Throughout yesterday we said and heard the saying, "Khristos Voskres" and the response, "V Estenu On Voskres." That is, "Christ is risen," and "He is risen, indeed." These are the traditional Easter greetings in Russia.
It also snowed all yesterday. Even without any Easter lilies in bloom here, Christ is still risen.
This last week Tonya was given open doors at a nearby orphanage to tell the Easter Story. She chose to go class to class using a carton of plastic eggs - each with a symbol inside representing something that happened during Holy Week - to tell the children. It was very well received by both children and staff, some of whom had never heard a clear presentation of the Easter story before.
One of the ladies who works at this orphanage struck up a conversation with Tonya about her son. He has an open form of tuberculosis, and is in the TB ward of a hospital. Tonya offered to pray for him. There happens to be a man, in the church we attend here, who was miraculously healed of TB. So we asked him to visit this lady's son in the hospital. The next morning he went for the visit and witnessed to him and prayed with the young man. This young man was not expecting a visitor, but was so impressed by the visit that he called his mother and said, "someone came and talked with and prayed for me, and I feel so much better." The lady was deeply touched that someone would risk going into a TB ward to help her son. There is nothing more exciting than seeing God at work in people's lives.
We continue to have monthly birthday parties for the kids from that orphanage.
We praise God that he opens doors for ministry for us here. While another Christian group that ministered here has not been permitted to restart their Sunday School, we continue to pray that the doors for their work will open again for them as well.
We've also begun having a 14 year old girl from a different orphanage to our house on week-ends. Her name is Nastia. This is a new step for us, and we're learning a lot. Please pray for us and Nastia as this relationship develops. Here is a photo of her with Tonya.
Our hope is that others will begin to take children from orphanages for weekends, or even just Saturday afternoons, and and show them God's love. It's a good way for children in orphanages to see what a family is like and how they function.
On the 7th of May we will be hosting a half day conference encouraging folks to become involved in the lives of children in the orphanage system, and teach practical things than can be done. We are arranging speakers from the government as well as parents who have done this and from non-government agencies. This is the first time we've done this kind of thing, so please pray for us and the conference.
One of the Bible Schools that uses Hope Center has finished another session. Hope Center sure is an active place.
We've mentioned the Hosanna Plan for Russia. They've started a Facebook group. You can check it out at "Hosanna Plan on Facebook"
"Life ebbs away from Russian villages" is a presentation of how villages in Russia are disappearing as young people migrate to the cities.
One last prayer request. Cecil has submitted his application for Permanent Residency in Russia. The application process takes a while, but we should get an answer in September. Please pray that all is approved and he receive Permanent Residency Status.
Christ is Risen Indeed,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna
