Most Kind and Loving God, our Dear Heavenly Father ~ Thank you for the vitalizing gift of life on this new day. We are astonished that a great door is open for us to enter that will give access to the source of eternal life. We are humbled when we consider that Jesus Christ already paid the high price for our free gift of eternal life. Give us wisdom as we patiently live in this world and look forward to receiving our eternal reward. Help those who have not yet accepted this beautiful invitation of Christ to do so without delay by having faith in Him and obeying the Gospel. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
The place where the church meets is situated in the center of a large city park. One should never miss an opportunity to have some fun on the playground equipment.
Following our worship, we once again enjoyed the hospitality of the members by sharing a little food and getting better acquainted.
We had some people missing, but we had a visitor to our service. Valentina had previously visited once before when we were in America. We have an appointment with her for an individual Bible study this week.
Yesterday we decided that since we didn't even have water for flushing as we were getting up and getting ready for worship service, that we would walk the block to McDonald's and take advantage of their 06.00 opening time for breakfast. Just as we were getting ready to leave we heard the sound of water coming up the pipes. But, it was too dirty to use, nevertheless we filled some buckets and the tub just in case we needed water when we got back home. When we came back later in the afternoon, we discovered that we have nice clear running water again! The maintenance crew got their work completed. We are thankful to God for water! Isn't it pitiful the way most of us just take it for granted most of the time.
These two-toned crows behave and sound very much like their one-color counterparts in North America. Did we have two-toned crows in Minnesota? Maybe someone can refresh my memory.We saw on the news last night that former Lithuanian President Algirdas Brazauskas died yesterday. We remembered how we returned from Ukraine in 2000 and there was a message from him on our answering machine inviting me to come and work as a missionary in Lithuania and guaranteed that we would not have the kind of problems we had in Magadan. After we left Magadan in February 2000 following a long period of being detained and going through a trial, we applied for and received a new visa to return to our work in Magadan. We took a trip to Ukraine while we prepared for our next work in Russia's Far East. While we were in Ukraine, the elders of the North Atlanta got in touch with us and told us that our visas to Russia had been revoked with no explanation. We returned to America and North Atlanta suggested that we go to Almaty, Kazakhstan since they were just getting involved with a mission work there. We applied for and received visas to Kazakhstan. However, when we arrived at the airport with all our stuff to live for 5 years, we were denied entry with no explanation. We had to return to the States and start all over again. We lived in one of those extended stay motels while trying to find a place for our next work. After much prayer and consultation with North Atlanta, our sponsoring church at that time, we decided that since we had just been in Ukraine, why not go there and help begin a church in a city where there was no previous mission work. We got visas, but then when we arrived at the airport in Kiev, we were also denied entry to Ukraine with no explanation. Galina was not actually denied, but we are together. We began praying and I started sending out letters to countries that we felt like would have a substantial Russian speaking population and where the Churches of Christ had little impact. Some Russian speaking people in Argentina suggested that we come there as well as Canada and New York City/New Jersey area. And then, this gentleman in has place of authority at the time, made that nice call. However, at the time we heard the message, we had suffered the agony of being denied entry into two countries - one to Kazakhstan and even Ukraine refused us to enter the country. We were never told, but deduced that this was due to Russia's revoking our visas. So, we prayed and decided that since we had no visible support for work in Lithuania, we would take jobs in America while we continued to pray for entry back to Russia. However, that did not come for me until 6 years later. During those 6 years of being denied a visa to Russia, Galina was able to make four trips out to Magadan to encourage the church. Also, while preaching for the church in Cedar Key, Florida from August 2001 until September 2008, I regularly preached sermons to the church in Magadan over the telephone and they had their phone hooked up to speakers. It was a crude, but effective means of staying in touch so they would not lose the momentum that had been developed during the times we were living there. Galina stood in one room of our house while I stood in another room and she interpreted while I preached. We are very thankful for the many people who have helped us achieve some of our evangelism goals, and that includes this official who stuck his neck out to invite us to his country. He is the same person who helped modern Lithuania gain their independence from the Former Soviet Union. We also have the highest gratitude to the modern country of Russia for issuing us religious worker visas for 3 consecutive terms. Hopefully, you didn't get too bored with this little history lesson of part of our mission activities. I am always thankful and amazed that God has people in high places around the world. Thanks for your prayers.
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