Conference over, Christmas to come

Dear Friends,

thank you for your prayers. Aaron and Beth have been issued visas to return to Russia, but the new visa law has placed new limitations on them. Their visas are multi-entry and good for six months, but of those six months they may only spend three of them in Russia. Therefore they will need to be outside of Russia for three of the next six months. We do not yet have plans in place for them for the time they cannot be in Russia. Please pray for us to have wisdom about what to do.

Our documents for Deanna's adoption have been received and a hearing has been set for December 21. They only require one more document: proof that Tonya has income. Although Cecil's income is well above the requirement for adoption, they want Tonya to show income as well. Please pray that Tonya can find a job in the next several days.

The pastor's conference went well. Attendance was 90 people, which is about twenty more than last year. Two of our speakers were Americans and both experienced divine assistance in receiving their Russian visas. We had several wonderful Russian speakers as well. Here is a photo of Kerby speaking to the group.

In addition to teaching and preaching we had time of fellowship, good food and worship. Here is a photo of a special game time. We introduced the pastors to some games that can be used to minister.

Those who attended seemed to be refreshed, built up and encouraged to return to their ministries. A great big thank you to all of our supporters. It was by your financial assistance that we were able to do this conference.

We've put up a Christmas tree. Christmas is a minor holiday in Russia (Elf has a final scheduled on Christmas day). Most Russians refer to Christmas trees as "New Year trees." But our tree is a "Christmas tree."

2008 is an election year for the president of Russia as well as in the States. A good link about the leading candidate in the Russian presidential elections is http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/dec2007/gb20071211_494032.htm He has a reputation for being family oriented. Please pray for the Russian political process that God would give leaders who will strive for times of peace where we can worship the Lord in freedom and godliness.

Your Family in Russia,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna

Trips and Trains

Dear Friends,

we had a wonderful time in Novi Orgal. Beth, Aaron and Elf have all learned to travel on Russian trains, and now can boast of having been on the Tran-Siberian railway. It was also Deanna's first trip on a train. Timothy and Vera helped show the newbies what to do.

A lady from church came along with us (shown standing between Elf and Beth). We were expecting to do outreach among some youth that we had met before, but none of them showed up. However, several other folks came to our meeting, and we felt quite successful. The entire team participated in speaking (with Tonya translating).

We also got to take a look at the new church building they are constructing for themselves. They've done a lot of work on the interior recently. Here's a photo of Cecil and Aaron in what will be their sanctuary.

They've also added a room on the back that will be a utility/furnace room. Over a year ago a church in the States gave an offering to help with the construction of this building. The Church in Novi Orgal has stretched those funds and have something to show for it. For more on this story look at our blog at http://eshelman.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html and http://eshelman.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html

Please pray for this church to grow, and for them to be able to hook up to electrical power soon.

Our team had a great Thanksgiving Day feast, with turkey and all the traditional dishes. We played games, put a puzzle together, told stories, and just had a wonderful family-like time together. No pictures though, we were just too relaxed.

We've about had our fill of sending out mail. Last month we were busy sending out invitations to the pastor's conference,

right now we are stuffing envelopes with our latest newsletter. You should be getting it in the mail in about two-three weeks. Please pray for the pastor's conference. It starts on Tuesday (in two days) and there are endless details to keep track of. Right now we have 92 people registered to be there (if you include Cecil and Tonya).

We have a couple of major prayer requests. Aaron and Beth are in Mongolia right now attempting to get new visas to Russia. There was a new law passed that is creating a great deal of confusion. In the past an American could get a visa in five days (or faster for an extra fee). On Friday I received the following email from them:

Cecil,

We took our documents to the Russian Consulate on November 29th.

On December 10th at 12:20 p.m. we will have an answer to whether or not the Russian Consulate in Ulan-Bator will issue us religious worker visas.

If the answer is yes, we will be issued visas that day.

But if the answer is no.....

We asked the man who took our documents why this information was still posted at the consulate: $200 per person for visas issued within 5 days. He replied, "Things change." (We gave him $400).

The man who took our documents had many questions for us. He first asked us, "Where is Novi Orgal?"

He especially seemed concerned that in working with Royal Rangers we are not working with the Russian Orthodox church.

Oh, we must do something about our return flights from Irkutsk to Khabarovsk on December 11th...

Please pray.

Aaron & Beth

We ask you to please pray that the Russian consulate will issue them their visas, and that they have no problem rescheduling their flight. This is a difficult situation, being in a strange country and not knowing what is going to happen.

Here is a photo of them on the train during our trip to Novi Orgal.

Also, tomorrow we submit an application (with all supporting documents) to a court for Deanna's adoption. Please pray that everything will be found to be in order and that no new problems arise.

Because of Him,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera & Deanna

Team Activities

Dear Friends,

there is a bit change in Russian law that will change the way our team works in Russia, so we need prayer for that. But first let me show a few photos give a report of some good things going on.

First, we hosted a team meeting for all the AGWM workers in Siberia and the Russian Far East. It was a wonderful time as folks gathered from Irkutsk, Ulan Ude, Kyzyl, Perm and Yekaterinburg to Khabarovsk. We worshipped together, prayed for each other, played games, took walks, ate meals and even had a business meeting. Then each returned to where the Lord has them doing ministry. We had a great time with the Siberia team. Here is a photo of us in our living room.

Another praise report is that Tonya has finished the medical examination (10 different doctors) for the adoption process. Only a few more other documents to gather and we can submit them for Deanna's adoption.

The Christian homeless shelter here has been successfully registered as an NGO, and their name now is officially "Open Heart." After the team from Texas put a roof on the new building the residents have been working one heating their new home. On Tuesday (two days ago) they finished installing the radiators, pump, pipes and boiler. They turned it on and it began to heat the home. Just in time, since the highs are right around freezing point these days. Here is a photo of one of the church members who helped install the system standing in front of the wood/coal fire boiler.

This weekend we are taking our entire Khabarovsk team to the village of Novi Orgal. You can't get there by car, except when the rivers are frozen in the winter. We are going to take the train. This will be the first time Aaron, Beth or Elf have ever taken a train in Russia, let alone traveled on the famed Trans-Siberian Railway. It is 14 hours each way. In Novi Orgal we will meet with the local church and do an outreach among the youth. Please pray for the outreach to go well.

The big change in Russian law is a set of new restrictions on visas. New Russian visas will only be issued to Americans in countries where Americans are allowed to live for more than 90 days, and that is a very short list. The other restriction is that out of every 180 days that the visa is valid the visa-holder must leave the country for 90 days. As you can see, this would have a major effect on foreigners who live here. Cecil's present visa is good until March, but when he gets a new visa the restrictions would apply. Tonya and the kids have Russian citizenship, so they are unaffected. Aaron and Beth are getting new visa's in December, so we are looking into how this will effect them. Please pray for us to have wisdom, and to be able to live and work here effectively.

In early December we will be hosting a pastor's conference near Khabarovsk. Please pray for us to keep track of the many details and for those who will be speaking at the conference.

Also, we need to get another newsletter in the mail. Please pray for Cecil to be creative and inspired.

Because of Him,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna

Things keep moving along

Dear Friends,

We are so thankful that many of you continue to pray for us even when we haven't written as often as we should.

Construction at the homeless shelter continues. The roof that the team from Texas put on keeps the building dry, and the residents have added a utility room on the back. This is where the wood/coal heating system will be housed. It will be a radiator system, yesterday we purchased all the radiators, pipes and fittings that are needed. The boiler itself was donated from a local church. The center has the money they need to buy a pump. So soon the house will be warm as well as dry. Our prayers for the center are being answered. Please continue to pray for favor with government officials as we need more documents.

The Bible School here has just completed another session. Tonya got to use her translation skills while working with Dr. Arnold Lastinger and his wife Joy. Tonya also translated for Kara Cusic, a missionary with AGWM lives and ministers in Ulan Ude (in Siberia about 1,400 miles west of us).

Elf has arrived! Elf Potter is from Pennsylvania and will be with us for a year. She is studying Russian, living in a Russian dormitory and doing ministry among the students. Please pray for door of ministry to open for her among the students and staff. That's Elf on the right, Tonya in the middle, and Joy Lastinger (who taught at the Bible School) on the left.

The Lord has given us a large apartment, and we have dedicated it to his service. Two weeks ago a local church had a special service they call a harvest festival (kinda like Thanksgiving). Since our living room is larger than their (very small) church, we allowed them to use it for the service. It was a great time of worship, fellowship, and thanksgiving with 49 in attendance. Some of our neighbors joined us, for some it was the first time to ever attend a church service. We also found a turkey, and so they got to taste Turkey for the first time.

Deanna had a toothache so we took her to the dentist. The dentist did not take an x-ray. Rather the dentist drilled a small hole in the tooth, put in a little poison to kill the nerve, had us come back in one week to remove the poison and fill the whole. Hey, no toothache anymore. Tonya confirms this is the normal way it is done in Russia. Cecil has decided he will swim back to the States if he gets a toothache. Actually, he is filled with gratitude for healthy teeth.

Eight months ago the government refused to allow us to become a foster family (because one of us is a foreigner), so we started the adoption process to get a child. Deanna has been with us for several months now, but we had no documents other than a temporary release from the orphanage for her. We were for some reason invited to the government office to apply for to become foster parents. When we arrived we were very surprised to find the paperwork had been already completed and we were handed flowers and watched the city vice-mayor stamp documents making us a foster family. So now we have legal rights and can take her out of the city on trips. We even receive government financial support for her! Praise the Lord.

This is all separate from the adoption process. Tonya needs to complete a medical commission. This is a major undertaking. We did it at the beginning of this year, but it expired after three months, so it need to be done again. After seeing nine different doctors at five different clinics (not to mention giving blood, etc.) she only has one more doctor to visit. This visit is with the psychiatrist. Cecil has met him and in Cecil's opinion his man needs some treatment himself. So please pray for us as we finish this process.

Anyway. Deanna is living with us now. She fits right in with this crazy family. That's her on the left.

Aaron and Beth Barnes are busy helping to start Royal Ranger outposts here. They've been forming contacts with leaders and one outpost has started having meetings. Others are being formed. The key is finding good Russian leadership. Please pray for Aaron and Beth to come in contact with the right people and for outposts to get off to a good start.

Beth also has a heart to minister among the many Chinese who live in Khabarovsk. Before they came Cecil tried very hard to get a copy of the Alpha course in Chinese (Alpha is a good basic discipleship course on DVD). He was unable to get his hands on a copy (or even find somewho who could help him). So he quit trying. A couple weeks ago someone handed him and entire set for free. Wow.

Please pray for us and the entire AGWM team here in Khabarovsk, that we may be effective, in unity with one another, and in tune with the Holy Spirit.

In Christ,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna.

Building Things Up

Dear Friends,

A short-term construction team came from Texas and did a huge amount of work in the time they were here. They worked on the homeless shelter, roofed a church office building and spent one day at a Christian center for invalids. Here are some photos. This little building serves as the office of a local church.

Before and near the end of their work.

Here is the front of the homeless shelter with a before and after.





















And here is the back, showing before and part-way through.

These photos don't show the work they did inside, such as insulate and put a floor in the second level of the building. They also purchased siding that the residents will be installing and left money to install a heating system. In addition to making a major impact on the physical buildings where they worked, they also left a great impact on the lives of the people where they worked. We praise the Lord for the this wonderful team who sacrificed so much for the people of Russia.

Jason jumped in and joined the team in the work. He's been here since February of last year and has now returned to the States.He plans on coming back to Khabarovsk and joining us again in February next year.

However, we have just been joined by Aaron and Beth Barnes. They will, Lord willing, be here for a year or more. Aaron plans to start Royal Rangers (kinda like Christian Boy Scouts) among churches here. Beth wants to do ministry among the many Chinese who live here in Khabarovsk. Please pray for them as they begin their ministries here.

Welcome Aaron and Beth!

Also, please pray for another member of our team who is preparing to join us. She goes by the name Elf, and will be doing campus ministry. Today she is going to the Russian Consulate to get her visa. Please pray for her documents, packing, and preparations.

On a personal note, we as a family have finished reading through all seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. It was a lot of fun and the kids would like to do it again.

The wheels have the adoption process continue to grind slowly. Due to the delays our medicals which were done in March are no longer considered valid. So we will be getting complete physicals once again (it is about a three day process). Please pray for us to keep our senses of humor.

Love, Joy and Peace be unto you!

Serving in the Russian Far East,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna