Nikolai N.
SGA-Supported Missionary Pastor in Belarus

In my ministry, both at our own church and in regional churches, I have been constantly involved in organizing and participating in evangelistic services for villages in our region. I have participated in training conferences, prayer meetings, and home visits for personal evangelism. We also help the church in a nearby village, where it is encouraging that more of the Roma people are attending services, and those who have already come to Christ are actively participating. Among them are talented musicians and singers. It is also encouraging that some Sunday school children have created their first group. One woman named Gita shared a very interesting testimony about her repentance. She often told fortunes, cheated, and stole, but after her conversion, she returned the losses to those she could, although many people didn’t know she had stolen from them.

We continue our ministry at the House of Mercy and the Rehabilitation Center, visiting six families in need twice a month, bringing them food packages and Christian literature. I recently began visiting one family—the father Vitaly, mother Inna, and their children—Katya, Arsenty, and Nina. Vitaly has no vision in his left eye but has 60 percent vision in his right eye. Their eldest daughter, Nina, is nine years old and attends a boarding school for hearing-impaired children.

Vitaly used to drink heavily, and about two years ago, social services threatened to strip him of his parental rights. After this, he underwent treatment for alcoholism at a drug treatment center. Before the New Year, his treatment ended, and the drug treatment center began pressuring him to undergo treatment again. Vitaly refused. Afterward, a worker from the child protection center visited the family and saw the lights on in the House of Prayer where I was. She asked me to help Vitaly’s family maintain a healthy lifestyle. She said that people who undergo treatment usually return to their addiction after a certain period. In her observations, people who attend evangelical churches become successful families! After our conversation, a child protection center worker and I visited Vitaly and Inna’s family, where she strongly advised Vitaly to either get treatment or maintain a relationship with the church. He chose the latter.

Vitaly and I had known each other before, but he had refused to come to church. Now he attends church at least two or three times a month. Inna considers herself Orthodox and does not attend yet. However, she promised to attend the Easter service and did. We ask that you pray for this family. Our job is to put in the effort, but only God, in Whom we trust, can give results! May the Lord richly reward you and all who support our ministry with prayers and every blessing!