Saturday, July 09, 2005
From the Field -- Final - from Ken
From: Ken
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 4:12 AM
Subject: From the Field -- Final
Goodbyes are never good.
My gas tank is empty.
This is a very emotional time. You have no idea the feeling of putting a Bible in the hands, for the first time, of a Russian senior citizen who had no hope for a better tomorrow and absolutely no joy in his life. Art and I visited in the flat of this older couple this morning, him partially paralyzed from a stroke two years ago, and her barely able to get around and hardly able to say two sentences without crying over their circumstances.
What a joy to see the smiles on their faces after we told them about Jesus Christ and His promise for a lifetime in the riches of heaven for those who ask Him into their heart. We pointed out several verses of hope and encouragement for them as they marked the pages and underlined the verses so they could read them again later. This couple had been baptized as infants in the Orthodox Church and were "saved," but they knew nothing of the Bible. They didn't even own a Bible. The knew nothing of God's promises. Sure they had been baptized, they told us, but they hadn't lived a very good life. They felt they had no hope of ever seeing heaven.
Before we left, they prayed the prayer of repentance and asked Jesus into their hearts. The ladies' tears of hopelessness now turned into tears of gratitude. What a feeling of humility to see this dear lady change right in front of our eyes. What a feeling of joy to see the smiles on their faces as we talked about being in heaven together. What a feeling of thankfulness to have her empty several years worth of tears and frustrations on my shoulder when we were beginning to leave. I told them that we were going to do a dance together when we meet in heaven, but they probably won't recognize me there. When I get to heaven, I'm going to be skinny.
I relate this only because I want you to know how God works. When we are at our weakest, His strength is manifested. I didn't have the energy to go out this morning. I didn't want to go. I thought all my energy was spent. But God answers all prayers, and He answered my prayer for strength and energy.
And two more dear souls will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is such a hunger to hear the Word here. There is such a need. The Russian people want hope for a better tomorrow. They want to know about a Father in Heaven who loves them and promises them a place in Heaven if only they ask Him into their heart. They need someone to turn to who will lovingly and patiently explain to them the Gospel. Unfortunately, the Orthodox church doesn't do it.
We don't speak the same language. We don't have the same culture. We don't have the same music or the same holidays. But we do have the same Father, the same Jesus Christ, the same Holy Spirit, and the same Word of God. We also have the same needs -- the need to love and to be loved, the need for assurance of a hope for a better tomorrow.
While talking to the people, we prefer to concentrate on what we have in common. Oh sure, we were occasionally challenged: Why don't you cross yourself after you pray? Why do you not read your prayers? Why do you not pray to the Blessed Virgin? But most of the people respected our differences and focused on our similarities.
We tried to dispel some myths, and they listened to us. Many of the Orthodox feel their salvation can be inherited from their parents or grandparents. Many feel that because their parents had them baptized as infants then they are automatically saved. Many feel that because they wear a cross around their necks, then they are saved or at least protected from evil. Many feel that simply because they occasionally attend the Orthodox Chuch, then their soul will go to heaven when the time comes. Many feel they need to cross themselves after every prayer, or read their prayers, or have a priest pray for them, or light a candle in front of an icon as they pray. They don't know that God hears our prayers whether we are standing, sitting, kneeling, or even flat on our backs. Not many of they know about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
And they received the message in a positive way. Why? Perhaps it was because we were Americans. Perhaps it was because they were going to get some free food out of it. Perhaps it was just to be polite. Pernhaps it was because their priest had never taken the time or the initiative to explain the Gospel to them. Whatever the reason, they heard the message. They prayed the prayer of repentance.
Were they born again? Did they repent? Will their life change? I don't know. I am told to spread the seeds. The rest is up to God. I am convinced, though, that some of them are now born again Christians from the Orthodox tradition. Slava Bogu (Praise God).
It has been a blessed three weeks -- or has it been four? Who's counting?
Gary and Debbie left yesterday, so we end like we began with just Art and myself. I wanted to stay through Sunday so I would have one more opportunity to speak to my brothers and sisters at the Baptist Church. This is their home, and it is not easy being a Baptist Christian in Russia. They need encouragement to carry on. They need to know that they have brothers and sisters in America praying for them. I again pray for strength, for my emotional energy is spent. But I know that when I am weakest, then He is strongest.
Go to the store, dear, and buy a gallon of milk. I'm a-comin' home.
Thanks for all your e-mails of encouragement and all your prayers. You are loved and appreciated.
From the mission field,
Ken
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 4:12 AM
Subject: From the Field -- Final
Goodbyes are never good.
My gas tank is empty.
This is a very emotional time. You have no idea the feeling of putting a Bible in the hands, for the first time, of a Russian senior citizen who had no hope for a better tomorrow and absolutely no joy in his life. Art and I visited in the flat of this older couple this morning, him partially paralyzed from a stroke two years ago, and her barely able to get around and hardly able to say two sentences without crying over their circumstances.
What a joy to see the smiles on their faces after we told them about Jesus Christ and His promise for a lifetime in the riches of heaven for those who ask Him into their heart. We pointed out several verses of hope and encouragement for them as they marked the pages and underlined the verses so they could read them again later. This couple had been baptized as infants in the Orthodox Church and were "saved," but they knew nothing of the Bible. They didn't even own a Bible. The knew nothing of God's promises. Sure they had been baptized, they told us, but they hadn't lived a very good life. They felt they had no hope of ever seeing heaven.
Before we left, they prayed the prayer of repentance and asked Jesus into their hearts. The ladies' tears of hopelessness now turned into tears of gratitude. What a feeling of humility to see this dear lady change right in front of our eyes. What a feeling of joy to see the smiles on their faces as we talked about being in heaven together. What a feeling of thankfulness to have her empty several years worth of tears and frustrations on my shoulder when we were beginning to leave. I told them that we were going to do a dance together when we meet in heaven, but they probably won't recognize me there. When I get to heaven, I'm going to be skinny.
I relate this only because I want you to know how God works. When we are at our weakest, His strength is manifested. I didn't have the energy to go out this morning. I didn't want to go. I thought all my energy was spent. But God answers all prayers, and He answered my prayer for strength and energy.
And two more dear souls will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is such a hunger to hear the Word here. There is such a need. The Russian people want hope for a better tomorrow. They want to know about a Father in Heaven who loves them and promises them a place in Heaven if only they ask Him into their heart. They need someone to turn to who will lovingly and patiently explain to them the Gospel. Unfortunately, the Orthodox church doesn't do it.
We don't speak the same language. We don't have the same culture. We don't have the same music or the same holidays. But we do have the same Father, the same Jesus Christ, the same Holy Spirit, and the same Word of God. We also have the same needs -- the need to love and to be loved, the need for assurance of a hope for a better tomorrow.
While talking to the people, we prefer to concentrate on what we have in common. Oh sure, we were occasionally challenged: Why don't you cross yourself after you pray? Why do you not read your prayers? Why do you not pray to the Blessed Virgin? But most of the people respected our differences and focused on our similarities.
We tried to dispel some myths, and they listened to us. Many of the Orthodox feel their salvation can be inherited from their parents or grandparents. Many feel that because their parents had them baptized as infants then they are automatically saved. Many feel that because they wear a cross around their necks, then they are saved or at least protected from evil. Many feel that simply because they occasionally attend the Orthodox Chuch, then their soul will go to heaven when the time comes. Many feel they need to cross themselves after every prayer, or read their prayers, or have a priest pray for them, or light a candle in front of an icon as they pray. They don't know that God hears our prayers whether we are standing, sitting, kneeling, or even flat on our backs. Not many of they know about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
And they received the message in a positive way. Why? Perhaps it was because we were Americans. Perhaps it was because they were going to get some free food out of it. Perhaps it was just to be polite. Pernhaps it was because their priest had never taken the time or the initiative to explain the Gospel to them. Whatever the reason, they heard the message. They prayed the prayer of repentance.
Were they born again? Did they repent? Will their life change? I don't know. I am told to spread the seeds. The rest is up to God. I am convinced, though, that some of them are now born again Christians from the Orthodox tradition. Slava Bogu (Praise God).
It has been a blessed three weeks -- or has it been four? Who's counting?
Gary and Debbie left yesterday, so we end like we began with just Art and myself. I wanted to stay through Sunday so I would have one more opportunity to speak to my brothers and sisters at the Baptist Church. This is their home, and it is not easy being a Baptist Christian in Russia. They need encouragement to carry on. They need to know that they have brothers and sisters in America praying for them. I again pray for strength, for my emotional energy is spent. But I know that when I am weakest, then He is strongest.
Go to the store, dear, and buy a gallon of milk. I'm a-comin' home.
Thanks for all your e-mails of encouragement and all your prayers. You are loved and appreciated.
From the mission field,
Ken
