We’re excited to continue sharing with you some examples of what God is doing to bring people to faith in Russia. Across the country, God is at work through our Cru staff as they show the Jesus film, develop church movements, help teachers build values into their students, feed the poor and reach students and businessmen for Christ!
In one Russian church, the men organized a film viewing of Magdalena, a special version of the Jesus film focusing on the stories of women in the gospel of Luke, as a gift to the women there. The all-female audience included Galina, 27, who watched with great interest. “At first I didn’t understand, and I thought that it was an especially well-made story, but then suddenly I realized that it’s serious, not just a story from the past, but real life. At the end of the film, I prayed to God, and invited Him into my life. I received the best gift in my life from the men on March 8!” Galina started attending a Bible study and now is growing in her relationship with God.
Through similar outreaches last year, 1,670 people heard the gospel. Over cups of tea, not-yet believers were able to ask questions about God. In all, seven new Bible study groups were formed for new believers and seekers.
This next example of God at work takes place In the campus ministry in Irkutsk.
Elmira is a full-time staff member with New Life (Campus Crusade for Christ in Russia) and works among the 100,000 university students in Irkutsk alongside her 11 teammates.
Tanya, who accompanies Elmira on this evening walk to the dorms, is one of the interns, and like the others, she is taking this year to decide if she wants to join the team permanently.
Their work puts them squarely against both cultural and spiritual obstacles as they help lead students to Christ and help them grow enough to lead others to Jesus. Today’s work hones in on several girls Elmira works with in the dorm.
The dorm lady pleasantly waves Elmira and Tanya inside. Then it is up five unlit stairways and through a labyrinth of hallways. They find the room and, as customary, put their shoes in the pile by the door. The room is surprisingly warm, and lit by a single bare bulb, hanging from what may have once been a light fixture.
Four students — Darima, Irina, Nadia and Nastya-are expecting their guests and chitchat while sitting cross-legged on one of the four beds. Elmira begins with a Bible passage. Darima looks at her new Bible and fumbles through random pages. Elmira smiles and patiently finds the passage for her.
Darima is a Buryat, one of three people groups in the region considered unreached with the gospel. Her appearance is much like the North American Eskimo and, like most Buryats, her family has practiced Tibetan Buddhism for uncounted generations. They live in a tiny village a 24-hour train ride north.
Recently, after watching the JESUS video in Elmira’s apartment, Darima placed her faith in Jesus. “Since I was a child, I knew there was a God,” says Darima. “Elmira helped me choose between Buddhism and God.”
Please pray for more openness among students from the minority people groups of Russia. Pray also for Tanya and other interns to follow on in their commitments and give their lives full time to movement building work.
Read the full story at http://www.cru.org/ministries-and-locations/europe/russia/siberian-campus-ministry.htm
Besides the campus ministry in Irkutsk, we are also thankful to report that God is changing the lives of students on university campuses in Khabarovsk, Volvograd, Elista and Moscow. Also, a team of students from the USA and Europe went to Kazan last summer. Their ministry led to hundreds of spiritual conversations primarily among Muslim background students. 19 came to know Christ! Pray that God would open even more doors for the gospel and that Christ would be glorified in Russia!
We rejoice that together with you we are having an impact on the lives of students and peoples of Russia through the staff who have been sent there!
We always pray with gratitude to the Lord for you. Thanks to you we can impact the world for the sake of Jesus and His Kingdom.
With love and thanks, Steve and Rochelle and family