We Arrived!

Team Tambov arrived safe and sound in Tambov around 9:30 PM Boise time Thursday night. Thanks for praying for our journey. Everything went smoothly with the exception that it appears a computer we brought for one of our Russian friends may have been stolen while our luggage was checked in Moscow.

I'm going to have the first-timers post the blogs for awhile because it's more fun to see through their eyes. Check back often!

Tonight is the New Year's Eve service from 6 to 8, then there's a party with the camp kids from 11 to 3 AM. Not much chance this carcass will be seeing 3 AM in a conscious state. Camp starts on New Year's Day. My prayer request is that my voice will be strong enough for all the speaking. The remnants of a cold have attacked my throat.

Jim

Call In The Teamsters

Our coalition of 9 American churches has been involved with the churches of Tambov for four years now, and we've made great friends with our Russian partners. They know they can trust us and that we will do all we can to help them in as many ways as possible in addition to training them. As Team Tambov prepares to leave we have quite a list of things we're bringing to our Russian friends. I wonder if we can get in trouble with the Teamsters Union for hauling so much stuff without them being involved . . .

320 knitted hats from University Bible Church in Pocatello to give away to orphans
Computer for Sergei Stepanov, who runs an internet radio ministry. (Electronic gear costs nearly double in Russia, so they save up their money and send us their orders.)
Computer for a Russian couple serving in Tambov with TELA youth ministry
Video Projector for the church in Michurinsk and pastor Raphael Atikov
Christmas gifts for our beloved translator Anya. The Energizer Bunny of translators runs well on peanut butter and Cheezits, but we're taking a few more substantial gifts as well.
Craft supplies for Winter Camp
Supplies for silly games we hope to use at Camp
Two American footballs which should be entertaining with kids who think "futbol" means soccer
And if we have some extra room we're going to take some clothes and winter gear for ourselves

Thanks for praying for us. Lord willing, in 19 days and 23 hours we'll be in the air!

No more hurdles!

A trip like this suddenly crashes into the "really going to happen" category of your mind when all the bureaucratic hurdles are cleared.

Our visas have arrived, our tickets are bought, and the clock is ticking toward our December 29 departure. Our intrepid band is planning to unveil our rendition of "Teehaya noach, deevnayah noach!" (Silent Night) in Russian at the HBC Christmas Eve service. Larry, Megan, Rader and Jen are hard at work on planning games, crafts and activities for Winter Camp, and I have a bunch of material ready for preaching at camp and teaching in the Doctrine of Salvation class.

Between Camp and Class comes the main event of our trip, the many Immanuel's Child outreach events we will be part of. Please keep praying for the more than 800 Russian kids who will hear the gospel, almost all of them for the first time.

There are also plans afoot for our team to make an electronic "appearance" in church on January 9. Everything technological is ready for a final test once we're in Russia.

Thanks for praying for us!

Russians reaching Russians

Part of the genius of Immanuel's Child is that it's a way Americans can help Russian Christians fulfill their desire to reach Russians with the gospel. Our resources and their zeal are a great combination! Now some Russian Americans are getting into the act.

Today I was visited by a woman named Luba. In 1988 she and her family (7 brothers, 3 sisters and her parents) were allowed to leave the Soviet Union after pressure was exerted by the United States on behalf of them and many other Christians and Jews who had been persecuted for years. Her brothers were released from prison the day before they boarded trains to leave the USSR. Luba is now part of a small group of Russian-speakers who live in the Boise area.

Luba heard about Immanuel's Child through our radio program and called me a few weeks ago to ask about it. The purpose of her visit today was to tell me their little group of believers has raised over $300 for Immanuel's Child! Even though the deadline has passed for sending stars, I promised her our team will take the money and give it to the brothers and sisters in Tambov for the project. She also wants me (and I hope, our whole team) to visit their group before and/or after our trip.

Please be inspired by the hearts of these people who yearn for their former countrymen to hear the gospel. Pray for the more than 850 kids who will hear the gospel, and for the parents who bring them to the IC events. Each parent who brings kids will be offered a Bible.

Before the IC events start, our team will serve alongside our Russian partners at Winter Camp. I'm doing the Bible teaching and the rest of our team is doing games and crafts. We've been practicing singing "Silent Night" in Russian. We'll be ready to sing at all times as a token of our desire to connect with Russian kids. Our first public performance will be at the HBC Christmas Eve service.

God is good!

For the past two months, our church family has been raising money to purchase stars for Immanuel's Child. For those not familiar with this ministry, each paper ornament costs $25 and represents one child in Russia who will receive a substantial Christmas gift including a Russian children's Bible.  Attached to their gift is this star that says the name of the person from the United States who purchased that gift. Children from around the community are invited to church for a Christmas program. (Our Boise team will be singing "Silent Night" in Russian as part of the program...practice underway!)  Many children hear about Jesus for the very first time! This is one of the most effective outreaches in Russian churches. The children are amazed to receive such generous gifts,  prepared by the Russian church workers with the money that we are now sending.  We set a lofty goal of 325 stars for our church family, and as of this past Sunday the total had skyrocketed past 500 stars! To God be the glory! Combined with the stars from other churches in our coalition, we will get to share the gospel with over 800 children!  Please pray for each of the children who will receive gifts and hear the powerful message of the gospel!

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the GOSPEL which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which you also are saved...For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:1-4

Team is preparing

Our team is Jim Harris, Rader and Megan Eberhardt, Jen Basel and Larry Howell. Please pray as we prepare to depart on December 29. There is lots of work to do!

We will be helping with Youth Winter Camp January 1-4. Jim will teach twice each day and the team will help with games and sports. We'll participate in Immanuel's Child outreaches in 10-12 locations January 5-11, then Jim teaches Doctrine of Salvation to the pastors and church planters.

During our time in Russia we'll take turns posting here as often as we have access to the internet.

Thanks in advance for your prayers!