For more than 50 years, brother Stephan Bilak (1926-2004) preached the gospel to the people of Ukraine through short-wave radio, smuggling Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, and distributing spiritual materials in the Ukrainian language. After the border reopened, he returned to his native country to establish a church of Christ in western Ukraine.
He was himself a refugee after WWII and became a Christian through people he met in that context.
Stephan translated the Ukrainian folk hymn, Страшно бушует житейское море, as “While on the sea”. This song is appropriate as our fervent prayer for the people of Ukraine.
The soloist in this recording of Stephan’s song is his granddaughter, Niki Meixner Nichols, singing with the Metropolitan Detroit Youth Chorus under the direction of her father, Tim Meixner.
“While on the sea” is #669 in the supplement to Great Songs of the Church if you would like to sing it in your congregation.
2022-03-14 at 7:39 pm
Brings tears to my eyes each time I listen to it.
2022-03-15 at 7:48 am
Beautiful
2022-03-17 at 6:55 pm
Thank you so very much for sending me this story of brother Stephan Bilak and for the words and audio of this precious hymn sung by his granddaughter, Niki Meixner