Mon 5 Feb 2007
January 31, 2007
Small group visit: by Nuper
Group participants: Peggy M. Diane B., and our interpreters Irena and Helen
On our first visit we met a woman named Natalia. She had four small children. They all live in a room about the size of 12×15 room. The apartment had no bathroom or shower. We found out that four apartments together share a bathroom and shower.
As we visited with Natalie she said that her first husband died and her second one abandoned her. She has no one to help her with child care leaving her unable to work.
At the house, I asked Pastor Vasily to open with prayer and then we had a chance to visit. We explained to Natalia that we were Christians from America and why we were there. We then presented the Gospel bead bracelet.
Helen, a Russian Believer from Ryazan, was with us. She has an incredible heart and a passion to bring unbelievers to Christ. I let Helen talk to Natalie one-on-one. Helen has experienced this kind of life so she could really connect. We asked the pastor to pray the sinner’s prayer and Helen held Natalia’s hands. Helen said she had an overwhelming sensation as they prayed and Natalia placed her faith in Christ. Afterwards, Natalia was crying and said she felt “different”.
Then, we gave her the gifts we had brought her. She said she would attend Pastor Vasily’s Church.
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January 31, 2007
LaRynn B
Well, so far God has really been speaking to our group. We have visited 4 homes total. Three of them have been such a great experience. However, one house we went to was unfortunate. There was a grandma with her two grand kids. Although we planted a seed, she pushed us out. From then on, we just realized how much they needed the Lord. But we did pray over the two grand kids. Maybe that seed will grow. This experience taught me and my group that sometimes we just need to let God do the work. God will grow that seed we planted. Even through this “crisis”, we still had 3 families accept Christ and we even invited them to come to church on Sunday morning. We had such a great time and hope they come to church on Sunday! Praise God!
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February 1, 2007
Family visit Rostok (afternoon)
By Barry M.
Janice, LaRynn, I and our interpreter went to an apartment for a family visit. A lady who directed us to the apartment escorted us from the children’s invalid society where we had just visited. The family consisted of a 71 year old, her daughter and the daughter’s invalid daughter. They had everything set up for a full course meal. We had just finished lunch and weren’t prepared to eat again.
We all sat down around the table and snacked on some of their appetizers and drank hot tea. Also, during our time, a young boy appeared for a while and then we did not see him again.
We had a wonderful time of getting acquainted and sharing stories. During this time we talked about families, homes, life in the states, and shared gifts with them. Moving to spiritual matters, the questions came up as to their beliefs. The two older ladies had sporadically had some connection with the [another type of] church, but weren’t Believers.
Our interpreter does such a great job. She is a Christian and had a heart to make Him known. We began sharing the Gospel message, each one interjecting as we went along. We could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit working.
We asked if they wanted to pray and place their faith in Jesus Christ. They said “yes” and we shared with them that prayer was like talking to your closest friend. We offered to lead and for them to follow us in prayer. LaRynn led in the Sinner’s prayer and these sweet Russian ladies asked Jesus into their lives.
This is the hunger and openness that is here with the Russian people. For years they existed with limited knowledge of Jesus Christ. They are hungry for hope and something new in their lives. Global Aid Network is an organization bringing love and life to a hurting people.
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February 1, 2007
Family visit with Rostok society members
Her hair coiffed, covered in a beautiful fur coat; she had a kind inviting face. We were to go to her house for a visit. Upon entering we met the husband, grandmother, and her 2 sons. Her youngest son in kindergarten was eager to show his computer games and how he could lift weights. He even made the heavy breathing sounds weight lifters make when picking up heavy weights which was precious coming from this small child surely imitating weight lifters he had seen. They welcomed us with a table filled with all kinds of food from caviar to splendid desserts.
We learned the oldest son, Maxym, had some type of eye defect. The mother mentioned nerve atrophy of the eye and that they were paying a doctor in town to try and help him. Although it appeared he suffered eye problems, he was devouring as many books as he could possibly read. He had a strong interest in philosophy and science.
As we sat closely together around the table, the conversation quickly turned to science. This opened door to talk about the God of creation. Maxym thought that we were atoms in space and mentioned a theory of the earth coming about from dust and gravity. When asked who created these, he replied, “God”. For the next hour or so we began to discuss questions like: “What is Truth?” “Who is Jesus?” “What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?” You could see Maxym’s heart open as we began to discuss the Gospel.
Our interpreter, Helen, was able to explain further that a “personal” relationship was available through Jesus Christ which is sometimes a hard concept to grasp; God wanting to be personally known through His Son Jesus. After about an hour and half discussing this, the mother, the grandmother and Maxym indicated they wanted to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We emphasized the importance of becoming involved in a church and invited them to be a part of the pastor’s church who sent us to visit.
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February 2, 2007
Chapayevsk Boarding School
By Frank D.
We went into the boarding school, mostly consisting of all boys. I always enjoy giving the boys a “high five” when I enter in to make them feel comfortable. Well, there just happened to be a young boy that I gave a “high five” and hug to and he hugged me back very tightly. As the morning went on, I noticed the boy close by. He was sitting by me during the program and I found out his name was Sergei. He was so happy and joyous and seemed to be very hungry for affection and to be hugged.
We never know going into an orphanage which group of children we will be working with as the assignments are made randomly. To my great surprise, as we walked into the classroom, there sat Sergei. I sat by him and shared the best we could. Then we gave the Gospel presentation and Sergei prayed, however, I did not know if he had made a decision for Christ. But in the literature we distributed there was a picture of Jesus on the front of the book. He would point to the picture and say in Russian the name “Jesus” and I would hug him. Then, I would point to the picture of Jesus then point back to his heart and hug him again. This went on again and again. He kept pointing to Jesus and I kept hugging him. He touched my heart with the warmth he had and the warmth he was reaching out for. Through hugs and pictures, Jesus was communicated. I am overjoyed that I came in contact with Sergei today!!
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February 2, 2007
Janice
Since we have been here, many times we are faced with the stare of hopelessness and despair. This was the case when our small group had a home visit with a gentleman, named Alexandar, his mother and three girls (two of which were twin girls 2 years old) Alexandar’s wife had passed away during the birth of the twins and he was left to raise them on his own.
The flat they lived in had two rooms and was in very poor conditions beyond what you can imagine. At first, the look on the man’s face scared me. It was the look of hardness, hopelessness, and empty. As we began to talk and give our love gifts, I was thinking in my mind, “What in the world can I say to him that could change his situation?” We talked more about the love of Christ. Then we gave the Gospel presentation and slowly I saw his face soften. Before long tears began to roll down his cheeks and I saw the Spirit of God working. His heart was changed by Jesus Christ, only a work He can do and we had the privilege to witness it!! We invited him to Pastor Sergei’s church. Please if you read this, say a prayer for Alexander that God will provide in every way for his family.
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February 5, 2007
Helen M. – Interpreter from Ryazan
I was born in a rather poor family, the third out of four children. Our father left us when [we were very young]. Our mom had to work really hard to feed us and to bring us up. During this time the Soviet regime did everything to denounce that God exists. We had special classes and lectures at schools and universities proving and teaching that God never existed and that religion is just for uneducated people. We were taught it’s “opium for the people”. All these came deeply into my heart, mind and soul. There was a poem called, The Girl’s Death. It was about a girl, who belonged to the pioneer organization (a sub-organization to the Communist party). She was very sick and in the hospital dying. Her mother was a Believer and came to her in the hospital and asked her to put on her small cross. The girl hesitated for a moment. Then, she pushed her mom’s hand away, the cross fell to the floor and the girl died. I felt very proud of this girl and thought that I would do the same thing. Also, in 1961, Yori Yagarin went to the space and he said, “I was there [in space], but I didn’t see God.” It was great proof to tell my mom. Then, after graduating from the Teacher’s University, I started working at school and even taught my students that there is no God.
It was in autumn, 1993 when an American person, Frank, came to our school offered some lectures about Jesus Christ and showed our children the “JESUS” film. At that time, I was very depressed; crying all the time, betrayed by a friend, taking a lot of medicine and having suicidal thoughts. Then, Frank came to me once and asked me what I thought about Gorbachev. I said that we never may know the truth as our newspapers would write that Lenin, Stalin, and all the rest were so good, and after they died the same papers would say how bad they are. I told him that a friend of mine that I had known for 20 years betrayed me, my father betrayed me and so you could not trust anyone. In the next class, Frank closed by saying, “Your authority may betray you, your parents or other relatives may betray you, your friends may betray you, but there is someone who will never betray you. He is just waiting for you to come. I realize how hard it is for you even to pronounce the word God, but believe me there is some Power which may help you.”
By winter, my life was like a nightmare, I was exhausted, the depression continued and I did not want to live. The situation at home was just awful. One winter day while at the dache (which is a plot of land for gardening), I went to the forest. The weather was just wonderful; the bright blue sky, a lot of snow, green pines, the reflecting on the snowflakes. I lay down in a deep snow in this beautiful nature and sobbed and wept. I thought, “Well, that man from California told me that someone may help. I don’t know what it is—the sun, the sky, the nature…I am exhausted. I can’t live anymore. So, please, help me or just take my life away.” I was lying in the snow crying and looking at the nature. I have no idea how long I lie there.
In the spring, I started feeling better. The situation at home had improved and forgot about everything. At the end of May, International School Project (a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ) held a conference for the leaders in our city. I am very curious and I went there just to talk and practice my English. They talked about Jesus, His character and many other things. They were very upset with me when I said, “I know that there is no God. It’s all fairy tales.” However, I was intrigued when talking with them. I noticed that they quoted Bible verses while answering. One evening, we invited 3 of them to our house and we had a great time together. They were very open, happy and bright. I thought to myself, “Oh they are this way because they are rich.” But when they left, I understood that I didn’t have anyone around me like these people. At nights, when I would go to bed, I asked, “The Power, where are you? Will you please bring them back?”
Then, at the beginning of September, the Co-Mission team came to our school. What a surprise! When we got acquainted, the first question I asked them was, “will you please have a Bible study with us?”
I cried a lot and for the first time in my life I opened the Bible and started reading it. I didn’t understand a lot, but during a short time I had read it all.
So we started our Bible studies and very often they would tell me, “Helen, God loves you so much.” I answered, “I know that there is no God, I just want to know what this Book is about.” I watched the Jesus film and after the second time seeing it, I repeated the prayer thinking in my mind “just in case”. After the third time, watching the film, I knew Jesus is God’s Son. It was like lightning in the darkness, like thunder in the quiet; God loves me!
I burst out into sobbing. I wondered, “Why? Why? For so many years they lied to me…God is my Father!!” I have a Father. He loves me like no one ever loved me. Now, I want to be His friend and His servant. It’s the greatest honor God transformed to one who taught there is no GOD to now proclaiming Him every time I get!
All four young Russian girls sat in the hospital waiting area to see what the Americans were going to do. I could here the deep cough of pneumonia from one. They had been in the hospital from one week to 10 days. I wanted to learn about them. Who were they? What did they like? Through general questions, I learned they like most of the same things American kids do (basketball, swimming, and music). Soon the conversation turned to spiritual matters. The girls said they prayed after the Gospel was presented, however, when I asked them if they knew what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus, they said, “No.” God had so graciously arranged for another detailed explanation of the Gospel and to ensure the decision they had made. The interpreter was able to get out her Bible and have them read 1John 5:11-12 and they were encouraged to memorize this as a reminder of the surety of faith they had in Jesus Christ. 