Into the furnace
September 29, 2010
From our own Liz Hulley, at On Life in St.Petersburg
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (I always liked saying those names) is one so familiar from the Sunday school days. But even now, I’m amazed each time I read this testimony of the Lord’s power and favor.
It struck me recently that the story isn’t only about what happens when we trust in God, it’s also about what goes through the mind of someone who does not yet believe. And that’s a perspective about which I sometimes lack understanding.
While reading Daniel 3, something made me examine the king’s point of view. This isn’t a fairytale-God gives us examples in the form of humans who really lived and experienced real emotions that we can relate to. It might be obvious who the “good guys” are, but the “bad guys” sometimes aren’t too far off from our flawed selves. Here is a king, full of power, grasping at human answers to a problem that only God can solve.
King Nebuchadnezzar has already been shown what will be in the future, and now he tries to somehow change his fate.
What I saw in these measures was fear.
And then my mind flashed to all the presidents and other leaders of the world’s nations, who make such decisions…when to go to war, how to deal with enemies, how to keep the peace…
All of this “policy,” “tolerance,”…whether on a local level (in the workplace, school) or international, it all comes down to fear, and the ultimate fear is fear of death. How many people around me live with this fear? How much does my own lifestyle subscribe to this fear, when I should instead have an eternal perspective?
Growth in Estonian Ministry
September 18, 2010
I’ve just been in Estonia, researching ministry opportunities. In addition to our plan to send several short-term mission teams next year, a donor in the US has offered to give significant funds to help build a center for disabled children in Jõhvi, in Northeast Estonia.
My trip was a first step for Stoneworks in gathering information and beginning to make decisions about the project. We have a long way to go, but I am encouraged that we will open the center.
There are about 100 disabled children in the area; these children live with their poor families and have no support at all. They are not mainstreamed, don’t attend school, and rarely leave their homes.
A couple of years ago, a group of Estonians started the process of opening a center to help disabled children, but their funding fell through. As a result, there are several people who are ready to make this center a reality.
Here are some of the people who are involved:
First is Artur Põld, pastor of the local Methodist Church and has a vibrant ministry. Artur is also a ‘deputy’ (an elected official) who is very active in the community, particularly with social services. He oversees soup kitchens, second-hand shops, and other services to the poor.
He’s also he director of Camp Gideon, a Christian camp where we had a team last summer.
Artur has desired to open a center for disabled children for many years. He has helped build a team and is the visionary who is guiding the process.
We are partnering with Artur in many ways. He is very open-hearted and I like his emphasis on spiritual unity.
Here he is with his wife Valya; they made a great dinner for us, look at that salmon.
I also met with Andres Toome, the city architect. Andres is a strong Christian and will design the center, if we build a new building or restore an existing building.
Andres has identified city property where the center may be located. We are waiting to hear if the government will allow a center to be built on that land. It’s in a great location, right in the heart of the city. We hope to know in a few weeks if it will be possible to build there.
This project has the full support of the local government. I even met the mayor briefly. While in the county offices, we prayed for the center and openly spoke of our faith and how the Lord is leading us.
Sirli Tammiste is the director of social services in Jõhvi. We had a great meeting where she voiced her full support for the project.
She supports partnership between the government and the church. She said that the municipal government will provide funds for ongoing expenses for the project, once the building is complete. Government funds may also be available for part of the building project.
She also introduced us to the director of programs for disabled people. It’s great to have such support from the government.
Artur has made many friends, and they are all ready and willing to partner with us.
Lena Shevnina is a teacher who will be the director of the center. She is a very strong believer who is very excited about overseeing the center.
Her life story is very interesting. She came to Estonia from the far north of Russia just before the collapse of the Soviet Union. When Estonia became independent she was ‘trapped’, no longer a citizen of the USSR and not a citizen of Estonia.
There are many people like her in Eastern Estonia — those who are ethnically and culturally Russian but who found themselves outside of Russia when the Soviet Union fell. Lena has a great attitude, and her faith is fully apparent as she lives with joy. She will be a great director of the center.
Please pray that we will abide with the Lord and follow His leading as we make decisions about how to best serve disabled children in Estonia.
Here are pictures of the lot where we’d like to build:
Sin at Work
September 9, 2010
This is from John Neese, director of SAC, one of our partner mission organizations:
The Narva (Estonia) Orphanage Director says graduate orphans that know younger orphans that are about to graduate will threaten them with their lives if they don’t hand over the graduate orphan stipend they know they will get when they graduate. That leaves many graduate orphans with nothing and corrupt graduate orphans with money for drugs in their hands.
As our work expands into Estonia, there is a sense of excitement for what is to come. We must remember that we are moving into an area of ministry that is dark and dangerous. This is a spiritual battle that will only be won by abiding in Christ and allowing His love and truth to touch the hearts of people.
Minsk Family Prayer
September 4, 2010
Olga Goncharenko in Belarus sends this report about the Minsk Family Home…
Katya is a girl from Minsk Family home whose mother died when she was a teenager. She is a very helpful girl and likes to serve in the orphanages. While we were there, we also met a girl named Ksusha. Katya and Ksusha became friends. Ksusha is 3 years old.
It’s very sad, but her mother is an alcoholic and her father was killed 3 weeks ago. His name was Tolik and we knew him as he also graduated from the orphanage and we shared with him about God years ago. He was in his early-twenties.
There is also another child in the shelter, whose parent graduated from the same orphanage. We continue to see the cycle and the statistics that are given about the orphans do not change; still, many orphanages are being closed, like Slutsk , for example. It really doesn’t change the situation here.
Please continue to pray and cry out to God for those kids together with us.
~Olga
A Personal Update
September 3, 2010
Olga Goncharenko, in Belarus, has this short personal news to share…
We have two exciting events:
Our baby girl Erika was dedicated on August, 8 2010.
And our son Thomas is starting school this September.
~Olga
More Camp News
September 3, 2010
Olga Goncharenko, in Belarus, has a final summer camp update…
As summer is coming to an end, we are finishing up with all the ministries at our camps. We want to share with you about the Vacation Bible School that we did for 40 kids, ages 5 1/2 through 12. Though it was for the first time in the history of our church, the the challenge was taken.
We want to thank the team from Holden Chapel, MA, who came to show us how to do it. It was a four day camp from 9 am till 4 pm, where we had not only Bible lessons, sports, crafts, and English lessons; but we also learned several great worship songs in English with the kids. Besides all that, we also did all the cooking. The kids really liked VBS, even though the team had to work really hard.
Minsk Family home girls had opportunities to grow spiritually through their service in different camps as well. Masha was counselor for other orphans at a Christian camp, Katya helped by cooking, and Alla was a helper at a camp in Belarus and in Poland.
To finish up with the camps, I can add that two groups of 63 kids each that went to a Christian camp in Latvia had a very blessed time there.
