The Watch

Addiction Rehabilitation Center in Volgograd

The small room was crowded and Dima's expression made it very clear he didn't want to hear what the American Christians were saying.  He nervously leaned against the back wall then shifted over to stand against the stair rail.  Gary, one of the GAiN team members, was talking to the men about addiction recovery.  He spoke of God's love and forgiveness (the Gospel message), inviting each one into a relationship with their Maker.

Gary was acutely aware of each person in the room, their expressions and demeanor.  He was drawn to this troubled young man huddled in the back corner and made a point of speaking to him after the group presentation.  As Gary gently conversed with Dima, the Spirit prompted him to do something out of the ordinary.  Gary took off his watch and gave it to Dima.  As he handed the watch to him, Gary explained to Dima that he would commit to pray for him every day.  In turn, Dima promised to give careful consideration to the direction of his life and the path he would take in the future. Dima's eyes flooded with tears and one big tear trickled down his cheek as he stood thinking about this generous, loving gesture by a complete stranger. The hard shell a destructive lifestyle built around him, began to crack ever so slightly.

The exchange of the watch and the promise took place in early February, 2011.  Gary did not share what he had done with any of the team members but quietly went home and faithfully began to intercede for Dima on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day. Months went by and there was no communication from Dima or anyone at the Rehab Center, but Gary continued praying for Dima's heart and his future.

Fast forward 10 months to mid December 2011.  As Gary was working in his bee warehouse, he removed his newly purchased watch and set it on top of a stack of boxes.  One of his employees walked by, saw the watch and asked if it was new. Up to this time, Gary had not divulged the story about Dima to anyone.  Sensing this as a "divine appointment", Gary took the opportunity to tell his employee about Dima, the gift of his other watch and the promise to pray.

The following day after Gary relayed the watch story to his employee , an email arrived from Nastia, one of the volunteers who worked at the Rehab Center.  Gary's heart leaped for joy as a tear ran down his cheek when he read the heartfelt message.  Dima wished to express his sincere gratitude for Gary's prayers and support.  He had finished the rehab program and became "a strong advocate for Jesus Christ".  God answered Gary's prayers by renewing Dima's heart and mind.

Knowing he would be back in the Volgograd region in February 2012, Gary replied to Nastia's email in hopes of somehow arranging a meeting with Dima.  But Jehovah Jirah (God the provider) was at work because the Rehab Center in the Hidden Village was already on the schedule for a visit from the GAiN team.

Gary and Nastia, the volunteer from the Rehab Center

February 2012 - our team traveled by bus as far as possible to reach the Hidden Village where the Rehab Center is located.  From that point on we rode in cars and vans taking turns on the snowy path which was 3 miles long.  The cars slipped and slid in and out of snow ruts but we all made it eventually.

All the residents were waiting for us to arrive in the dining hall. Emotions ran high in anticipation of meeting Dima and hearing his testimony.  Our team did the usual performances (including the comedy skit) which seemed to bring great joy to the residents.  After the director and several other residents spoke, everyone was served a delicious hot lunch of meat balls, mashed potatoes, pickled tomatoes and baby pickles grown in their own garden from the seeds we brought them last year!  The Rehab Center grows much of their own food and has goats, chickens, cows and geese to help train and feed those who come here to make a life change. 

Gary and Dima's reunion

Finally the moment came when Dima and Gary were reunited.  A warm hug and deep expression of gratitude for Gary's perseverance in prayer spilled from Dima's heart.  His face, as you can imagine, was shining with the light and love of Christ dwelling in him.  Dima shared that he never forgot the commitment Gary made to him or the promise he made to Gary.  He continued to say, knowing Gary was praying for him made a huge difference.  Dima graduated from the program and is now going through training to become a counselor for others who come seeking change in their lives at the Rehab Center. 

People often ask, "Why do you spend so much time and money to go on these trips?  Do you really think you can make a difference?"  The answer is yes, we know from stories like Dima's that a faith filled person can and does make a huge difference to someone who is lost, hurting and seeking change.  I would not trade all these wonderful experiences with God for any amount of money, fame or pleasure.  When you step back after a trip and ruminate on what took place, you know without a doubt, you've been on the front lines where God is working!  There is nothing more satisfying in life than serving Him with like minded people who have a heart for the lost and a passion to follow wherever the Spirit leads.

Dima's peaceful countenance

Not only does a follower of Christ make a difference in the lives of those who are seeking, we also have profound impact on each other. Gary often leads devotions and always challenges us to walk out our faith and to never say no to God!  Serving with passionate, mature Christians keeps us sharp and the fire in our bellies we carry home compels us to even greater service to our wonderful Messiah, Savior and Lord.

Would you prayerfully consider stepping out of your comfort zone to reach out in Christ's love to the least and the lost?  What have you got to lose?  Perhaps the most exciting experience of a life time awaits you.....will you go?  Will you make the sacrifice, leave your comforts at home and take the Good News to those who are dying to hear?  I challenge you to consider this!  You will never be the same! 

Alexander Frost in Kalach

It was still snowing when we left the hotel.  The temperature was -23 with a bone chilling wind whipping our faces.  The short walk from the hotel entrance to the bus was enough to take your breath away.  Climbing onto a warm tour bus brought life into us as we started the hour and a half ride north, to Kalach.  Our destination was the Leader Youth Center where about 80 teens gather after school to develop various creative skills. As we neared Kalach, the bus stopped to pick up a young man wearing a black cowboy hat and a suit with a bright green neck tie. Pastor Alexander Moroz (which means Frost in English) joyfully boarded the bus and I noticed there was something very special about him.  Sasha (nick name for Alexander) was beaming with excitement as he conversed with Igor, our Russian leader.

Sasha has cerebral palsy however he does not let his disability stop him from doing anything!  The love of Christ oozes out of him and he has a charming spirit that invites people in. I was immediately drawn to Sasha because of his fiery passion for the Lord.

Growing up in Siberia, near the Arctic Circle, Sasha was well accustomed to the cold.  So much so, he did not wear his coat half the time and never did wear gloves! At age 12, he was reading everything he could get his hands on about religion, searching for the Truth.  Someone gave his mother a Bible and invited her to church.  He started reading the Bible and attending church as well and gave his heart to the Lord.  Attending  technical training school in Kalach brought him from the frozen tundra to the Volgograd region where he later attended Bible School. 

Pastor Alexander's church first met in a cemetery!

Pastor Sasha is now working on a University degree on top of all his other duties as pastor of the only church in Kalach!  I asked how we could pray for him because he is a little discouraged about his church.  He keeps baptizing new believers and they leave town and move to Volgograd.  His intense blue eyes sparkled as he stated his first request, a wife! Sasha needs a helper for the ministry and of course wants to have a family as would any 31 year old man.
Would you join me in praying for the struggling church in Kalach and for a suitable wife for Sasha? 

We spent the day at the Leader Youth Center where Pastor Sasha knew many of the students and staff.  Two musical presentations were planned for us, one in the morning with older students and one in the afternoon with younger students.  There was everything from accordion playing to violin, ballet and singing.

Every note this girl played was perfect.

Each performance was better than the last and the perfected skill of these young students was admirable.  My favorite was a very young ballerina who toe danced for us in a gorgeous gold costume.  She was a little apprehensive because this was her first public performance.  You would never know it was her debut because every step and sweep of her arms was impeccable. Unfortunately, the video of the "Tiny Dancer" would not upload, but it is on my Facebook page.

Mitch doing the water trick....that didn't quite work that day!

After the students performed, our team put on a show for the kids.  This is the first time I've been with a team so full of talented people.  Mitch, our airline pilot, performed some amazing magic tricks like disappearing handkerchiefs, rope tricks and of course the disappearing water trick.  The tricks usually worked well, but occasionally they didn't.  However the audience didn't know the tricks failed because we had some "clowns" on the team who make it look like it was all part of the act. 

Dandy Don singing "Cool Water"

Following Mitch the Magician, was our very own Cowboy singer, "Dandy Don" from Tennessee.  Each day Don would wear a different cowboy shirt, neck scarf and his cowboy hat and boots.  He was quite the attention getter and brought a small guitar so he could sing for the audiences.  Although Don sang in English, the children and adults seemed to enjoy the melodies of the cowboy tunes.  Many of the kids and adults wanted their picture taken with the American Cowboy!

I was "recruited" to be part of a comedy skit.  We performed the wordless skit at just about every place we visited and it brought loads of laughs from young and old alike.  The skit was about a hypochondriac who was waiting in a doctor's office with a tooth/head ache.  As he waits, three more patients come in with different afflictions which he "catches".  By the time it was my turn to enter, the hypochondriac (played by Methodist pastor and funny man, Mike) not only had a headache, but also a horrific itch, sneezing fits and was vomiting into a hat.  I played a very pregnant woman who sat down next to Mike.  As soon as he saw me, he jumped up and ran out, screaming.

Enter, the pregnant woman.  Note the wig!

 Later, we added another act which was an adorable little clown who taught the kids a silly song.  I have some pictures of her in later posts.

After all the programs the kids were excited to meet with us so we divided up into several groups and were able to spend time with them talking about our lives, our faith and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Each student received one of the CarePacks we put together which contained the letters written by Americans.  My group was sent to the military training room where there were pictures of guns covering the walls. The teachers in this room were all dressed in black.  I shared my father's testimony of how he went from being an atheist to a passionate Christian after a near death experience on his way home from Korea.  I had pictures of Dad in his uniform and and one from later in his life.  The contrast of his expressions in the photos tells a story in itself.  Because of recent restrictions, we were limited in what we could talk about in the classrooms, but we were able to express how much God loves them and how He has changed our lives.

Sorting it out

Sunday morning dawned and the team gathered for devotions and prayer at 7:30 am.  This was a daily routine before breakfast and the most critical time of the day for us to lay our plans before the Lord.  Afterwards, we enjoyed a good, hot, Russian breakfast buffet with choices of salads, blini, sausages, fried eggs, potatoes and cheese pancakes.  A host of baked goodies were also available along with various fruit juices, yogurt, sliced oranges and the option of Vodka or Wine!  This is the first hotel I've ever been in that offered "adult" drinks at breakfast.  Coffee and tea completed our delicious breakfast.

Olya, Galina, Inna, Julia, Lena and Tanya

After a brief orientation meeting we were introduced to our delightful and talented interpreters.  It is absolutely critical to our mission to have trusted, reliable interpreters who will accurately translate for us.  Igor, our in country staff person, has the job of finding these folks and he is very good at it.

A couple of the girls had worked with our team before so they knew exactly what to do.  The others quickly fell into place because without them, we would not have a way to convey the love of God to anyone. We are always very grateful to God who sends the most incredible people to us.

The team is divided into small groups, each with a leader and an interpreter.  My group consisted of me, Don (the singing Cowboy) and Helen.  While we took time getting to know our delightful interpreter, Lena, we also shared our lives and pictures with her so she knew how to present us to groups.  A very special bond develops in a small group and particularly with the interpreter.  It's like ripping off on an arm when we have to say goodbye to them at the end of the trip.  I have made some life long friends with interpreters from the past and I think Lena will also be one of those people I keep in touch with through the years.

A very substantial lunch was served to all of us then we embarked on our first adventure to Transfiguration Church to sort and pack the aid we brought in by suitcase.  For quite a few years, GAiN has not been able to ship containers into Russia, so we bring a lot of things in by suitcase and also purchase as much as possible in country before the team arrives.  There is a couple from Tennessee, Bob and Becky, who come over weeks in advance of the mission to purchase specific items the various sites have requested.  They also arrange transportation to the various cities we are working in and then we deliver the items in person when the team visits the site.

Suitcases unloaded, aid sorted on tables.

The suitcases we brought from the States and boxes of items purchased in advance were unloaded, sorted and repacked taking great care to ensure each site got what was on their "wish list". 

Suzanne preparing the letters from Americans

We also assembled "CarePacks" which consist of school and hygiene supplies. Tables were set up in buffet fashion and team members walked around with gallon size zip-lock bags filling each one with the necessary items.  This is a great bonding experience for everyone not to mention a tremendous amount of fun.  Each person was assigned a particular job and with a lot of hard work, it all came together in a few hours.  Our interpreters were included in this fun fest which made them feel like they were a bigger part of the mission.

By the time we were finished and had everything loaded, it was getting late.  The marvelous ladies of the church prepared a fantastic dinner for us of mashed potatoes and chicken Kiev along with hot tea and various sweets to complete the meal.  After a good time of packing, eating and cleaning up, we dawned our coats and headed back to the Hotel for a good night's rest.  Oh, did I mention it was cold?  Very cold!  The average temperature while we were there was about -22.  It was snowing when we left the church and continued to snow all through the night.

Assembly line for CarePacks

Journey to Volgograd, Russia

January 27, 2012

Uniting with team members at JFK was like a family reunion!

 Departure from JFK airport in New York was the smoothest I've ever experienced!  The weather was perfect and every team member arrived in time to make the overseas flight, which was a miracle in itself.  The Siberia team and Western Russia team totaled about 34 participants who traveled together to Moscow. Once we reached Moscow, the Siberia team departed for their flight to Izhevsk and we flew on to Volgograd. 

Suzanne and Nuper, veterans from the Volgograd team.

There was one hitch clearing Passport check in Moscow.  One of our female members' visa had her listed as a male.  It took about an hour of negotiating, but she finally made it through, whew! The rest of the team waited in the baggage claim area, praying that she would not be sent back to the States.  When Cheryl, Igor and our team leader appeared from around the corner, we all breathed a huge sigh of relief and praised God with shouts of joy!

Much to everyone's great surprise, every piece of checked luggage arrived with us in Volgograd!   I know there were many folks praying for the luggage - a big thanks to all of you!! In 14 years of travel with GAiN, this was a first!! 
After  38 hours of travel, our team arrived by bus at the Yuzhnaya Hotel.  A sack dinner was handed to us as we headed to our long awaited rooms, hot showers and soft pillows!  Sweet sleep in a horizontal position gave us the much needed rejuvenation for the vigor's of the following day.

After a 5 year sabbatical from winter trips, my head sank into the pillow wondering what adventures God had in store for me in Volgograd and why He brought me to this place.  This was the third year in Volgograd for most of the team, so in a sense I was one of the "newbies".  As the trip unfolded and I was welcomed as a valued team member, I began to see God's hand at work and came to at least partially understand why He included me with this incredibly talented team.