A dangerous Russian bridge, 570 meters (1870 feet) across the Siberian Vitim River. The old railway bridge is 15 meters (45 feet) above the water.
Category: Russia
Posts relating to Russia.
Zhenya Kopushu
Zhenya Kopushu is one of the young ladies who lives with us in Russia. She’s working in a hospital for abandoned children. She is praying about being one of the counselors when we build Immanuel Children’s Home (more about that later).
Below is some news from her from our church’s website.
NEW MINISTRY – TO ABANDONED CHILDREN IN THE HOSPITAL
Zhenya Kopushu graduated from the StreetCry School of Ministry in 2004. Since then she worked as the Russian language and literature teacher in the Harvest Christian School, served as children’s pastor in our church and is currently heading intercession.
This year the Lord opened doors for Zhenya to minister in Tsimbalina hospital for abandoned children. Here are some of the most recent testimonies from her work there:
“For several months we prayed for doors to open. The Lord touched the hearts of the doctors to receive us favorably, even though it is a rare case in Russia that hospitals would be open to Christian workers coming to help with the sick, to pray and preach the Gospel.
Children are taken to this hospital from the streets and from broken homes of drug addicts, alcoholics, etc… Their parents do not care for them.
Every child’s story is heartbreaking. It still takes a lot of effort on my part to hold back the tears while I am in the hospital – I do weep though a lot, as I intercede for the children later at home. Every child has experienced malnutrition, severe beatings, often times even rape.
In addition to many sicknesses, they suffer from loneliness, rejection and fear of the future, which for most of them is uncertain.
At best, it’s a Russian orphanage with very little true concern from the heart, for these children…
They are hungry for love. When I come, they run to me, take me by the hands, call me Mom and do not let me go. At the end of every visit, they ask me to take them home with me and I just wish I could – I want to take them all.”
Here is just one of many stories:
Masha Orehova, 10 years old was brought to the hospital from a home where both mother and father are alcoholics. I first met her a couple months ago.
She crawled to me on the floor, called me Auntie – her look was so miserable, and voice so faint that everything inside of me crumbled with pain. The same evening the doctors described her background.
When she was 5 years old, her father being drunk threw her out of a 5th storey window. She survived but her backbone was badly damaged.
She was bed-ridden for a long time and eventually lost her ability to walk. Nevertheless, she was given back to the same parents again. Both mother and father kept regularly beating her up and father even raping her.
Finally, the authorities started the process of taking parental rights away from them, and Masha was placed in Tsimbalina hospital. Her first several nights in this hospital she refused to sleep in a bed but crawled under it to hide herself and slept there – she was bound by fear of everyone.
In the doctors and nurses, she saw a threat rather than people trying to help her. She looked at them as if she were a small wolf, hungry and fierce, ready to bite.
It is scary for me just to try to imagine the emotional and physical torment she has been going through all these years – I understood that only God could touch and restore her broken heart and broken body, giving her hope and a future.
I began regularly praying for Masha and telling her about Jesus. I told her that Jesus loves her and wants the best for her.
Slowly she started changing, fear was gone, and she began smiling as she saw me come. Every time I came, she asked me to tell her more about Jesus.
Faith was birthing in her heart.
Toys and games were not so important – all she wanted to do was lay there and listen to me speaking about Jesus. During Christmas, we brought presents to Masha as well as all the other children in the hospital. She was so happy – thanking God for all!
She wanted me to read her the story of how Jesus was born over and over again until she was able to repeat it herself.
Very recently, Masha received Jesus into her heart – I prayed together with her. Please join me in prayer for Masha’s complete restoration and for her future, for God’s will and plan to be done in her life rather than the devil’s plan for destruction.
Zhenya is seriously considering and praying through the idea of opening a small family type Christian orphanage where she and several other girls from our church, driven by the similar concerns and currently involved in different capacities in ministering to suffering children, could live and take such children in who have nowhere else to go, providing them with the atmosphere of God’s love, salvation, restoration, healing, hope and a future.
The hands of a man
A dear friend passed away earlier this week.
Ken Rundell was born in England in 1919. He lived a full and blessed life: he helped liberate concentration camps in WWII; he was a missionary for over 60 years living in Africa, England, Switzerland, Finland and Russia; he was a true servant; he was a gifted writer; he was a very humble, loving man.
Ken was a real inspiration to me and many others.
Michael Simpson, a mutual friend, took the picture above just a few days before Ken died; here is what he said about Ken:
You see a picture of the hands of a man who lived a full life, measured more in the impact on people than years accumulated. These hands prayed for so many people I know, and so many I will not know until heaven.
These hands welcomed everyone, encouraged the best out of every person, gave until his pockets were empty and pulled significant amounts of money from the pockets of others for the benefit of the less fortunate, penned more sonnets than Shakespeare, received whatever God chose to give, cared for two wives until their passing, and folded in the end to rest.
The first time I met Ken was about ten years ago at a prayer meeting. He was 80 years old. He prayed, ‘Lord, I give the next ten years of my life to bring the gospel light to Russia’.
After the meeting, I asked why he gave just 10 years. He smiled and replied, ‘by the time I’m 90, I won’t be good for much of anything’.
He gave those ten years happily.
During that decade, with him I traveled to Finland and around Russian Karelia, visited his home in Cornwall, and had great discussions over tea in St. Petersburg.
My last visit with him was just before he left Russia for treatment in England, a few weeks ago. His health was declining and he could no longer use his hands.
I was able to give him a shave, which he hadn’t had for a week. I remember, as I shaved him leaning close to his face, how he smiled boyishly and said ‘oh, that feels so good’.
As we said goodbye, he expressed how he hoped to return to Russia. He was always looking ahead. Now he is in his eternal home.
Ken Rundell, we rejoice in your life.
Below are a couple of notes from friends, received just today. The first is from Titus Hannum, missionary in Russia. Continue reading
From Russia to Montenegro
About 10 days ago, Olga and I began a road trip from St. Petersburg, Russia to visit Stoneworks ministry sites in eastern and central Europe. Stoneworks continues to expand, and it’s an honor to be able to visit so many wonderful people that God has put together as ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5).
Our first stop was in Minsk, Belarus where we visited with our ministry Spring of Revival. We stayed with Yasha and Olga Goncharenko and had a great time visiting several ministry sites.
Olga and her staff continue to do great work under difficult circumstances. They are very worthy of our help and support.
The highlight of our visit was at the Minsk Family Home. The young ladies who live there are doing very well, and Alesya (the counselor, in front on the right) is doing a great job.
We had a good meal together, shared stories and were blessed to have a good time of fellowship and mutual encouragement.
We also visited a foster family we support. The home, for eleven children, is in a small village 30 minutes from Minsk.
We had a great meal there (this is a theme of our travels), and saw some of the pigs we bought for them. We’re now helping purchase a cow, and we’ve also purchased chickens and provided other aid for foster families.
From Minsk, we drove through eastern Poland to Budapest, Hungary after a long day.
The trip through that part of the world is quite interesting and the land is very beautiful, especially as we made our way through the Carpathian mountains of eastern Slovakia.
In Budapest, we continue to build a relationship with the Free Methodist World Mission. I hope we will be able to place a long-term missionary to help the local church with outreach and youth ministries.
I had a good visit with the team there, and I am very hopeful that we can partner with them in the future. This was my third visit to Budapest, and I’m feeling more and more ‘at home’ there. And the Danube is always a treat:
From Budapest, we made our way to Serbia. We visited our good friends Jan (pronounced ‘Yahn’) and Nada Dudas in Bachki Petrovac, a small farming town in the region of Voivodina. Jan is an elder in the Baptist church.
I am hopeful that Stoneworks will be able to serve them in some way. For now, we continue to build relationships as we discern how the Lord is leading us. I was honored to offer the sermon at church, and I feel well-received.
We also visited the old town of Novi Sad (left), which is nearby. I’m enjoying getting to know more about the rich history of the area.
Most of the people in Bachki Petrovac are of Slovakian heritage, and the church service was in Slovakian. Everyone also speaks Serbian, of course, and many speak English; we also heard some German and French, and several people spoke Russian with us. It’s quite a place.
From Serbia, we drove to our final destination – Podgorica, Montenegro. The trip over the mountains was spectacular; we saw many dramatic waterfalls caused by the spring snow melt.
We’ll be here for three weeks, having fellowship with the church, helping any many ways and spending time with our family here (Olga’s sister just had a baby boy who is the pride of the family). I’ve been asked to take over the teaching duties at the church for the next three weeks, and I’m glad to help in that way.
Yesterday, I traveled to Cetinje with Vladimir Cizmanski, pastor of the Brethren Assembly. We had good conversations as we wound our way through the Black Mountains. This is the view we saw as we returned home:
The Lord has given us so much beauty. Of course, the places we’ve seen are beautiful, but even more beautiful are the people and the relationships He has established as we walk with Him.
A Tale of Two Dinners
Olga and I have been very blessed by the great relationships God has given us here in Russia. This was recently illustrated well.
We host a church home group at our apartment on Sunday evenings. On Sunday afternoons, Olga teaches English to several people from our church. In between is time for a meal and fellowship. It’s great fun to have so much life in our house. The picture above is of the Sunday home group.
The next day, we hosted a pot-luck dinner for the workers at MIR. Not everyone was able to attend, but we still had a good crowd. MIR continues to grow and do well. Masha Oshkina (seated at right, below) is doing a great job as Executive Director.
MIR is now interviewing for the summer hosting program as well as preparing for other summer work. We’ve added a new staff member, Tanya, seated second from left.
You may notice that Oksana, the orphan who lived with us, was visiting. She’s going through a tough time, and we’ve been very glad to have her around.
On Friday, Olga and I depart for a ministry road trip. We’ll first drive to Minsk, Belarus to visit Spring of Revival there. I’m especially looking forward to visiting the Minsk Family Home. From there, we drive to Budapest, Hungary for a few days to visit with friends and explore opportunities for ministry.
Then, we go to Baska Petrovac, Serbia where we’ll visit friends and talk about partnership in ministry.
After this, we drive to Podgorica, Montenegro, where we get to see our newest family member, Andrej, and spend time with the church. Then we return with another stop in Budapest before leading up a Stoneworks retreat in Tallinn, Estonia.
It’s going to be a full few weeks, and we have gratitude for the great relationships we have in so many parts of the world.
Jesus promised that His followers would have abundant life, and we are thankful for it.
Another kind of anniversary
Another note from Stoneworks missionary Liz Hulley —
This week, Russia celebrates 20 years of….McDonald’s!
I would like to leave the fast-food (health) debate for the moment and comment on the culture implications. This kind of anniversary is interesting when looked at in the light of what was going on the world at the time.
1990: I was almost 8 years old and probably didn’t know that the USSR existed. And I barely knew what McDonald’s was, as I wasn’t raised on fast-food.
Meanwhile, in Russia, an interesting “cultural” exchange was taking place. I enjoyed reading the accounts in Monday’s local paper (Metro) about people’s memories of the first McDonald’s opening in Moscow.
They speak of the lines, the intrigue, the scent of a new kind of food. People who had worked as servers describe the pressure they felt, then the relief as the idea took on.
I don’t know exactly which characteristics of American culture are represented by McDonald’s cuisine: Convenience? Mass-marketing? Consumerism? At any rate, in some ways this was a little crack in the cultural barrier. Something that could be “shared”?
An interesting excerpt from Metro (Feb.1, 2010).
How many hours do you have to work, to buy a Big Mac?
-in 1990: 2 hours, 10 minutes
-in 2010: 30 minutes
-in 1990: average salary was 297 rubles a month, a Big Mac cost 3 rubles, 75 kopecks
I asked a friend recently what her favorite restaurant was, and she said “McDonald’s.”
I suppose it is cheaper than other establishments in St. Petersburg, but it is still considered “eating out,” not something most people can afford to do regularly.
A Winter Walk
Yesterday I had to run some errands down town, and decided to walk part of the way back home. Just before the New Year we had a record snow fall since 1881, so much that the city almost came to a full stop for a few days. Things are a little better now, but it is still hard to get around. Nonetheless the scenery is a delight!
Our past winters have not spoiled us for beautiful views. We occasionally had some cold spells and some snow, but this time we are really having a winter!!!! For a few days now we had this beautiful snow covered trees, and the city looks like a winter wonderland!
It is truly a joy to walk through streets and parks and enjoy the clean snow, the lovely trees and buildings covered with frost! I forgot how much I love waking in downtown St. Petersburg.
I walked by Moika river. They cleared a little path on the embankment. The access ways to the water were filled with snow, so I was not able to get down to the ice covered river.
Earlier that day I read from a devotional book about getting to some quiet place where you can see the majesty of the Lord.
Well, I would not call the city a “quiet place”, but I sure did feel His majesty and power even in the midst of stone and granite and power lines and cars. He showed me that He was still in charge, and that He can do whatever He wishes to do.
Men can do great things, they are, after all, made after His image and likeness, but He alone will order the day!
So yesterday I had this wonderful and surprising gift from my Father, and I am so grateful for it!
May the Lord bless you and delight you with small and big wonders!
Russian Christmas
Here’s a good explanation about Russian Christmas and why it is celebrated on January 7 —
Russian Christmas
Thirteen days after Western Christmas, on January 7th, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates its Christmas, in accordance with the old Julian calendar. It’s a day of both solemn ritual and joyous celebration
After the 1917 Revolution, Christmas was banned throughout Russia, along with other religious celebrations. It wasn’t until 75 years later, in 1992, that the holiday was openly observed. Today, it’s once again celebrated in grand fashion, with the faithful participating in an all-night Mass in incense-filled Cathedrals amidst the company of the painted icons of Saints.
Christmas is one of the most joyous traditions for the celebration of Eve comes from the Russian tradition. On the Eve of Christmas, it is traditional for all family members to gather to share a special meal. The various foods and customs surrounding this meal differed in Holy Russia from village to village and from family to family, but certain aspects remained the same.
An old Russian tradition, whose roots are in the Orthodox faith, is the Christmas Eve fast and meal. The fast, typically, lasts until after the evening worship service or until the first star appears.
The dinner that follows is very much a celebration, although, meat is not permitted. Kutya (kutia), a type of porridge, is the primary dish. It is very symbolic with its ingredients being various grains for hope and honey and poppy seed for happiness and peace.
Once the first star has appeared in the sky, the festivities begin. Although all of the food served is strictly Lenten, it is served in an unusually festive and anticipatory manner and style. The Russians call this meal: “The Holy Supper.” The family gathers around the table to honor the coming Christ Child.
A white table-cloth, symbolic of Christ’s swaddling clothes, covers the Table. Hay is brought forth as a reminder of the poverty of the Cave where Jesus was born. A tall white candle is place in the center of the Table, symbolic of Christ “the Light of the World.” A large round loaf of Lenten bread, “pagach,” symbolic of Christ the Bread of Life, is placed next to the Candle.
The meal begins with the Lord’s Prayer, led by the father of the family. A prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the past year is said and then prayers for the good things in the coming year are offered. The head of the family greets those present with the traditional Christmas greeting: “Christ is Born!” The family members respond: “Glorify Him!”
The Mother of the family blesses each person present with honey in the form of a cross on each forehead, saying: “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year.” Following this, everyone partakes of the bread, dipping it first in honey and then in chopped garlic.
Honey is symbolic of the sweetness of life, and garlic of the bitterness. The “Holy Supper” is then eaten (see below for details). After dinner, no dishes are washed and the Christmas presents are opened.
Then the family goes to Church, coming home between 2 and 3 am. On the Feast of the Nativity, neighbors and family members visit each other, going from house to house , eating, drinking and singing Christmas Carols all the day long.
The “Holy Supper” Continue reading
Burton Holmes in Russia
Over 100 years ago, Burton Holmes (1870-1958) traveled to Russia. Holmes was an American traveler, photographer and filmmaker, who coined the term “travelogue”. Travel stories, slide shows and motion pictures were all in existence before Holmes began making his travel films, but he was the first person to put these elements together into documentary travel lectures.
Here are some of the photographs from his book detailing his visit to Tsarist Russia in 1901.
A Postcard from Russia — Foundations
This may not look like very much, but it is the fruit of much loving labor and the beginning of something great. This picture was taken recently at Elama, our camp in Russian Karelia. These are part of the foundations of a pavilion and summer kitchen we’ll build next year.
St. James UMC in Athens, GA has taken this on as a project and will send a team in May to put up the two buildings.
The foundation was built by our good friends Sergei Tovstapyet and John Bull. They had the help of some men (at left) from a nearby Christian re-hab center. When the American team comes to build the buildings, we’ll also have the guys from the rehab center working with them: ministry, labor, fellowship.
We also hope to improve the heating and water systems at Elama, and we’ll try to find a riding mower/small tractor so we can clear more land.
Next summer we will host over 100 children at Elama, in addition to various church retreats, workdays and cookouts. These two buildings are going to be a blessing to many people.
Other quick news: MIR is sending 11 orphans to the US for the hosting program (we have fewer this Christmas because the Russian government is concerned about swine flu and has limited overseas travel for orphans); we’re already planning next summer’s youth camp in Montenegro; the Minsk Family Home is very successful after it’s first few months.
The Lord continues to give us abundant life, and we thank Him for it.
Mike and Olga Cantrell 