Andrei was interviewed recently on the radio for the second time for a “Pastor’s Hour,” this particular discussion relating to tough questions about free will, salvation, and God as Creator. Obviously these are some broad topics and Andrei will probably incorporate his thoughts into an essay or two. Stay tuned (heh) in the future for more news about Andrei’s radio ministry.

I have been in talks with another volunteer at the adult facility (nursing home for psychoneurological patients) in Peterhof about using some Stoneworks funds to get a tablet for some of the residents to use. Technology has advanced enough by now that we are hoping to get them connected to the Internet (despite the remote location) and give them some options for entertainment as well as communicating with the outside world via skype, etc.

Please pray for Katya, a young teenager in our church who is being placed in an orphanage…

A little background info:

Katya shelterOur church has relationships with two Christian children’s homes in SPB. The staff are allowed to take some children to church with them, so we often see several kids filling up the sanctuary on a Sunday morning.

Katya lives in a shelter where the kids are awaiting court dates to determine whether they will be put up for adoption, returned to their bio parents, etc.-sort of like short-term foster care in the U.S. But nothing worked out for Katya, and she’s headed to an orphanage.

This is doubly sad because she likely won’t have the same freedom as far as attending our church. But we’ll certainly continue the relationship. This kind of thing happens all the time, but when it happens to someone you know, it is pretty heartbreaking.

Katya loves Jesus. Please pray for her to continue growing in her faith while in the orphanage, and for the desire of her heart concerning being in a family. Also pray for us to be able to continue being in touch with her.

In closing, a note on “red tape”: We’ll be headed to Finland in mid-February to do (2.5 yr old) David’s registration run where he has to exit and enter Russia. Thanks for inviting us along, David! J Please pray that everything would go smoothly with that! We’re thankful we don’t have ongoing visa problems, though nothing is ever certain outside of our salvation!