TUMI in Ukraine

Several months ago my daughter Leane and I participated in a Sunday evening service with a group of refugees in the Ukraine – people who have left the war-torn area of Crimea. The purpose of our trip was to visit current TUMI sites in Romania and help to establish other sites in the countries of Moldova and Ukraine. The eagerness of the pastors and leaders was touching. In Moldova we heard that only 10% of the pastors had any theological training. That seems to be true of all the surrounding countries. The last three days of our trip was spent in the Ukraine. We participated in the first TUMI class in that country (class pictured right). Forty-five leaders eagerly began their training. 

After a Sunday of preaching in a number of churches we left for the city where the refugees were located. It was already dark as we entered a five-story apartment building. A dimly lit hallway led us to a room that was anything but dark. There was joy and laughter and great appreciation for our visit. We then heard the refugees’ story. 

Their church in Crimea had been burned. A number of pastors had been killed. They lost their businesses. Seven families, some with young children, moved together to the western part of the country. They speak Russian while those in the city speak Ukrainian. Surviving week to week has been a challenge. There is no work for the men. Seventeen of the folk live in one apartment, sleeping on the floor without beds.

The families have formed a Russian-speaking church and are trusting God with new dreams. Very poor churches in Romania have been sending food to them. When there is additional food, the refugees send it to families and churches back in Crimea. 

What was astounding was the joy we saw on the faces of the people that evening. Somehow we were able to communicate with each other in Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian and English. As the service came to an end, we sang “What A Friend We Have in Jesus” in the four languages. We then had borscht soup.

The prayer requests of the people were for jobs, adjustment to this new city, and advancement of the Gospel. They caught the vision of training leaders with TUMI and saw how this could be used in the area from which they have come. There are more than fifty churches in Crimea with which these refuges have an association. We can only imagine what difficulty they face.

Leane and I left with a question: How soon can TUMI be translated into Russian? We now know that there are many contacts across the Eastern European countries that are represented by the people we met in Romania, Moldova, and the Ukraine. The gospel often moves the quickest in the areas of greatest persecution and hardship.

Learn more about TUMI.