Perspective

My dear husband, I just read the comment you posted to the Michurinsk Orphanage blog posting. You brought tears to my eyes! Thank you for your grace in allowing me to be here and serve in this way. Thank you for the tender way you LISTEN to our kids. I was telling Jen that I am a HORRIBLE listener, and from you I am slowly learning how to slow down and really pay attention to the kids and what they are saying. Pay attention! That's always a big lesson when one is removed from their normal life. I think how often I just rush around without really paying attention to the things that matter most.

This is a photo from a very emotional moment at camp. It was the last night, and Jim had preached his final sermon, the band was playing "I'm coming back to a heart of worship, and it's all about You, it's all about YOU Jesus! I'm sorry Lord, for the thing I've made it..." Pastor Anatoly called for whoever the Lord was stirring to come forward and repent.

Like in the U.S., "repent" can either mean the first time that a person fully surrenders their life to Jesus Christ, or it can mean a rededication serving the Lord more faithfully. So, both of Vadim's kids were at the camp, and both Yulia (age 10) and Elia (Elijah, age 7) decided to go forward to repent. I was sitting next to Oksana (their mom) and Vadim was up front playing the guitar. Both kids were crying, then Oksana was crying, and Jenni said Vadim was keeping his head down because he was crying. So, later we figured out that it was the first time that the kids had publicly decided to place their faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, Pastor Vadim and Oksana had always taught them the truth of God's Word, but they never pressured them and wanted it to be genuine. So, without their parents' prompting, they went forward, first Elia and then his sister. Then, after praying with the pastors, everyone sat down. It was so sweet to see both kids run to their Daddy's lap and just sob! (Of course,we were all crying!)

Anyway, I couldn't help but see my own husband and own children in this tender display, and it prompted repentance in my own heart! I know it's weird to say that I
have to go away from my children and husband to really appreciate them, but in this case, I really am convicted and humbled to put first things FIRST! To invest my BEST in my marriage, in teaching our children the truth of God's Word,in LISTENING and really paying attention to the people God has placed closest to me.

I love you, Rader, Hunter, and Hadley. Thank you for letting me be here, and thank
you for loving me!--Meg (Mom)

P.S. Thank you as well to the many wonderful family members who are helping Rader in my absence! I heard about Hunter's Monopoly Tournament with Grandpa! Hadley, how exciting that you learned to sew! Bowling with Auntie and cousins was another highlight! Spa-see-ba! (Thank you!)

Let's do the twist!

Here's the promised photo of Jim playing Twister on New Year's Eve!

Nikiforovka

Good Morning!

We just returned from the small town of Nikiforovka (also called Dmitrievka) where church planter Alexei Silkin is the leader of a missionary team and a small church. We visited there last year and had a good Immanuel's Child event with about 25 kids.

Today there were 67 kids, all but a few NOT from church families. That tells us that the repeated exposure of events like this is extremely valuable in breaking down barriers. Every time something like this happens people are forced to realize that Christians are not the ogres that the Orthodox priests paint them to be. When you see the pictures from Megan you'll see that these kids really move the Cute Meter. For most this was the first exposure to the true gospel. As I preached about the birth of Christ I focused specifically on the kids and prayed every moment for the parents who were hearing the message. There were probably 30 adults present, so please pray they respond to God's word applied by His Spirit.

By the way, in our first two Immanuel's Child events we have seen stars from Heritage Bible Church. Bedlam hasn't allowed us to capture very many in pictures, but it's quite a rush to see the star delivered to a child and know the person/church from which it came. The point is that all you do to make this ministry possible really does matter. Our coalition came up with over 700 stars this year, and Anatoly told me on the way back today that they will give out over 1000 gifts in all. The Russian churches understand how valuable the opportunity is, so they too sacrifice to make it as large as possble.

We'll have a couple hours to rest after lunch, then the Christmas Eve service here at the central church in Tambov. There will be many unbelievers present, and after the service they will disttibute Christmas gifts and children's Bibles to about 100 kids. Tomorrow (actual Christmas Day here) we will do the outreaches at Anatoly's church and another location. Saturday is the first time the Christians will have been allowed back into the big orphanage since the new director took over. Please pray this opens the door for ongoing ministry to be restored there.

The illustrated blogs are coming soon, when Megan gets the photos from today's event downloaded. She sort of left her backpack (with camera) in the car she rode in, so there's a slight delay. I know why she was distracted. She persuaded the driver to stop off at the open air market where she bought a big bag of what I call "Chocolate Gut Bombs," likely one of the strongest reasons she returned to Tambov this year. One of the few things that can distract Megan from photography is chocolate.

Hope you enjoy seeing your ministry in Russia vicariously through us!

Jim

Michurinsk Orphanage

As Jim noted, we participated in our first Immanuel's Child outreach today.
Thank you to our generous church family for providing the gifts for these orphans.
All of the tags read "Heritage Bible Church!" Larry, do you recognize your little guy in the front?

It was strange to return to the same orphanage and see so many of the same faces. It was a reminder that their life really doesn't change much. The orphanage was decorated with what we would think of as Christmas trees, but Jenni reminded us that these trees are synonymous with New Year's (not Christmas.) She explained that these kids really DON'T know the very simple truths of the Christmas story. Thank you for sharing the hope and truth of the Bible with these children. Please pray that they would come to know the love of Jesus through the repeated planting of these small seeds. It was encouraging to know that some of our friends from winter camp visit these orphans regularly and are building an orphanage ministry.

Bedtime! We appreciate your prayers for stamina over what will be a grueling next few days! Lots of travel. Tomorrow is Russian Christmas Eve, so these next few days will be filled with hectic holiday activity!
Megan

Team!

Well, I've given myself a midnight curfew (now), and pictures are slow to upload, but here's proof that we're actually in Russia! This picture was taken at camp, on the day that Todd arrived. The youth were busy with a snow sculpture contest, and our devious smiles are because we're plotting to tackle Misha (our translator) to the ground in the snow! (Ahem, I mean, we're the official judges!) All that to say, we're having lots of fun in the middle of all the ministry! --Megan

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

Back in Tambov!

Ah! Internet access! When was the last time that you were completely CUT OFF from all communication!?
No phone, no internet, no ability to speak or read basic signs! That was the case at our remote camp location near Lipetsk. Of course, the inability to speak or read is always the case for me in Russia,but it was new to be completely cut off from contact with family and friends!

Todd and Jen and I were talking about WHY we've made this return trip to Russia, and surely part of it is this PERSPECTIVE! To feel absolutely small before a great and awesome God. To feel out of control,but to know that He is in control! To see how our great God transcends language and cultural barriers.
As camp was concluding last night, the camp director, Sasha came up to us, and through Jenni, told us, "Thank you for coming. Without you, our camp would have been worse." (Had to laugh at the phrasing.)
He added, "We do not speak the same language, but we worked together as one. And this is not because you have a translator, but because we serve a great God who unites us."

Truly EXHAUSTED from a very FULL five days of games, crafts, and NOISE! We have collapsed in our familiar rooms at Truth Church in Tambov, and it feels like a palace! An inner spring mattress is A-MA-ZING!
Can't wait to go to sleep. (We slept on mats at camp that have a very interesting history...let's just say they're a tad worse for the wear. Jenni explained that they are the mats that the trains got rid of because they were too old and worn!) Most of us placed our mats on wooden bed frames, but Jen had a special metal hammock
that I'll let her have the privilege of describing!

We're off to get dinner, and then I'll work on posting some photos from camp! Thank you for praying despite the absence of our communication! We miss you! Hard to believe that Jen and I only have three more nights in Tambov,
and then we will begin the journey home.

Megan!