Camp Results

We'll never know the ultimate results of things like Winter Camp until we see them in eternity. That said, the visible evidence of camp was gratifying.

Before I preached last night one of the missionaries asked me to give an invitation at the end of the sermon. Not knowing for sure the culture, I urged kids to respond if God was convicting them then I turned the meeting over to Pastor Anatoly. When he finished and prayed, 10 of the 45 campers came up and prayed with him. He told me later that 6 of them repented for the first time and 4 wanted to commit or re-commit to new levels of serving Christ.

One of the 10 was Natasha. At HBC you've seen her picture from last year on our slides before church with the caption "Natasha still needs Christ." Jenni told us she has been gradually moving in the right direction, and it appears God moved her to commit her life to Him at camp. I choked up when I told her I had been praying for her for a year.

There are other stories whose details I won't post for all to see, but it's always humbling and joyful when God moves in hearts and changes lives by His grace through His Son. He always uses His word and His people. For the four of us this Winter Camp was one of those special times when we were part of something far beyond anything we could do. Thank you for praying for us and for the kids. Now, please pray for abiding fruit in the lives of the kids who responded.

On our way back to Tambov we participated in the Immanuel's Child outreach at an orphanage in Michurinsk. Watch for photos and a blog from Megan. As it was last year, the generosity of the people in the Tambov Coalition churches in America provided so many gifts that we don't have time to attend all the I.C. events, but they're making sure we get to some of the choicest ones--the orphanages and some of the larger gatherings. In the blur of hearing the schedule I think I heard we'll be at 7 all together. The Russians are doing many more, inviting well over 700 kids in all. Anatoly told me today that over 90% of the kids they bring to I.C. events are not from church families and have never heard the gospel.

Our final stop today was the church building under construction for Anatoly's church in Tambov. It's great to see it enclosed! Please pray for the funds and manpower to complete it in 2012. Once the ground floor is completed, the church will move in.

Thanks again for praying for us, and don't stop now. We're well and forging ahead with full days every day. The blogettes should keep you supplied with reading for whenever you're able to visit here again.

--Jim