Global Aid Network Mission Reports

Global Aid Network Summer Mission Trip June 2007

SIBERIAN RUSSIA: NOVOKUZNETSK, PROKOPIEVSK and MARIINSK

SIBERIA: DARKNESS LIGHT LIFE

When you hear about Siberia, what thoughts or pictures come to mind? I have found that most of the people that I have talked to about Siberia, think of it as an area that is deserted, desolate and cold, where people are rejects of Russian society, nothing more than a number and useless. During my time in the cities of Novokuznetsk, Prokopyevsk and Mariinsk and the surrounding areas, I found quite the opposite. Novokuznetsk is a city of approximately 500,000 people, was founded in1618, has coal mining, iron ore mining and steel mill as their main industries. The temperature and humidity were in the high 60s to mid 80s with humidity ranging from 88% to 100%. I found the people to be warm and friendly, intelligent, love to read, searching and seeking for the truth. This is true for the people in Prokopyevsk and Mariinsk that we met and served. Most are hard working people. Like any society in any area of the world, there are addicts, prisoners, the poor, homeless, elderly, and orphans, that we had an opportunity to meet and minister to.

When you think of Darkness, Light and Life, what pictures and thoughts come to mind? Could these words apply to eyes, or how about our own personal lives? Please permit me to tell some stories from this trip and as you read them, look for darkness, light and life. Then apply these words to your own lives.

The first story occurred on Tuesday June 19 in Prokopyevsk in the Freedom House Drug Rehabilitation Center. Earlier that morning we met a young lady named Marina Kuzmina, the Director of Women at this Center. Marina has been to the United States for training at Teen Challenge in Rhode Island, and will be coming back for her Masters Degree at Regents University in Virginia. Marina had told us of the people whom we would see that day. One of the people that I saw was a young man who had had an accident, which resulted in his words “a slight loss of color identification.” He explained it this way, “when I look into the bright sky, and then look at some flowers for example, I cannot tell what color the flowers are.” I told him that I would try to help him, but suggested that he may have to see a Dr. of Optometry. We tried a pair of sunglasses on him and had him look into the sky, and then back at some flowers outside. He told me that he could see that the flowers were red, and he was so happy. He kept on thanking me, and asked if he could have his picture taken with me, so I had my picture taken with him and Sonya, the interpreter working with me.

Did he have some darkness, and then light? How about life? Marina had told us that each of the people in the center received a Bible and had to participate in Bible Studies. The Light of Life can be made known to this young man. What a privilege and honor to be used in such a simple way to help someone.

Story 2 occurred on Wednesday, at the Novoilinskaya Church in Novokuznetsk. Remember Marina Kuzmina? We had the privilege of meeting and serving her mother who had different vision in each eye. In order to keep her job at one of the coal mines, she needed a pair of glasses to correct her vision. After testing extensively, my friend and co-worker, Bruce Becker, and I were able to put together a pair of glasses that fit her. As a part of the test, we would ask each person to read something from the Bible, a New Testament, and More Than a Carpenter (with each having a different size print). This allowed for planting seeds of the Light of the World into their lives. Marina’s mom was so thankful for our patience in finding the right glasses for her.

Story 3 occurred at this same church on Wednesday. A lady came in to get tested and wanted to be able to see well enough to thread a needle so she could sew again. As I tested her, it took a little while, but I found a pair of glasses that felt very comfortable on her and allowed her to see in her words “perfectly.” As she read the Bible, she just wanted to keep reading, and she raised her hand in praise to God. She was so happy, she said “God bless you”, (as did many others), and she hugged and kissed me on the cheek. Do you think the Light of Life was in her? What a joy!

Story 4 and 5 occurred on Thursday and Friday at Mariinsk Women’s Prison. It took a bus trip of several hours with the rest of the Global Aid Network team to get to Mariinsk. This time allowed us the opportunity to get to know others on the team better. On all the other days, Bruce, our interpreters, Oksana and Sonya, and I (the “vision team”) would travel either by taxi or someone would pick us up. Many friendships developed and unity of the whole team resulted along with some prison officials who traveled with us. When we arrived in Mariinsk, the main group of the team went to the boy’s prison, while we went to the women’s prison. Security was tight; we had to be escorted into a first room where the guard checked our passport and kept them and then let us enter the prison court yard where prisoners lived in well maintained housing and tidy looking grounds. Then we went upstairs of one building where medical care was given, and had a tour. We set up shop, being told on Thursday that we were not allowed to take pictures. We started testing prisoner’s eyesight and fitting them with corrective glasses until about 4:30 pm. The next day, Friday, we came back in the morning and resumed testing and fitting. We were told that we could take pictures only inside this room, so we did. Some women needed slight corrective glasses primarily for reading, while some needed stronger lenses. What joy and happiness showed on their faces knowing that someone cared enough about them to supply glasses. We asked them, too, to read from God’s Word as part of the testing procedure. There was no restriction put on about reading the Bible.

Story 6 occurred on Saturday at a church in the town of Prokopyevsk. During the week, pastors from all over the surrounding region were having a conference at this church. We had the distinct privilege of serving the pastors and their wives with glasses. One such pastor from Uzbekistan came and received some glasses as did his wife. Another pastor from this church also came and received glasses. They were so grateful to have glasses that would help them be able to read easier and help them better shepherd their flocks. What an honor to be able to meet such a simple need for these men of God and their families. One of the pastors was so full of joy, that he started to sing, and said “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” These men and their families are on the front lines everyday engaged in a spiritual battle that doesn’t always show on the surface. We need to cover them in prayer, and support them in any way we can.

Story 7 started on Tuesday at Prokopyevsk Church by an elderly man coming in for a new pair of glasses. The ones that he was wearing were held together with bailing wire and tape, and they were a very strong prescription. Bruce had the pleasure of putting together a new pair of glasses that fit this man to a T. This man was full of joy to think that he could receive a new pair of glasses free. A s you look at his glasses in the picture to the left, think about yourself and ask, would I be willing to wear glasses like these, for a long time if need be? Could the joy of the Lord be in this man? Would it be in you if you had to get by with these glasses? My friend, count it a real blessing that we here in the United States are so blessed. Did this man have darkness, light and life? I believe he did.

Story 8 occurred on Sunday. We had the wonderful experience of worshipping in the Novoilinskaya Church. This church has about 1000 members, 3 services on the weekend, a prison ministry, a drug and alcohol rehab ministry plus other ministries, and they meet in an old warehouse that does not resemble a church building, but the love of God is evident here. Pastor Ilya introduced us to the congregation in 2 services, with Bruce and Daniel Lewis saying a few words. After the worship time of the second service was over, Daniel, an interpreter who was going to be with us that afternoon and evening, informed us that the family of Dima and Marina Vedernikov along with their son Ilya and daughter Dasha, were waiting for us to go and spend part of the afternoon with them at their apartment, including eating a very delicious meal. On the way to their apartment, Marina asked us if we would witness to her father Gennady, who was going to be there. You see, Gennady had spent most of his life living under communism, and did not believe in God. When we arrived, Gennady was there to greet us. After the meal and the showing of my pictures of our extended family, and the ones of our dog Cookie and cat Tiger and our grandson Cameron, they took a great interest in our lives. That opened the door for us to talk with Gennady, and share with him about God’s love for all mankind. Bruce and I both told him that we wanted to see him in heaven someday. Gennady told of his life, and before we left for the afternoon he was given literature, and he told us he would seriously consider accepting Jesus as his personal savior. We gave some small gifts to each member of the family and GAiN provided an appreciation gift of money for them as our host family. After Bruce had tested their eyes, finding each of them with perfect vision, we gave each of them a pair of sunglasses. We all were so thankful for our time together.

Story 9 starts shortly after leaving the Vedernikov’s apartment. We were headed for the Church on The Rock to meet a man from one of the Prison Rehab Centers run by this church. We tested the eyesight of this man in the church parking lot and gave him some glasses, then he went to church and we picked up another interpreter named Misha, and headed off to the Rehab Center. There we met a recovering drug addict named Andrei. Andrei along with Sasha the director of this center gave us a tour, showing us among other things a place where the men made caskets, tombstones and memorial wreathes. They also showed us how 16 men live in a 2 bedroom flat. After the tour, we went outside behind the center to test Andrei’s eyes. While there, some passersby noticed what we were doing and asked if they could be tested. We tested them contingent on them promising to go to church with Sasha. Then we had the privilege of giving them a New Testament and other Christian Literature. They asked me if I would sign the books, and I wrote a little like, “I trust that as you read this, that God will reveal Himself to you, and you will trust Him as your Savior,” then signed them. Could this be a divine appointment? Do you see Darkness, Light, Life here? I do! Thank God for these opportunities.

Story 10 occurred on late Sunday evening at a Homeless Shelter located somewhere in Novokuznetsk, directed by Sasha from Church on The Rock. We had been testing people’s eyes and distributing glasses to many, some of them using a set of crutches to walk in, some with a crutch in one arm and a cane in the other. Some had to be helped in, their eyesight so bad that they could not see where they were going; one man could not speak, just kind of mumble but he had a lady with him who understood his mumbling.

I noticed a man that had no legs below his knees crawling into this large room on his hands and knees, reached a couch where he could sit and wait his turn. When it came his turn he came and crawled up on the chair next to me. I tested his eyes and gave him some glasses, for which he was so grateful. Then I watched him get down and crawl away (no wheel chair, no crutches) just on his hands and knees. I couldn’t help but think of passages in the Bible such as where the man who was lame from birth sat by the pool waiting for someone to help him in. Then it struck me, what would I be willing to do in order to get some glasses if I were in this man’s place, or would I be willing to crawl on my hands and knees to hear the gospel, the Good News that Jesus died for me and wants me to be His now and forever more.

Now that you have read the stories, how will you react? Please pray for these dear people, some are brothers and sisters in Christ, all have heard about Jesus and the churches will do follow up. Please pray for the Church on The Rock, Novoilinskaya Church and the Prokopyevsk Church and their pastors and followers of Christ as they continue on.

I do have two more stories for you. The first happened during our de-briefing in Novokuznetsk. Each team member had to report on something that impacted them the most. When my turn came I told about the man who crawled on his hands and knees and the thoughts I had, then I continued, “During my time here in Novokuznetsk, I found out that my wife and I have a new granddaughter”. As expected everyone’s mouth opened thinking that one of our sons families had a new baby girl, but I told them no, that our new granddaughter was here in this room. Then I told how a young lady named Melissa from our group had come up to me one day and told me how I reminded her of her “Giddie “– name for grandfather in Lebanese. She had said even though we did not look like each other, that as she looked into my eyes and heard me talk, it really reminded her of her “Giddie.” I would like for you to meet her. She is a teacher in Dallas and her name is Melissa.