Valery Sidorenko reports from the Yakutsk Region of Russia.

The Students learned about Christ’s love for them.

My wife Valentina and I have lived in Yakutia for 34 years. Recently, we began traveling to outlying villages and towns in the region for ministry. Our plan is to visit the existing churches in our region to encourage them, and to help them begin different ministry outreaches. We want to help strengthen God’s people so they will be able to share the Good News and the love of God with the lost. In that way, new souls will be added to the Lord’s church!

One weekend this past November, my wife and I flew to the village of Nyurba located 500 miles from Yakutsk. It was very cold in the plane, and the engines labored very loudly with a lot of vibration during the flight. Our suitcases were with us on our seats. But still it was much better than driving to Nyurba on a bad road for 16-18 hours in the cold, and without warm places to stop on the road. It would have been so much worse for people of our age and for our backs!

One of the places we visited was the village of Antonovka where one of the ladies we met is a teacher. Svetlana Mihailovna invited us to her home along with three of her unbelieving relatives. We witnessed to them about faith in Jesus Christ and about miracles that the Lord has done in our lives. Svetlana also invited us to come to her school and tell the children about Christ! The church sisters also talked with the village administration seeking permission for me and Valentina to go to the local school to have a Bible lesson for children. Permission was granted, so we went to a school located not far from Nyurba.

The children were eager to listen to the lesson and the songs.

When we arrived, another teacher was waiting for us and she invited us to come into her class right in the middle of the lesson. We joyfully taught a Bible lesson for her class of seventh graders. We shared with the children about the Lord and sang songs in the Yakut language. All the children were smiling and were very open to fellowship with us. Then we went to another room where children were gathered together from several classes and were waiting for us. We told them about the Lord, sang for them, and prayed for God’s blessing on both the children and the teachers. The next day, Svetlana invited us again to come to her school in Antonovka. About 65 older children were gathered in a large auditorium, where we shared with them about God, salvation through Christ, and faith. Then my wife had a session with the girls while I talked to the boys about Jesus and prayed a blessing over them.

We are so grateful to you for your love toward us, and toward the people of Yakutia. Thank you for your desire to participate in the work of the Gospel, and in building up the church of Christ. Thank you, and please keep praying!