I'll start with before the trip. Getting prepped to go was very interesting. I felt like I couldn't be prepared enough and I just had to learn to rely on God for most everything day-to-day. Quite humbling to recognize that I couldn't manage things on my own, that I needed help and support for others. I really had to rely on God for the smallest of things. I also saw how much I needed others to come along side of me for support. My attitude was definitely causing problems with that area. I didn't like that I wasn't "good" enough and I blamed others for my failing instead of reaching out to people for help. I thank God that I have been blessed with people more forgiving than I am as friends and that He showed me where I needed change on my end, that I needed to be more flexible, accepting and less critical. The trip that I initially signed up for, to Kursk and then to Saratov, were not where God had planned for me apparently. A couple of weeks before I left, I was asked if I could go to Belgorod region for the second week. Of course I was willing! Even excited to go! Wherever the need was greatest, God was going to send His people! Within the last week before the trip to New York, I was asked if I could go to Belgorod for the entire trip! Wow! I was a little more nervous that the trip I was preparing for was not the one I was going to be going to but I trusted that God knew what He was doing. Our visas came, very late and close to the wire, we did have to reschedule a little because of that (flight issues) but eventually we all made it safely to Moscow and then to our respective regions (Kursk and Belgorod) after a short (it seemed) training day in New York.
There were flowers EVERYWHERE!
Gorgeous fountains!
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Then another 3 or so to Belgorod, where we landed for the night at the 1st Baptist Church. The people were very friendly but it really felt heavy. Very dark, like there was something just off about Russia. The next morning we went to the 2nd Baptist church where we met the pastor and Victor (you will hear more about him later) and enjoyed dinner. It seemed like everywhere we went, we ate and had tea which was fine with me because I LOVE tea but you learn very quickly that you eat a little at a time or you will get full VERY FAST! Sunday we joined in the church service, getting to see how they do communion and listen to the service the best we could. Sunday afternoon we started BBQing for youth group that evening.
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| Elijah (Front) Luke, Brad, Vasily and Ray (Left to Right) |
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| You should have heard them singing! Such beautiful voices! |
Listening to the stories about how they came to faith was amazing. My heart still goes out to them, especially to Maya. Maya grew up in the Orthodox church never really knowing or understanding the gospel in Truth. One day, while laying on a beach in San Fransisco visiting the US, a couple of people walked up to her and shared their faith. She gave her life to Jesus that day and has never looked back. Since then she has been working with her youth group, travelling to different regions sharing about Jesus which in Russia can be dangerous.
Oh the questions! It seemed like no matter where we went, someone asked about politics. For me, this would have been a great topic to talk about, had we been allowed. We just reassured that God knows what He is doing and our job is to pray for our leaders and to fight for what Gods Word tells us to. There were also an abundance of questions about what the right behaviors were. Very few about Jesus. I tried to talk more about Jesus then about expected behavior. The behavior comes later but I think that "later" to many means after they have changed what they do. Similar to here. The "I have to get my life together" mentality for the Holy Spirit to take over. Out of my journal on Aug 5th: "The expectation seems like God can't change someone so quickly. They were surprised that God changed my life in less than 3 years and that He continues to change it all the time." My prayer is for the people of Belgorod and Russia as a whole to witness God. They need a miracle to trust Him. They need to see local people whose lives have been changed. Some need a burning bush moment. The 7th we travelled to Veluyky and met with another pastor after meeting a couple of team members and the Kursk team leader, Don, in Shebekano. In Veluyky, Ray and I met with a family, Katya's family, who were unbelievers. She was very interested and wanted to know more about what we were doing there and what the bible was about. Shared my story with her and why the bible and Jesus were so important. The next day we went to an orphanage and shared there. That was amazing and an answered prayer. The director was very nervous about letting us come because the previous director was fired for letting Americans come but the Lord answered that prayer and MUCH MORE! We were invited back during the school year when more kids would be there and not at "host homes" like during the summer. They want e3 to return when all the kids are there! God is so GREAT! Gods Power is amazing! Went to a church and shared. What a difference in this church compared to the one in Belgorod City! What a great group of women too! I had 2 of them sing a gypsy song for me and Ray that was just beautiful. They were very engaged and asked a lot of questions about the scripture, not about us! The Pastor was very hospitable and was excited about learning new ways to share the Truth. Thank you Lord and continue to bless pastor Peter and his ministry!
A few days later we travelled to Aleksavka by public transportation and met with a group of believers there. One, Anya, said she wasn't a believer because she hadn't been baptised yet. She was told that she didn't know enough yet to be baptised or to have the Holy Spirit enter her, or maybe the translation was off, and that she had to know more before she could be baptised. After some probing, she told me that she had been studying the bible (for years) and believed everything it said, even tried to follow it every day. I asked if she had put her faith in Christ, that through him we can be reconciled to God and have a relationship with Him. She said yes. I tried to explain to her that what she said, what she believed to be true, that she had chosen to do things God's way and accepted Christ, those things meant she WAS saved. We just prayed, LORD fill Anya with your Spirit! Her 2 little boys were amazingly receptive and excited about sharing with each other and all their friends. The older of the 2, Dima, who was 6, was very interested in the gospel and how to share it so I left them with a bunch of bracelets with the understanding that they can't get more without giving away the bracelet that they have on to another person that can tell the story back to them. Now it's a race!
Now about Victor. Victor was our chaperon for most of the first 2 weeks. His story is one of major loss and redemption by Christ. An alcoholic, Victor's wife left. He started reading the bible to pass some time while he was drinking. Something began to happen. Slowly, he began to change. He didn't want to drink as much and eventually, not at all. He joined a bicycle ministry that travelled across Russia passing out bibles to people they met along the way. From Ukraine to East Coast. Amazing what God will do with those who choose Him. Victor is mostly deaf, though has a hearing aide that helps him to hear quite well in one ear. That is Victors main ministry, helping the deaf learn about Jesus and learn to read so that they can learn and teach about the bible themselves. Victor's ministry is with the deaf, though not entirely. He also reaches out to those in need and is looking forward to another bicycle ministry if God allows it.
While in Aleksavka we also met with many women from the deaf ministry with Victor. One of the women there was not a believer and was actually not very happy we were there when we were having prayer and bible study before we started working. Until she found out I was American, then it was a very different story. Spent the day moving bricks and stacking them since they were unable to complete the building of their house because the finances aren't there. I believe her name was Svetlana but I cannot remember. I had a chance to talk to her a bit between work and she told me that she didn't want to go to church or join in bible study because she liked drinking Vodka and didn't want to have to stop. She was very interested in America though. Wanted me to bring her home with me. The day was full of tough work but I really enjoyed working with all of the women. It was a memory I will cherish always and I am very grateful that God put these women in His ministry choice for me.
Something from my journal Aug 11th: " People have a backward thinking about becoming a Christian here I think. They have to do all of these things FIRST, THEN God will accept them. I don't think many understand that being a follower doesn't mean you go to church, it doesn't mean you do everything right and it doesn't mean you are smart enough because God loves us. He doesn't care if we fellowship and study in a church building or in a house. If we did everything right, we wouldn't have needed Jesus to die to save us and God gives us the Spirit so that we have true wisdom and so that we have conviction to do what is right. Nothing WE can do will make us good enough. We just need to be obedient. The Spirit gives us the power and Jesus gives us the way to God's open arms! Its about peoples love for You and choosing to do things Your way, not our own!"
Over all, Russia was amazing and I hope God gives us the opportunity to go back. My heart goes out to a place that, except for the little light from the believers in the communities we visited, seems so dark, so heavy, so dead. I will forever pray for those in ministry there. For protection from evil, courage to stand upright in a twisted place and for continuing love, peace, joy and patience in becoming disciples for the Lord, Jesus Christ and the furthering of their ministries!
