Shouts of Joy and Noise of Weeping

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.