Category: Russia

Montenegro Comes to Russia

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Vladimir and Marijana Cizmanski are visiting us from Montenegro. They arrived a few days ago; it’s a dream come true for them to visit us and see our life in Russia. Here’s proof that our good friends from the South have made the long journey —

Vladimir and I are now visiting Yura Belonozhkin in the Murmansk area. I spoke at a men’s meeting at a rehab center in Zelnoborsky, a prayer conference in Olenogorsk, and today Vladimir will speak at a church this morning and I’ll speak at a church in Murmansk tonight. Tomorrow we start towards Vadso, Norway to visit ministry partners there; on the way we’ll attend a men’s meeting in Russia.

Here is Yura and his wife Masha. They are great people, and we’re very happy to support them in their ministry.

 

Classic

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I was at the train station in Luga and need to use the restroom. I closed the door behind me so I could have some privacy, and this is what I saw:

Yes, the window was open to a sidewalk. So much for privacy! I laughed out loud. But really, what are they thinking?!

To the North!

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As part of my role as Executive Director of Stoneworks International, I am planning to visit Yura Belonozhkin next month and see the work he’s doing in the far north, particularly his men’s ministry. Vladimir and Marijana Cizmanski will visit us from Montenegro in September, and Vladimir will join me on this trip. It gives me joy for my friends and co-workers in various countries to meet one another.

The route will take us from St. Petersburg to as far north as Vadso, Norway. Vadso is about 420 km (260 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. It will be great to visit our ministry partners and see Karelia, part of the Kola Peninsula and Lapland at that time of year.

I hope to speak at a conference in Olenogorsk, attend church in Murmansk and visit several ministry sites all along the way, with Vadso being our last ministry stop before heading south. We’ll stay in Rovaniemi, Finland, which is on the Arctic Circle (Santa Claus has a house there!). We’ll all spend a couple of days in Finland before going to Estonia to pick up Vladimir and Marijana’s car so they can head home. This should be fulfilling and fun in many ways.

Here is a map for reference (it’s not completely accurate but gives an idea of the route):

A Postcard from Russia

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This has been quite a summer, one of the busiest and hardest we’ve ever had. It has certainly been the most diverse.

Olga’s grandfather, Orest Groten (above), passed away in July. He is much missed. Born in 1918, he was a child of the Russian Revolution. He joined Communist Party in 1942 and lived his professional life serving the military, first in WWII as a radioman and later as an engineer designing ships and submarines. For almost all of his days he was a committed atheist. At the age of 93 he asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins. He was a loving father and grandfather, a real anchor for the family. He could combine being strict with being very loving. He taught himself to play the piano and accordion; he enjoyed life, had a wonderful sense of humor, and heartily welcomed an American son-in-law into the family. We are sad that he is not with us now, but we are glad that we will see him in heaven.

In June we helped a mission team from Teen Mania as they ministered in Russia and Estonia. In July, Mike drove through Central Europe and helped a team run a youth camp in Montenegro. Two interns, Caroline and Krystal, joined us for several weeks, and it was a joy to have them share in our lives and receive good things from the Lord. Caroline’s mother, Linda, also visited, spending time at dacha and at the Hermitage (that’s quite a contrast). Mike traveled through 14 countries in a month’s time, visiting Budapest, Vienna, Auschwitz/Birkenau, and Tallinn. There were many meetings in Russia, Estonia and Montengro: building relationships, planning for future ministry, encouraging one another.

From Mike: One thing that made the summer hard was my visa situation. When grand-dad died, I was driving in Slovakia on the way to Montenegro. Of course, I quickly started planning how to return to Russia in order to be with my family. However, my old visa had just expired and my new visa started in early August (I thought I would be in Montenegro the whole time and wouldn’t need a visa). It was a bit of a shock to face that hard reality, that I couldn’t go home. It was the first time that political borders and legal issues kept me from being with my family. It was very hard on all of us for me to be at a distance during those days.

From Olga: It has been the hardest summer I’ve ever had, very busy, non-stop for two months, and that was hard; and losing grand-dad was a shock. I feel like there are some things I need to learn all over again: what comes first and what comes second. First is my relationship with and abiding in God, and out of that flows everything else. That is my lesson for the summer.

The Lord has been saying this to us in many ways and at different times. Apart from the Lord we can do nothing, but if we abide in Him then his life will flow through us (John chapter 15). God has been calling us to abide in Him. Please pray for us that we’ll abide in Him and trust that all else will take its rightful place.

Sunset over Pühajarvi, Finland

Val Rides!

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The training wheels have come off.

We’ve been at dacha for the past few days, and Valerie asked if we would take the training wheels off her bike. After a day of mama keeping her steady, she finally got the knack of it:


Happy Birthday to Valerie

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Valerie had her 5th birthday a few weeks ago, and I’m just now getting around to posting this video. One gift was a singing card from Grandmother Nancy in the States:

We’ve also started a tradition. Each year we take a picture of Valerie in the same dress, one of Olga’s. It will be fun to watch Valerie grow into it as the years pass.

Here are the first two photos in the series:

       

4th Birthday                                                        5th Birthday

Well, that was really something!

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I’ve just arrived in Russia after a whirl-wind trip. I left St. Petersburg, Russia on July 12 with Caroline Bennighof, a Stoneworks intern, in Estonia we picked up Kristjan Pold and Krystal Smith (another Stoneworks intern) and drove to Montenegro. We helped run a youth camp there for a few weeks and then drove all the way to Finland.From there, I drove to Russia to complete the circuit. All together, we traveled 7932 km (4928 miles) in a van. On the way we visited Budapest, Vienna, Auschwitz/Birkenau, Tallinn and many other places, while traveling in 14 countries, from the Baltics to the Balkans.

This was a very fulfilling trip. On the drives to and from Montenegro, we had great times of conversation and fellowship. We listed to, and discussed, several recordings by Elisabeth Elliot. While in Montenegro, we worked very well together as we served at the camp, where we worked with a team from the US ministry Students With A Testimony (SWAT).

I am very thankful for the time. God blessed us all in many ways. Here are few pictures from the trip, in no particular order.

The Long Drive to Montenegro

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I (Mike) arrived in Montenegro a couple of days ago. I drove here with two Stoneworks interns, Caroline Bennighof and Krystal Smith, and a young man from Estonia, Kristjan Pold.

We’re here to work with a team from the US who will run a youth camp next week. The team arrives tomorrow, and for the next few days we’ll build relationships with the youth and minister at the Brethren Assembly here in Podgorica.

Here are the numbers —

  • 2966km (1843 miles): from our front door in St. Petersburg, Russia to the front door of our friends in Podgorica, Montenegro
  • 2732km (1698 miles): from the Tallinn airport to Podgorica, Montenegro
  • 35hours and 51 minutes: total time driving, with the car in motion.
  • Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro

Video of Camp Elama

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Last week we were at Camp Elama (in Russia), and this week we’ve been at Camp Gideon (in Estonia). Yan and Nadya Boldyrev made a video slideshow of our camp in Russia. We had a GREAT time there with Russian campers and an American team from Teen Mania. Jon & Denise Riley and their children also joined us.

Tomorrow Olga and Valerie will return to Russia, and I’ll go with the American team to Tallinn for a sightseeing day before heading to Finland for their departure home. Then I’ll head back to Russia, too.

Here’s the video —

A Postcard from Russia

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Actually the picture above was taken in Estonia last week, but I’m now in Russia. It is a field of rapeseed (canola) located very close to the Gulf of Finland.

While in Estonia, I attended the Open House for Sunbeam, the center for children with disabilities we are opening in Jõhvi. Click here for pictures of the Open House. Just before that, I returned from a great trip to Montenegro where I met a team from Athens, GA. Next week a team from the States comes to run a camp at our Russian camp Elama, then we take them to Estonia to do ministry there. Then I go to Finland to pick up one of our two interns who will help us in Russia and later in Montenegro. It’s a full summer.

Olga has some news about her grandfather, Orest:

My grandfather is 93 years old and served in WWII. He has a long history of being a part of the communist party and being an atheist. We’ve been praying for my grandpa practically since we’ve been believers. Recently my grandfather’s health has been declining. We’re all wondering how much longer he’s going to be with us. Last Sunday my mom once again approached him about the message of God’s love, and he agreed to pray a prayer of salvation with her. The fact that he said to God ‘please forgive me’ is a real miracle, because I don’t remember him saying anything like this to anyone ever. We are very thankful for God’s mercy and His love for my grandfather, and we pray that God will fill him with a knowledge of His peace and His presence.