The Truth Spreads In Russia
A difficult visit has been made to north central Russia, and to cut a long story short, 3 days later SERGEJ and IRINA were baptized into the Lord. They live in poverty and we were able to give them some welfare support. Many of these highly remote areas were settled during the Soviet period in an attempt to 'open up Russia'. People went to live in places that really can't sustain much human habitation, and were largely supported by State subsidies. Now the subsidies have gone, but the people are left living in these remote places attempting to survive by subsistence farming. The growing season is so short. Sergej and Irina are out in the fields planting potatoes at the moment, hoping for a good harvest by the end of the summer, which they will store and live off through the long winter, rationing them and their children to a few potatoes and carrot each day. However the long winter and sudden rise in temperatures has resulted in major flooding which is making their sowing very difficult. Please pray for them.
The collective farms [kolkhoz] where people once worked are now all broken down and not supported by the State any more, so there is no employment there, subsistence farming is the only way. With Winter temperatures averaging -45 degrees centigrade, life is miserable and alcoholism rampant.
We drove and flew down to southern Russia, near the Chechnaya border. We met with an active ecclesia in the area, and were pleased to baptize NATASHA. With all health care now having to be paid for, so many have urgent requirements for operations and medicines which they just can't meet. Sis Natasha has a baby who is very sick; she returned from the doctor's with an X-ray scan and prescription for an operation, but she has no money to pay. She is partially deaf and there is little work in the poor village where she lives.
We were able to give some help, and also to Bro Sasha for treatment required for his wife. We can only do this through the generosity of your continued support and we and they so appreciate it.
Bro Sasha reported further about Bro Vladimir, who he says has been persecuted by Orthodox priests and unfairly imprisoned on a trumped up charge. He asked if we could send food for him to our Brother's wife, as conditions in the prison are awful. Any who would like to send some food parcels should please contact us. Bro Sasha also reported regarding the problems of our Bro Nikolaj in Chechnaya. His house was totally destroyed in the fighting but the State won't give him compensation as the house was in the name of a relative who was killed. He is apparently living in a ruined house in Grozny, but recently visited our Bro Sasha.
From southern Russia we flew via Moscow to Udmurtiya, an autonomous region next to the Moslem republic of Tatarstan. Here there lives ANDREJ, a long-term contact with an excellent knowledge of Scripture. Andrej had attended the winter Bible School in Kazan but needed to be more sure about the issues of the devil and the non pre-existence of Jesus. Now he is sure; he has carefully researched all the doctrines of the Truth in great detail, and it was a pleasure to visit and baptize him. We promised to pray for his unbelieving family. We give thanks to God our father and ask for your continued prayers and support as the Gospel spreads literally into every corner of the earth.
