Cecil has returned from Mongolia with a new visa for Russia. He was only issued a 90 day visa, but that's O.K. since we plan to return to the States at the end of June. He was gone for just over three weeks. While he was there he not only went to the Russian Consulate to do business, but he headed out to the countryside to visit an old friend of his named Chris. Seventeen years ago they lived together in a tent while working at a Boys' Camp in North Carolina, and now they went camping in Mongolia. Chris has lived in Mongolia about thirteen years now, and is moving further out into the countryside as he tries to reach the nomads with the Good News. Since Cecil had to wait two weeks for his visa to be issued, he went out and helped Chris build a new house for his family. They are living in a ger (round white felt tent) and had Cecil stay with them. That's a photo of Cecil and Chris in front of the ger, which is in front of the wooden house Chris is building.
They did a little traveling around together. Did you know that there are ten times as many sheep as people in Mongolia? And lots of cows, goats and horses too. Cecil got to see some of them.
Cecil also had his birthday (March 23rd) while he was there. Here he is in Chris's ger with a cake they cooked for him.
While Cecil was gone the rest of the family had some adventures too. There is a family in our apartment building that has been torn with divorce several years ago. The parents continue to live in the same apartment because they can't afford to buy another and split up. So finally the mother of the family went to a city on the opposite side of Russia expecting to inherit some property. She left the two girls (10 and 15 years old) with their father here. The youngest has been attending Sunday School with our kids for several months, made a decision for Christ and has been praying for her family. The father began drinking and it became unsafe for the girls to stay at home so they moved in with Tonya and the kids. The first night they stayed at our house the older girl gave her heart to the Lord. Two weeks later a minister from a local church went with Tonya to talk with the father and he decided to repent and follow Jesus. He stopped drinking. Next Sunday he accompanied his youngest daughter to church while the older one attended a different church with Elf. Since then he has not been drinking or smoking and has been reading his Bible and attending church. Cecil returned from Mongolia on Sunday evening and they went together to a Christian men's meeting on Thursday. This has been an amazing change in his life and the family is undergoing a complete transformation. Please pray for this family, and particularly their mother who is not saved yet.
Also while Cecil was gone two wonderful professors, Everett and Evelyn McKinney, stayed at our house. Tonya translated for Evelyn at the Bible Institute in the mornings. They were a blessing to have around and helped with the kids and even cooked pancakes. We thank God that he has given us a big enough home to house our family, two troubled sisters and two teachers all at the same time.
On Tuesday Elf had her birthday. She turned the big 19. We are very proud of this young lady who came all the way from the States to help us. She was certainly a big help to Tonya and the kids while Cecil was gone.
When asked what kind of birthday cake she wanted, she flipently said she wanted one like a map of Russia. So that's what Tonya made.
Pretty close, huh?
Just before he left to get his new Russian visa, Cecil finished our latest newsletter. It took a while for the rest of the family to get all the stamps on the envelopes and the letters in the mail, but they are all mailed out now. You can take a look at the web version at http://hqmail.agmd.org/~tonya.eshelman/NL2008-1/NL2008-1.html if you want to.
We plan to return to the States at the end of June to spend one year of home service. We will be itinerating among churches to raise missions awareness and financial support for our ministry. We have a lot to do to be ready to go back, packing up and scheduling services. We are still waiting on some documents to process so that we can get Deanna a passport, and then we'll need to get her a visa to come to the States. Please pray for as we schedule services that our time will be fruitful and that this will be a powerful time of ministry. Please also pray for us to bring everything to a close and tie up all the loose ends here so that the transition will be smooth and not too stressful.
Because of Him,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna
