July 22, 2002
I didn't know what to expect today. I really had no
idea, being my first time out. All I know is that I
needed to be flexible and prepared to follow wherever
God took us. This didn't take long to come into play,
as one of the girls fainted just as we were about to
leave for the ministry site. She was fine, but it was
a scary moment that God took us through safely. The staff and leadership kept emphasizing the need to 'Flex' or have as few expectations as possible about what we would face and be prepared and ready to face everything God would put before us. This was very important, as the first day when we got to the site we were welcomed by elderly people, not the kids we were told we would be ministering to.
We met with them in a church, where we sang songs for them and they sang for us as well. After the introductions and singing, we broke into groups and my team (I was paired with a wonderful Mother named Paula Miller and her Daughter Melinda, who you will see several pictures of on the site, alongside the Russians we were there with) and I were able to personally minister
to 15 people that were a part of the 'invalid society'
- a group of social outcasts, ignored by the
government, because of their old age (and in a few
cases other factors). They were very kind and
needy- God was glorified today by working in our lives
to touch theirs.
We were able to give the invalids each food that would last them a couple months along with Gospel Bead Bracelets and Beanie Babies. As a team we really felt that we connected well with the invalids and had meaningful conversations with them, which was very important for me to realize that they liked us and were interested in us. They almost all had great big smiles and were happy to see us and have us around for a few hours. It seems that we were simply smiling, loving ambassadors to represent the gifts we are giving them. They listened and accept the Gospel because they know we and so many others back home who paid so dearly for the aid care about them and wish them well. I heard their stories and they broke my heart. Pretty much all of the ones we met with today professed faith in Christ (the society was overseen by a wonderful Christian pastor and I have little reason to doubt that they knew the Gospel of grace and love that we know comes from the Bible), but they had not had much growth because they were forbidden to have any association with Christianity under Communist rule, which of course was not until a decade ago that this was taken away. We were there proclaiming to them a message they had heard and accepted long ago, before Stalin, but did not grow because of the cruel actions of the government. It was so bad, in fact, that the government would confiscate anything related to Christianity and use it for their own purpose. I heard a story from one lady that agents from the government went to a cemetary and took up all the crosses out of the ground and over to a subway station. They then used the crosses as material to help build the subway floor. There was much joy in reminding them of the message of God's love for us. We took up their prayer requests and prayed with them. They asked us to pray for more love, peace, kindness, honesty, and drug addicts in their country. I pass these requests on to you, as well, to pray for the Russians. There were kisses and tears as we left. Please pray for missionaries and workers over there, even now as we are back in the US. Pray that they be full of love for the Russian people and empty vessels carrying God's love to those they are ministering to. Please also pray that God would continue to raise up missionaries among us for Russia, but to other parts of the world, especially even to our people in the US. The food
is great, and I am feeling very well spiritually,
emotionally, and physically. As an ambassador for God,
you, and America, I can say that God is doing awesome
things here and you will receive great reward in heaven
for your faithfulness in prayer and giving, generosity, and obedience to God
regarding this trip. God Bless, and goodnight from
Moscow!
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