Global Aid Network Mission Reports

Rick here on behalf of the Seaford Belarus Team. Sandra called me today and gave me a brief update. All the team members are healthy with luggage in tow. Rick S. says he’s “way out of his comfort zone,” but he is also being blessed with ministry opportunities. The group’s training ended today in Minsk, and they are driving tomorrow (Tuesday) to the city of Lida (Leeda), Belarus where they will spend the next week and a half in ministry and outreach to orphanages and social homes and other locations that God will provide. They are excited because they will be meeting not only with pastors tomorrow, but also government officials in that area. They will start into their planned ministry visits to an orphanage and other locations on Wednesday. They are expecting to minister the Love of Jesus through tangible outreach and aid to over 300 children and “village kids” (from very needy home situations) per day through the end of this week. The team actually found a McDonald’s in Minsk near the hotel and had ice cream—even though it was freezing outside! Sandra was able to meet up with one of the interpreters she worked with last year, and Sandra gave her a copy of a very powerful journal that one of our friends had written about her spiritual journey to healing and forgiveness (Julie—thanks and God is using your work around the world!). The team drove past the actual location of the Minsk Web Cam that Rick S. had been checking out on line before they arrived. They are hoping to go to that site and get a live picture on the Web Cam! Hope we can work out the timing to see it. Currently the team has no Internet access, so plz check out the blog site below. The team completed training today on ministering in this culture and they are all excited about stepping out of their comfort zone. Rick is busy with all his “toys” and Amy is playing Twister. Karen S (from Albuquerque) is fully involved and Sandra says that her alter ego “Sunny Girl” (puppet) is a little tired from the trip, but she’ll recover tomorrow.

Thanks again for all your prayer support, and God is doing a great work in a very needy country through these willing servants of the Gospel.

On behalf of GAiN’s Team Belarus,

Rick Burgess

Coming together in the morning, we started the day by singing songs, sharing God’s word and enjoying the fellowship of one another.  Breaking into our perspective groups, we started to learn about one another.  People from Maryland to Texas, from grandpa’s to an 11 year old, a mix of people from different professions all coming together for one purpose, to share the love of Jesus Christ!  Excitement, anticipation and questions permeated.  What would we see?  Who would we talk to?  How could we communicate with the children in the orphanages?  How would God use me? 

So who are some of the people who are on this trip to Ryazan, Russia?  Let me introduce you to Janice B and LaRynn B.  Here is a little of their story:

Hi, my name is LaRynn, I am 11 years old.  This is my first time on a mission trip.  I had heard stories from my grandparents about Russia and also my father who is a pastor had given a sermon asking “what does God want you to do?”  This spoke to my heart and I thought what an awesome opportunity to share the Gospel.  I love to teach and tell other people about Jesus.  So I decided to come to Russia with my grandfather and grandmother.  However, God had other plans and my grandfather was not able to come.  My grandmother’s story comes next.  Anyway, this was my first time on an international flight.  I was so nervous on the flight, squeezing my grandmother’s hand, but it was a “God stop”.  What is a “God stop”?  Well, it is where God give you something good and then He tests you.  The trip to Russia was a good thing the flight was a test.  Other God stops I experienced…there was a delay in our departure, but it only took 5 minutes to take off (I had no idea it would be that quick, I thought we would have to wait another hour before taking off)  Then, we experienced turbulence in the air another “God stop” and then we got through passport control quickly.   

I have been asking for God to humble me on this trip.  I want God to show me how these kids live, the conditions, being an orphan with no parents and so cold.  You see, I complain at dinner about the food if I don’t like it and here I am wondering how people survive.   Just yesterday I saw a poor guy outside in the cold singing for money.  Where I live, I have never seen that before.  I just never knew how much I had so I am praying that I might be humbled through my time here. 

Just the other day, I was in the United States sitting in my class thinking, “ I am leaving for Russia tomorrow and I am going to a foreign country.  How did I get myself into this’?  What am I doing?  I must be crazy going to Russia? “  Fear was taking over and I remembered when God has a plan for you, stand firm.  I am bringing the best gift ever given, the Gospel, how cool is that!!  I am so excited to be here J

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I can’t believe I am here.  I am a very unlikely candidate for being here alone…I mean without my husband.  My name is Janice B.  I have been to Russia before, but always with my husband.  I couldn’t believe it when God changed the plans and my husband was no longer going.  My husband was even disappointed that he wasn’t going.  He has been the one who has the ongoing passion for these trips since he first went in 1996.  I have already seen God cover over all my fears thus far.  For example, certain things just make me nervous and I get fearful.  One of these was the paperwork at passport control.  I was amazed how we got through so quickly and without any problems.  When I go on a mission’s trip, I am so dependent on God.  However, my husband has always handled the details like the paperwork and now I have been moved to a new level of dependency on God.  I believe it is by God’s design that I am here without him and that HE is preparing my heart for something new.  If you read this, please pray that God will use me as I give my presentation and that God will show me what He wants me to do at the next stage of my life.  I know it all about Jesus, our Lord and our King!!!

Greetings from Minsk, Belarus. The Blue Bus has arrived in Minsk safely and with all of our luggage. Praise God!! We were blessed with a wonderful meal here at the hotel and are all ready ready to call it a night. The day has been wonderful meeting up with old friends and making new ones. Thank you all so much for your prayers. Keep ‘em coming!

The Belarus team arrived in Minsk Sunday afternoon with the entire team in good spirits and all of the luggage in our possession.  Tomorrow is a training day with our interpreters and then it is off to our ministry city of Leeda.

A group of 18 will be heading for Jamaica to minister to in Copse and Burnt Savannah. Jim and Cheryl Warner will be leading the team.  Our hosts will be Pastor Douglas DaCosta and his wife Rose.  Jim and Cheryl have been coming along this great couple of almost 15 years and have watched their minister grow. 

Copse is the location of their first church and is located in the mountains just outside of Montego Bay. 

Recently, Douglas was called to start a second church in Burnt Savannah. This is a community about 40 minutes from Copse and is located on the only flat area of the island.  The people there are poor and are hungry to hear about the Good News of Jesus.

During our trip we will be conducting an eye clinic, distributing aid, doing light construction and conducting backyard Bible clubs for the kids.  But no matter what we are doing, we want to share love and the Good News with everyone we see.

Please be praying for our time in Jamaica. The team leaves on March 17 and returns on March 24. Pray for safety, that God’s Spirit will work in a might way and that the participants themselves will be changed.

Thanks you for your prayers.

Jim and Cheryl Warner

James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (NKJV)

Luba is an orphan in St. Petersburg, Russia like thousands of children across the former Soviet Union.  She was found sleeping in a ditch with her little sister and brought to live in an orphanage.  She has no memory of parents or anyone taking care of her or loving her.  Her chart reads, “No one ever comes to visit her.”

Luba knows nothing of her country’s history of atheism, and she is too young to understand the economic collapse Russia has experienced.  All she feels is loneliness and hunger.  Recently, she was amazed at the love she felt from the Christians that came to visit and spend time with her.  A smile came to her face when they brought food, clothing, medicine, and even a Teddy bear for her and the other children at her orphanage!

Global Aid Network has been meeting spiritual and physical needs in Russia and the surrounding republics since 1991.  In that time, hundreds of truck loads of humanitarian aid valued more than $60 million worth and 17 million Christian books and Bibles have been delivered to orphanages, boarding schools, hospitals and other places of need.  As the aid and message of God’s love were delivered, American volunteers (more than 10,000 since 1991) spent quality time with the children – talking with them, sharing hope, hugging them, and playing games.

“Sounds great!  Why a blog?”

For over fifteen years, Global Aid Network has had the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ all over the world, starting with the former Soviet Union.  Much of the world has been unaware of the continued extreme needs and opportunities across the twelve time zones of the former communist federation.  These precious children have remained in our hearts.  They need to hear.  They need help.  And, their stories need to be told.

This blog will give a voice to these children, their caretakers, the hospitalized, the churches that minister to them, and more as Global Aid Network volunteers encounter them on the mission field.  It will report what God is doing on a global basis to meet spiritual needs through humanitarian methods, and hopefully inspire the rest of us to pray and to take action steps toward various avenues of involvement in helping fulfill the Great Commission:  gathering aid, participating in packing materials at our warehouse, giving toward mission projects, coordinating a mission team, going on a trip, and many other ways.

It will also provide a point of contact between mission volunteers and their families.  Beginning January 27, teams of volunteer participants and full-time missionaries will travel to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Western Russia, and Ukraine to take compassionate aid and the gospel to orphanages, schools, hospitals, church outreaches, and other places of need.  As they report in from the field, family members will be able to learn how best to pray for their loved ones thousands of miles away.

Finally, throughout the year additional Global Aid Network mission trips will launch out to other regions of the world.  As they go new blog categories will be added to reflect those locations.  Other stories and photos of humanitarian projects providing shipments of aid, clean water initiatives, community development plans, orphan sponsorship and more may be topics of interaction here.  We pray this blog will provide a place for sharing as Christians all over the world come together to discuss how best to use compassionate outreach to further the Kingdom of God.  Won’t you join with us as we seek to obey the Great Commandment in order to help fulfill the Great Commission?  We’re looking forward to a broader sharing of what God is doing around the world through partners in ministry with Global Aid Network.