New Friends

We have new friends and co-workers on the Russian side of our partnership.

Two couples have come from Uzbekistan where they served the Lord faithfully until bitter persecution drove them out. Please pray that God grants them much fruit for His glory.

The younger couple is Sergei and Nadia Shopin. They are working with youth through the church in Michurinsk (for those who know, that’s where Raphael is pastor). He has a diploma from Tashkent (Uzbekistan) Baptist Seminary by way of a distance learning program of Dallas Theological Seminary. They have no children yet, but Sergei tells me they are asking God for five! We saw them in action at camp, and they do a great job.

The older couple is Sergei and Luba Astashenko. They did not marry until well into their 40's and have no children. Sergei was a pastor in Uzbekistan for about 15 years. He has the same diploma from Tashkent Baptist Seminary and a Master’s from Reformed Seminary in Miami (also a distance learning program). They will be working in the church in Nikforovka (also called Dmitrievka) where Alexei Silkin has been the church planter. Alexei will move to the town of Kirsanov from which he will start a new church in a nearby village called Umyot. This is the first time Luba has ever lived away from the city (Tashkent) where she was born. Their smiles belie how difficult their life has been.

–Jim