News from Europe / Eurasia
We send our ‘salaam’ to all, and thank you for your prayers. We are still hoping to get our Canadian visas to help us leave here, it has been so long since we left Iran and life is so hard for us in this situation. Please keep praying.
Bro. B
We are delighted to announce the baptism of SASHA, and look forward to him attaining the Kingdom when the Lord returns.
BARANOVICHI
I continue trying with the people I write to in prison, some can only receive letters every few months. Yet I believe some of them are sincere and this maybe is my calling from God to write to these people.I am still in touch with Pavel, a very serious man who is in prison at Novosady. It is such a pleasure to write with him. I pray much for all your good work for the Lord.
Bro. Leonid
We are hoping to be able to go to the Bible School. I am studying Beyond Bible Basics and doing the questions there. We are all well here and send our greetings. We’re concerned we may not be able to make the next Bible School, health, work and the children all make Winter travelling hard for us. But we are with you all.
Sis. Larisa
SENO
We are very happy to be able to call you ‘brother’, this is a new experience. Our home very much needs repairing, and we fear the coming of Winter. We are reading the Bible every day.
Bro. Sasha
STAI
I have had a huge catastrophe this year with Colorado beetles. They have destroyed my potatoes, which is what I am planning to live off this Winter. I was looking at them, and I admit I wondered why did God create Colorado beetles? This is very serious for me. I summon all my faith to endure this blow.
Bro. Ivan
TERESHKI
Here the Summer has been hot, but we have been blessed with good harvest, which we are now preserving so we can eat through the Winter. We recently held a small gathering of the brothers in Minsk which was very good. Every second Sunday of the month we are trying to gather in Minsk for the breaking of bread. These meetings really help on our lonely path to the Kingdom of God.
Bro. Vladimir
Please pray for my son as his blood pressure is so high. I try to talk to people here, but who will listen to an old woman like me? all are worried about money or their crops. I notice though that people do like to read religious literature these days, and I am trying to distribute as I can.
Sis. Anna
VITEBSK
I am always thinking of all the work being done to spread the Gospel and am praying for it. I see what you are doing as similar to what the apostle Paul did, with the same problems he met. I am interested in the chicken raising project and also am interested in raising rabbits for meat.
Bro. Ivan
VYAZMICHI
I pray for all brothers and sisters for their health. For us we pray for health because we have no money to buy medicine and we also have to work all the time in the field for our food. Nobody here is responding at the moment to my preaching but I am hopeful they will.
Sis. Nina
LEUVEN
I took note of the need for a Dutch Bible Basics and this interests me too. According to time and God’s will I will try to start on it.
Bro. Markus
SARAJEVO
We have very sad news, in that the mother of our Brother Ivica died, and it is a very depressing time for us all. The chickens raised in the project have been sold and now more chicks have been bought. Here in Sarajevo we really have problems, with no place to live and having to find money we don’t have for things like food and college fees.. I worked in a coal mine for a bit but it was impossible. I have problems with almost everything! I am trying not to be discouraged and to remember that we are true soldiers for the Lord and will never quit.
Bro. D
ZAGREB
I'm translating the booklet ‘Living With Alcoholism’ and have done around 20 pages. At the same time I am doing, ‘What is the Gospel’. My health is bad, but this is something I can do.
Sis. Anita
Photo: Sis Anita
Just Keep praying.
Many will recall our request for your prayers for our brother Ronnie van Eetveldt around the time of his major brain tumour operations in New York around 6 to 7 years ago. Those operations held the tumours at bay but in the process Ronnie lost his speech and taste. You can imagine the problems this caused in his work as an international lorry driver.
About a month ago, over a single weekend, his speech suddenly and completely returned. His doctors in New York and Belgium are amazed and are listening when Ronnie tells them about his faith and the prayers which have helped to bring about his recovery.
Ronnie and all of us in the South Lakes (England) ecclesia thank God for this wonderful answer to the prayers of brothers and sisters around the world.
Bro John O. Halstead
SUKHUMI
I feel so helpless to help those brothers I read about who are so persecuted, but I truly pray for them. I had been preaching to some people here, but they then emigrated, so again I am left with no fruit from my work.
Bro. Guram
TBILISI
My wife and I and some others would love to come to the Bible School but it is very far for us to travel, and also we have to travel through some unstable territory to get to Ukraine, unless we fly, which is expensive. We have two friends here interested, although they don’t yet want to be baptized.
Bro. Agakhi
To communicate is hard for me, especially also the problem of English. We here want you to know we pray for you and ask you to pray for us as we try to live Christian lives here and tell others of Jesus.
Bro. E
We were so happy recently to see some pictures of Sis Cindy and Bro Duncan, we treasure these very much and love you all although we have never met most of you.
Bro. K
I am still keeping my being baptized secret from my family and some friends. But whenever I contact any people from outside I am telling them my happy feelings. Please if there is any job, or translation work just let me know. God bless you my big brothers.
Bro. S
Note: We were very impressed at being approached by an American news reporter who had met our Brother. He had told her he is a Christdelphian, and she was interested in making a documentary about Christadelphians in Iraq.
BAT YAM
I am hoping to be able to make another visit to Ukraine where there are some people in the Crimea very interested in the true Gospel. All here send their greetings as we wait for Messiah’s coming.
Bro. Vladimir
ROME
It is so hard for a refugee here to find work, although I pray every day for it. I have a chance to get a job with one man. I pray for it. Sis. Asmait is well here and sends greetings.
Bro. Naizghi
IRBIL
My prayers are with you all in the year 2006, that it will see the return of Jesus.
Bro. Bassam
KAZAN
I am grateful that the Lord preserved me from my accident, I am strong and well by His love. It was a very happy day for us recently when we baptized Lidija, she was so eager for baptism eventually, after very much study with you.
Sis. Ludmila
Recently we were visited by brothers from England and there was a meeting held here at a hotel. We greatly missed the presence of Brother Duncan and look forward to being with him at the Winter Bible School.
Bro. Viktor
KOKSHETAU
My daughter is still in Germany. I miss her very much, but it is impossible to see each other now; also I do not see the grandchildren. I value so much the daily Bible reading, it is my great joy and what connects us.
Sis. Svetlana B
We so much value the Bible Schools, especially for me meeting sisters I met previously. Brother Sergej is growing up now and he is leading our ecclesia as we are sisters, he has got his first job on a building site. We are trying hard, so that all the great effort to establish our ecclesia here will not be in vain. We admire the great missionary work being done in other areas and we deeply respect it. We are trying to develop more singing and music in our meetings. All here send their greetings
Sis. Elvira
I am so sorry for my rare letters, but we don’t forget you! All is well with us although we have to work so hard and so long. Just know that we are together in the Lord.
Sis. Tanya
ISSYK-ATINSK
Along with brother Ramid we are continuing to study the Bible and to try to teach others. We have a sore need for more Bible Basics to give to people. I am studying to be an electrician and I so hope to one day have a more stable life.
Bro. Anvar
I send greetings to all brothers and sisters in Christ. Here we are preaching, but some people truly think we are crazy because of our teachings, I think they sincerely believe we are crazy. When people refuse interest, I can tell them that I was once like them, and I try to work on them always.
Bro. Ramid
We are delighted to announce the baptisms during the last six months of ASTRIDA, ERIK, VASILY and SIGITAS IRINA, ANDREJ, ALEKSANDR, LENA and LILIJA, the latter as a result of our Speaking About Jesus English language courses..
AIZKRAUKLE
I am holding on here. I speak with my son about the Bible. Thank you for the light brought into my life by the true knowledge of God.
Sis. Irena
DAUGAVPILS
Things are hard for me and I am in need of some warm clothing here as we face Winter. I read the Bible a lot as I have much time, and am trying to speak with the people around me about it, but they are distracted by other things.
Bro. Erik
Note: Clothing is being provided.
I really enjoy Gospel News, it’s a great magazine, please keep it up. I am truly encouraged every time I receive it.
Bro. Petr
Here in the prison I am having a hard time. I never get to breathe fresh air and my legs hurt continually. I am in a cell with two other men, it is very small, but we are able to talk a lot about the Bible and God. Please pray for me.
Bro. Eriks
I am so grateful for the clothes sent me, it’s really a big help. We are in need of about everything. Even soap we don’t have. We are with you in our prayers. I am so glad to have my very own Bible from you for the first time in my life.
Bro. Andrej
ENGURE
I am praying for you in all your work of teaching the Bible, it is hard for me at my age in this village to do much but I am with you sincerely.
Sis Zina
JURMALA
I am praying for brother Hussein and others persecuted. I am grateful for the help given to me especially warm clothes. I send greetings, especially to Bror Marcus. I am still teaching some people here about the truth and I am grateful for the copies of Bible Basics which I received for this purpose. My prayers are with all those affected by the recent terrorist acts and other catastrophes.
Bro Mikhail
MADONA
I have been so busy in working in the fields harvesting our crop for the Winter and also looking after grandchildren. Now we await Winter, when I have more free time, and am able to read the Bible absolutely each day without fail using the Companion.
Sis. Sarmite
SIGULDA
I am so grateful for the clothes sent to me, the jumpers and boots, without them I do not know how I would be able to look forward to this Winter coming. I am very much with you all. Here in our village it is as if people are so primitive, only thinking of themselves, and I find it hard to do as Jesus said and to always turn the other cheek.
Sis Gunta
TALSI
I am always so happy to attend the breaking of bread in Tukums. I think about what we hear for the rest of the week, and re-read the notes that are taken.
Bro. Vladimir
TUKUMS
Please pray for me, as yet again I fell, this time whilst trying to board a bus, and again I broke something. I have a small job cleaning, but the pay is very low.
Sis. Vaira
I feel such great gratitude for all you have done for me, and also to all sisters who are buying the scarves we are trying to make. I don’t know where our family would be without your help, we can only pay back by trying to be faithful to Christ in all ways.
Sis Anita
VILANI
Things for us here aren’t good because of the way people are getting poorer whilst others become very wealthy. Our only hope is for the coming of Jesus Christ! I have been reading according to the Companion from both Chronicles and the gospel of John, the two hardest parts of the Bible for me come at one and the same time of the year. Even Revelation I think I understand better. I pray for the new brothers in the Philippines. I read some news about that country and I am pleased to know there are brothers there too.
Bro Fyodyor
ZVARE
I very much enjoyed the Bible School. Even after hearing the first talks, my blood pressure reduced. I am very grateful for everything.
Sis Vaira
KAUNAS
I am very happy to be in touch with you all again. I have had a very difficult time from losing my job and only now am I settled again. I send love to you all.
Bro. Saulius
VILNIUS
Everything is now fine with me, and I look forward to breaking bread with you when possible. I appreciate any literature in Russian.
Sis Ludmila
I am thinking how to advertise Bible Basics on some chat groups. I strongly believe there must be unity amongst us and all the Christadelphians must break bread with each other.
Bro Dragan
KISHINEV
I still am working and surviving, for which I thank God. I try to understand that there is more good in life than bad, for we who are believers.
Sis Elvira
I now have a job, working as cashier in a shop! We are hoping to come to Latvia and some time I would love to come to a Bible School and meet the Latvian Christadelphians. I`m fine here. Linda is now in the kindergarten. She likes it very much there. I`m not ready to break bread online, because I`m not so clever with computer - maybe one day. God bless you all.
Sis Helena
SAHIWAL
We are starting to train another 15 young people in our Bible Basics Sunday School and we ask for prayers.
Sis. Safina
POZNAN
I am hoping to be able to come to the Bible School in Ukraine. This is a great opportunity and I so appreciate it.
Bro. Valentin
WALBRZYCH
My greetings to all brothers and sisters recently baptized. I got some New Testaments from Gideons, I am giving them to people and try to make small advertisments for Bible Basics.
Bro. Krzysztof
We are delighted to announce the baptisms of LIDIJA (Kazan) and TATYANA in her old age and pray that they will endure to the end and enter the Kingdom with us.
ARMAVIR
Things are difficult for me as I am left alone now my husband has left me, I ask for your prayers. I admire your bravery in going to dangerous lands to spread the gospel to Moslems! I try also to be brave in my situation, also trusting in God.We often think of all the trouble Brother Duncan went to for Vitaly’s baptism, and despite all problems and the evil situation we are surrounded with here, we think with joy of the things of the Kingdom and thank you for the hope you have given us. We continue breaking bread together.
Sis. Galina and Bro. Vitaly
CHELYABINSK
I think that we all are brothers & sisters and must love each other. Only God knows who is better and who is worse. God bless.
Sis. Elena
EFREMOV
Here I am rather depressed as things are not good for us in our little group here, and despite all my efforts, people still do nott want to respond and be baptized. I find the letters I get from old Sister Ludmila all the time a great encouragement, she keeps me going.
Bro. Oleg
IZHEVSK
Sorry for not being in touch. I want to ask you to please pray for my wife as she is seriously ill and it makes our spirit at home very sober. May God bless and help us all.
Bro. Andrej
JOSHKAR-OLA
My children and I went to the Bible School of CBM in Moscow, the atmosphere was different to before, and we wished the baptisms had been performed openly rather than privately. However, for all things we give thanks.
Sis Lena
KAZAN
Here we are all well and continue to meet at Sis. Ludmila’s home. We have some small land outside of the city and we have been harvesting our crops; I feel guilty at times how much time I spend on such things when there is always the Bible to be read.
Bro. Andrej
I am very fearful I cannot attend the Winter Bible School because my health isn’t good. I have contact with the sisters from Kazakhstan still and try to give all advice I can from this distance. I am still so happy I was able to baptize Lidija here recently, I feel God is still using me. Bro. Igor Prozorov recently called me from Moscow, it was lovely to be remembered by him.
Sis Ludmila
I am so grateful to Sister Ludmila here who did so much for me spiritually, may God bless her with long life. I am grateful to you, too, for opening up to me so much, now I feel I know Jesus. For example, I understand now how He didn’t exist from the beginning as a person physically, but was truly the Son of God and son of Mary. In short I am so happy!
Sis Lidia
I still remember with such joy our meeting in Krutushka for the Bible School, it was my joy to help arrange this. My prayers are with those newly baptized people in Asia.
Bro. Viktor
Several from here are going to the Winter Bible School, but after my accident I feel unsure of myself to make such a long journey to Ukraine so, sadly, I won’t be able to come, although I am so strongly with you all. I am working at persuading one woman here to be baptized.
Sis. Ludmila K
I am sorry for such a long silence. Life has not been easy and I’ve not been reading the Bible as much as I ought to. However, I am resolving to make a special effort to attend the Winter Bible School!
Sis. Ludmila F
KHANTY-MANSIJSK
We are very happy to say that our young daughter has started reading the Bible. Because we are so isolated here, the cost of everything is so high because of all the transport required. It is very hard for us to survive. Please pray for us.
Bro Sergej
KORKINO
We made a visit to brothers and contacts in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It was very wonderful journey for us and we thank God! I have got a new job. I am struggling to understand Amos 9:7, it’s not at all clear to me and I am trying by all means to understand!
Bro Alexei
KRASNODAR
We have a desperate situation as my wife needs to have an operation, she has had all scans and reports from the doctor, but they ask so much money to make the operation. The local brothers to us here are poor and we meet together and just pray for her.
Bro Dmitry
KRUTAYA
I was disappointed at a recent Bible School to see people not allowed to be baptized because it was said they did not know enough: I have been worrying about this since returning home. Here in our region it is now not allowed to publish advertisments for Bible Basics. My husband and daughter are now working in St Petersburg, so I am preparing for the Winter alone with Anna. I am thinking much about Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians, that with God there is not ‘yes and no’, but in Him is the Amen, the ‘yes’. He is so positive, and amidst all problems we are facing here I am determined to live by those verses and be positive.
Sis Tanya
PYSHMA
I love you all, and wish you all God’s blessing in all aspects of life.
Bro. Viktor
ROSTOV Obl
We have some replies from here and we are grateful that you are sending them Bible Basics. I have been discussing with Adventists here about the Sabbath issue and trying to persuade them of the truth.
Bro. Andrej
RZHEV
I am pleased to inform you of more who want to study the Bible lessons here. It was encouraging to read of the first baptism in Iraq. I feel very limited in what I can do here because of total lack of funds. I really enjoyed going to Moscow and breaking bread with the brothers there. I have a neighbour, an old woman, who is studying Bible Basics with me, and also I am sending it to my relatives who live far from me.
Bro Aleksandra
St. PETERSBURG
I am reading and re-reading some of the old exhortations for the breaking of bread, they seem so relevant to me. Things here are going from bad to worse, corruption is everywhere and there is a spirit of evil it seems wherever one looks, and true Christianity is very hard to live here. I recently had a letter from Sis Ludmila from Kazan, it was such a pleasure. She has been a great encouragement to me since I first met her at a Bible School some years ago. She is a wonderful sister and it is encouraging for me to see that even now in her old age she still cares for us all and loves the Truth.
Bro Valeriji
SARATOV
I was so happy to see my grandson, who is also my brother, getting married to a sister in Christ. We as a family are so grateful for all the things you did for us. I read by the Companion each day, but I worry that I forget so much, even by the next day.
Sis Raisa
SHAKHTY
I have been wondering what 2 Pet. 3:9 means, about God waiting with patience for all to repent. One almost wishes He would not be so patient, so Jesus would return sooner. The verse confuses me. Tanya and I hope to come to the Bible School, and are so happy to have this chance!
Bro Andreji
SHCHYOKINO
I am having big problems with letters not getting through to me. I want to inform you all that I pray for all of you whom I know, I love you all. I break bread each week and read the same chapters you do from the Companion each day, I am with you all. Please pray for me as I fear each Winter whether I will survive because of my weak health. I am very worried about my elderly sister Sofia, she came to see me in May, and then she departed for Ukraine to her home and since then I have not heard from her. Travel is so hard at our age. As she is not educated and naive I worry that something bad may have happened to her. I pray for her, for you all, and desperately hope in the return of Jesus before I have to die.
Bro Boris
STAVROPOLSKIJ KRAJ
At last I think that God may have given me someone with whom to share my faith. I have found an old lady near here, to whom I can talk about the word of God. I bought her a Bible from a drunkard, who would sell anything he could for money to drink. I gave her the Bible and together we read through the book of Ruth. I am very hopeful that she may come to be baptized.
Sis Ludmila
TOMSK
I now have some free time and am happy to continue working on the website.
Bro Rinat
TULSKAYA Obl
My dream is always to be able to get to the Bible Schools because, for me, my faith is my life, it is all I have. I am so very grateful that you lovingly remember me and bother to write to me.
Sis. Ekaterina
TVER
My neighbour in our block has read Bible Basics and is corresponding with Brother Duncan, but she is very old and her family are against her studying with us. I pray for her and am hopeing to come to the Bible School.
Bro Sasha
TYMSK
We here are all very much looking forward to the next visit. We are preparing now for the Winter. When the river freezes, and vehicles can drive over it, we are more connected to the rest of the world. We pray for you all. We were so blessed this Summer with a great harvest of potatoes. Which we are storing. The snow has already come, and we pray God keeps all the family healthy through the Winter. I am preaching by letter to a distant relative of ours in Germany. Bro Ivan
UST KATAV
I know I have not written for a long time and I feel guilty for this! We love you all very much, and I give greetings from us here, Antonina, Vitaly and Dimitry. Please pray for us, we have some difficult problems. I have focused upon Isaiah 40:31, which says that in the Kingdom of God we will rise up with wings as eagles, above all the present sadness we now experience.
Sis Elena
YELETS
We were really pleased here to learn about the new baptisms in Latvia, may God bless you there in the work going on. We are well here by God’s grace. We are so looking forward to coming to the Bible School, it is such a joy for us each year, thank you!
Sis Nina
I am sorry, but for me it is impossible now to go anywhere because of my wife's severe disease; she suffered cerebral thrombosis (a stroke) a few months ago, so that for the time being she must stay home and be served by somebody. So I wish for the Bible school to go with the blessing of God.
Bro Sasha
SUBOTICA
Sometimes I feel so happy, knowing I have my wife, a Sister, and the children reading the Bible, I feel this is my real ecclesia, my church in my home. I thank God. I am distributing the Hungarian and Serbian What is the Gospel? with encouragement to people to write to your address for more books.
Bro William
Thanks for everything. Thanks for your prayers and love. I feel that I have some friends who can listen to me despite our limitations, which I very well understand. God be with you all.
Sis Gela
I am here in Sweden, although it is hard for Bosnian people here to find work and survive. Please pray for me.
Bro. Renato [ex-Bosnia]
Please keep up the prayers and pressure on UNHCR for our Brother Mojtaba, his situation is serious and there is still no positive response for him. Other Iranian Brothers are in bad situation. And may have to flee to northern Iraq. Brother H is now in Greece, he has lawyer to try to help him. Our Sunday meetings here are going very well. Many are coming and want to know truth. However, one of our Sisters has had problems from the police and she got very scared.
Bro Hussain
IZMIR
I feel the strong responsibility to preach and also to baptize people, to fulfil the great command of Jesus. I feel it as to me personally.
Bro Fabian
Hope everything is fine with you. I always pray for you all and know that we are always in your prayers and thoughts. There are problems with internet again here so I am not able to write often. Everything is well with me, but my mother is still sick. I have news: our sister Bilbil got married on 1st of December. Hope to see her very soon. Our tradition does not allow meeting with her and during 20 days her face should be covered. We so much miss her.. Few hours a week I work at school. I do my hand-made works alone without my mother and sister now. But I plan to make new products and I draw some new designs of them. I also continue my reading and translating Bible Basics. So you see how busy I am. God Bless, I am so happy that we are baptised into Christ. Things are not easy because of the situation here. I am glad the camels we make are in Christadelphian homes! Thank you! I am sending more translation of Bible Basics in Turkmen.
Sis G
KAHOVKA
We are meeting regularly here. We have a few people interested. We are all Sisters and Bro Nikolaj is the only brother and he does the breaking of bread with us every week. We are hoping to come to the Bible School! Thank you for such possibility!
Sis. Nana
POLTAVA
I am writing this having just returned from the hospital. My only prayer is that Jesus will return soon, I strongly pray for this, although, according to God’s will. I am looking forward to meeting at the Bible School.
Bro Vladimir
TASHKENT
I was amazed to learn about the great hurricanes in America. I am wondering what this means from God, whether surely it is the end time, or whether this is a judgment from God? Here things are very hard for me. I recently had a visit from Bro and Sis Stoyanov from Korkino in Russia. As I have no telephone it wasn’t possible for them to tell me in advance, so it was a very great surprise for me!
Bro. Oleg
The situation for us here is really desperate. My son can’t find work, and we get just a few dollars per month in pension, it is hard even to eat, let alone to heat ourselves for the Winter. Please be praying for us, we sincerely ask.
Sis Tamara
