Gospel Expedition

Winter in the middle of summer. No, nothing extraordinary happened! We just arrived in the town of Zima, which in Russian means “winter,” but in the Bashkir language means “pit.” The town is located on the left bank of the Oka River230 km northwest of Irkutsk. As we entered town, an elderly lady watched us and crossed herself.

The Community Centre looked like a nice, bright hall — a beautifully decorated scene. Everything is tidy and clean. We are ready for the evangelization. Only a few people came because the local television station had given the wrong date. No one knew who made the mistake. People were invited to attend the meeting on the 27^th of July, and we arrived on the 25^th.

Even so, that didn’t stop our ministry. The service had music from Eden’s Heaven, a Gospel message and prayer.

Julia, a young lady, wept throughout the service.

Tanya, a girl of 16, confessed that she had been drinking for several years already, and did not want to leave this harmful habit. She thought that a Christian life would be dull, but she gladly took the New Testament we gave her and promised to read it.

Artiom, a boy of 14, said he wanted to leave this town to live in civilization. He drinks and smokes only because others do the same. He has no purpose in life. We asked him about what he wanted to do in life, and he repliend, “Who knows? Perhaps I will be a lumberjack.”

This is the way people live in these remote places. Pray that the seeds of the Gospel planted for these young people will take root and grow in their hearts.

We held another evangelistic event in the village of Ts.Khazan, which is near to Zima. We didn’t get to bed until 1 a.m. Despite our weariness, we got up at 4.30 a.m. and embarked for Cheremkhovo.