ukraine, giving us information and providing them with funds.

Her son Oleg, 19, has been serving in the army, on the front, and about 10 days ago. He and his comrade were attacked by Russian drones in their position a short distance from the Russian line. The house they were based in was directly attacked by a drone that killed Oleg’s comrade.

For several days he was avoiding further drone attacks. As he moved through a forest, he stepped on a mine seriously injuring one foot. He joined up with some other soldiers, some also wounded. After a few more days they were evacuated to a forward medical unit and then to a hospital in a large eastern Ukrainian city. His mother traveled there to be with him.

After three surgeries, trying to save his foot, Oleg was sent to a hospital in Vinnytsia, their hometown. Many soldiers are sent there to receive treatment and recover from their serious injuries throughout the war.

This morning he was taken in for another surgery as the doctors appear determined to try to save his foot. Otherwise, his foot will have to be amputated.

Please pray for these surgeons and pray that God will touch the nerves, tendons, and muscles. It would seem, that the doctors must have some level of hope. We too must have hope.

I spent an hour on the phone with Anna yesterday and I was so encouraged at her faith in God. She was giving God glory that her son was alive, that his injuries were no worse than they are, and that the protective equipment that the family had bought him did its job and prevented more serious injuries. She gave God glory. We should as well.

Please pray that her faith remains strong, and that people will see the power and comforting nature of our Lord throughout this saga.

Thank you for praying.

Please feel free to send the link to others who may pray. We believe in prayer. But above all, we trust in God. May he get glory even through this.

I will update as information warrants. If you are interested, you can sign up on the right to get email updates.

“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
‭‭Job‬ ‭28‬:‭23‬-‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬