Russian Report By Duane Birkey What do you think of when you hear the word Russia? Perhaps words like Moscow, the Kremlin, Red Square, Stalin, Lenin, the Cold War, Siberia and communism come to mind.For me, Russia will now bring to my memory the many people I met and the faces I saw and photographed during my time there. |
|
|
|
It was great to work alongside our Russian brothers as we poured the floors of the church, mixing all of the cement by hand in a big round metal tub.
Mixing cement was a real team effort. While some people mixed the concrete, others carried in sand, gravel, water and bags of cement. |
|
|
But what made the trip even more special for me was the chance to meet some long-time listeners to HCJB’s Russian broadcasts. It was really great to see those listeners as they met team member, Elizabeth Lewshenia. She and her husband, Constantine, with the Slavic Gospel Association, produced gospel Russian radio programs at HCJB in Quito for many years. |
But the most amazing thing happened our first night at the church in Lapsary. The current
church meets in a small, humble, perhaps
Stalin-era, rusty old railroad car next to the new church building under construction.
The service started with the singing of hymns and special music by various people in the church who love to sing. Then our team was introduced and several members shared with the congregation. At the end, the pastor began preaching the sermon he had prepared, and right in the middle of it, a woman stood up and said, "I want to become a Christian." The pastor said, "It is easy to do, just pray and ask Jesus." The woman shouted back, "I don’t know how to pray." |
|
|
At that moment, Elizabeth Lewshenia held Anastasia’s hands and helped her pray to receive Christ. Only after the service did we
realize what a God event this truly was.
This was the first time that Anastasia had ever set foot in an evangelical church. She wasn’t invited to attend the service. She didn’t know that a group from the U.S.A. was going to be there that night. In fact, I don’t think she had ever talked with any of the Russians who attend the church at Lapsary. But incredibly, there was one person there who Anastasia did know. You see, many years ago, Anastasia often visited the home of a woman who listened to Elizabeth and Constantine Lewshenia’s radio programs aired to Russia from Quito, Ecuador. At that time Anastasia wanted nothing to do with God and she tried to ignore what she heard. But God planted seeds in her heart and in a way that only God can do, brought her and Elizabeth back together in a wonderful and truly amazing way. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|