RUSSIA May 11th - June 3rd 1996
Harold Myers and I arrived in Vladivostoc ("Vlad") on May 12th at 8:00
pm after stopping in Seattle, Anchorage and 3 Russian cities. The sun
was still shinning and would until around 10:00pm since Vlad is located
on the same latitude as southern Oregon. (we would learn to appreciate
the late sunset as it gave us opportunity to minister late into the night
and still make it home before dark!) We easily made it through customs
with our bags of medicine, literature, care packages and gifts and emerged
from the little room to an awaiting Mike Ciegelski, the World Harvest
missionary who was taking care of our in-country logistics. He was accompanied
by a couple from one of the home groups he is overseeing and a driver.
It was good to see him and even better to see the driver!
We drove for about 40 minutes. I was picking Mike's brain for information
about the city, the church, our living situation, etc while Harold, sitting
in the front (later wishing he hadn't after seeing an accident and many
near misses!) was working on his Russian with Andre the driver. As we
approached Vlad, we began to see the giant apartment complexes that house
most Russian families. Some of them are 9 stories high and several city
blocks long. We pulled in behind a smaller building and dropped off Harold
at the one room flat of "Pasha" that would be his home for the next three
weeks. It was a little awkward as Pasha was not home and the neighborhood
was likened to a "seedy" area in any large city! Harold did not like the
idea of being left there alone - and I didn't blame him! - but this was
just the first of many instances where we were forced to trust in the
Lord and in the judgement of our hosts.
We continued down the road about 4 miles and pulled behind one of those
giant buildings where I would stay with "Volodia" in his 2 room flat.
He was there with two of his friends, Kostya and Yuri, and I was fortunate
because my host could speak only a little English and Kostya was a translator
(Harold's host Pasha knew maybe 5 English words!). In scouting out the
apartment I came to the kitchen - an 8x8 ft room with a broken refrigerator,
an electric stove, a sink and a small table. On the table was the only
food in the house - 3 slices of stale brown bread, sugar and some tea
bags! Not knowing the availability of food, the prices, my host's financial
situation, etc., I thought at that time it was going to be a long three
weeks! However in reality there was an abundance of food available to
buy but the prices are the same or higher than they are in the States
while the salaries average $200.00 per month! Therefore most families
are forced to survive on a diet similar to and often worse than they were
used to during the communist era - a sad testimony after 5 years of capitalism
and democracy.
Both Harold and I slept well that first night which was an answer to prayer
and a great blessing (usually it takes 2 or 3 days to get over jetlag).
Our first day was spent getting to know our hosts, shopping for food,
scouting out the city and learning the transportation system. There are
4 major ways to get around Vlad; Bus, Trolley Bus - an electric bus on
wheels that connects to overhead wires, Tram - electric rail transport
similar to our trollies and Electrichka - an electric train. All of these
cost around $0.20 per ride and there are no transfers allowed. There are
of course private cars and taxis but few can afford these . Hitchhiking
is common and for $2.00 one can go just about anywhere the busses travel.
We always took the local transport except when it was raining or when
we were in a hurry - a luxury most could not fare.
Some of the lighter moments of the trip were spent on these various forms
of transportation. The tickets were purchased from a lady that would make
her way from the front to the back, squeezing through the crowds to ask
each for their money - an impossible task during rush hours. There are
only a few seats and most stand holding on to a bar. Everytime the tram
or bus would start or stop, somebody - often the ticket lady - would lunge
forward or back, grabbing for whatever they could just to stay standing.
When the transports were full, people were so pressed in that they need
not hang on but only lean into the bodies next to them! It was a strange
feeling being so up close and personal with perfect strangers!
We found ourselves ministering in a number of different ways during the
course of the trip. We were invited to speak at a Technical Institute
to students of International Business. They were all studying English
 and Mike had been teaching some classes
using the gospels as a textbook. (While the opportunity is diminishing
more and more, teaching English is still an excellent way to get into
Russia for longer terms). We intended to continue in the book of Luke
where Mike left off but the students were too busy asking us questions
of one kind or another. We were invited back three different times to
speak, two different times for parties (once to eat "bleenies" - Russian
Pancakes - and once to try different Russian desserts!) and we took a
number of students and the teacher out to dinner once. Each encounter
ended with us presenting a part of the gospel. Two of the students had
begun to attend one of the home fellowships and we had the others thinking.
Praise the Lord! We need to remember these students in prayer.
Much of our time was spent investing time in fellowship and counselling
with the local believers. Many in the body are suffering from divorce
or separation, unemployment or underemployment, uncertainty and despair
on a level that most Americans will never experience. Realizing the struggles
and trials of my brothers and helping them through some of them gave me
a different perspective on the trials that I go through. How I praise
the Lord for His goodness toward all of us who believe on Him. And we
saw the joy of the Lord in the brethren as we ministered to them from
the word, worshipped together and bore each others burdens.
We visited an orphanage and took to them care packages that the children
of Northstar Community Church had prepared for them. This particular facility
housed children from age 4 to age 8. We sang songs, shared a little from
the Bible and distributed gifts . They were blessed but I think the majority
of the blessing fell on us. That particular facility was in excellent
shape and obviously well funded but there are others in the region that
are not so fortunate. A tremendous opportunity exists for anyone wanting
to serve children. We found that in the churches in general, much of the
evangelism and effort is spent on the current generation with no real
focus on the children. If you desire to serve in children's ministry,
there is plenty of work that needs to be done in Eastern Russia!
We had the privilege of working with a number of ministries. Mike and
Susan Ciegelski were our main contact in Vlad. They work with World Harvest
and their focus is to raise up national pastors by developing cell groups
of 10 or so people. They are doing an excellent job. They currently have
three groups that meet on Wed. nights with everybody coming together for
Sunday meetings. Harold was involved with what they called the "Alcoholic
Group" and shared one evening with them. They are looking for people to
come along side their ministry, rub elbows with the people and help to
train up leaders. If you would like more information jus t let us know
and we can put you in contact with them.
Mick Ewing and his wife Sherry live in another part of Vlad and have a
church they are planting. We spent an afternoon with them. Mick was until
last year the pastor of Calvary Chapel of Juneau Alaska and was one of
the founders of Back Door Ministries. They are living now fulltime in
Vlad but will be in the states for three months. We spent time with one
of their translators "Slava" who wil l be taking over for them while they
are gone. Mick and Sherry told us that the government is making it more
and more difficult for missionaries to enter the country. There has been
new legistration passed restricting evangelism. But they are pressing
on in the work and will be returning in September.
We took an overnight train to the city of Khabarovsk, located right on
the Chinese border about 500 miles north of Vlad. Here we stayed with
another Calvary Chapel pastor Ray Curran and his wife Rebbeka. We spent
two days with them and an English speaking member of their church named
Vova. Ray is a relative novice at pastoring and has been struggling a
bit in that area. But I was impressed at how effectively they had adapted
to the culture. Walking into their house you really would not know they
were Americans (which is a rare sight to see on the mission field.) After
2.5 years they both have a good grasp of the language and are comfortable
living and ministering in Russia.
We spent half a day with a Swedish pastor named Trolle and his wife Girgit.
They work for an organization called Ebeneezer whose only calling is to
find Jews wherever they are and help them get back to Israel. I was interested
to hear about there vision but was a little disappointed when they told
me that they do not evangelize the people they help. Having lived in Israel
for 2.5 years I know that they will have less of a chance of hearing the
gospel once they get to Israel than they would if they stayed in Russia!
The time is short and we need to maximize our efforts. What good will
it do to get Jews to Israel if they eventually die in their sins? They
claim they are fulfilling prophecy but I would rather fulfill the Great
Commission! Let's work to get the word out! There is a great movement
to reach the entire world with the gospel by the year 2000. We have information
we would love to pass on to you if you are interested.
One of the highlights of the trip for us was to take part in the Walk
for Jesus in Vlad. 200+ people from 6 churches were present (The Baptist,
Orthodox and the Pentecostal Churches chose not to participate - you can
draw your own conclusions!) We marched together, sang songs, prayed for
the city and ended in a large downtown square. Unfortunately it was very
cold and few unbelievers were there but I was encouraged by the unity
of the brethren. All the pastors shared a little and everyone was encouraged.
There were little things that happened everyday - insights, humorous cultural
"faux paxs", language learning, details of lives shared etc. - there is
simply not room to tell here. But I will say that every goal and expectation
was met and surpassed on this trip. Harold was blessed beyond measure
and a heart for missions was planted within him. He does not know if he
will return to Russia (although he told everyone he thought he would be
seeing them again!) but I know that from now on, he will be involved in
missions - as a goer or a sender - I have no doubts about it.
And that is what Acts Ministry Trips are all about; going somewhere
in the world, living with the people, experiencing the cultural, working
with the missionaries and national pastors and coming away with an understanding
of what missions is all about, a heart for the lost and a knowledge that
there is a place for you to serve on the field. Join us on an upcoming
trip and see for yourself how much of a difference you can make!
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