A Hart 4 Russia

Ministry News...

JULY 10, 2007

1. NEW HEIGHTS WITH THE SUMMIT
In May and June, two separate groups came from The Summit Church in Little Rock to minister in Krasnoufimsk, Russia. The first group was able to reach out to students through leading an English Club, sponsoring of a cultural competition centered around American holidays, ministering to invalids and special needs patients, and hosting nightly meetings to get to know the people of the city. In addition to staying in Russian homes, they were able to host luncheons each day to meet leaders in different professional fields and dialogue about future plans. The second group led a week-long English Camp for teenagers. Everyone seemed pleased with all that was done. It was a wonderful time of building relationships and sharing lives. Please join in praying for these relationships to continue to grow and for the ministry to progress.

2. FUN IN ALAPAEVSK
First Baptist Church of Hot Springs, Arkansas got a rare opportunity to experience mosquito season in Russia. During their time visiting the city of Alapaevsk, the became close acquaintances with these pesky little Russians. In addition they were able to meet nightly with fellow believers, minister in local orphanages and schools, tour city museums and historic places, and even do some newspaper interviews. Though the week went by very quickly, the team will be remembered for a long time because of the good impressions they made everywhere they went.

3. PHARAOHS FOR A WEEK
Our family got a rare privilege as we took a few days of vacation and journeyed to the land of Egypt. We were able to snorkel in the Red Sea, visit the great pyramids, view the treasures of King Tut, ride four wheelers and camels in the desert, visit a real Bedouin village, and enjoy endless hours in the sun by the pool. For a look at some of our adventures, click on this link to our Egypt photo album.

4. JULY/AUGUST PLANS

Our team will be going full throttle during July and August as we welcome four teams from the States. Please join us in praying for these groups as they minister in various ways around the oblast:
FBC, Fayetteville, AR- July 13 through July 21;
Children’s Ministry Team- July 20-August 1;
Dallas Ministry Team- August 3-10;
FBC, Hot Springs, AR- August 18-27.

MARCH 26, 2007

1. GOD WILL MAKE A WAY
A wonderful team from Nashville, Tennessee found out that God really does make a way! Trying to communicate with hearing-impaired children is always quite a challenge, but the team did a remarkable job of breaking through the language barrier and touching lives. By sharing love and even testimony, young lives were truly touched in Nizhny Tagil. We would ask you to pray for the director of the school in Nizhny Tagil, that God would protect him from attack and provide clear guidance in his life. He has become a dear friend and has agreed to become our contact person for the city. Please pray for God's blessings to fall on him.

2. SPRING BREAK 2007
Spring Break means many things to many people. To students at the Baptist College of Florida, it means an annual mission trip to Russia. For the second year, we were privileged to host this group. They spoke to university students in Krasnoufimsk and Alapaevsk, building bridges for future ministry and opening doors for continued partnership in both cities. Pray that the work done in these two cities would continue to spark interest and that many of these students would come to Christ in the coming days and months. Also pray for these students to be able to share their experiences with others and help grow another team for service next year.

3. POLAND-HERE WE COME!
The Harts will be joining other families serving with the IMB for our annual meeting in Poland. This week is a time for renewal, gaining new tools, and evaluating where we are in the ministry. Please pray for all involved that God would speak to us, that hearts would be stirred, and that weary bodies would find much needed rest.

4. SPECIAL INVITATIONS
Many joined in praying for our official Letters of Invitation to be issued in time for our trip to Poland. We received word two days before departure that they were ready! Praise the Lord! Thank you for praying. As a result, we will be able to receive our new year long visas while in Poland.

5. SING IT AGAIN
Monday, March 26 was a day to remember! Rusty and Lori were privileged to be special guests of the city of Nizhny Tagil at their annual Young Talent Contest. Children and youth, ages 7-14, from all over Russia and the Ukraine gathered for three days to compete in vocal competitions. Attending the Gala Concert was enough to prove to us that the talent of Russian young people is extraordinary! It was an amazing experience. Our hope is that next year someone from America will join us for the contest and actually compete. If you are interested or know someone who might be, just let us know!

MARCH 13, 2007

1. MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN
The week spent in Alapaevsk was truly a miraculous experience. A firm relationship was established and many doors to future ministry were opened. Though the temperatures dipped to around –20 degrees Fahrenheit, the team shared the warmth and love of God everywhere they went. To hear more about the miracles that took place, click here and read the full report.

2. A SPECIAL TOUCH
We will be hosting a group from Tennessee March 11-17 that will be targeting very special children who happen to have hearing impairments. They will be working in Nizhny Tagil (the second largest city of the oblast) and in Ekaterinburg. Please pray that they will be able to form relationships with the children and will be able to touch these young lives in a very special way.

3. STUDENTS REACHING STUDENTS
For the second year in a row, we are being blessed by having a group of students from the Baptist College of Florida join us for Spring Break, March 18-25. They will be meeting with students across the oblast, engaging them in dialogue, and seeking to move the students closer to God. They will be working in Ekaterinburg, Krasnoufimsk, Loseeny, and Alapaevsk. Pray that these young people will be able to make a huge impact on their Russian peers and open doors for many to hear the Gospel message.

FEBRUARY 20, 2007

1. COOKIE FACTORY HEATS UP AGAIN
Valentine’s Day is a growing holiday here in Russia. It really only came into existence following the fall of Communism. We take this holiday every year as an opportunity to share the love of God with people. In our usual fashion, we baked over 250 decorated sugar cookies and distributed them to all the adult teachers and workers at the girls’ school. We put some key verses about God’s love in the goodie bags so that God’s Word would go everywhere the cookies went. We were even able to address all 60+ adults as our family presented them with the cookies and shared just a brief word of thanks and love. One of the teachers immediately came to us and said that he was so thankful for our love, for the love he felt in his heart, but most of all for God’s love. It was a great reminder to us that we get the blessing of being able to touch lives and help people move closer and closer to God, the true giver of love.

2. UNCHARTED TERRITORY
February 24 – March 3 we will be hosting a group from Hot Springs, Arkansas. They will be taking the leadership of reaching out to the city of Alapaevsk, Russia and working with Ilya Obvintsev, who is trying to plant a church there. There is presently no Baptist church in Alapaevsk and only two small evangelical congregations in the entire city. Please pray for this team as they seek to establish a relationship in the city that will allow them to carry the name of Christ to those who have not heard and provide light to those in darkness.

JANUARY 26, 2007

1. CHURCH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: WOW!
The first week of December saw seven pastors from Arkansas come and help us present the very first Church Leadership Training Conference ever held in the city. For three days, believers from over fifteen churches gathered for training and inspiration. It was the unanimous belief of all involved that these Arkansas pastors were really angels! It may have been only our first attempt, but people have already begun asking how soon we can have another conference.

2. THANKS FOR 2006
As we greet a new year, I wanted to take a moment and thank you for all that you did to make our work here in Russia so successful in 2006! Without your help, we would not have seen the many blessings that last year brought to us and to the people of Sverdlovskaya Oblast. So from the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you!

We eagerly wait to see what God is going to do in 2007! Many of you have already committed to join us again in ministry and we are so thankful for your willingness to continue in ministry with us. Let us remind you that the most important thing that any of us can do is PRAY. Please remember to pray for the people of Sverdlovskaya Oblast, for all the groups that will be coming over to help us this year, and for the power of God to under gird all that is said and done. We know that with the prayers of God’s people and the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through everyone involved, we will see great things in 2007!

Thank you again for all you did in 2006! We are honored to serve alongside you as your missionaries and your hands in Russia.

With our deepest thanks, Rusty and Lori Hart

3. NEW YEARS- RUSSIAN STYLE
We were able to host the young people from our church on New Year’s Eve and Day. This is without a doubt the biggest holiday of the year in Russia and we were honored to get to be a part of it. We gathered around nine o’clock in the evening and cooked, fellowshipped, and had a great time together. At midnight, we watched President Putin’s address to the nation, screamed and congratulated each other on another year, and then prayed together for God’ blessings in the new year. Then the food began! We ate and ate and ate. When we just couldn’t hold any more, we sat in a circle and gave testimony to how God blessed us in 2006 and what we learned from the year. It was a great time as we celebrated victories and cried together about the tragedies of the year. Then, the games began. We laughed until we all thought we would burst open. Following more food, movies, games, and a little sleep, everyone left our apartment about five o’clock in the afternoon on New Year’s Day. What a great way to ring in the new year!

4. MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christmas in Russia is on January 7 (Rusty’s birthday!). This year, we were able to have several of the children from our church join us for a special overnight Christmas party. We were able to rehearse our skit and song for the Christmas Day service, have a special Gingerbread House decorating contest, and eat ourselves absolutely silly! It was a really great time! To read more about Russian Christmas, you can look at our longer explanation of celebrating the season here in Russia. Click HERE.

October 12, 2006

1. HEARING THE GOOD NEWS!
For two weeks in September, we got to better understand the joy that God must feel when He grants health to His children. A team of Audiology specialists from Vanderbilt University joined us for work in four schools for hearing impaired children around the state. Words really cannot adequately describe the feeling of helping children hear! One little boy started yelling “Loud! Loud! It’s so loud!” When teachers and helpers began to ask if he needed the hearing aids turned down, he finished his thought by saying, “NO! It’s loud. I can finally hear! I can hear!!!” In the course of a week, the team treated almost four hundred children and gave out over one hundred and ten free hearing aids. What a blessing!
The following week another team arrived from Tennessee. They followed up in the same schools and helped us try to build relationships with the children and the teachers. It was also a tremendous success! Their gifting helped them make new friends at each turn and helped us to truly take leaps and bounds forward in our ministry in this new area. As a result of the two teams, we hope many are now ready to truly hear the good news for the first time in their lives!

2. PRAGUE IN THE FALL
Our family has the wonderful opportunity to spend three weeks in Prague this Fall. We are studying the importance of strategic planning and developing a plan to help the people of Sverdlovskaya Oblast (our state). It is also a wonderful time of meeting other people serving all across the former Soviet Union. Pray for our family as we learn from our colleagues and finalize our strategic plan.

3. NIZHNY TAGIL NEWS
In September, as we hosted the team of Audiologists from Vanderbilt, our desire to minister to the people of Nizhny Tagil took a huge step forward. You will remember that Nizhny Tagil is one of the cities that we have on our target list for 2007. The biggest problem for us in working in the city has been that we don’t know a single soul there. Within fifteen minutes of arriving in the city, we met the assistant superintendent of schools for the city. After hearing of our work in other cities, he invited us to meet with leaders of the city administration, including the Mayor, to pursue a partnership. Hopefully, this meeting will take place in November. Please pray that this meeting will come about and that we will be able to officially partner with the city to improve life in the city for Christians and non-Christians alike. Join us also in thanking the Lord for opening this door.

4. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Sometimes it’s hard to believe what is happening! As Rusty was leading a group on a tour of one of the areas tourist attractions, a small group of men approached. They listened a few minutes and then asked if they could join the tour group. They finally informed us that they were a film crew from National Geographic in Russia to film a new special on the Romanov Family and asked if they could film Rusty’s tour as part of the special. Unbelievable! The special is scheduled to premiere in the summer of 2007. Be sure and watch for it!

5. TAKING CARE OF US
Many wonder if the International Mission Board takes care of those of us who work overseas. Our answer is absolutely! In mid-September, Rusty and Lori joined others for a special marriage retreat. It was a wonderful time of renewing commitment to each other and better understanding how to improve marriages. We are very grateful to the IMB for providing this great opportunity and ministry to us.

August 29, 2006

1. HELP WANTED
We are looking for YOU in 2007! As we prepare for ministry next year, we are looking for people who are interested in getting involved in something great. In 2006 we are blessed to have ten groups coming from America, but we need more in 2007! Won’t you pray about joining us? Take a look at the opportunities and possibilities. You can come alone, with a small group from your Sunday School class, or a large group from your church. The bottom line is- WE NEED YOU in 2007!

2. KEY CITIES IN 2007
Our team has identified the five cities that we believe God wants us to target in 2007 for ministry. These new cities will be added to those in which we already work. We will be trying to gauge the spiritual climate, assess the current spiritual condition and identify any existing churches. We will then begin prayer efforts for these cities, asking God to do something miraculous. Finally, our goal is to take groups into these five cities and engage them in evangelistic church planting. To learn a little about the KEY CITIES of 2007, click here. For more information about getting your church or organization involved as a partner with one of them, click here. Please join us in praying for these new works!

August 27, 2006

1. GREAT GATORS!
There are times in life where hearts bond quickly and lifelong friendships are formed. That happened for us two years ago when Lois Houk arrived from Westside Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida. She brought her second group to Russia in July and brought some wonderful new friends into our lives. The group was able to spend an entire week working in a local orphanage, painting and remodeling the building and working with the children. Reports continue to come in about the outstanding work that they did! Special thanks to Laurie, Dorothy, Marji, Bill, and Lois!!! What a ba-a-a-a-d group!

2. MEETING SPECIAL NEEDS
We were very privileged in July to have an exploratory group from Nashville, Tennessee with us. Dr. Fred Bess and Bob Hartman were here making plans for a return trip in September to work with children who have hearing difficulties. All of the visits went extremely well and the groundwork was laid for a wonderful two weeks of ministry in September.

3. OLD FRIENDS
Some groups are really more like family than groups! That is the case with the group from Macon, Georgia who ministered in the city and state in July. As official guests of the city of Ekaterinburg, they toured orphanages, shelters, nursing homes, and hospitals. They were able to distribute hundreds upon hundreds of Bibles. There work here is a great blessing to all of us! We are hoping that in the future we can join them in their work and begin to follow up on the contacts that they make in new cities across the state. Please pray that God will allow this to happen.

4. TO THE END OF THE ROAD AND BEYOND
Life is an adventure, especially when you live in another country. But we have not had an adventure quite like the one we had the first weekend of August. Two of the city administration members from Krasnoufimsk invited our family to the “dacha” (cabin) for the weekend. We literally drove to the end of the road and beyond. It was absolutely beautiful, sitting at the base of a mountain, a creek flowing down through the serene valley. We grilled meat and had a trip to the Russian “banya” (bath house or sauna). Here are just a few photos of the weekend. The highlight of the time was these two friends inviting an American into the city to work with those who would like to speak English and helping the city. Pray that God will send us such a person!

5. TIME AWAY
We were very blessed in August to be able to take a few days of vacation in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was a great time for us to see the beautiful sites of this once capital of Russia and also to visit with some good friends and fellow co-workers. It was also a great time to rest, which we really needed to do following a long, hard summer. For a look at some of the trip highlights, click here.

6. UP AND RUNNING!
August 20, 2006 is a very special day for our ministry. It was the official start of the new church in Krasnoufimsk, Russia. We have been working with our team member, Aleksei Maksimov, there for quite some time in sowing seeds and preparing the soil. This month saw the beginning of regular church services. Please pray for Aleksei and his family and for this new church!

7. SPECIAL SEPTEMBER
We have two groups coming in September that are going to make a “special” impact on both the city and the state. Partnering with the new city team, we are hosting two teams that will be working with special needs children. Dr. Fred Bess and Bob Hartman will be returning September 17-23 with a team from Vanderbilt University to do hearing screenings and free distribution of hearing aids. The following week, September 24-30, a team of workers will follow up by providing the children and their parents with special instruction in how to deal with handicaps and with God’s love for all of us. Please pray for their safe travel, for all trip details, and for their effective and meaningful ministry to these special kids and families.

June 19, 2006

1. LOTTIE MOON OFFERING SETS RECORD
Thank you for giving through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering to reach a lost world! We are excited to report that Southern Baptists gave a record amount – $137,939,677.59 – through the 2005 offering. Your faithful giving enables us and more than 5,100 colleagues to continue our work and to support new colleagues coming to join our efforts. Lives have been changed because of your giving. Last year we, along with our overseas partners, baptized more than 459,000 new believers and planted 17,000-plus churches. Also, 137 people groups had access to the Gospel for the first time. We are grateful for your faithfulness! Please continue to partner with us to complete the unfinished task. For those of you who aren’t Southern Baptist, don’t fear. You too can give to support this offering, of which 100% goes overseas and into Kingdom efforts. To find out more, click here. If you aren’t even sure who Lottie Moon is, click here to find out more about one of the greatest missionaries in history and why this yearly offering carries her name.

2. SUMMIT GROUP REACHES THE HEIGHTS
A group of 23 from The Summit Church in Little Rock journeyed to
Russia May 26-June 3. Their assignment was to begin a partnership with the city
Krasnoufimsk. The only word that really comes to mind about what happened is
“amazing!” God opened the doors for a great relationship with the mayor and city administration, which paved the way for work in local orphanages, schools, hospitals, and ministries. Nightly services were held at the House of Culture and saw numbers of attendees increase each night. During the last night, the mayor and city officials attended a farewell dinner and expressed great desire to see the partnership develop and grow. To see just a little of what the team was able to accomplish, check out these pictures.

3. CHOIR SINGS GOD’S PRAISES
In a land where the name of Jesus wasn’t spoken for almost 75 years, a
Choir from First Baptist Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas, boldly sang and proclaimed the Good News! Spending ten days in Sverdlovskaya Oblast, the choir was able to perform multiple concerts, minister in orphanages, work with homeless children, and encourage local pastors and church leaders. Pray for God to take each word that was sung and continue to use it to change the lives of those who heard.

4. POLISH PLEASURES
The Hart family will soon join around 900 missionaries, currently serving
in the former Soviet Union and eastern block nations, for our annual meeting in the beautiful countryside of Poland. Please pray for spiritual renewal, great opportunities for training, and heartfelt times of fellowship (something few and far between for missionaries in this part of the world).

May 30, 2006

1. CHURCH GROWTH AT IT’S FINEST
TeamSOAR believes in seeing churches grow and the Kingdom increase. In our efforts, we boast two new members. Yura and Katya Kulikov are the proud parents of a new son, Christopher, and Ilya and Nadia Obvintsev are the parents of a new daughter, Lena. We are so proud of these two young families, the commitment they are making to the Lord, and the lives that are being changed through their ministries. We congratulate them on these new additions to the family!

2. MOVING ON UP
Some of you will remember a friend of ours, Andrei, who has become an accomplished violinist in Russia. Picking up the viola late in his youth, Andrei displayed a gift from God and quickly became well known in the Ural Region. Winning the national string competition, he was privileged to study with the finest in the field in Moscow. While in Moscow, he joined one of our colleagues in planting a new church among the arts community. Well, his journey continues. He will be moving to the Netherlands in September to begin studying and playing in the national symphony orchestra there. We are very proud of him and look forward to great accomplishments in the future.

3. SAYING THANKS
Our work at the Loseeny orphanage took an interesting turn recently when we hosted a special appreciation dinner for all the teachers, workers, and orphanage administrators. Rusty prepared American food (including banana pudding), our team performed a concert of spiritual music, and we shared applicable thoughts from the Bible. The director remarked that this was the first time anyone had ever done something for them. People come and help the children, but no one ever cared about the adults. Pray for these leaders. Their labor is hard and often goes unnoticed, but they play a crucial role in helping establish a church in the village and in bringing up these precious orphan children.

4. JOINING HANDS IN MINISTRY
We were recently able to meet the mayor of Krasnoufimsk, Russia and establish a relationship. He was very gracious in inviting our groups to be guests of the city. Pray that this partnership will benefit the city of Krasnoufimsk, the existing churches in the city, the new church plant currently underway, and the Kingdom.

5. VICTORY DAY 2006
A previous article addressed the great importance of this national holiday here in Russia. We were able this year to spend the day at a traditional picnic with many of our friends. The day featured a Russian barbecue, games, and lots of fun! To catch a glimpse, take a look at these pictures.

6. LAURA GRADUATES (STEP 1 COMPLETE)
May 25, 2006 is a very important day in our family. Laura takes her first official step to finishing school. In Russia, there is an official graduation ceremony following the conclusion of your ninth grade year. Laura was chosen to sing on the program and was obviously one of the leaders of her class. This ceremony marks the end of the state requirements and allows people to either chose to continue to study or move into the work sector. Of course, Laura will continue to study and will receive her official diploma from school in two years, when she completes the eleventh grade. For those of you who know Laura, take a quick look at her. We are very proud of her!

May 9, 2006

1. BRINGING HOME THE GOLD!
A team of 29 students and five adults represented our school at the Regional International Student Convention held recently in Moscow. Students from Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia competed in English language competitions during the week. When all was said and done, our school had won 52 medals, meaning that those students had placed in the top three in their events. It was the most ever for our school! In addition to the medals, we learned some valuable lessons about not only talking the talk, but also walking the walk. Pray that God will use these experiences and the lessons learned to draw all of those involved to a closer walk with Him. To see a glimpse of the convention, click on this link.

2. PAVING THE WAY
We are currently preparing for two teams that will be ministering in Sverdlovskaya Oblast during the months of May and June. The Summit Church in Little Rock, Arkansas will be with us from May 26-June3. They will be working in Krasnaufimsk, Russia assisting with the planting of a new church there. A choir will follow them from First Baptist Church of Hot Springs, Arkansas. They will be performing concerts across the oblast, sharing the Good News with everyone they meet. Please pray for us as we plan for these groups. Also pray for them as they make the needed arrangements and honor their financial commitments. Let’s ask for God to do something way beyond what we think is possible! After all, we know that nothing is impossible for Him!

3. VICTORY REMEMBERED
May 9 is a very important day in Russia. It is “Victory over Germany Day.” While the entire world celebrated the end of World War II, it has extremely deep meaning here in Russia, where the Germans were exceptionally brutal. The German goal in Russia was to not only defeat Russia, but to destroy it’s heart. They set out to do this by destroying national treasures, desecrating churches, and brutalizing the people. This brutality was seen in the blockade of St. Petersburg, where most of the city’s population starved to death. While in Moscow last week, we were able to see the place where the Germans left their tanks and weapons and fled. It was scary to see just how close they came to capturing Moscow. So here, the victory symbolizes the fact that the nation was saved from sure destruction. Had Moscow fallen, there is almost certainty that Russia would not exist today in it’s present state.

4. SINGING HIS PRAISES
Rusty and Pasha have begun work on a brand new CD. The new release will feature a wide range of songs from contemporary Christian to Russian traditional hymns. The goal is to have the new CD ready for distribution by mid-June. Please join us in praying for the production of the CD, entitled “You Raise Me Up,” and for God to use it in a mighty way.

5. FAREWELL DEAR FRIEND
We wanted to take just a moment and just give tribute to a dear friend who has gone home to be with the Lord. John Dresbach has been a friend, inspiration, prayer partner and so much more to us for many, many years. His leadership in the Arkansas Baptist State Convention has impacted not only Ministers of Music, but also staff members in all areas. His constant support of our family since we moved to Russia in 2002 has been such an encouragement and help to us. He will be greatly missed!

6. THE PAST MEETS THE PRESENT
Our family had the privilege of visiting the ancient Russian cities of Vladimir and Suzdal at the end of April. These cities date back to the eleventh and twelfth centuries. We were able to see incredible masterpieces of art and even were able to attend a concert presented on Easter Sunday by the Suzdal Men’s Vocal Ensemble. The cities are located in what has come to be known as the Golden Ring, a ring of cities that surround Moscow. Their history is remarkable and their churches and other buildings stand as a testament to the Russian people and to the God, who has stood by them even in the midst of oppression and darkness. For a short tour of these magnificent cities, click on this link.

7. SAVE THE CHILDREN
Children in Ekaterinburg are facing a major problem… a mysterious flu bug. Schools all across the city have been closed until May 10 to try to prevent the spread of the sickness, which is now in epidemic proportions. News reports say that at least four children have already died from this new strain of flu, which is not controlled with existing flu shots. Please join us in praying for the children of Ekaterinburg.

April 13, 2006

1. LAURA TURNS 16!
It is hard to believe, but our Laura is now sixteen years old! As the presents began to fill the apartment, it was obvious that everyone loves her. Flowers, candy, gifts… what a joyous day it was! And we certainly can’t forget to mention all the cards and emails that came in from America! Thank you all for making it such a special week for her. If you would like to see just a little of our celebration, then click on this link and take a short peak at our baby!

2. GOD SETS PEOPLE FREE
Our personal ministry in a local orphanage began almost three years ago and has now grown to include many members of our church. One of our local college students, Zhenya, began building a relationship with one of the older boys at the orphanage. At first, he was very closed to our words and admitted that there was no room for God in his life and he couldn’t even admit that there really was a God. Though we saw no visible improvement in the situation, the boy remained in our small group meetings as we discussed the Bible and its application in our lives. On one of our visits, we were told that this young boy was being sent to prison. Unable to continue our discussions with him, Zhenya felt called to an incredible level of prayer on the behalf of this young imprisoned orphan. She began to pray for God to make our words come alive in the heart of this young boy and help him open his life to God even in prison. Recently word came to Zhenya that our young friend has realized the value of all that we taught. Sitting in prison, God has set him free! For us this has been a great reminder that we can never underestimate what God can do through our willingness to serve Him, that the power of prayer is able to work in absolutely all circumstances, and that God is still in the work of drawing all people to Himself. We praise the Lord for this young college student and others who have joined us in ministry and are seeing God change lives through their willingness to serve!

3. SINGING HIS PRAISES
We were able to embark on a new journey this month by doing our first in a series of evangelistic concerts in cities that we are targeting for church plants. The first of these concerts was in Krasnaufimsk, Russia. Our Russian team member there, Aleksei, did a great job of logistically preparing for the concert and making sure that the city was saturated with publicity and information. We had about 60 people at the concert, with about half of those being unchurched people. The response was tremendous as people lingered and talked with Aleksei and he was able to share about small group meetings and future ministry opportunities. Pray for Aleksei and his family as they build on these new contacts, pray for these people who heard the Gospel message, and pray for the city of Krasnaufimsk.

4. SMALL THINGS…BIG DIFFERENCE
Many of you are aware that we have been really praying for God to help us with our internet bills! At the present, we are not able to have a regular phone line in our apartment and so the internet is our only source of communication in many instances. For many it seems silly to think that God would really care what we have to pay for internet services, but we have just been burdened about the large amount of money that we see going out each month. Well, God heard our prayers! We were notified last week that our internet provider has been sold to another local company. The great news is that the new company is much larger and our rates will be dropping tremendously. In fact, we will be paying about one/fourth of the previous monthly costs. Just a reminder that God is even interested in the small things in our lives and He is in control of absolutely everything!

5. LOVING ON LOOSYA
Several years ago we met a young woman named Loosya. She had come to a recovery group in the home of one of our dear friends, Galya. Unfortunately, Loosya wasn’t ready to hear the message of Christ and wasn’t ready to give up her life of drug addiction. She was recently sent to prison for the third time. While she was there, she came face to face with her life and realized that if she was ever going to change her situation, she had to be the one to initiate the change. She contacted Galya and begged for Galya to pray for her. She came back to church for the first time in almost two years. Pray that God will touch Loosya and set her free from drugs, that He will finally have control of her heart and her life, and that He will use her greatly to impact the lives of other drug addicts here in Russia.

6. EASTER EGGS FOR EVERYONE
Easter in Russia will be on April 23 this year. As a result, we will be making Easter egg cookies for many, many people. This year in particular, we will be reaching out to children at our church, a local orphanage, and students at our school. Join us in praying for each child and adult who receive a cookie bag, that they will open their hearts to God this Easter!

7. AIDS in Russia
One of the greatest problems in Russia right now is the escalation of HIV/AIDS cases. It is now estimated that between 860,000 and one million Russians are HIV positive. There are now over 331,000 officially registered AIDS cases in the country. Eighty percent of these cases are in young people between fifteen and thirty years old, and another six percent of the cases being children. Pray for the salvation of these young people and for the moral situation in Russia to be impacted by the Good News of Jesus Christ.

April 3, 2006

1. STUDENTS REACHING STUDENTS… A SUCCESS

March 19-25 saw a group of six students from the Baptist College of Florida and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary arrive in Ekaterinburg, bringing great enthusiasm for sharing the Gospel. They were able to share and encourage local student believers and then lead them in an evangelistic outreach event. They also had the opportunity to speak on three college campuses around Sverdlovskaya Oblast (our state) and share openly about their faith. Perhaps their greatest impact was in the lives of their interpreters. What a blessing to see the interpreters gain new vitality in sharing the Gospel message and see others take great steps toward making a profession of faith. There is no doubt that the effects of this group will be seen for many years to come.

2. INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S MUSIC FESTIVAL

Rusty and Hannah had the privilege of becoming US Ambassadors. Yes, that’s right! They represented the USA in this international festival sponsored by our state (Sverdlovskaya Oblast). There were representatives from fourteen countries involved in the festival- Italy, Armenia, Estonia, Kyrgistan, Moldavia, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Austria, Russia and the USA. Performing in four concerts before thousands of people, they were able to make new friends all over the state. As Hannah sparkled on stage, everyone wanted to meet the Americans. Please join us in praying that this festival and all the contacts it provided will open doors for further ministry. Click HERE for pictures!

3. FIRST TEACHERS, THEN STUDENTS

Spring Break usually means a time of rest for teachers and students alike, but not in our school in Russia. The English teachers participated in a weeklong training conference. It came as quite a surprise when the leader of the conference asked us about teaching the Bible during the week. The focus of our time was on relationships with God. First of all, stressing the importance of each teacher settling his or her relationship issues with God. Then secondly, sharing with the teachers the importance of giving their students not only a quality education, but also a heritage in faith. While education gives us tools for the future, only God can give us hope, love and life. Pray that these teachers will find God and then find ways to lead their students to Him.

4. PRAYER PAVES THE WAY

There is nothing more foundational to the ministry in Sverdlovskaya Oblast than prayer. We would ask you to begin praying now for two very important groups that are heading our way early this summer. The first group will be from The Summit Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and will be working to help get the church plant in Krasnaufimsk rolling! They will work in children’s ministry, orphanage ministry, music ministry and other areas. The second group will be the Adult Choir of First Baptist Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas. They will be performing concerts all across the state, touching each of the churches that we are involved with. Please begin praying now for these teams as they prepare to come to Russia, for our Russian team as we make all the necessary preparations, and for God to do something absolutely extraordinary!!!

March 18, 2006

1. GOING FOR THE GOLD

While many people think of Siberia as a place of emptiness, there are some people who now have new decorations in their Russian homes here. During a recent meeting at Ural State Polytechnical University, an amazing fact came to light. During the recent Winter Olympics in Torino, three USPU students received Olympic medals. In addition, the last summer Olympic games held in Athens saw six more medals awarded to USPU students. What a tribute for a university and a city!

2. GLAD TIDINGS CHURCH

Glad Tidings Church of Ekaterinburg recently celebrated it’s tenth anniversary. Rusty was invited to sing during the special worship service commemorating the birthday, where the President of the Russian Baptist Union, Yuri Sepko, was the featured speaker. It was a great time of strengthening bonds between our ministry and pastor Aleksei Anatolievich, and also with the Russian Baptist Union leader for our state, Anatoli Mihaelovich. Join us in praying for God’s blessings upon this church and for a strong relationship to be forged between all our hearts.

3. FIRST GROUP OF 2006- A HUGE SUCCESS!

The first group of 2006 arrived in Ekaterinburg on March 12-19. Dr. David Smith of Brewton-Parker College and Dr. Evans Whitaker of Anderson University journeyed to Ekaterinburg to dialogue with local universities about the possibility of foreign exchange programs. Successful meetings were held at the Institute for International Relations, Ural State Polytechnical University, Ural State University, City School #216, and the Gallery of Modern Art. Each of these meetings was fruitful and a great experience for all involved. Additional meetings with students, local pastors, church members, and other proved highly rewarding and insightful. Please join in prayer for the continued negotiations relating to these exchanges and for the planning of future trips from these fine institutions.

February 27, 2006

1. POTENTIAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS

In partnership with the city team for Ekaterinburg, we are hosting a group of college Presidents March 12-18. Representing Anderson College in Anderson, South Carolina and Brewton-Parker College in Vernon, Georgia, the team will seek to establish relationships with local universities and institutes in hopes of creating an exchange program. This program could provide a huge step forward in witnessing to the over 400,000 college students in the city. Please join us in prayer for the success of these meetings and the establishment of this exchange.

2. STUDENTS REACHING STUDENTS

A group of students from the Baptist College of Florida will be with us March 19-25 as part of a Spring Break missions trip. The focus of the trip will be student evangelism, but we will also take time to acquaint the group with all of the ministry that is currently going on in the area. Please pray for fruit in this outreach effort and also for God’s blessings to fall on all involved. Pray especially for Russian students who will be working alongside the American team to catch a vision for evangelism.

3. OLESYA GETS MARRIED

Many of you who have worked with us for these last few years have met our good friend Olesya. On February 11, Olesya got married! While our family was in the States last fall, Olesya met a wonderful man named Dima. They fell in love and are now man and wife. The good thing is that we didn’t lose a co-worker and friend, we gained another wonderful brother.

4. STUDENT CONFERENCE IN MOSCOW

The last week of April, our entire family will be part of a delegation from our school to the International Student Convention. Preparations are already underway. Students are competing in poetry recitation, music, drama, sports, puppets, and more. The difficult part of the task of preparing is that everything must be done in English. The good side of that is that everything must have a spiritual tone to it. The children are now learning praise choruses in English, beautiful religious poetry, etc. Please join us in praying that they will learn more than a few English words, but will experience the magnificence of the God that inspired them.

5. THE GREATEST MIRACLE OF ALL

We have begun training interpreters to work with our groups this year. This past week, we were translating the Gospel message using the “Good News Bracelets” that are so common around the world. The boyfriend of one of our interpreters came just to sit in on the class and listened very attentively to the presentation. Afterwards, he remarked that he had never heard that message before. Before the night was over, Pasha had prayed to receive Christ. It was just a reminder to us that we never know how God is going to use us or when. We just need to be available and ready for absolutely anything!