In the summer of 2005 history was made in Ukraine Parliament when The Master’s Foundation presented  a copy of the Bible to all the members of Parliament, including President Victor Yuschenko and Prime Minister Julia Timoshenko. This was a miracle of God, to see a government that formerly forbid the distribution of Bibles, persecuted believers, now allowed the Bible to sit openly in Parliament for all to  see.

There is a new wind blowing over the nation of Ukraine, and history was made in Ukraine Parliament when The Master’s Foundation delivered a copy of the Ohienko Bible to all the members of Parliament, including President Victor Yuschenko and Prime Minister Julia Timoshenko. This historical, miracle event took place June 2nd and 3^rd, 2005. Stan Watrich and Rev. William Dawidiuk of The Master’s Foundation were in Kiev to be a part of this historical event.

What a miracle - here was a government that formerly forbid the distribution of Bibles,
confiscated them when found, and persecuted and imprisoned people because of it.

A special presentation gift box was designed with the Ukrainian flag and trident, with an orange ribbon, representing the “Orange Revolution”. The Bibles were personalized by gold stamping each member’s name on it. Enclosed was a silver stamped card stating that the Bible was a gift from The Master’s Foundation and the Ukraine Pentecostal Union. An inscription from George Washington was included that said, "No government can govern properly without God or the Bible".

Wednesday, June 2, 2005, as the members of Parliament walked in to register, they were handed their personal copy of the Bible. For a moment there was pandemonium as other members seeing the Bibles being handed out began to jostle, each anxiously wanting a copy, until they realized there was one for each of them.

It was our privilege to sit in the balcony and see Parliament in session. There below us, on the far right where the communist party members sit, were the little red communist flags on their desks, and every where else were the bright colored gift boxes with the BIBLE! Never has history or Ukraine Parliament allowed or witnessed such an event - to see the Bible on the member’s desks with Parliament in session. 

Of the 450 members in Ukraine Parliament, 56 are communist members. Every one of the 56 members graciously accepted their copy. After all, how could they refuse such a beautiful leather bound Bible with their name gold stamped on it.  As one of the communist party members watched the Bibles being given out, he asked, "Is there a Bible for me also?", and there certainly was with his name stamped in gold. What a turn around, to have communist members ask for a Bible!  As I thought of this historical event, the words of Isaiah came to mind,  “ Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”

We were introduced to several Parliament leaders, and all expressed their thanks and gratefulness for this wonderful gift to them. Following are letters of thanks from B.M Stretovich, National Deputy of Ukraine and Vasyl Onopenko, Member of Highest Justice Council of Ukraine, and Head of the Ukrainian Social Democratic Party. Vasyl is a born again believer in Christ, and we all had a precious time of fellowship in his office. Vasyl shared his heart with what God is doing amongst the members of Parliament. He also expressed that President Victor Yuschenko and Prime Minister Julia Timoshenko, though Orthodox profess a deep faith in God, and the fear of the Lord openly. He expressed that Julia Timoshenko’s cry, “Ukraine will never get up from its knees until it will get down on its knees before God”, has echoed throughout the nation and stirred the people like never before. His request to us was…"continue to pray for us in Parliament that our leaders may now govern with wisdom in making the right decisions, understanding, and mindful of the people”.

A gentle wind is blowing over Ukraine - the wind of the Holy Spirit, and it is a new day for Ukraine. Who would have dreamed or thought the day would come when there would be Christians as members of Parliament. Oleksander Turchynov, a practicing Baptist Pastor, was appointed as head of State Security Service, the successor to the KGB. It truly is a new day for Ukraine and we need to continue to stand beside her with our prayers. Ukraine has unprecedented freedom to proclaim the Gospel in Schools, Universities, the Military - all are open for one to come and bring them the Good News.