Ministry continues

Dear Friends,

Tonya has taken a short trip to her parent’s home so as to gather some documents we need.  Russia does seem to be the land of documents, and American requires some too.  However, it means Tonya gets to see her folks, and she hasn’t seen much of them for quite a while.  So maybe it’s a good thing (a God thing) that she needed to take a trip to Novokuznetsk.  Novokuznetsk is about half-way from Khabarovsk to Moscow, which means it’s about 2,000 miles away from here.  Russia sure is a big country.

Even without Mama being around, ministry continues.  Attendance last week for “game night” was just about an overflow crowd.  The fellowship was great.  We had a good mix of orphan graduates, foster families, and helpers.

Life Skills classes continue as well.  Despite some difficulties, orphans continue to come to the lessons. 

Knowing how to prepare fish is an important life skill, don’t you think?

Team assignments help too.

We’ve even taken a “field trip” to another location and had a different set of skills developed.  Below you see a lesson on how to work with and cut glass.

It’s been a bit strange jumping into full time ministry work just a couple months ago, and now needing to prepare to return to the States this summer.  Please pray that we can get all the details straight.  One of the details that we’re needing to take care of is getting a visa to America for Diana.  We’re still working on getting her U.S. citizenship (quite a slow process), so we’ll need to get her a visa to the States before she can come.  Please also pray that our speaking schedule at churches will be full, and that there be clear communication with the churches as well.

We’ve been having some problems with links to our web site.  For now the link is http://101649.agwebservices2.org/

Here’s a few other interesting links:

A really good short film from the Russian Orthodox point of view.

http://shortfilmsin.com/video/15594/Christian-Short-Film#

Meteorite over Russia

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/russian-security-footage-reveals-curiosity-then-chaos-as-meteor-strikes/story-fnd134gw-1226581601250

World opinion of the U.S.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/01/11/who-loves-and-hates-america-a-revealing-map-of-global-opinion-toward-the-u-s/

Russian Internet responses to…various things…kinda different…

http://english.ruvr.ru/radio_broadcast/36172287/105383430.html

Russian car cams

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/feb/15/russian-roads-dash-cams-video

May the Lord be with you!

In Christ,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Diana

Merry Russian Christmas (& Ministry)

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas.  Yes, today – January 7^th - is Christmas in Russia.  After opening presents, we went to the church we attend here and had a great Christmas Service.  We invited a number of friends who attended with us.  So, Merry Christmas!!!

Since arriving back in Khabarovsk four weeks ago we’ve been adapting.  First, to the time change (we’re 15 hours ahead of North Carolina).  Also, the temperature change (highs of about zero F the last few days).  And doing front line ministry, rather than speaking in American Churches.  So far, so good.  We’re definitely not in North Carolina any more.  Here’s a photo of us in the snow in front of an ice sculpture at a nearby city square.

We took some orphanage graduates that we know to visit the square, also.  We had a great time.

Since schools and many businesses have been closed for New Years (Christmas is a minor, one-day holiday in Russia, but schools close for about ten days for New Year’s Day), we’ve been going into a nearby orphanage and playing table games with the kids.  A team of volunteers from the churches has been helping us. 

Our Life Skills classes continued while we were in the States, being led by the volunteer team.  It was good to join back in.

 

Oh, we can’t forget to mention, Vera had a birthday.  Now we have another teenager in the family. Oh, my.

It’s good to be home again.  We thank God that doors remain open to minister in the orphanages.  Hope Center is doing well. 

Please pray for us to have wisdom.  There are several opportunities to expand our ministry, but we want to do it in the way that will bring long-term results.

Please also pray for our health.  It’s been a challenge going through the adjustments.

Oh, yes,… Happy New Year!

From Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Diana

Dear Friends,

we have arrived back home in Russia.  Thank you for your prayers; this trip was one of the smoothest ever.  No problems along the way, the flights were on time, all the luggage arrived, no hassle at customs, and friends were there to greet us at the airport.

We are tired, and we'll give you a fuller report later.  Right now it's bedtime in Khabarovsk. 

Good night,

Cecil

 

Russian to Russia

Dear Friends,

we've been busy with itneration, speaking as often as possible in churches across the Eastern U.S. Now we're preparing for our return to Russia. We have tickets to fly out of the airport in Greensboro on Saturday (December 8th). So now we're packing, putting things in storage, and getting everything ready.

As part of a home school cooperative group here, Tim and Diana were involved with a theatrical presentation called "Everyman." Timothy played Satan and Diana played an angel. They had a great time.

We've had contact with our ministry team in Khabarovsk. We're so proud of them as they continued the orphanage ministry while we were gone to the States. We look forward to seeing them again.

This coming trip we'll leave from North Carolina, change planes in California, fly to South Korea to change planes again, and then on the Khabarovsk (Home, Sweet Home).

 

 

On this trip we will be taking some video equipment for a Russian church's ministry. Please pray that the equipment arrives undamaged and there is no hassle at customs.

We have mailed out our latest newsletter. You can see it at

http://101649.agwebservices2.org/SiteFiles/101649/Content/Newsletter/NL2012November.pdf

Please also pray that we manage to finish closing up the house we've been renting, put everything in storage or in our suitcases, get the car in storage, have our documents in order, and get to the airport on time with our luggage!

Thank you so much.

Blessings,

Cecil

From the Mountains to the Sea

Dear Friends,

we've been on the run here in the States and have lost track of time. It's time for another email update from the Eshelman missionaries.

Mostly, we've been traveling and speaking in Churches. We've spoken at a XA student group, a Bible School mission service, Sunday Schools, and, of course, Church services. Mostly we've been in North Carolina, but so far we've spoken in Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee as well. We dress up in our "old fashioned" Russian costumes when we go to speak.

We were up in the mountains of North Carolina to speak.

And we got to speak at the Outer Banks as well. A little late in the season for most swimmers, but not for those who are used to Russia.

It was also good getting to see some folks on Hatteras Island we knew from when Cecil pastored a church there so many years back.

We have communicated some with our Russian ministry team in Khabarovsk. They continue to do the Life Skills lessons with the orphans. Please pray that they remain steadfast and that the Lord would bless the ministry there.

We have tickets to start flying back to Russia on the 8th of December. If Cecil wants to keep his Russian resident permit - and he does - we can't stay in the States much longer than that. So we'll need to make sure that everything is in order for us to leave, even while we continue to travel and speak. Please pray that we can get everything in order before we go back, there are so many details to take care of.

As an interesting note to those interested in Mars, one of the rovers was named by a Russian orphan:

http://www.space.com/18289-opportunity-rover.html

If you like to drink coffee, here is a web site to check out:

http://eurasiacafe.org/causes/life-center/

The Far East Broadcasting Company is doing work in Russia:

http://www.febc.ru/update-pdf/2011-3%20Update.pdf

Blessings,

Cecil

Re-entry

Dear Friends,

we're back in the States and spending time with family before we start to travel. We arrived safe and sound with all the luggage! We've bought a van and a cell phone. We have new prayer cards. Take a look-

In an effort to get over jet-lag, we've been going on hikes in the mountains. We thought that would keep the kids awake. Pretty good idea, but didn't work every time.

Next week we'll attend a family reunion, then we'll head east to our "home area" in North Carolina. After being outside the States for almost three years now, we're going through a touch of culture shock (or "reentry shock"). Some things are so different.

Soon we will be traveling, speaking in churches, visiting folks and raising support for the ministry in Russia's Far East. Back in Khabarovsk a team of local volunteers will be keeping the ministry going. Plans are for us to return to Russia in December. Please pray for the team in Russia to be empowered for the work.

We have an American cell phone now. If you want the number, just send me an email.

Please pray that we can find a place to rent while we stay in North Carolina. Right now we're not sure what our address will be.

We hope to see you soon.

Here's an short story of a Russian inventor who ended up killed by his own invention.

http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/photos/7-inventors-killed-by-their-inventions/valerian-abakovsky

This is perhaps the strangest trial I've ever tried to follow. It is a trail of a female punk-rock band that interrupted an Orthodox Church service to sing a song about President Putin.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/05/pussy-riot-court-diary

Blessings,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Diana

Final Work Before the Return

Dear Friends,

we're sprinting toward July 18th, when we head back to see the States for the first time in three years. Looking forward to seeing family and friends again. We plan to take some vacation time, then head to North Carolina to start itinerating churches and reporting of the work in Russia.

Right now the girls are at camp. Timothy went to camp last weekend in Komsomolsk, and I ended up driving the six hours (one way) with a Speed-the-Light van load of wonderful youth. We had a great time. Tonya got to translate for me the three times I preached last week-end. The young people were incredibly responsive and the Holy Spirit moved among them.

Earlier this month we took a trip to the Jewish Autonomous Region (just west of Khabarovsk). We toured the museum that tells it's very interesting history. On Sunday I preached in a church that had born-again Jewish members.

After the service they took us to a picnic and put a hat on my head.

We participated in the "March for Families" that took place about a month ago. We were one of four families in the city recognized for having adopted a child.

As a note to homeschooling, we watched the transit of Venus. Although there were a lot of clouds, we got a number of clear views of Venus against the sun during the passage. Here in Northern Asia we were able to watch it from beginning to end. A couple weeks before that we got to watch a solar eclipse. Here's a photo of us viewing the eclipse by projecting an image through binoculars onto a piece of paper (note: the light part is the sun, the dark spot is the moon).

The "Open Heart" homeless shelter that we work with has had a number of young single homeless moms start to live there. The shelter's work certainly is expanding. They are building more rooms for mothers and families.

Be sure to check out our latest newsletter -

Our latest newsletter has just been written and printing is beginning. If you see any mistakes, please let me know right away and I'll stop the press to correct it.

http://101649.agwebservices2.org/SiteFiles/101649/Content/Newsletter/Newsletter%202012%20June%20pdf.pdf

Here's an amazing article about Russia's history, present times, and Khabarovsk. It's written by a Catholic priest and what he found after communism in Russia.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2012/06/when-the-priests-returned-to-russia/

We haven't seen smoke ourselves, but they say say there's fire.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/world/20120626-russia.html

Abortions are all-to-common here in Russia. So we know many who carry feelings of guilt about it. This article shows a beautiful piece of art that ministers to many women.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/heart-rending-young-slovakian-sculptor-captures-post-abortion-pain-mercy-an

The girls have a great time playing hid-and-seek this spring.

Blessings,

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Diana

Pic-Nic time (and more)

Dear Friends,

it seems like the pressure is on to finish up everything here so that we'll be ready to return to the States this summer. This will be the first of our three mini-itinerations.

I now have a resident permit to live in Russia, and this is wonderful since I can live here without a visa (much like a "green card" in the US). The one drawback is that I if I leave Russia for more than six months I lose it. Losing it would be a problem, so our normal itineration schedule will be broken into three smaller trips. We'll be back in the States for August to December this year, and then another trip each in 2013 and 2014. That gets a bit complicated to do all that relocating, but it's the best plan anyone can come up with.

Anyway, the rush is on to finish off our projects, hand off ministry to our partners here, make arrangements for our apartment, and finish the paperwork.

One wonderful blessing that we are having right now is Ashley. She's come from North Carolina to take over the homeschooling for four weeks. And she's doing a great job. It frees up some of our time, gives the kids a break from their parents, and adds to the quality of their education.

We would like to ask for prayer for Nicole, who is also serving with us. Her Aunt passed away, and being so far from the family at times like this is a hardship. Nicole is handling things pretty well, but we are praying that the God of all comfort with indeed comfort her and her family at this time.

Life Skills lessons for the orphans are the highlight of our ministry right now. Soon-to-be graduates from three orphanages are coming to lessons.

The Lord has send people from a variety of churches to form a really good team of teachers for Life Skills. We took our volunteer helpers on a picnic to celebrate the Lord and our calling together.

Things have developed to the point that the team plans to continue the work while we are gone this fall. Of course that is what we wanted all along. Since we will be gone they will need to find financial support from the Russian churches. So they will need to step up in every area of the ministry from leadership to planning to fundraising. Not easy. Please pray for them in this endeavor.

As our final big activity before our trip to the States, we are putting together a local conference for "Russia Without Orphans," a group that is building up ministries and families to take children out of the Russian orphanage system by providing foster and adoptive families. The obstacles are big, and the need is big, but our Lord is bigger still. Children were not meant grow up in institutions. God's design is for children to be brought up in families.

The orphanage we've been doing birthday parties with only had only a few birthday kids in May. So we decided to do something a bit different, and have a picnic by the Amur River.That's Ashley with the Campbell sweater on, and Nicole on the right. We're so blessed to have them helping out.

Cecil has received his Resident Permit, but it seems the paperwork never ends. Deanna has not yet received US citizenship, so we are working on getting her a visa to the States so we can all go together for our mini-itineration this fall. So we do have another special prayer request(s). Please pray for her visa, and also that her I-130 (for US citizenship) would be approved. Right now we are in the process of gathering documents to prove that she has lived with us for the last two years. By the way, she has decided that henceforth she her name is to be spelled "Diana" since that is how it is written on the official documents, although the pronunciation has not changed.

Oh, Timothy had his birthday on the 3rd of May. Of course, we had a party with some friends. He's wearing his "Super Tim" shirt that the girls made for him.

May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Diana