What does God want for Christmas?

We hear parents, and other relatives, asking children, “What do you want for Christmas?” But has anyone considered, what does God want at Christmas, or at any time for that matter. That question is very vital. What does God desire? It’s easy to come up with a list of needs that we think are absolutely vital such as peace in His world, or social justice and the protection of children, or an end to hunger, or the protection of his creation, and the preservation of innocent children in a war situation. Yet we find a clear answer in the Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, where it is recorded –

‘This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth’ 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

God’s priority is this one thing: He wants all people to be saved – to realise that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” and that no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. What a wonderful God who made an amazing way for people to come to Him, be saved, and live with Him in eternity in heaven – forever.

From reports in the Odesa media and also the Ukraine official media outlet the invading forces are scanning social media for information confirming results of there attacks and to adjust their tactics. They have also been posing as representatives of foreign media for the same purpose. With this in mind we will not publish on the website photographs that either identify people or locations, similarly towns, other than those regularly mentioned by the media will not be named. Some names have also been changed in this report.

If you receive a direct copy of our news letters please do not re-publish any part to social media. Thank you for your understanding.

House of Hope Kids as Evangelists

The House of Hope youngsters grasped that truth early on in their lives in the House of Hope in Odessa when it was just a two-storey building. But as numbers increased and the building grew to four storeys above ground (and two basements), they were transformed into an army of “soulwinners and evangelists”. You may remember, during the two-year COVID-19 period they brought approximately 14,500 poor village people and children to Jesus, while giving them food and medicine packs together with beautiful children’s picture Bibles. The village-people started hundreds of home fellowships where they shared food and read the scriptures to their neighbours. God was well pleased with this ‘ministry’ and allowed us to evacuate over 20,000 people and children who are continuing this personal “rescue ministry” in Germany, Norway, Switzerland and other countries where they have settled.

They are ensuring that God’s passion for “people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” is fulfilled.

If you’d like to learn how to share your faith in Christ with others and be able to lead them to Jesus, please contact me. It will be my privilege to help you fulfil God’s desire to share Jesus with your family, friends, colleagues and even strangers, and help bring then to a personal faith in Jesus. Please contact me directly or through your church

Some Good News for Christmas

Sasha, our European manager, reported some wonderful news from Esther, our House of Hope mother in Germany. They went to the Latvian ophthalmologist to check whether the medication and the medical treatment was helping Susan’s* deteriorating eyesight. You may remember they went to Latvia earlier in the year, and the eye specialist, who was one of the young people in the church in Riga where Sasha was the youth pastor (and where I’d preached a lot over the past 30 years), created a treatment plan for Susan’s failing eyesight. They went back to Latvia in November to check whether the treatment plan was working, and even the doctor was surprised at the progress. Her vision has increased by 30%! She used to see only four lines and now without any aid she can see seven. There is still a long way to go, but the progress is very promising. The doctor believes that the next two years of treatment she can regain 90% of her normal vision. Susan is overjoyed. She never thought she would be able to see that well.

A new life this Christmas for little Diana*

A few months ago a young mother and little eight-year-old girl named Diana* arrived from war-torn Ukraine at Trondheim, Norway. This eight-year-old the had experienced the horrors of war and a deep sense of loss – she had witnessed unimaginable atrocities and the death of her relatives. They had survived a tortuous journey out of Ukraine and seen things that no human, let alone an eight-year-old child, should have witnessed. The trauma of what she had experienced had left her with short-term memory loss. She could vividly recall the sounds of sirens and the faces of loved ones she had lost, but her own name and age slipped out of her consciousness. What shocking mental injuries.

Vera, a kind-hearted teacher at the school, recognized the pain within this girl, and with empathy and patience, became a healing presence in her life. She noticed the gaps of memory when Diana’s attention would become lost in the haunting violence of the past. Diana’s mother, too, bore the heavy burden of her family loss. Her mental state was fragile. Vera spent hours with Diana and her mother, and through gentle conversations and shared moments, Vera became a beacon of hope in their lives. She patiently listened to their stories, offered comfort in silence, and introduced them to the warmth of a community that cared.

As weeks turned into months, Diana, initially hesitant and withdrawn, started to open up. Vera noticed small breakthroughs in her memory – a forgotten name would be whispered in a moment of clarity, a smile showed a glimmer of joy, and the rediscovery of simple pleasures like laughter and play. Diana’s memories, once elusive, started to find their way back to her, revealing a resilient young girl who was learning to live beyond the shadows of the past. The slow bureaucratic process threatened to delay Diana’s much-needed professional help, and the fragility of her cognitive memory function added an extra layer of anxiety for those who cared for her well-being. Please pray for this need – there are many in this situation.

*Real names have been replaced for the security of the young ones.

Refugees in Ireland

Just recently, Sasha, our European manager, had occasion to preach in a church of Ukrainian Refugees in Cork in Ireland. A young man who was playing a violin in the worship orchestra, came up to Sasha and introduced himself. He said, “My name is Artem. I was an orphan in the House of Hope in Odessa in 2017. I was evacuated to Ireland and learned to play the violin. I am serving the Lord here and have brought many people to Jesus”. What a wonderful encounter and a great encouragement to us and the House of Hope team.

Christmas Season

Christmas is here, but the Slavic Christmas is in early January. Eastern Orthodox churches use the ancient Julian calendar where Christmas falls 13 days later.

Please help us to buy Christmas gifts for the needy orphans, the homeless children, and poor families (especially warm clothes, nourishing food, and picture Bibles) as we endeavour to bring them some joy in a season of loneliness, being separated from loved ones and family members, especially the soldiers who are in the military trying to keep the enemy away from their home villages and towns in Ukraine. For these people, the terrifying thought is that they
may never see their homes again, never be with their fathers and husbands again. We are taking in many such families into our House of Hope in the Odessa province at this time. Please pray that God will keep them safe, and we’ll be able to bring them to Jesus and give them the comfort and safety that they desperately need.

Finances are running low due to the huge amounts we’ve had to outlay in providing food and medicine packs, and Bibles to so many devastated families, and then making provision to evacuate many more to safety. Please continue to help us if you can, with our budget.

Thank you for helping us to achieve all this. We appreciate your friendship and partnership in the Gospel immensely. Please continue to stand with us in prayer and support for these needs. We couldn’t have managed without you.

Yours in the Spirit of Rescue,

           Dave and Margurita

“The love of Christ compels us.” 

If you would like to donate to help these needy children, please use link above to make a safe donation by credit card or PayPal.