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Women's Event
Witnessing
Story
She was a lady in her 60s, and her name was Tanya (name changed for confidentiality). This was the first time she had been in an evangelical church, and she came with an Orthodox friend. They were both acquaintances of someone in our church and sat at our table with expressions of sheer joy written on their faces.
When they found out that I am an American, they had the usual questions. “How long have you been here? What would bring you here of all places?” When people learn that I am a westerner, most of them cannot believe that I would come here voluntarily. I am usually very cautious in how I respond because evangelicals are viewed with suspicion. But this time I answered that I was here because of my calling to serve God in this land. In short my own and my husband’s work brought us here.
That is why the next question that followed was, “Is this an American church then?” I answered, “No.” Others at my table quickly filled in, “No, this is a Russian church. She just happens to have liked the way we do our services and has chosen to attend here.” More questions followed, which my friend, Olya Medvyedyeva addressed reassuringly. Explanations were given regarding our beliefs and how our doctrines compare to Orthodoxy as well as how our services are conducted.
What followed was a God-ordained opportunity to share the gospel with a seeker of Him. Tanya, our guest, shared a story about how when she was a girl she had been given a cross which had been specially blessed by a priest. But because she grew up in communist days, she did not understand the meaning behind it and had promptly tossed it away into the garbage.
Only years later, when Orthodoxy again began to take root in Russia, did she recall what she had done and bitterly regretted it, wondering if God could ever forgive her for the wrong she had done. My friend, Olya, was able to share with her the story of the prodigal son, illustrating the extent of God’s love for us. Then she went a step further and asked, “Now, I have a question for you. Are you able to forgive yourself for what you have done?” Tanya answered with tears in her eyes, “I am not sure.”
As the evening progressed, it became evident that Tanya was desperately seeking a place where she could experience God’s loving presence. Both she and her Orthodox friend exclaimed over and over that they felt so loved and accepted among us women that evening. Tanya was so moved that she responded with an immediate “yes” when she was invited to join us for services the next day.
Before Tanya left that night we were able to offer her the opportunity to join a women’s Bible study which will be starting up this spring. Several of us also were able to pray with both Tanya and her friend regarding some of the needs they had requested prayer for.
As I reflect on this event, I realize I play only a small part in the bigger picture of God’s plan for the lives of those he is calling to Himself. Yet even in that little piece I feel so blessed to be a participant in bringing God’s love to the women whom He brings across my path. Please pray for these two women and others with whom I work that they will make decisions for Christ. And thank you for helping us push back the darkness in our corner of the world.
Dear friend,
Praises
• Our family was able to share Christ’s love through caroling and Christmas cookies with two unbelieving families in our neighborhood on Christmas Eve.
• Dinner (witnessing opportunity) with our landlady & landlord.
• At the December 19th women’s event in our church, two unbelievers who sat at Wendy’s table were able to hear the gospel message for perhaps the first time – see the story in the attached word document!
• The presentation and NCD (Natural Church Development) testing in Stavropol was well received and went smoothly.
• We have been able to enjoy some days of rest over the Christmas & New Year’s break.
Prayer Requests
• Utmost priority: Pray for our visa trip January 11-16. There have been not just a few, but a myriad of details which have “gone wrong” surrounding this trip. Please pray against the work of the enemy.
• Pray for a spiritual hedge of protection around us & our family.
• Urgent: We need a visa miracle. Will you pray with us for God’s specific intervention on our behalf? The main organization we normally receive work visas through has not been granted permission to invite foreigners for the year 2010. This has been disheartening for us. Please pray that this organization here would be granted permission to invite foreigners despite the recent rejection. Please pray for us as we explore other visa options and seek the Lord’s guidance on this issue.
• Pray for Wendy as she participates in a gathering of pastors’ wives along the Black Sea coast on January 8-9.
• Pray for Steve as he travels in late January to consult with three different churches about NCD.
• Pray for continued opportunities to share the Gospel with our neighbors and friends.
Thank you for remembering us in prayer!
Steve & Wendy Lovell
Partnering with us financially:
1. The Great Commission Fund is the basic fund from which we receive a monthly allowance. When you give to the GCF in our name, you are helping support us directly.
2. Lovell work of fund enables you through us to contribute to the church-planting efforts happening in South Ossetia. It also enables you to sponsor the women’s ministry efforts which Wendy has been involved in as well as the English club outreach to unbelievers. This fund is currently low. Ministry funds are needed.
3. Lovell vehicle special is a tax-deductable fund which helps us to purchase and maintain a ministry vehicle. The vehicle belongs to the mission, but we are responsible for raising funds for the initial purchase as well as ongoing insurance and repairs.
4. Lovell Outfit is a fund that helps cover one-time purchase items which are the result of our highly mobile missionary life. For example, we will need to purchase a new water filtration system this spring.
If you would like to give toward any of our expenses, make a check out to the Christian & Missionary Alliance, write the fund you would like to give to in the memo line and send it to: The C&MA, P.O. Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO 80935.
To contact the office by phone, please call (866) 443-8262.
You may also give online by going to http://www.cmalliance.org/give/
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