Sending

SENDING     

Acts 13:3

My father [long-time ABA pastor, Tom Hansen] always said if the Holy Spirit called a man to go, He would also call a church to send him (Acts 13:1-3).
In June of 2016, Columbus Baptist Church voted to be our Sending Church. They have been our Sending Church and Pastor Charles Kennedy our Sending Pastor through one year of deputation and over three years on the field. Lord willing, we expect this to be the case for the duration of our ministry in Ukraine. CBC has experience being a Sending Church as she has supported many other missionaries over the years. When they voted to send us to Ukraine, they said, “We want to do this better than we have ever done before. We want to do more than send them and send a check!”

There is a huge difference in a church that sends missionaries and one that is actively involved with their missionaries. CBC supports our vision for the country of Ukraine. They stand behind our calling to serve, our calling to preach the Gospel, and our calling to disciple the people of Ukraine. They also share our desire to plant churches which will plant churches in the Ukraine.

• We receive cards, letters, and care packages throughout the year especially on birthdays and holidays. Some come from the church and
  some from individual members. Quite often we get private messages
  on social media from members encouraging us and reminding us that
  we are loved and prayed for.
• Various groups, Sunday School classes, ladies’ fellowships, and
  youth groups send video greetings and songs.
• Every Sunday, Coretta and I record a mission update to be played for
  their evening service. In addition, the first Sunday morning of each
  month we do a live video call during their morning worship service.
• We are blessed to have a team from CBC that publishes and distributes our monthly newsletter.
• In 2019 we had our first interns. Two young ladies, Emily, and Chloe
  Brown, came for six weeks and helped us with kids and Bible Camps
  during the first part of the summer.
• Later in 2019, Pastor Chuck brought a group to help with
  Summer Teen Bible Camp.
• Greg Simo is our Mission Treasurer, and he is a tremendous
  blessing to us. He brings experience with missionary finances
  and short-term mission trips. He is a real lifesaver when your
  bank cards accidentally get canceled and you need new ones
  sent ASAP.
• CBC trusts us, grants us authority, and gives us freedom to
  complete the work of ministry without undo restrictions or micromanagement. They are there for us with advice, direction,
  and encouragement when needed.
  
  
• In the Fall of 2018 when the work here in Zhytomyr was placed
  into our care, CBC approved the change and was very supportive with the transition.

We have been friends with Pastor Chuck and his wife, Kim, for many years. They have and continue to be a blessing to us and the ministry. Seven months into our first year on the field, Chuck and Kim came to Zhytomyr to view the work and make sure we were getting settled in okay. The following year, he came to preach and help with our Summer Teen Bible Camp. Due to COVID-19, however, he has not been able to return.

Pastor Chuck and I video chat once each week and message one another throughout the week. He is always available for council, wisdom, and to share his experience. We have laughed, cried, and prayed together and even fished and hunted together. We frequently share challenges, hopes, and visions for the ministry. He is always praying for and promoting the work. He is not only our pastor and brother-in-Christ but one of our dearest
friends.
The Lord has provided us with many individuals and churches who partner with us. Some of those are our children and grandchildren. Although none of them have been able to visit us on the field, they are involved through video calls, cards, letters, and care packages. It is difficult being away from them, but they are very supportive of what God has called us to do.
Coretta and I have been blessed with a young lady who is part of the ministry here; Alyona Vinogradova is a native Ukrainian who lives here in Zhytomyr and is a member of our congregation. In addition to being a friend and co-laborer, she is our translator, language tutor, and our customs and cultural adviser. Alyona takes care of all the residency documentation and government requirements for us and the congregation.
Although most of the time Coretta and I function on our own in public, she is available 24/7 should we need her. In addition, she helps plan and coordinate camps, outreach programs, makes contacts and arrangements, and is always ready with hands-on help.

I thank The Lord for my wife, Coretta Lou! She is a blessing and always by my side.
She loves the people of Ukraine and is committed to the work. Coretta has been involved with teaching English in addition to planning events and camps. She takes photos for the things we do, records, and posts our Sunday services to our Facebook page, and works very hard learning the language. She encourages and challenges me by helping me focus and stay the course when things are rough and get me down. I could not go on without her.

Doing mission work anywhere in the world takes a team. The Lord has blessed us with a great Sending Church and Pastor. We look forward to the future and the fruits of our labor.

Thank you for being a part of The Lord’s work in Ukraine.

Missionary Tony Hansen

For more information about our missions or to make a donation please click the link below.
https://www.abaptist.org/missions