Men Meeting Above the Arctic Circle
December 24, 2011
Yura Belonozhkin, serving near Murmansk, writes about a men’s retreat in last summer –
Dear friends,
After returning from Finland, I only had a week to complete the preparations for the men’s camp, and it was very busy time. I spent much time walking and hauling equipment to the campsite; we built a large tent for the meetings. There was a guy from our group in Polyarny who helped a lot.
So, in the morning Aug 19th we all met at the intersection from where we headed to the camp. There were 19 of us, and 2 more guys were going to join later that night. We successfully got to the place where we left our cars and started walking. I reduced the distance to only 5 km, and it was good, because some of our guys were in senior age and had some problems walking. But everybody got there safe and fine. We walked on fairly flat terrain along the system of lakes connected with creeks. The weather was very warm, unusually warm, even hot. We rarely have this kind of weather here, but this year it was not only warm, but the period of this warmth was strangely long.
About us: There were 21 men, very different men: 3 of us including me were with the sons. One guy was with his father-in-law. So we had two 10 year old boys and a teenager, 3 guys over 60 years old, We were from 7 towns of the Murmansk Region and 2 towns of Sweden. 3 Swedes and 18 Russians; 1 police officer, 1 bodyguard of a serious businessman, a few elders from different churches, 3 engineers, a whole bunch of former drug addicts and criminals. And despite that enormous difference we were a team. There were not closed circles or single individuals, we acted as a team all the time.
The problems started when we arrived. Read more
Welcome to Yura Belonozhkin
December 24, 2011
We are very happy to welcome Yura Belonozhkin into the Stoneworks family. Yura, his wife Masha and their children live above the arctic circle; he told me today that the sun will rise on January 20th! He does great work, and we’re very glad to have him as a part of our team.
Board member Larry Heller makes the introduction:
Yura has been interpreting and ministering with American short-term mission teams to Russia continuously since 2000. About five years ago, Yura, his wife Masha and their two young boys were commissioned by their church in St. Petersburg to go to the northernmost reaches of Russia – to the region near Murmansk.
Yura, 2nd from R, with a short-term mission team from San Antonio
His church discontinued support less than a year later, but he continued on, being convicted about the need and encouraged by the fruit of the work. Part of his ministry now is to the men in this remote place. Without Jesus, many of the men are (or will soon become) drug addicted and without hope.
Yura has been translating into Russian a CD audio series about men taking leadership in their families and presenting it to the men. (The Quest for authentic Manhood, by Robert Lewis.) Attendance grows steadily.
A growing part of Yura’s ministry is organizing and mobilizing men’s spiritual retreats. Yura sets the agenda, makes the logistical arrangements, lines up the speakers and teachers (often in partnership with Swedish pastors) and commits the event to prayer.
The Lord continues to increase our ministry through the relationships that He ordains. We are very happy that Yura and his family are being set as living stones with us. You can support his work by visiting our Support page and choosing Far Northern Russia from the drop down menu.
More from Alina
December 23, 2011
Here’s an update from Alina Pizhova, a Russian foster parent. You can support her by visiting the Stoneworks support page:
Hello friends!
How are you these days? Busy before the holidays?!!
We are doing alright in general; finishing the semester at school. Danik is really enjoying the courses of French language. It took us about 340 dollars to pay for the two months fee and the text book (they required the first payment for two months) and further on we are going to pay 135 dollars for each month. I am working a lot these days and have almost finished the script, hopefully soon and will be able to pay the debts we had to borrow in order for Danik to be able to take the course on French.
He really likes the courses on French, he is really happy he fell in love with France. Their teacher tells them a lot about France and history, they learn songs in French and he has already learned some phrases and is able to speak a little bit, so the courses are really good. At the end of this school year they have a task at school to write an essey. He taked to the French teacher and decided to write on a subject ” The Language influenced by history” on the basis of English and French. So personally I think that he is very gifted to study languages and this course is what he needs.
My mum is coming to visit with us for the New Year. And How are you going to celebrate Christmas and a New Year’s Eve? We are going to celebrate Christmas with the church and did some rehearsing during our homegroup. Nastya is going to sing and I will help her. Danik was also singing for us.
On our shopping list we have winter boots and a winter hat for Anastasia. Praise God it is quite warm these days and winter is not rushing to come.
Wishing blessings to you all! Thank you so much for your prayers!!
Hugs from us
Alina
Danik and Anastasia
Belarus: Alesya’s Last Update
December 21, 2011
Greetings dear friends,
Merry Christmas!!! Happy New Year!! May God be with you during this season and all through the year of 2012. May you know His presence, joy and peace in your Life every day. Thank you so very much for being with us in 2011 and making so many kids smile. We love you.
The Goncharenko family — Olga, Yasha, Thomas, Stephanie and Erika.
Here is an update from Alesya Kuleshova. Many of you know her personally. Besides being my sister, she’s been with Spring of Revival for almost 10 years serving in many different ways: as an interpreter, as a counselor, a clown, a teacher and as a Minsk Family Home counselor for the last couple of years. (Alesya is second from right below)
Hello dear friends,
This is my last newsletter as a counselor of Minsk Family Home as I am leaving this ministry and moving away. In March I am getting married to a nice guy named David from Florida. So in January I am leaving Minsk Family Home. It has been an honor and a privilege to be there and I love the girls deeply. They have grown up a lot and now of of they will care out the responsibilities of a counselor in MFH.
This month of December MFH celebrated two birthdays. It was Alla’s birthday and also it was Nastya’s birthday (she is the one who comes for the weekends).
For Nastya’s birthday we had a nice day out. We went bowling and we had some pizza after that. It was a big surprise for Nastya who did not know that we were planning for her.
And for Alla’s birthday we invited some friends over and made sushi for them. It was a first time girls made sushi. Both Alla and Nastya had great birthdays.
And now we have a visitor in MFH. That is Jill Tyson who came for two weeks to teach English to some students. In the evenings she is also working on improving English skills of the girls from MFH. We are enjoying having her here.
December is a Christmas season and we are preparing our hearts to do good things for other people. In Our church we had a Women’s conference dedicated to that topic. Spring of Revival had a table there with all our information on how people can help in our work with orphans. Olga made a presentation with photos and MFH girls made many cards to sell. It was a great time and many people showed interest in our work.
Our orphanage and shelter visits were dedicated to preparations for Christmas. We shared with the kids what is Christmas, we learned how to make small pies, cakes and cookies. We made Christmas cards and decorations. What gives us a lot of pleasure is that we now haveenough belarusian volunteers to go with us, so that we can divide our team into 5 groups and go to all the orphan groups at one orphanages at the same time.
Now we are making our Christmas visits, that you’d read about in our next newsletter.
Blessings,
Alesya Kuleshova
Birthday gift for Jesus
December 16, 2011
Kids always await a Birthday party and orphans are not an exclusion. What are they thinking being in an orphanage when their birthday is approaching? Maybe they think this way: «Does anyone really care about my birthday at all and will rejoice with me in this day?»
We have had an opportunity to celebrate four boys and two girls birthdays in orphanage. It was joyful day with games, jokes and the sweet table with a delicious cake. We always want them to know how special they are for God and His kids. And of cause they receive presents! Our daughter was giving them it.
During the Christmas season as we celebrate Jesus birthday all of us wish to do a special gift for Christ.
We are thankful for your prayers and support of our work among orphans. You already gave a special gift for Jesus. As He said: «I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me» (Mt. 25:40).
In Jesus Christ, Yan and Nadya.
Prayer request for Timur HERE
If God leads you to Support HEART FOR ORPHANS read HERE
Montenegro: Church, Prayer, and Shoe Boxes
December 15, 2011
From our friend and co-worker Vladimir Cizmanski:
Dear fellow soldiers in the Kingdom,
After a truly long time, I am getting in touch through this letter in which I want to share with you about the last few months.
Firstly I would like to thank all of you who carry us in your prayers and who support us financially.
We have been learning over the last few months what it means to be faithful and to serve despite disappointments and watching the status quo. We would like to see growth in individuals in church but, unfortunately, we are witnesses to the fact that some people who were encouragements to us in the fellowship are now in a crisis zone where they have grown cold towards the fellowship and even allowed themselves to commit serious transgressions of God’s principles. We are praying for them that they would return to the embrace of God’s love and again taste God’s forgiveness and the refreshment of His presence as well as fellowship with their brothers and sisters. This is nothing new, as the Apostle Paul’s letters to various churches show and for whom he often shed tears.
We are praying for workers who would devote themselves to the teenage work. We are encouraged by the interest from this section of the population about when we will start these meetings. We realize that before an individual comes forward who could lead this ministry, we need to start the meetings ourselves with the resources we have available.
We are thankful to God that He has enabled us to have help from a married couple, Želimir (Magi) and Klara, from Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They decided to attend a second year of training at the HUB Bible School. The syllabus is based on students attending three weeks of lessons and then they are in a church which they have chosen as the place for their practical work. In this way, they will be a great support in several areas of the ministry of the church in Podgorica.
Prayer Conference in Macedonia
We are very glad that an initiative has started to organize an unusual conference, the point of which is PRAYER. We all love to hear inspirational sermons – which are of course necessary – but we rarely and only briefly dedicate time to prayer. Some of our brothers in Croatia came up with the idea of organizing this sort of conference in Macedonia, as the starting point from which the Gospel began to spread 2000 years ago first through the Balkans, and then to the rest of Europe. It was a time of blessing and refreshing our vision as well as renewing our fellowship with brothers and sisters from Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and Albania. The next conference of this type should be happening in Montenegro in February.
12th November – All-Montenegrin conference
In line with our agreed good tradition among Evangelical churches in Montenegro, a joint meeting was held on November 12 in Niksic where about 120 people gathered together. It was a joy to get together and see people who we do not meet so often, but it is also sad that year after year the number of people attending is staying the same. That means that, despite the small growth in terms of new people, there are a similar number who have stopped coming.
The speaker was Miško Horvatek from Croatia who spoke about the influence of the Reformation in the Middle Ages, and the effects of which we need today in the 21st century.
Imminent distribution of shoeboxes and the Christmas program.
One more season of distributing Christmas shoe boxes is upon us. This means lots of work, organization, contacting and driving throughout Montenegro. Your prayers will be of great help to us so that we would carry out this task in the best way.
We are praying for new contacts, safety on the roads, for a good time and for unity in our work so that above all God’s glory may be made visible. This year we plan to distribute 20,000 shoe boxes from Samaritans’ Purse.
We wish you Merry Christmas and blessed New 2012, Year
Many greetings in His love,
Vladimir and Marijana
Please Pray for Timur
December 14, 2011
Please Pray for Timur Rzaev, 14 years old. He has been in an orphanage for 10 years.
He doesn’t remember his parents and they never visit him. Timur knows that they are from the Muslim country Azerbaijan.
He has serious health problems. This boy had more than five operations. Some doctors think that he will not live long.
We’ve known him several years. During this time, we’ve continued to develop a friendship with Timur.
God opens his heart for the Gospel. He loves to learn about the Bible and God. Not long ago we celebrated the birthday of Timur and one of his special gifts was a Bible. He said he will read it.
We hope that this boy will make a serios step in his life – to come to know Christ as his Savior.
Please remember him in your prayers. We believe that God can do miracles!
Read about Russian Orphans HERE
If God leads you to Support HEART FOR ORPHANS read HERE
About Danik
December 6, 2011
News from Alinia Pizhova, foster parent in St. Petersburg.
Hello dear friends!
I would like to tell you more about us. This note I will devote to Danik (Daniel). Danik is 15 and studies at the 8th grade. He is doing very good at school especially he has a good talent to study languages. He dreams after he graduates school to study languages at Saint- Petersburg State University to become a linguist\ translator.
This summer he was trying to enroll to special linguistic school that is connected to the SPB University, but unfortunately he failed and the reason was that he hadn’t studied French. At this school they study French from the 7th grade besides English language. Danya didn’t study French before so he was not able to enter this special school. This year he wants to take a course on French to be able to pass the exams to this school next year.This week he has an opportunity to start a course on French. This is in addition to English language that he studies at school.
As you already know that it has been a struggle for us to pay the monthly rent and the courses are not cheap either, but I will do my best in order for Danik to be able to sudy! I will do my best to find some money and pay the courses. The first payment has to be done for two months and then we will pay for one each. The first semester of this school year is almost over and we cannot pospone it. Please pray for Danya to be able to study.
I also would like to ask to pray for good friends for him. He wants to have friends, the group of friends from the orphanage doesn’t suit him and he doesn’t have much desire to be connected with them.When he was in the orphanage he usually didn’t go out much. He is a teenager and he is trying everything and testing everything, and his past was not easy and the background as well. He really needs your prayer support and we thank you for remembering us in your prayers!
Alina
If you’d like to support Danik and the family, visit our Support page and choose MIR: Foster Family, or send a check to Stoneworks with that on the memo line.
