On July 7, 2024, Parkview raised $7392 to help finance Ukrainian summer camps for children and youth who lost parents in the war to protect their homeland from Russian aggression. (Click here to read about that concert.) During worship on World Communion Sunday, October 6 — thanks to the wonders of technology, and with some help from Jonathan Sakakibara, Titus Toyama and Igor Veligan — the Parkview church family experienced the joy of global friendship with Pastor Igor Bilorus in Ukraine in real time. Igor Veligan translated Pastor Igor’s greetings and gratitude to Parkview as we face-timed with him on Igor’s cell phone. Seeing Pastor Igor on the sanctuary screen was heartwarming as we enjoyed slides of the Ukrainian summer camps Parkview helped support with our donations. Several youth told of becoming Christians at these summer camps. This good news was tempered by knowing that the youth who attended these camps had lost their father in the current war with Russia.
Our joy at hearing and seeing Pastor Igor was mixed with sorrow and concern for Pastor Igor and the people of Ukraine as their war-torn country faces another cold winter. Churches and houses of worship are not spared in the war, Pastor Igor said, the bombs demolish everything. Right now, Pastor Igor and his family and the congregation are safe. We pray for peace, for an end to the Russian aggression, and an end to the war. We thank God for Pastor Igor and the courageous way he and his church are bringing God’s love and hope to families in Ukraine through the ministry of summer camps and food distribution. We are honored to know him and to share a small part in his church’s humanitarian ministry which is inspired and empowered by Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Haruko Sakakibara for providing Parkview with this opportunity through her friends, Igor and Mira Veligan, and for the incredible music they each brought to us last Sunday.