Global Aid Network Mission Reports

On June 21, 2007, God blessed us with many unique opportunities to serve and honor Him.  We also got the chance to have a little fun as well.  We spent today being able to practice some of the Russian language, serving at a house being built by Mercy Ministries, visiting a Rehabilitation Center for Children, visiting a Center of Temporary Isolation of Minors and spending time in believers’ homes for dinner. 

Our first stop this morning was an opportunity to practice some of the Russian language and also experience some Russian culture.   Our interpreters took our team members to the local supermarket where we were able to get a taste of what it is like to grocery shop in Russia.  We were given the tasks of purchasing food that we would later enjoy at a picnic that afternoon.  We all had quite a bit of fun trying out the Russian phrases we have learned since being on the trip.   It was interesting to see how such a daily chore in the United States is carried out in Russia. 

Our next stop provided us the experience to learn more about Mercy Ministries, which is one of our partnering ministries that we have been working with here in Vladimir.  We journeyed out to a house that is being built by Mercy Ministries.  The house is being built to provide a loving and nurturing family environment for up to 12 orphans.   In 1 John 3:18, the Gospel reads:  “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”   Our team was able to fulfill this Scripture by providing insulation that was greatly needed for the building of this house.  Each team member was given the opportunity to pray over the house.   Mercy Ministries’ prayer requests are for adequate help to be provided so that construction can be completed on the house.  Mercy Ministries also requests prayer while they try to obtain more land so that the Ministry can one day build a whole village of homes to support orphans.   The team was privileged to get a glimpse of God’s hand working here in Russia.

Our site visits for today included visiting a Rehabilitation Center for Children and a Center of Temporary Isolation of Minor Delinquents.   The team was split in two for this ministry opportunity.  At both centers, our team was able to interact with the children through a question and answering game.   Questions were asked about each other’s lives, as well as spiritual topics.  We were given the opportunity to spark discussion about God’s Word and our relationships with Him.   I believe this ministry opportunity allowed our team to offer hope and plant seeds in the lives of these children who have experienced trials in their lives.    

This evening we had an opportunity to fellowship with other believers through Mercy Ministries.   We split into small groups and each went to a pastor or interpreters home for dinner and fellowship.  Kristin W. of NC had this to say about her visit:   “I never would have imagined that I could come overseas and be able to fellowship in the home of Russians who are believers.  We were able to share our testimonies and what the Lord is doing in our lives.   We also sang worship songs in English and Russian.  I was reminded of the verse in Matthew 18:20 which reads, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”   This praise and worship experience is something I will never forget.

June 20th update as reported by Linda S.:

The day started with a great surprise – or I should say an opportunity to flex.  Our trip to a boarding school was cancelled.   So we were invited to visit an additional six homes of local people.  The family Tim B., Kristin W., and I visited had four teenagers along with their mother living in a two room flat.   They were Armenian and although Armenian women usually don’t work outside the home, she has had to take a job washing dishes in a restaurant to feed her family.   The father lives near and occasionally will take them a bag of potatoes or some vegetables.  Otherwise there is very little contact with him.  

As Kristin and Tim looked at family pictures, the mother, myself, and Inna (our interpreter) visited together.   She was really touched by the picture and news that my grand-daughter is ill with cystic fibrosis and may not live to be an adult.  She confided in me that her oldest son was run over by a car when he was just seven years old.   I shared with her about my sister, husband, and mother dying within the same six months of the year 2000.  I was also able to explain to her how Christ held me up during that time and continues to do so today.   She was very easy to talk with thanks to Inna.

She was very pleased to see the gifts I brought her children as well as those gifts from Global Aid Network.   The large print Bible really blessed her.  Soon the mother had to leave for work.  The children didn’t want us to leave so we stayed and visited awhile answering many questions about America.  Inna invited them to the summer camp that her church is going to be having in July.  Hopefully the seed we planted today will start to grow one day and bloom into a new relationship with the Lord.

Andrew S.

Most know the story of the Good Samaritan, where one man gets roughed up by thieves and all passed by except for a man from Samaria.  God brought this story alive to us in many ways during our day.  In the morning, we went to Sanatorium #2, which is a two-month rehabilitation center for children from all across Russia.  Psychiatrists, Music Therapists, Speech Therapists, Relaxation Therapists, and many more, but some of the most touched in the building were the kitchen staff when Mickey S., Linda S., and Zoanna Z. went to hand out the gospel aprons.  One of the staff still had hers from last time a group went!  Everyone was very grateful when GAiN gave them new ones, and they were happy to hear the message again.   So happy, in fact, that they smothered the three ladies with kisses.

Another opportunity that we were able to demonstrate the Good Samaritan was in the Center of Social Rehabilitation for Children, the second place we went in the afternoon.  Here Mercy Ministries, along with the help of Tim B., Sacha T., Faith H., and Megan S., presented a play about the Good Samaritan.   Afterwards, we were able to get into our small groups and talk to the children in groups.  God worked miracles during this time, as Linda S., Jaye W., Kristen W., Megan S., helped to lead 9 out of 11 children asked Jesus into their hearts.   During tea, we noticed the girls pointing at their bracelets and trying to remember what each bead meant, and that opened another opportunity to share Christ.  

Dinner was at a great Azerbaijani restaurant, a complete 5 course meal, and after that some took the opportunity to explore Vladimir.  On the way back to the hotel, a man who was greatly inebriated staggered and fell directly in front of them and he hurt his leg.  The group took the opportunity to stop and call an ambulance.   While they were waiting, they were able to pray for him.

God brings about real life situations that through which we can see parables of the New Testament taking place.   In addition to what the group did, we were also greatly blessed by the hospitality of the Russian people.  In each of the places we went, we were offered food and drink.   They have really opened their arms to our group, and have been a great blessing to us as well!  

Andrew S (Mercy Ministries, Vladimir)

Praise the Lord for Vladimir!

Today was our first day of ministry and it was such a blessing to be able to minister to the people of Russia. We started at the Sudzal Orphanage which has about 30 children ages 3-10. The children sang some songs for us, and we were able to perform some of our talents with us. The children loved the magic tricks performed by Jaye W., or “Jaye the Magnificent” as she preferred to be called. After the assembly time, we were able to spend some time playing with the children outside. These kids were definitely full of life and loved being entertained by our face painting, balloon animals, and bubbles!

During our time with the children, Mickey S. was able to deliver Gospel aprons to the kitchen staff of the orphanage. Mickey believes it is important to include the cooks in our ministry, because they play such a large role in caring for these children. We are able to nourish them spiritually, but they depend on the cooks for their physical nourishment. Only one of the two women was there today, but as Mickey shared the truth of the Gospel apron with her, you could see that she was so touched by the words and she was honored to be included in our ministry. She promised to read the explanation of the Gospel apron that was provided, and to give the other apron to her coworker.  

After leaving the orphanage, and eating a delicious Russian lunch, we were able to visit some needy families living in Vladimir. Mercy Ministries, who is partnering with GAIN for this trip, has personal relationships with these families and has been ministering to them for quite a while. We split up into six groups, each with an interpreter and a representative from Mercy Ministries.

Tim B. and Natalie B. visited a woman named Luba and were able to talk to her about her family. She has two grown sons and one grown daughter, and one son and her daughter both live with her. Her daughter is a believer and she works at a local church, cleaning it. Her burden is for her son who lives with her, who is an alcoholic. He has had jobs but he usually quits after a week or two. Natalie said she seemed to have no strength or hope left for him. Tim told her that we cannot change other people, we need to put our hope and strength in Christ.   Natalie was able to share a similar situation that happened with her youngest son, who struggled with drugs and crime as a teenager. She needed to step back and let God deal with the situation and Natalie was only able to pray for him and trust God to take care of him. The interpreter and representative from Mercy Ministries shared the gospel with Luba. When Tim and Natalie offered to pray for her son and her situation, Luba told them that she wanted to pray to receive Christ! So, they were able to pray with her and she prayed along with them. Natalie shared that she could hear in Luba’s voice that her prayer came from the heart and was going to make a big difference in her life. As they were leaving Natalie encouraged her that though there would still be hard times, she should not be discouraged, but continue to pray and read her bible so she could grow closer to God. We know that the angels in heaven are rejoicing today for Luba, our new sister in Christ!

From: Faith H.