Across Russia’s 11 time zones, thousands of individuals and families are living in heartbreaking poverty. Things are especially severe in small villages away from huge urban population centers. The global coronavirus pandemic has strained supply chains to the limit, yet the evangelical churches we serve are committed to reaching out in the love of Jesus and meeting urgent needs.
In the Ivanovo region, SGA-sponsored missionary pastor Alexander Spichak regularly reaches out to needy individuals and families, and asks that we pray for them to respond to the Gospel . . .
One lady we met has had a physical disability since childhood. She has two children but no husband, and she is illiterate as she did not learn at school. Because of this, she cannot find a job and her family needs food and clothing. A team from the church visited them and brought them aid. We began having meetings with them and helped as we were able.
Another lady I had met had a husband who was seriously ill. He refused to go to the hospital, and I was worried that he would die unreconciled with God. After prayer, I went to see the family. I told the husband that I didn’t want him to die, but if that was what he was facing, I wanted him to die forgiven. I shared that he needed to repent and ask Christ for forgiveness of his sins. The man thanked me, and I kneeled by his bedside to pray with him.
Some days later, the husband died. The family including extended relatives came together for the funeral. Some of the relatives insisted that his widow had to call a priest for prayer, but she replied that she wanted me to pray instead. So I shared the Gospel, telling them that God does not want us to die without being forgiven, and that He had allowed me to visit this village and meet this family. Then I told them about Christ and prayed. The results are in God’s hands.
As the physical needs are certain to increase across Russia and her neighboring countries in the days ahead, it is all the more important to keep missionary pastors like Alexander supplied with resources for their ministries. Thank you for all that you do!