Another Week of Ministry

It is Friday evening and we just returned from teaching at the drug rehab center which is operated by Cornerstone Church, here in Nizhny Novgorod. We spent 1 ½ hours teaching and answering questions today and then shared a meal with the folks at the rehab. We were teaching on having a life which is surrendered completely to Christ. It is always fun and inspiring to watch these new believers taking notes and listening intently to what is being taught.

Because it is summer and the weather has been pretty nice we taught in the outdoor pavilion, which is a fancy name for a tarpaulin & camouflage net covered, dirt floored summer lean-to which is used for meals and services at the rehab center.

Michael Teaching

Below is Danara deeply engaged in worship, who graduated from her first three months and is now 1 month into the second part of the course. We enjoy seeing her worship God with her whole being. Every other week she lives at the center, mentoring the women who are still in their first three months of rehabilitation. We spent some time with Danara answering her questions after the teaching time.

After dinner, which was a delicious soup, black bread and tea we sat and talked with Alexei. Alexei is about 8 months old in Christ and is one of the senior leaders and serving on staff with the rehab center. His salary is just a little over $100 a month and the food he eats at the center. Alexei is a smart, serious but fun young man who really wants to serve Christ.

We talked for about 30 minutes as he questioned us about marriage relationships, how to support his family as a responsible Christian man while still having an active ministry, and other questions. We both enjoy the teaching opportunities, but the really valuable times are when people like Alexei and Danara speak with us one on one and we have a direct input into their lives. Danara wants to begin attending Karen’s Bible study for single women, and Alexei was excited to hear that we will start a mentoring class for young married couples this fall.

This week we have translated some marriage materials for our fall course and given pre-marriage counseling to a young pastor and his fiancée. Karen held a Bible study for single young women. Together we met with Pastor Dmitry and his wife over lunch to plan work for the fall, dream about several more rehabilitation centers and talked about the possibilities of sending church planting teams to other cities. Today we taught at the drug rehab center, and tomorrow we mentor 3 young pre-married couples.

Your generous support and prayers allow us to work here, impacting the lives of these new believers. Every month the center graduates 2-5 people and 2-5 more people enroll, come to Christ and begin their Christian journey. Thank you for enabling us to speak into the lives of the precious young men and women.