Greetings from Moscow on a surprisingly sunny Sunday! Today we’re celebrating the 6th birthday of Open Door Church in Moscow, by the way!!
January in Russia is a fun month for Americans – it’s party time!! We’ve already celebrated Christmas with the western world, and the New Year with Russia and much of the world, and then in January we get to celebrate Christmas with the Russians, and even a second New Year, if you like to party according to the old calendar. Everything officially shuts down for a week in early January --it’s kind of nice to just have a nice long holiday.
I spent that long holiday down in Maikop in southern Russia this year. As I told you last month, Christmas is a very busy time for the Maikop ministry. Before I got there, the Bogomolov family and a lot of volunteers from a couple local churches had already given out somewhere around 630 gift boxes to orphans, handicapped children, children of people currently going through rehab at a nearby rehab center, and needy families. They had also hosted a Christmas party in their home for a group of children with many different needs.
My time in Maikop was spent visiting people – many that I already knew from the past, and some new ones – contacts made through the Christmas gift boxes. Usually my visits to Maikop are a positive time, with some sadness added in, due to all the needs that we’re confronted with, but this visit held much more sadness than usual, it seemed. There was a lot of sickness (some very serious), a grieving widow and her two sons, alcoholism, children experiencing emotional abuse, and a mother who wanted to abandon her children, not to mention the usual depression, poverty, etc. That’s a lot of grief for just one week. Please pray for: Sveta, who is seriously ill; Alla, who is dying; Luba, who is trying to figure out how to support her family; Taia, Slavik and Daniel, who are dealing with abandonment issues, and Julietta, who is trying to take care of them; and especially for Volodia and Natasha who minister to them all, and who are in need of encouragement.
But there were also many good things that happened during that week, and during the Christmas season. A lot of gifts were given out, including many Bibles. People who were discouraged and feeling forgotten were reminded that there are still those who care, and will do their best to help them, and even better – that there is a God who cares about them and their needs. We were able to meet some medical and other material needs through gifts from some of you. And we were able to give a lot of hugs and kisses and even a few snuggles in the name of Jesus – in my opinion those are sometimes just as necessary as a cup of cold water!!
Another prayer request – last week we learned that Luba, a good friend who used to be a part of the ministry in Maikop, but who recently moved to another city, had a stroke. She is paralyzed on her right side, and is expected to be in the hospital for two months. She is not even 50 years old – the stroke was a shock to everyone. Please pray for her recovery.
Last month I told you about the death of a key member of the Maikop ministry – Alexander Petrovich. He had a heart of gold, and spent much of his time, energy and money helping people in need. We visited his wife one evening, and sat in her kitchen and drank tea with her, and just listened. Alexander had bees, and he sold honey, and also gave a lot of it away. His wife showed us a large container of honey from his last batch. He had told her that the honey in that container was not to be sold – it was to be given to the families in need. And it sits in her kitchen, waiting to be given away – even after his death he’s still giving. And as we visited families that week, I was amazed at how many people wanted to talk about him, and what he meant to them, and how much they’ll be missing him. Sometimes when people have died we remember them for their wealth, or great beauty, or acting skills, or political power, etc. I think what Alexander Petrovich will be remembered for is this -- he was just an ordinary guy who let the bright light of Jesus shine through him. And because of that – he stopped being ‘normal’ and became extraordinary. I hope I’ll someday be remembered for the same thing.
Thank you for sharing in this ministry, through your prayers and through your gifts! You are helping to shine God’s light in the darkness!
And check out our field website: www.cmainrussia.org to see what God is doing elsewhere in Russia!
Finances
Thank you for your investment in me and my ministry. The primary investment vehicle to support my work is the Great Commission Fund. Contributions can be made through a local Alliance church, on line at http://www.cmalliance.org/give/ or by sending a check to the C&MA, PO Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-3500. You may designate your gift to support me by writing “for the support of Diane Rorabaugh” on the memo line. This personalizes your gift and helps me be here and carry out my ministry.
You can also support the work in Maikop and other ministries by giving to “Rorabaugh Work Fund” or “Aid to Russia.” Thank you!!
