2022 Quick year in review
The year started off with a bang, February 24 will be a date that will be forever etched in our memory.
Within 3 days Norbi pulled the team together and was at the Ukrainian border helping with the refugee crisis. It was a crazy time of uncertainty and stress. Not so often do you experience a crisis of this magnitude. I often thought of the story Jesus told of the man that was beaten and laying on the side of the road. We needed to drop everything to help. It was amazing to see so many heroes in all of this. People from the U.S. sending money, the coordination here to get people to safety. The so many aspects of taking care of people: housing, food, showers, transportation. It really was so amazing to see so many miracles!
By summer, the refugee rush over the border had dwindled down and we returned to the US as a family for the first time in 5 years. It was a beautiful time of celebration of life. Celebrating marriages and new life. Also, the transition of our oldest entering college. It was wonderful to spend time with old friends and to make new ones. I am so thankful for that time and all the people who made it possible. The couple who paid our tickets, the other families that housed us, let us use their vehicle…. The ones who took us out or made meals for us. We so needed this time to reconnect and share our story at different churches.
In the fall the war did start to intensify again but we did not see anything like the beginning of the war. In the back of our mind was the thought that it will be a hard winter there. More about that later… Early fall we focused on getting our interns sent back well. We had our end of internship retreat where we talk out and debrief what happened the last year. They left in the middle of October.
Norbi was then able to turn his attention back to Ukraine. He has taken multiple trips there to help with a variety of issues such as: food, clothing, organizing delivery of items such as generators, wood stoves, speaking at churches and showing of the Jesus Film.
Right before Christmas we picked up 6 projector backpacks to show the Jesus film with and had the first showing in Ukraine. It was a powerful time and people were visibly touched. What an amazing tool to share the gospel.
Also, please pray for this upcoming event: January 8th. We will have a Ukrainian outreach to the refugees that live here in our town. We will host a meal for them, and a special speaker from Ukraine will share the gospel in their language.
What does the upcoming year look like for us? We are going to help the Ukrainian people get through the winter. Half of Ukraine is now without electricity. Norbi has people messaging him, asking for help.
Starting January, we will travel to several locations in Hungary where Ukrainian refugees are residing and also traveling to Ukraine to start up home groups, churches with the Jesus Film Project material (Knowing Jesus).
In other exciting news, the House of Prayer that we are involved with just recorded their first song in a studio and you can hear Norbi on the bass here.
Please keep praying for our ministry. Without you, we couldn’t succeed. Thank you for partnering with us.
Would you please consider supporting our ministry?
Donations are tax deductible.
Blessings on your New Year!
Here is the link for end of the year giving: https://give.bethanyinternational.org/thebanfamily
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