Snowy holidays

 We're not dreaming of a white Christmas, we're assured that there will be plenty of snow to play in.  We've already had plenty of white snow before Thanksgiving.  While Thanksgiving may not be a Russian holiday, our friends sure enjoy having a feast with us.

 The renovations on the rehab center continue, and it is becoming a nicer and nicer place.  The entire facility is now snug and warm and generally clean.  The program itself is making progress as well, with continual step-by-step improvements.  We enjoy working with the leadership here, they are good folks. The Kingdom of God moves forward step-by-step.  It is a joy to watch people's lives improve. Of course, living better lives is what this program is all about, and we hope the Lord is pleased with how things are going.

We are grateful for the support and prayers of so many people.  Blessings to all!

Back on the Farm

 We have made it back to the rehab center in Siberia.  We're still in jet-lag, but starting to do things.  The folks here are very glad to see us and have us back.  The building is in better shape than when we left (they kept working on it while we were gone).  The farm seems to be doing fine as well.

Coronavirus has changed the way some things are being done here, much like the changes in the States (mask are common, people are distancing, etc.).  

We're getting organized and oriented.  Hope to post some good news here soon.  Thank you for all your prayers, they seem to have gotten us through.

All our kids are in the States (going to school and working).  They seem to be fine, from what they tell us.

 We have gotten tickets to return to our work in Russia.  The first time we bought tickets the flight was cancelled, so we have had to buy tickets again.  Flights keep getting changed around, international travel is a bit messy right now.  Hoping things work out and we actually fly this time.  We'll try to stay in touch and let everyone know if we actually manage to make it back to Russia.  Please pray that everything works out this time. 

Still waiting to return

Dear Friends,

we continue to look forward to travel opening up so that we can return to Russia and the work that is waiting for us there.

So many things have happened and changed since the beginning of the year 2020, so many plans have been altered that it is hard to decide which one to begin with.

In January we were in the city of Novokuznetsk in sunny Southwest Siberia, involved in different outreaches and ministries, working together with the Russian Church building the Kingdom of God. One of our favorite outreaches was an evangelistic play “God Is Where Love Is” by Leo Tolstoy. Cecil helped to direct the play while Tonya and Diana performed with sisters and brothers from the adaptation center. Though for most of them it was the first time performing in a play, everyone enjoyed it, and it was successfully shown in nearby towns around Christmas, and the Gospel message preached. Our hope was to perform it in the orphanages as well, but the director of the orphanage did not give us permission. Please pray with us for God to open that door sometime.

Another delight for us was teaching a water baptism class for three new believers. They were a part of a larger water baptism group in January. The pastor wanted them to fully understand what they were doing beforehand.

On January 11^th, we conducted a small seminar for children’s ministry workers. It was entitled, “Ministering to a Hurting Child.” We met with wonderful dedicated children’s ministers who said the subject is very relevant and they would like us to do more seminars like that. Apparently, God is moving in their city bringing a lot of physically challenged children and their parents to church. It is a new field for them and they asked us for specific help and training. Maybe you have children’s ministers in your church who would like to share their experience or know of a good resource for parents and ministers of disabled children. If so, please let us know.

Well, in mid February we returned to the States to apply for a new visa for Cecil. The visa was granted, praise the Lord. Thank you for your prayers. But we were not able to fly back because international travel shut down due to COVID 19.

So three long stay-at-home-order months followed for us in North Carolina. If you know anything about missionaries, you must understand that it is hard for us to stay home. Yes, it was not easy, but we are grateful to God for providing a place for us to stay, for meaningful interactions with our now grown-up children and His “grace that is sufficient for us.”

We are thankful for your prayers and financial support during these challenging times. We have not given up hope to go back to Russia as soon as the borders open up again.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you while we are Stateside, of how we can best pray for you. You are in our hearts and prayers.

God bless you,

The Eshelman Family

Passion Week and God's Work

a note from Tonya:

Passion week has usually been one of the busiest in our missionary lives, a time of sowing, asking, and answering questions. I remember several years ago in Russia the Lord moved on our hearts to talk to the assistant director of an orphanage asking permission to talk with the kids about the death and resurrection of Christ. The assistant director, Tatiana Nikolayevna, hesitated for a while, but when I shared a story of a powerful emotional healing in one of the children a year before, she agreed. So, grateful for the opportunity, I got our “Resurrection Eggs” kit and went from class to class sharing the story of Christ’s resurrection with the orphanage children and staff. The Gospel presentations went very well, the children gave full attention to the story, and many people prayed with us afterwards. God gave us a word through one of our Russian sisters, Ogla, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor. 2:9

I was encouraged by His Word thinking that it was concerning the children's evangelism effort that was going so well. Little did I know that God had another opportunity for me that day. After speaking to all the classes in the orphanage, I stopped by Tatiana Nikolayevna’s office to thank her for letting us speak to the students. She asked me to close the door behind me and started to pour her heart out. She said she’s been an Orthodox Christian for years and followed all the traditions and rituals of the church faithfully, but could not understand why God was punishing her. At that moment her only son, who was 27 years old, was dying at the hospital from tuberculosis.

I had a long conversation with Tatiana that night, we cried together, prayed together, and finally she seemed to be feeling better and I went home. The next morning Cecil and I asked a Russian brother, Andrei, who had been healed from tuberculosis to visit the hospital and talk with her son. The same afternoon Tatiana’s son called her very excited. She was rather surprised because her son had been depressed for months. He said, “Don’t worry Mom, it’s going to be all right. A fellow came to my hospital room and told me I will live, and live forever, because Jesus forgave my sins and died for me. And Mom, could you bake me paskha?” Paskha is a traditional Russian Easter bread.

That story happened years ago. This passion week we are in the States restricted by the stay-at-home orders, waiting for the borders to open so that we can go back to Russia, the land of our calling. This story reminds us that God is still the same, He is not restricted, He still heals, saves, and surprises us because “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Let this time of social distancing and isolation be a time of waiting upon the Lord and expecting him to do great things.

Easter Blessings from Cecil and Tonya Eshelman

plans change

Dear Friends,

we are in the States for me to get a new visa to Russia.  That has gone well and the Russian consulate has issued me a new one.  However, the Corona virus has changed our travel plans.  We are in North Carolina waiting for things to normalize and for us to get tickets.  Thankfully a couple from church has given us a place to stay for a while, so we do have somewhere to rest our heads.

So we are in a wait-and-see mode before we can travel again.  Our leadership have advised us to stay in place until further notice and things are good for international travel.

We are all healthy and thankful for that.

We also thank our supporters for being patient and understanding that we can't head overseas right now, even though we have the documents we need.  I guess this virus outbreak has affected many people's plans.  While it has caught us by surprise, God has not been caught unaware.

I am thinking of a Bible verse that says, "For I know the plans I have you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future."

While I have been caught off-guard sometimes, I have never see God surprised.

We do look forward to seeing Russia again.

Blessings to you all!

Back for a new visa

The Eshelman Exploits in Russia

February 2020 

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the snowy north. There has been a lot going on, first let me tell you that we have been shoveling a lot of snow here, but that is nothing new to Siberia. 

We were recently asked to lead a baptism class for three people at the center (two residents and one of the workers). There is a Russian holiday on January 19 that can be translated as the Day of our Lord’s Baptism. So we covered ten lessons in advance, and they were baptized that day by the local pastor, along with 29 others from the church.

Thankfully, the water in the baptismal pool was not frozen (not saying it was warm, either).

One of the highlights of December was a Christmas play put on by the church plant that we are assisting. It is a play based on a classic Russian story written by Leo Tolstoy titled, “God Is Where Love Is.” Tonya, Diana, and some of the members of the adaptation center participated. Cecil advised with the directing. A number of new people attended just to see the performance, so it was a good outreach.

We recently led a seminar on ministry to children who have experienced trauma. Those who are doing orphanage ministry and those who work with special needs children found the information to be helpful. We were asked to do more training for volunteers who are working with special needs children and their parents. If you know of someone qualified to teach or train in this sphere of ministry, please let us know.

Renovations of the ministry center in Tiagina continue (mostly inside this time of year). So Cecil gets to use his construction skills. We will return to the States on a short trip to get Cecil’s new visa to Russia. Please pray. 

Sincerely, 

Cecil & Tonya Eshelman