Ministry of Reconciliation and Healing in Odessa

Stefan's final paper for his Masters of Divinity at the University of Pretoria was entitled "The modern history of the fifteen largest churches and faiths in the Ukraine." Although an ordained minister of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, he received a calling (Isaiah 49:5b-6) to the Ukraine during a short-term outreach in 1994, and since 2003, has been living and working in Odessa. Hensie's passion for Russia reaches back to her school days, and her calling (Ez. 33:7-9) was confirmed during her first three-month visit to the Ukraine in 1998. With a degree in both Drama and Social Work, Hensie is equipped for creative and holistic ministry in the midst of real social need. In February 2006, they joined OM as full-time workers.

"Odessa is a dark and cynical province," says Hensie, "in many ways the people here have the old Russian mentality, and are unresponsive to the Gospel." Hensie's children speak Afrikaans, English, Russian and Ukrainian. When asked why they speak Russian, she said that the Ukrainians in Odessa don't understand why they should speak Ukrainian! "People here say it's the language of the politicians," she admits, "at home, people in Odessa prefer to speak Russian." According to The Economist (August 22nd 2009), of all Russia's neighbouring republics, Ukraine remains the largest and most important. At a NATO summit in Bucharest last year, Mr. Putin reportedly told President George Bush, "You understand, George, that Ukraine is not even a state!" This sentiment was underlined little bit more than a month ago when Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev said they would not be sending a new ambassador to Kiev. Sentiments towards Russia in North-West and South-East Ukraine remain diverse.

The OM team concentrates its efforts in the north of Odessa, where 2'500 Evangelicals (Baptist, Pentecostal, Presbyterian and Charismatic) make up less than 1% of the population! Stefan and Hensie are the only full-time OM workers in Odessa, with Ben and Anya's two-year commitment nearly up. OM Odessa aims to develop self-supporting fellowships in the Odessa province, as well as to teach pastors at a national level e.g. theological seminaries of Lvov, Dnepropetrovsk and Odessa. Except for the Baptist and Presbyterian Unions, the church leadership (ordained pastors and lay leaders) have very little or no theological training, says Stefan, and many are new believers. As a result, the church leadership is often divided, and pastors burn out quickly due to lack of sufficient training and support. Of 100 churches in the Odessa region, only about twenty have pastors.

Of 100 churches in the Odessa region, only about twenty have pastors.

Stefan's church in South Africa used to sponsor a programme called "Bridge to Russia", offering Russian pastors theological training in preparation of taking on leadership in theological seminaries back home. Hardly any of them returned to Russia. For similar reasons, most of the pastors from Odessa have left for the West, and are now doing menial jobs abroad in exchange for a better living.

One of the greatest challenges Stefan faces is the attitude of national church leaders, as well as the division amongst them. In the Ukraine, "servant leaders" are perceived as "weak leaders", and people don't want to follow "weak people". "That's why the follow the 'Iron Lady' Julia Timoschenko," says Stefan. "People working in government are massive, big men because they look the part. Most times they come across as dominant, rude and abusive, showing little or no people skills. The problem is that church leaders have become so too! The pastor controls the church - there is little breathing space. The congregation has put the pastor on a pedestal, where grace and mercy are lacking!" Stefan went on to explain how pastors from Brazil came to speak in Ukrainian churches, and although they had been big and strong, they had spoken with humility and served the congregation. Instead of being challenged by the Brazilian church, the Ukrainian pastors concluded that the Brazilians were weak and had been mislead, as they were not using the authority given to them! Stefan and Hensie spent three years working alongside the church, building up a team to build a new fellowship as an extension of the church's mandate. Just as the new church plant was getting ready to become more independent the pastor stepped in and stopped the work in the Village forcing the believers to come to the city for services. After more similar abuse of power situations the Van der Merwes had little choice but to start working apart from this congregation, and to start building relationships with other churches and in the long run start a new church plant. Asked whether they thought their efforts had been a failure, they say no. During those three years, they were able to establish deep relationships with members of the congregation - many of which continue today - and have gotten to know the language and culture better.

"So many people have been broken by the church," continues Hensie. Take Larisa*, for example. Although she had never married, she was a grandmother by the time she became a believer, but was refused baptism on grounds of her 'non-marital' status. She finally left the church and joined a sect, and when a local Christian introduced Hensie to her months later, she was living in a cellar. The first time Hensie saw Larisa, she wanted to hug her, but Larisa refused to be touched. She described herself as 'dirty'. After months of visits Hensie kissed her on the hand and later on the forehead, at last breaking Larisa's fear of rejection. In the weeks that followed, Larisa started to improve her hygiene, moved back into her house and started taking care of her grandchildren who lived with her, but it took her three years before she started to attend church again.

Recently, Oleg (22 years old) moved into Stefan and Hensie's home, and although he does not attend their church, they want to help him find his feet in his newfound faith and life. Similar to many Ukrainians, Oleg grew up with his grandmother in a village, having lost his mother a week after childbirth. His father he met for the first time when he was 14, and then again nearly a year ago. On his aunt's invitation, he attended church in Odessa and gave his life to Christ six months ago. As he works as a yard cleaner for a block of flats nearby, he has lots of time off, and so Stefan and Hensie are able to invest into his life. Confusing teachings in the Orthodox Church include that of the Trinity (Faith, Hope and Love are believed to have been three girls who gave up their lives for Christ, forming the Trinity), as well as the understanding that only the priest is able to interpret Scripture. For Hensie, the greatest joy in ministry is struggling with someone for a few years, and then seeing the fruit of a transformed life!

The disappointment of disunity amongst church leaders lead Stefan and Hensie to fast and pray for a year, seeking God's face in the midst of their many frustrations. "It was while we were in South Africa on home-leave last year when God confirmed our calling to start a new fellowship in Odessa," says Stefan. Their friend, Julia, had married when she was 18 years only, but her husband died from AIDS one year later, leaving her HIV+ and with child. It was while he was in drug-rehab that he had become a Christian, and soon thereafter started attending church. His family had known about his HIV status, but had decided not to disclose this information to his new bride. It was Julia who God chose to give the name of the new fellowship to. A pastor in the USA also confirmed the name of the church to Stefan, making sure God's plans for them.

"There is little joy in Odessa," says Hensie, "In general, people are more depressed then they are rude..." Another reason why the verse "You shall go out with joy!" has become their life motto.

"There is little joy in Odessa," says Hensie, "In general, people are more depressed then they are rude..." Another reason why the verse "You shall go out with joy!" has become their life motto. As many people face judgement and condemnation in the church, Stefan and Hensie hope the "House of Restoration" will be a place of grace and hope where there is so much lacking!

Determined to work in a place where there is little or no church presence, Stefan and Hensie collaborate with a Baptist pastor who is a building contractor six days of the week, overseeing two churches in the villages of Sofievka and Gulaevka two hours from Odessa every Sunday morning. They also work with another pastor that has a small church in Odessa and planted another village - Nikolaevka. This summer, 31 children attended a summer camp and the following week, 35 children attended Sunday School for the first time! Now Hensie is preparing together with another OM team in Vinnitsa -- Nothern Ukraine to have a training seminar for future Sunday School teachers to equip them to teach the children in the months to come. On Sunday afternoon, Stefan preaches in the "House of Restoration" in Odessa, and prays that God will provide them with a co-worker and suitable room to meet in soon.

Although it has become more and more difficult for foreign workers to receive visas valid for more than 90 days, Stefan decided to register the team without the help of a Ukrainian worker (as they usually paid the bribe to get papers processed). Much to Stefan's surprise and joy, the official who usually gave Stefan trouble has just gone on pension, and without further ado, Stefan was able to register and process the application within two days. On the day he needed to register his family, he went to the office and was surprised when the official asked him what the reason was for the public holiday in South Africa. Luckily Stefan remembered that it was "Freedom Day", and so was able to answer the official's questions, exchange personal phone numbers and return to the office two weeks later to receive his successful registration!

And yet ministry in Odessa holds many challenges too. Recently Stefan and Hensie had an Armenian girl working with the OM team in Odessa as a volunteer part-time. As it was obvious that her family was struggling to survive, Stefan and Hensie decided to support her monthly with $50, money they put aside from their own support. All seemed to be well until one day she did not appear for the team meeting. When Stefan called to find out what the problem was, her father demanded to know why they had not paid. Stefan explained that the support she received was a gift, that she was not employed, nor was there any contract between them suggested the like. What Hensie and Stefan had meant for good turned out bad, and the relationship with her family suffered. "God will open to you what you have done wrong," wrote the Armenian girl. Stefan and Hensie gained greater understanding of the common expression, "If you tell a Ukrainian no, it means he can ask tomorrow. If you say maybe, it means yes."

Pray for Stefan and Hensie as they lead up the OM ministry in Odessa, that God would continue to surround them with friends as they spearhead this much needed ministry of reconciliation and healing in Odessa and surrounding areas. For more information, check out: www.isaiah55.net or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it directly.

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