Irina’s First Stephen Ministry Group Meeting

We have a wonderful Stephen Ministry program at Music Mission Kiev. The program participants help those who are homebound. Our project manager Lena Sagun decided to organize meetings for the ministers to encourage them and instruct them in serving others. We divided all the ministers into several groups and put Irina in charge of one of them. Due to the COVID-19 surge in Ukraine, we have to meet in very small groups. Irina invited seven people to our meeting, but only three came. We had a pleasant conversation over a cup of tea, and Serhiy Basarab dropped by to greet our dear Stephen ministers—they were so touched!

Get to know some of our Stephen Ministry ladies!

Olha L.
Olha was born in 1945, and she used to work at Scientific Research Institute. She has a wealth of knowledge and knows everything about the history of Kyiv. She can talk for hours about this wonderful city, and you’ll never get bored! She’s been part of our church for ten years! As soon as she heard about Stephen Ministry, she decided to join it. When asked “why?” she replied, “Because I love helping people.” She took care of a homebound lady, brought her food, and did the cleaning for her. Unfortunately, the lady passed away, but Olha would never walk by someone in need. She offers physical and spiritual help, but also testifies about the love of Jesus!

Halyna B.
Halyna was born in 1942, and she first visited St. Paul’s Church in July 2016. As she attended with Vera H., she helped Vera carry three heavy food gift baskets to the church. Halyna joined Stephen Ministry herself three months later and had three care receivers! Halyna is so excited about the ministry. She likes to help, enjoys socializing with new people, and wants to be like Jesus, who is always ready to help us! Halyna is a widow, and her only relative is her nephew. However, she is so happy to have God in her life! She is grateful for MMK because she first learned about God in St. Paul’s Church and reconciled with Him!

She says, “We take care of people, bring them food vouchers and buy them food, but one day we might need that help ourselves, and someone else will do it for us!” In fact, this is what happened to her friend Vera who used to support three other people. Now Halyna brings her food vouchers and helps to buy food!

Larysa C.
Larysa was born in 1940 and is a widow. She has a son and a daughter, and she lives with her daughter now. Larysa used to work hard at the cement plant. She could see that God cared for her and her family but didn’t understand it then. She learned that God is alive and loves her when she came to our church and heard Roger McMurrin preaching in 2005. The following year, she decided to join the Stephen Ministry. She wanted to help those in need like Jesus did! Since then, she’s been taking care of our bedridden care receivers. She says she is delighted she can be of service to them. There is only one problem—elderly people pass away and it is always so sad to say goodbye to those you love with all your heart!

We have such wonderful Stephen Minister ladies, and we praise God for their loving hearts!