We appreciate all brothers and sisters in Christ who participated in our projects in Tatarstan and Siberia. We offer reports of the work of our group in Tatarsan. Soon we will e-mail information about the missionary work in Sebirea.
We ask you to pray for the next project. A group of our students is going to Beslan (North Ossetia, Caucasus) and will work among soldiers and officers of the Russian army.
We will keep you informed. May God keep you safe!
Summer project in the town of Beresovo, Tyumen region, Siberia, Russia
Beresovo is a settlement with 12 thousand inhabitants, it is a center of a small region. It used to be an exile place, you can not escape from there, it is surrounded by forests, lakes and rivers. Dangers are everywhere, there are wild animals in the forests. There are two schools there, one orphanage, a music school. The orphans are mostly social, it means their parents have abandoned them because of alcohol addiction or imprisonment.
There are about 20 smaller towns and villages with 2000 or 3000 inhabitants in the region of Beresovo. There are no churches there, no ministers, but people go into destruction and there is a great need for evangelism and care. Most of the population are Khanty and Mancy - small local nations. Witchcraft is very popular among them. I believe that one day they will hear the Gospel.
My project started on May, 26. It took me two days to get to Sverdlovsk (old name Ecaterinburg). I was tired, but after an hour and a half I had to continue my trip. It took another day and night to get to the next place.
I was reading the book "The Lord of the Rings" on the train and a young man sitting in the same compartment asked me: "Did they find the ring?" "Yes" - I replied.
We were discussing the book for a while, then he asked me about music. He told me about books he liked. He asked me where I study. He was surprised when I said that I study at the Bible college. He said, only crazy uniformed people study at such colleges who read only the Bible and nothing more. I said this was only his wrong imagination, I am a normal person like others. He said that he had no idea about religion. He tried to read the Bible when he was younger, but did not understand anything and gave up, put the Bible away. I told him about Christ. He asked about Jehova witnesses, Mormons, Islam, Buddhists. I did not know much about other religions that is why I told him about Christ and Christians. Christ performed a great miracle for all people. He saved all who believe in Him from their sins, from hell, gave hope. Non believers think that all this is rubbish, madness, but we believe our Lord and our faith is life for us. "May you go to disco, may you smoke and drink wine?" - he asked. Many people ask such questions. I do not know if we may smoke or go to disco. As for me I do not want. God delivered me from such habits and desires. He has changed my life. This is not about "may", this is about "want". I do not need such entertaining.
His next question was "Where protestants came from?" We talked a little bit about history, about Reformation. "I was mistaken when I thought that Christians are narrow minded people." - he said. I was so happy that my neighbor had learned about Christ and something new and important.
When I came to the river Ob some people met me and took to the boat. It took another 6 hours to get to Beresovo. When I arrived I saw a big crowd of people on the bank of the river. Young people took me to a house when I had to stay. I met the people with whom I had to stay for a month and the local pastor. I was tired but we were talking long.
The next night we had a youth meeting in the church. They asked me to tell about myself, my family, my college, my study at the college, subjects we study. We had a very good fellowship.
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Where we are from:
Olga S.
