Sergei V. shared the following story with us on our trip out to the airport.  He called it a “little spice” regarding a school we visited on the first day:
The director of the school received a call from the governor of the regional office to inquire about the group of Americans coming and “bribing the director of the school to make his students pray.”  After the call, the school’s director called Pastor Alexander and asked for prayer from him and his church.  The pastor let the prayer need be known, and local Christians gathered in church and prayed there and at homes for the whole day while our team was at the school.
In the evening the school director called the pastor and thanked him for praying, saying the governor’s office called her back and said that they inquired about our organization, and were told that we are all good and do good work and that they should let us proceed.  That dear lady was one of the few people Tom got to share the whole gospel bead presentation with.  Her response was, “I’ve never stopped believing in the Lord.”
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From Ed & Lori L.: 
 – Tuesday afternoon at the church where the people came to meet with us, I gave the bead presentation and I remember one of the women that was sitting in the front row did not take her eyes off of me.  I believe she was listening with her whole being. – It was very special to have a third grade boy ask his teacher if he could say something to the Americans.  He wanted to thank us for coming and thank us for the gifts.

 – More than once I observed children beginning to look through the Bible story books as soon as they were placed on their desks.  A couple of them looked rather intent as they were turning the pages.  Many of the children’s eyes lit up as we started handing the books out.

 – The aprons were well received by all who received them.  One of the workers felt bad because she didn’t have a gift in return.  I told her that her gift was the lovely tea she had prepared for us and the important role she played in the serving of the children.