Your Prayers and Gifts Help Bring Families to Church for the First Time

Yuri R.
SGA-Sponsored Missionary Pastor in Belarus

My heartfelt thanks to you, my dear friends and workers in God’s field! My family and I cannot stop thanking God for your sacrificial hearts, constancy, and sacrifice. Even in difficult times, you have remained faithful and dedicated to the preaching of the Gospel, and because of you we are able to do ministry in our country. 

We continue a lot of work with children and teenagers. Several new children came to our Sunday school from foster families we have been visiting for a long time. 

Basics Class and Bible Workshops

We started a new class to explain the basics of the faith and to tell them about God, since they had not heard anything from the Bible before. And we also held workshops along with Bible classes for kids and teens during the week. The foster children along with their parents came to church, and then we worked separately with the parents and children, teaching them the truths of Scripture. We taught adults and children some skills through workshops and games, and they were very interested. Thank God, people are still coming and have not lost interest! Some of the adults came with their children for the first time to the Sunday worship service. We continue this ministry and hope to see more fruits from it. 

Home Groups and Women’s Study

Thanks be to God, our home group also continues to meet—this is where I study the Scriptures with people. Eduard’s wife has now joined our group. Eduard was baptized in the summer and the changes that have taken place with her husband have made an impression on her. She got interested, and now regularly attends our group and asks many questions. Recently, she has begun to take an interest in repentance and baptism. Pray for her—her name is Galina. 

My wife Natalia held a special service for women called “Woman’s Way,” where more than 70 women received edification, support, and encouragement as they move forward in their lives. They had tea together, shared stories, and prayed for each other. Several women are now coming to church as a result!

As always, I preach at Sunday services and continue to lead home groups, as well as holding regular weekly prayer services. I am thankful to God for my family and their help in ministry. My oldest son, Pavel, now preaches regularly at church, and it’s a great joy for us and the whole church. Please continue to pray for our financial needs, and for our family. We are also praying for you and your health and for all your needs to be filled. May God bless you!