Friday and Saturday evening, Baruch taught a total of 4 sessions dealing with the End Times. There were several men there who drove 200 km (121 miles) each way for 2 evenings of teaching. We were very impressed with the questions people had at the end of the sessions.

End Times study is confusing for many people. Many feel intimidated to study the book of Revelation and Daniel, for example, and may just accept what some teacher says. This was a great opportunity to share clear Bible teaching with leaders and members from several different congregations and to show them in the Scripture what the truth is.

Lutsk, the city where this conference is taking place, was once a center for Jewish life. Over half the city was Jewish, prior to the Holocaust! There were 29 synagogues. During the Holocaust, a ghetto was established. Many thousands of Jewish people were massacred, including over 2,000 who were rounded up into a courtyard and mowed down with machine gun fire. Today very few Jewish people remain in the city.

Below are a few pictures from this city.

When we come to a location to minister, we try to learn a little bit about the history of the region and also the history of the Jewish community. Here in Lutsk, we learned a lot about the recent history and the struggle between those who wish to join with the West and those who wish to look to Russia. There is much contention about this issue, even within families.

We also learned the tragedy of hate and anti-semitism, as Jewish people were suddenly turned upon by their neighbors and friends and killed without warning. Many thousands of Jewish individuals lost their lives here and the rest were sent to concentration camps.

Today is our last day here. We will remember the eagerness of the people to learn and also the conflict between two ideologies which cause separation amongst the people.