THE UKRAINE REPORT - DECEMBER 2024 & JANUARY 2025

Dear Friends, greetings in the Lord.

A Christmas & New Year thought:
Christ actually came into the world to die for everyone (Heb. 2:9). This death was provided as an infinitely valuable gift to us. It was our salvation - free to us but costly to Him. As we stand amazed by God’s gift to us we hasten to praise God like Charles Wesley did in his hymn “And Can it be that I Should Gain” which he wrote in 1738 to express his amazement and thanks for his salvation. Part of it says, “And can it be that I should gain, an interest in the Savior’s blood? Amazing love! How can it be, that thou, my God, should’st die for me? That is the greatest gift ever.

The current war in Ukraine has been more than 1000 days of pain, grief, and major loss. Many people in Ukraine are without electricity, water, communication, and heat. Please pray for God's protection, for finances, and heat to survive the winter. With our war relief fund (which you, our partners, have provided), we have indeed sent help to a number of Ukrainians in need. We also use it for several kinds of evangelism, especially among refugees and military people. We just got one report that 60 soldiers got a great presentation of the Word of God. The suffering caused by this war is great indeed, but nothing in this world compares to the suffering our Lord Jesus went through for us. If you are a believer in Christ, thank Him for his wonderful grace. Because of His grace we have boldness to enter God’s presence by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19).

Most of us Christians have little or no suffering and we have no excuse for our laziness. As we close 2024 and face 2025, let’s remember that God wants believers to be fruitful and He helps us to do it (John 15:2). In this passage, just hours before his crucifixion, Jesus says the branches are “in me.” Jesus is speaking to His disciples and to us, and He is declaring that we are 100% secure in Him. When we do not bear fruit, we are branches that “he taketh away.” Jesus is not threatening the disciples (or us) with hell. The phrase “he taketh away” (KJV from Greek airo) means to move over or “lift up” so God is lifting us up = helping us. It was common then, and is now, to lift vine branches up so they do not rot in dirt - they can therefore bear more fruit. The Greek word airo is translated (KJV) “take up thy bed” (John 5:8) and “took they up stones to cast at him” (John 8:59). God tenderly cares for you and me so we can bear more fruit. We need to be more involved in our individual church outreach and ministry programs - prayerfully, financially, physically. There is no better time to get more involved than at Christmas and New Years.

Support: We actively ask churches for prayer & support money, but some individuals have asked us how they can send a donation. Here is the online method: https://bbfimissions.com/missionary/ron-and-nancy-minton

BBFI is ending use of the Kansas City address for processing mail in checks. All our mail in support will use:
Ron & Nancy Minton
BBFI Missions
PO BOX 191
Springfield, MO 65801

As our Bible college ends this semester, we can say the Lord has blessed with good classes and great people. I am now preparing a short 2024 review with some exciting things in the works for next semester. We will send it out early in the winter. Hopefully we will be able to see some of you in 2025.

Continue praying for your missionaries, Ron & Nancy Minton
Praise:

1. Safety & fruit in traveling
2. Good classes in Kenya, Uganda, three Ukraine towns, & a new nation
3. Growing interest in our Bible college classes in three countries.

1. Nancy’s medical status - we have more details soon.
2. Wisdom in dealing with different issues in nations where we have classes
3. Organization & time management to make our work efficient & effective.

We thank you so much for partnering with us in prayers to win Ukrainians for Christ. We count you among our dear friends. Pray for Peace in Ukraine. Prayers are needed daily.

Ron & Nancy Minton
ron.minton.name
240.432.8925