And they sang, praising and giving thanks to Jehovah, because He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised Jehovah because the foundation of the house of Jehovah was laid.
But many of the priests and Levites, and heads of the fathers, the aged men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. And many shouted aloud for joy,
So that the people could not tell the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of weeping of the people. For the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Ezra 3:11-13
As I read these verses during my devotional time the other morning I was struck by the emotional responses of the people in Ezra’s time as they witnessed the re-building of the Temple. What a mixture of emotions was present that day!
It also brought to mind much of what we have experienced as we witnessed the Reconciliation Church building, through much prayer and hard work, being transformed into a functioning, gathering place for the believers of Lesosibirsk, Russia.
I’m thinking of Nina and Luda, whose parents were among the original group, who, in Soviet times, had to worship in secret, believing that one day they would have the freedom to praise God in a church building of their own. What joy it is for these sisters to see this “House of Prayer” (as they call it) becoming a reality!
Then there is Pastor Roma, who for ten years he has carried in his heart the vision that God could and would make this dream a reality. Through much opposition and seeming impossibility, he has continued to work toward the fulfillment of this vision and today his church family is beginning to reap the blessings of his prayerful commitment and hard labor.
I’m remembering the day we said goodbye to the brothers and sisters of Reconciliation Church. It was one of both joy and sadness. Joy in the love God has given us for each other, joy in the what we have seen God do, and sadness in knowing that although we are close in heart and purpose, we live a world apart. We said goodbye to some in the church who feel the weight of the responsibility of the new building, all that is yet to be done, and the realization that without God’s continued help, direction, and provision, it is impossible.
For those of us who have prayed, given, and labored, recent days have been bittersweet. With the elation of seeing the work closer to completion comes the realization that although the building is in use today, as the year progresses and colder days come, this church family will be “homeless” once again.
Although much has been accomplished, there is much left to do. Outside, the brickwork is complete and the front steps were begun. Inside, the bulk of the insulation and sheetrock work is done. The stage area is built, the electrical wiring is in place, and several rooms have been framed out including a sound room in the loft area at the back. There are temporary doors and window coverings in place to protect from the weather. We also built and painted about 20 benches, all of which were filled with people several Sundays in a row!
Although there is much yet to be done, the people are joyously meeting in the new building for as long as they can. Please continue to pray for the believers of the Reconciliation Church and the completion of the church building so that they can most effectively minister to their community from this central location. We believe that God intends to use this people and this place to make His Name known in the entire region.
We want to once again assure you of our gratitude for your partnership and care to the brothers and sisters that God has gathered in this faraway place. Please continue to pray and consider if you might give of your time or finances to complete the task. Should God put this on your heart, you may contact www.send.org to ask how you may help.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Looking back to the last few days in Siberia
Each day started with devotions by a team member and singing. We learned a song based on Micah 6:8 from Bob and Robin. It was a two part song with the men starting and the women echoing. This was a great way to begin every morning. Rob's devotion on Tuesday was regarding service and in this case, service to God. Marjorie focused on anger and forgiveness on Wednesday. Ryan (Herms) talked about joy in the Lord. As Christians we need to show that we are happy and share this with others.
We had several Russian women come to help sand and paint the benches on the last few days. Some of the Russian men worked on digging the foundation for the steps as well as on inside projects. Even though we couldn't speak each other's language, we managed to communicate what needed to be done and showed our appreciation of each other.
Marjorie, our oldest team member, was in charge of temporary windows. She designed a plastic covered frame that could easily be removed for ventilation, while keeping the rain and wind out when that was needed. She had favorite tools that worked for her and we had many laughs over her protectiveness. Just ask anyone on the team who might have borrowed them without telling her! Her work will be much appreciated by the church goers as the weather cools until the real windows can be installed.
On Thursday Jared and Rob secured the steeple area from leaks. Just getting up to the steeple was a challenge. Check out the pictures later for their precarious climb. The ceiling insulation was finished and the dry wall in the sanctuary is done. A woman from the church will be doing the finish work on it. Bob's last big item was getting the framing done for the first step into the church. These aren't just a small set of steps, they reach across the entire end of the church in a semi-circle. The Russian men will complete the steps and send a picture later.
On Thursday evening we had a time of fellowship with the Russian believers. The shashlik (shish kebab) took a few hours to make enough for everyone. They were cooked on a wood fired grill. We were given gifts made of birch bark from the church. The ladies received a beautifully shaped flower and then men received either a wallet or decorative box also made of birch bark.
Dan, our youngest team member, brought a few games to share with everyone. A favorite was a game that gave a light shock to the loser....and people kept playing and laughing over the fun. He also brought a football and frisbee. The Russian men enjoyed learning some techniques for throwing a good pass.
On Friday we met at the church at 8:30 a.m. This was a time to say our final good-bye to our Russian sisters and brothers (some quite emotional), take team pictures, and for Bob to give final instructions to the Russian men who will continue the work. It is amazing how close relationships can form in just two weeks and it was hard to see the tears in the eyes of some of the church leaders. The believers of the Reconciliation church are hard-working, faithful people. They have a new building now and we have a better understanding of Russian culture and their strong faith. We are humbled by these men and women who are connected to us through faith in God.
After our good-byes we headed to Krasnoyarsk with some of the Russian brothers. It is always exciting to ride with these men who might be well-suited for Indy racing! Riding with them can be a test of faith. They believe in fast driving and quick stops, too. It seems to be the Russian way.
We arrived in the city of Krasnoyarsk for some sightseeing and souvenir shopping. We were in a perfect place to see the solar eclipse on Friday evening. Several of us had a chance to view it through some special lenses provided by a television crew....which led to some filming of the Americans watching the eclipse. The evening ended with a debriefing with the SEND missionaries, James and Paul. They were invaluable in all aspects of our time in Siberia. They suggested that we prepare 30 second, 1 minute, and 5 minute responses for people who ask about our trip. You may want to suggest which version you'd like or you may hear more than you have time for.
Watch for another posting soon about the last leg of the trip. We enjoyed safety and companionship throughout the trip.
We had several Russian women come to help sand and paint the benches on the last few days. Some of the Russian men worked on digging the foundation for the steps as well as on inside projects. Even though we couldn't speak each other's language, we managed to communicate what needed to be done and showed our appreciation of each other.
Marjorie, our oldest team member, was in charge of temporary windows. She designed a plastic covered frame that could easily be removed for ventilation, while keeping the rain and wind out when that was needed. She had favorite tools that worked for her and we had many laughs over her protectiveness. Just ask anyone on the team who might have borrowed them without telling her! Her work will be much appreciated by the church goers as the weather cools until the real windows can be installed.
On Thursday Jared and Rob secured the steeple area from leaks. Just getting up to the steeple was a challenge. Check out the pictures later for their precarious climb. The ceiling insulation was finished and the dry wall in the sanctuary is done. A woman from the church will be doing the finish work on it. Bob's last big item was getting the framing done for the first step into the church. These aren't just a small set of steps, they reach across the entire end of the church in a semi-circle. The Russian men will complete the steps and send a picture later.
On Thursday evening we had a time of fellowship with the Russian believers. The shashlik (shish kebab) took a few hours to make enough for everyone. They were cooked on a wood fired grill. We were given gifts made of birch bark from the church. The ladies received a beautifully shaped flower and then men received either a wallet or decorative box also made of birch bark.
Dan, our youngest team member, brought a few games to share with everyone. A favorite was a game that gave a light shock to the loser....and people kept playing and laughing over the fun. He also brought a football and frisbee. The Russian men enjoyed learning some techniques for throwing a good pass.
On Friday we met at the church at 8:30 a.m. This was a time to say our final good-bye to our Russian sisters and brothers (some quite emotional), take team pictures, and for Bob to give final instructions to the Russian men who will continue the work. It is amazing how close relationships can form in just two weeks and it was hard to see the tears in the eyes of some of the church leaders. The believers of the Reconciliation church are hard-working, faithful people. They have a new building now and we have a better understanding of Russian culture and their strong faith. We are humbled by these men and women who are connected to us through faith in God.
After our good-byes we headed to Krasnoyarsk with some of the Russian brothers. It is always exciting to ride with these men who might be well-suited for Indy racing! Riding with them can be a test of faith. They believe in fast driving and quick stops, too. It seems to be the Russian way.
We arrived in the city of Krasnoyarsk for some sightseeing and souvenir shopping. We were in a perfect place to see the solar eclipse on Friday evening. Several of us had a chance to view it through some special lenses provided by a television crew....which led to some filming of the Americans watching the eclipse. The evening ended with a debriefing with the SEND missionaries, James and Paul. They were invaluable in all aspects of our time in Siberia. They suggested that we prepare 30 second, 1 minute, and 5 minute responses for people who ask about our trip. You may want to suggest which version you'd like or you may hear more than you have time for.
Watch for another posting soon about the last leg of the trip. We enjoyed safety and companionship throughout the trip.
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