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What we did in Siberia was just a slice of the ongoing mission of the local pastors and churches.  It was our privilege to partner with several congregations this year.  We helped them gain credibility besides equipping them with resources to continue the ministry long after we left.  In turn we were showered with hospitality.  It's time for you to meet some of them.

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Revival Church / Pastor Stanislav-- We have partnered in ministry with them for many years.  A stroke has left him debilitated.  Our group brought a physical therapist, help, and encouragement to this discouraged family.

Pastor Yuri, who's home we visited, has taken over many of Stanislav's responsibilities.  This man needs our prayers as he seeks to follow in Stanislav's footsteps and at the same time use his own unique gifts in ministry.

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Photo compliments of a White Bus friend.

We were impressed by another pastor's ministry as we accompanied him for a day.  One visit was to an orphanage we had been to on previous trips.  It was wonderful to see how the atmosphere has changed there as the Gospel has slowly begun to leave it's mark.  Also a children's hospital with limited resources has been helped along by this pastor and his ministry.  Children found living in the village dump have been taken in by these sites. 

We also got a royal welcome by this man's church at the building where they hold services.  We were served a feast  in the room which operates as a soup kitchen on a regular basis.  The pastor's children provided us with dinner music using a guitar left behind by one of our teammates several years ago.  That instrument is now used to make a melody for the Lord in this rural Siberian village.

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Yet another pastor involved us in his world for a day.  Later we were able to visit his church.  The members had waited there for nine hours for us to come!  Music, prayer, and tea and cookies were part of that visit.  Before leaving, we had to get a group picture outside.  They took the fence down to fit us all in the viewfinder!

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Mom and a woman from a Pentecostal church compared notes on the changes they have seen take place in this little boy at Solomotovo orphanage.  They found that they shared a common concern for him.  Thanks to that woman's involvement in his life, we noticed a marked improvement in his eyes this year.  It makes it easier for us to leave when we know that others will be returning.

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I'd been in touch with Zhenia, a Russian friend in children's ministry, about the outreach of their church.  Because of the generosity of a friend back in the states, we were able to bring loads of gifts for them.  Zhenia was off at summer camp, but her pastor came to see us at the hotel. 

Sitting around visiting, we heard about their outreach to orphans, retired teachers, and immigrants who don't know Russian.  This pastor had been involved in our teammates' prison ministry in the past.  He also had sites he had requested that our bus group visit this year, but unfortunately there were too many places to go. 

This visit was an example to us of what ministry in Russian churches looks like.  We can't help but be challenged...  It was also a reminder that there is so much more we could be doing in their country.  The possibilities for ministry seem endless in just this one little area of an immense nation. 

The work is far from done.  Will you join these churches as they seek to share the light of Christ with a hungry world?

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Last Updated February 15, 2006