The days are passing quickly.....

I Corinthians 10:31 "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

This is what we must keep in mind each day as we begin working and throughout the work day. This building is a place of worship, a house of prayer, for the Russian people. All the glory goes to God.

Monday night. We started this morning shortly after 8 a.m. with devotions by Jared. Once again patience was mentioned. We have only 3 days left to work and so much we'd like to get done. We need patience for the tasks to be completed, patience when working with others, patience with the many changes that can take place during the course of the day.

Today they started digging for the foundation for the main steps using an excavator and man power. It rained and is very muddy. The men had to help push the truck out when it got stuck. We started painting the benches a soft cream color and they are looking good. Dry wall is still being installed on the ceiling and side walls. The upstairs area under the steeple entrance has some flooring installed and more to go.

One of today's highlights was the arrival of the television crew. Two men came and took video and also interviewed a few men. We noted that no women were interviewed. They did videotape the women working on the benches though. Dan demonstrated the operation of the nail gun.

The other highlight was a special treat for lunch. The head architect of Lesosibirsk, a woman who has worked her way up to this position, came to the site. She had a part in the design, I believe. She brought borscht for us and a fry bread that could be dipped in sweetened condensed milk. It was an unexpected gift and very appreciated. This was in addition to our regular meal. We are not going hungry! Sweetened condensed milk is used for many foods here as a topping like syrup or for dipping.

Sunday we were very pleased to see a very large crowd for church. The benches were full and there were a few people standing. Next week they will have all of the benches available. The team sang two songs, one based on Micah 6:8 that Bob and Robin taught us. The second song was "In Christ Alone" and we could see some of the Russian brothers and sisters saying the words along with us. Richard, our team leader, gave the first message of the morning. There were also several songs led by two of the church members. People from the church also got up to share something with the members. Dan, another team member, also spoke during the service.

After church several people went to the local Chinese restaurant for lunch and then to see the Orthodox church. It is a very impressive building with gold towers and a very large landscaped area with a fence around it. Others went shopping and enjoyed pizza in a small cafe. It was a good day for relaxing and sightseeing.

Please continue praying for safety for the team and for continued progress. Also pray for the members of the Reconciliation Church.