Day 2, Aspects of Missionary Life

Hey Kids,

Greetings again from Cracow, Poland. Attached is a map of Europe that shows Poland. Ukraine is just to the right or East. I remember 15 years ago when we first came to Ukraine my geography for this area was not as good as it is now. Finding our BMA missionaries on a map will improve your geography and that will help you in school. Plus it is interesting.

Today I want to tell you about why we came to Ukraine. Most missionaries go to a country because they feel called by the Lord. When I was in college my dad, an unbeliever, had an interest in Russia and would on occasion give me books. When my husband, Brother Jeff, was in the army at age 19, he went to language school and studied the Russian language. See how the Lord had all this in mind even when we were still young? We had been married several years, and had two children before we sensed God's call for us to come to this part of the world. Everything happens in His timing.

Our desire was and still is that people would know the love of God and experience the freedom and joy of walking in His love. There are many in the world who live in darkness (without Christ) and need the light of our Savior. Under the rule of the Soviet Union the dominant thinking and teaching was atheism. That is the false belief that there is no God. In Ukraine, which was part of the former Soviet Union, most children were taught this way. I say most, because there were groups of Christians who were persecuted and imprisoned for their faith. Some were killed for their faith. We can thank the Lord that we were born in a country that has had freedom of religious choice until now. We must pray and act so that we do not lose our remaining freedoms!


Ukraine now struggles to become a democracy, but the forces of evil are strong and corruption is in almost all parts of government and life here. The evil one does not want to let go of places where he has a stronghold. Would you pray for Ukraine today that God would help people to see the light of his Word and that democracy would grow? Also, pray for us that God will use us to bring that light to Ukraine and the many other countries in which Bro. Jeff works.

Tomorrow, if we can find an internet connection, then I will tell you about Brother Jeff's ministry and how the Lord is using him, not just in Ukraine, but in many surrounding countries to train men to take the message of Christ to their own people.

Joyful, Hopeful, and Trusting, I am your sister,


Coleen Franks

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