God answers prayers as His Gospel spreads in Russia

Renat M.
SGA-Supported Missionary Pastor in southern Russia

Peace to you, brothers and sisters! I greet you with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ! Some time ago, a man named Anatoly began attending our church services and meetings in a home group. He is disabled, and walks on prosthetic limbs. The problem is that he might lose his family soon. Anatoly’s children did not want to communicate with him and did not want him to stay with them. He came to the church, sure that God would help him restore his family. We began to pray for him and gave him a copy of the New Testament to read. 

God is indeed helping Anatoly. He stays with his family. The woman he is with accepted him. His middle daughter began to talk with him and stopped rejecting him. However, his older daughter is still opposed to him. Unfortunately, Anatoly and his partner have not yet registered their marital status. We tell him that they live in sin and that they have to register their marital status. We told him to repent and receive Jesus into his heart. We continue to talk to him, exhort him, and pray for him, that God would grant them repentance.

Another part of our ministry over the summer was rafting with youth. We thank God for the opportunity. Rafael was a coach. There were two teens—Rafael’s son and Ivan, an unsaved teen. They were encouraged, met with other teens, stayed in tents, and went along the river on the rafts. There was also a camp called Breakthrough for the teens and young adults. Our church teens also participated. 

We have meetings with children and teens every year on the eve of the new school year in order to pray, bless, and exhort them. This year, the Lord blessed us with one more meeting with unsaved children and teens. Our church teens—Daniel, Anastasia and Asya—helped us serve the other children and teens. We see their wish to serve children. A year ago, we served them, and now they serve, and we are happy about it! Children and teens came from different social backgrounds. New children came, invited by other children. Unfortunately, not all the parents with whom we talked would let their children come. Yet the Lord filled the church house with children, and we thank Him for it. Glory be to God for a good meeting! Rafael exhorted the children, read the Word of God, and we worshipped Him with songs and prayed. The central them of the meeting was The Love of God. Children came here from diferrent places in Southern Russia, some of these places are nine miles from us. The children took part in relay races, competitions, and games. We were overfilled with joy, seeing happy children. We praise and thank God. At the end of the meeting, we gave gifts and prayed for them.    

Please pray for Anatoly that the Lord will touch his heart and lead him to repentance. Pray for Ivan and his mother Marina, that the Lord will lead them to repentance. Also intercede for the development of relationships with unsaved parents who allow their children to come to us. Pray for spiritual revival here, and for completion of our church building. We thank the Lord and you, dear friends, for your love and care, for your prayers. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord! May the Lord bless you.