Update from our friends in Ukraine

Dear pastor Nicky Cruz and ministry stuff.

It is still difficult to comprehend everything God has done during our Outreach conferences in Riga and Ukraine in May 2009. The results and the miracles we have seen went above and beyond our expectations and prayers. One of the biggest miracles and huge blessings to us was the very fact that Nicky Cruz, a well-known evangelist, has accepted our invitation and came alongside of our team to minister to the lost and the weary in the former Soviet Union.

The fact that Nicky has graciously agreed to come and preach the gospel and tour with our team for a whole two weeks, was extraordinary and such a miracle from God. He did not know any of us previously to this trip, and only God could lead him to make this decision to come along.

Bishop Nickolay Grib wrote to us after the Outreach Conference in Riga, Latvia, and expressed heartfelt gratitude, especially for pastor Nicky’s visit and the powerful message of forgiveness and redemption. Bishop Grib explained that never before have they been able to gather such a large crowd in Riga for the message of the Gospel, and he does not remember last time he has seen so many come to the altar to accept Jesus in one evening in their city. They are especially grateful for the teaching and the personal life testimonies Nicky shared with the pastors and ministers during the morning and afternoon Leaders’ seminars. Riga was left in awe of God’s grace and in gratitude for pastor Nicky’s visit.

Donetsk, Ukraine, was a whole other level of miracles, besides the fact that pastor Nicky’s seminars for church leaders were attended by 2,000 – 3,000 pastor and ministers who gathered to hear the word and teaching from all regions of Ukraine, it was also extraordinary to see so many gather during a weekday. One of the most powerful experiences for hundreds of pastors and church leaders was Nicky’s message on Forgiveness. Pastor Nicky did not hold back on speaking the Truth of how unforgiveness continues to be the plague in the lives of so many church leaders and how it continues to destroy churches.

The glory of God was so evident and so strongly present on the last evening of the Outreach Conference, when pastor Nicky spoke the message of the Gospel and shared of the power of the blood of Jesus upon his own life. Over 7,000 people flooded the biggest stadium in the city of Donetsk, hundreds were standing in all possible entrance ways and hallways. As Nicky spoke of the great love of the Father and the sacrificial love of Christ, over 400 rushed to the altar to give their lives to Jesus, to turn toward God and accept His everlasting and unconditional love for them. The biggest miracle of all, of course, was the hundreds of people who have believed that God truly loves them, that He really cares, He cares so much that He sacrificed His own son for the sake of us all. It is the new-born faith of these people, that will continue to lead them closer and closer to the heart of God.

We are so truly grateful for pastor Nicky’s heart, for his genuine love for his Jesus, for the personal sacrifices he continues to make in his life by preaching the Gospel at the ends of the earth and at all costs. His life has been and will continue to be an inspiration for many!

With love and respect,

Alex Shevchenko – senior pastor House of Bread church

Valeriy Khimich – director of Outreach Ministry