The church we attend in Khabarovsk put on a concert during the
city's day of memory for those who have died of AIDS. They put
out literature for passersby to take. The event was held in a
city park. It is a good occasion to think about eternity, as
well as a healthy lifestyle. Many people would pause and listen
for a while, a fair number would take information, a few would
ask questions.
Our orphan outreach with game nights continues every week.
Attendance varies from 8 to 20 depending on weather, exam
schedules, and such. We get opportunities to get to know people
and have both casual and spiritual conversations. Since
churches meet in this room on Sundays, it is easy to invite
people to attend services since folks have already become
familiar with the location.
Movie nights continue, although attendance is down (about half a
dozen on average). Please pray for wisdom in regards to that
ministry. We need to be very careful about any advertisement or
such.
Work at the dacha project for orphan graduate adaptation
continues. We are in the painting stage. Here is our daughter
Vera helping to paint the ceiling on the first floor (with her
hair pulled back to keep it from becoming the new color).
Here is one of the orphan grads painting the bottom of the outhouse. After he was done, we set it upright. It is now ready for use!
No, there won't be running water at this center, but that is not unusual for country houses in Russia. It is important, however, to have a good stove. We're hoping to get that installed soon. Please pray for that very important step, as we've been having difficulty finding someone qualified and willing to do that. Other than the stove, a well, and putting mattresses on the beds, the center is ready for habitation. This project has taken a bit longer to realize than we expected that it would, but it is now possible to spend the night there.
Our son Timothy continues work and study in the States. He is doing well.
Serving in Russia,
Cecil, Tonya, and the girls
P.S. Info for those who might travel to Khabarovsk - http://russiatrek.org/khabarovsk-city
