Our church, StreetCry, continues to do great work in St. Petersburg. Here is a portion of the most recent update. Please visit the church site to learn more about the ministry.

Our School of Ministry graduates Natasha Bakshaeva and Kirill Borodichuk (you may read their testimonies in the March 2009 and December 2008 issues of our newsletter) have a burning desire to bring the Gospel to young people lost in homosexuality just like they were before encountering the transforming power of Jesus.  So they go witnessing to the places where such kids hang out in St. Petersburg.

Recently they met a girl named Nastya who came from Moscow to St. Petersburg University to study. Nastya was touched by their testimonies and genuine interest in her life. She came to our evangelism coffee-house, then to a mid-week service and repented of her sins and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. God is changing her day by day. Now she often joins us in witnessing during our street concerts.

It has become more ‘exciting and challenging’ this year to conduct street evangelism concerts – as the official permission from the government (which has been required for several years) has been declined numerous times, and when the odd time occurs that we do get permission, the authorities have come to the concerts trying to find fault in our permits.

But with a lot of prayer, faith and perseverance the band and personal evangelism teams continue to go out preaching the gospel. As a result hundreds continue to hear the message of the Kingdom and many are responding and getting saved.

After one concert our worship leader Nastya Bosonogova (in the photo on the right) spent 3 hours talking to a girl visiting from Murmansk named Yulia. Yulia is a vocalist, too and sings in her college band.

Here is some of her story:

I walked from home to a store in a bad mood. I came to a big city in search of some bright impressions, answers to my heart questions, at least some excitement but was finding nothing but depression and black despair. I badly needed a way out from the situations of life that I was in…

Suddenly I heard sounds of music not far away. I decided to go see what is happening. So I ended up at a Christian music concert, then the singer talked to me for a long time. I felt so much positive influence from all of you here…

I came home that day, immediately obtained a Bible and spent the rest of the night reading it and talking to God.

Later that week Yulia came to a home group for new believers and publicly prayed the prayer of repentance confessing Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.

Please support us in prayer for protection during and after concerts and favor with the authorities.

Recently we held a water baptism service [at our camp Elama — mc]. Oleg (his salvation and healing story is in the February issue of our newsletter) and Galya who is completing her rehabilitation in our drug rehab program for the girls were baptized.

Please continue to pray for the spiritual growth of all the new believers and for protection for them from devices of the enemy of our souls who always tries to bring his distractions in order to hinder the young people from keeping their focus on Jesus.