Home again

We made it back safely from Russia yesterday afternoon.  I apologize for not posting more blog entries, but we quickly discovered that doing VBS with only 5 adults was quite a challenge.  There was not much time in the evenings for posting!  As has been the case with the last two trips to Russia, I think I can say for the entire team that we were blessed beyond measure.  It was extremely hard to leave the kids and friends that we made while we were there.  Please pray that God will continue to work in the hearts of the people in Soltsi and Vibity.  God is just so amazing and we were able to see Him working while we were there.  I would like to ask everyone to pray especially for the kids who are staying at the orphanage right now.  It is not being used as an orphanage now, but as a camp where kids can stay for a couple of weeks.  We had one older boy, Sergei, who came to VBS from the other camp and was really searching for some answers.  Please pray that God will continue to work in his heart and that someone will be able to follow up with him.  We gave him a Bible to take with him and encouraged him to read it and study what God has in store for him. 

We made two new friends from Novgorod, Katya and Masha, who came and helped us with the singing.  We never could have accomplished what we were able to do without them as well as our translators, Sonya and Olga, and Leo who drove us wherever we needed to go.  I can't speak for everyone on the team, but for myself, I am so thankful that God put it on my heart to help serve the people in Soltsi and Vibity.  It is an honor and a privilege to work with the people there and to cement the relationships that have been started.  I can't imagine not having those we have met and become friends with in my life.  I am not very good with expressing everything that is in my heart, but I just thank God each and every day for giving me a heart for Russia missions and I am so thrilled that I was able to share this experience with my daughter this year.  She made some wonderful friends and everyone was so welcoming.  She is anxious to return again!!!!  Here are some pictures from VBS.  Please continue to pray for the church in Soltsi as well as the children and the men at the rehab center in Vibity.  Our God is so amazing!!!

Missions time

Singing praises!

Learning Bible verses

Craft time

More singing!

Pastor Sergei

Bible verses at Soltsi

Sergei is the boy in the green shirt.  Please keep him in your prayers.

Pastor Sergei speaking to the kids

Kids from Soltsi church

Dima, Sasha, and Leo.  Dima and Sasha are in charge of the rehab center.

Our traditional last day picture. 

Greetings from Russia!

From Stan - Greetings from Russia!  We’ve been busy doing two VBS’s and only a few of us here, but we wanted to give you an update on how things are going.  We have been doing VBS in the village of Vybiti  in the mornings, and then packing up and heading into the town of Sol’tsy for VBS there.  In addition to our interpreters Olga and Sonya, we have a couple of girls, Katya and Masha helping us with the singing (for which we are very grateful) and our driver, Leo, is sitting in on drums.  We have been having about 40 children and a few parents in Vybiti, and 10 children in Sol’tsy.  We’re heading into an important day tomorrow when on our fourth day of VBS, Pastor Sergey from the Sol’tsy church will give the gospel presentation.

In addition to praying that the gospel would be received, there are two additional specific prayers that you can offer.  It is difficult to get children to come to the church in Sol’tsy.  The children that are attending are from church families there, and when they invite their friends, the friend’s parents will not allow them to attend.  Pray for God to break down the cultural barriers that make them afraid of Protestant church teachings.

In Vybiti, we have had a couple of children that really seem interested and ask some good questions.  Pray that we will be able to make a connection and allow God’s message to come through clearly, so that they can understand that the answers they seek are in the gospel presentation they will hear tomorrow. 

The team is tired, but in good spirits.  It’s encouraging when we have some positive responses like those we’ve seen.  Tomorrow night, we will also make dinner for the guys here in the Rehabilitation Center, and Gary will be giving his testimony.