News from Europe / Eurasia
TIRANA
I am living here with my
sister because of some difficulties in my home where I refuse to marry the man
my family chose as he is not a believer. Life is very hard for us here. Please
pray for us.
Sis. O
We are very pleased
to report the baptism of OLEG and pray that he will reach God’s Kingdom; and
further, that his family and friends who are eagerly studying Bible Basics will
also decide for the Truth.
I have been preaching to a
man by internet, who threatened to kill me when I said I was once a Moslem but
have now converted to Christianity! I pray for all of us, I pray on and on and
on. The sisters here also send their greetings and love to all.
Bro. N
BARANAVICHI
I am getting people
here to read Bible Basics and even to answer the questions at the end of
each chapter. However I have a problem in discussing about the trinity with one
woman, I do not know whether to stop the discussion or endlessly continue.
Sis. Larisa
I feel very bad that I get
so many letters from England but I cannot reply to them in English. We are
meeting regularly on the 2nd Sunday of every month with the brothers
in Minsk and it is a great joy to us.
Bro. Leonid
Photo: Bro Igor and Sis
Lena with (centre) Bro. Aleksandr who is very active in his town.
BOLBASOVO
I have recently returned
from a year working in Czech, this was necessary for me because of the dire
economic situation in Belarus and my need to support my elderly parents. Life is
very hard for me, I need to return there again to work, and it is so hard mixing
and working all the time with worldly people. I was able occasionally to travel
to Prague to make the breaking of bread with Brother Milos Bednar. May the Lord
keep us all in His way to the Kingdom.
Bro. Igor
LUNINETS
We were happy to get the
exhortations sent to us by brother Steve from Australia. Of course we prefer
anything we can get in Russian language, but we love all contact with our
brothers.
Sis Natasha
ORSHA
I am coming out of prison
in a month’s time. I am praying continually to the Lord God for His help as I
really do not have a roof over my head and to find work will be very hard, also
I have no relatives to help me. My God and my spiritual family are my only hope,
so please pray for me. I am also very sick, I have spent a lot of time in the
prison hospital with tuburculosis.
Bro. Oleg
TERESHKI
Thank you for sending the booklet about alcohol, this is a very needed
booklet here. Several alcoholics died in this village this winter. Our village
is dying, it is becoming empty as people leave it and die one by one. It is very
depressing for me. Only reading the Bible and getting your letters is a comfort
to me.
Sis. Anna
ZAGREB
Things are getting worse
and worse. It is very hard to live alone in Croatia. My salary isn't enough for
rents, so my parents help me, I made some debts, but I manage somehow.
I just like to sing to the Lord . I think I'm not good "fisherman of people",
either that or the people in Croatia don't want anything else apart from their
familiar doctrines of hell, satan and trinity, and not the doctrines I tell
them. But I do know that God will put my life in His order!
Sis. Anita
BEER SHEVA
We are very happy to look
back and know that we were the first Christadelphians baptized in this land, we
are very grateful for this honour. We see that we have changed for the better
over those years, and we are thankful to all who visited us. We can hardly see
to write letters these days but we want to write these words of thanks for the
Truth.
Bro Viktor & Sis Nina
PETAH TIKVA
Even though I am Jewish, I
find life so hard here in Israel. I had four complicated operations as a result
of my fall, so life is hard also economically for
me I have a desire to return to Russia but I know life will be hard there too.
My faith is in the return of our Messiah!
Bro. Itzhak
Thank you for this
(information about a Ghanaian Brother moving to Italy). We will gratefully take
our Brother under our care and will write to him shortly. It is wonderful to
hear of another Brother in Italy, that gives us three now so we are slowly
growing. We met with
Bro. Naizghi who came to Italy as a refugee via Sudan and broke bread with him
at the end of Feb 04 in Rome. He was a contact of Duncan's and although he
baptised himself, our Brother is well and extremely faithful, an inspiration to
us all as he faces his daily hardships so well through his faith and love for
God and His word.
Simon & Anna Phillips
ROME
I am having my interview
soon about my refugee status. Life is hard for me here. But I love you all and
remember all you have done for me in showing the truth to me from Sudan to Libya
even to this place where I now am.
Bro. Naizghi
ALMATY
Here our news is that my
sister in law is about to have a baby, we are so poor and lacking in food and
clothes, we can only pray to God. My dream is still to one day visit a Bible
School. Our lives seem miserable but we are hoping only for Jesus to return, we
pray for this each day.
Sis. Lena.
[Clothes etc. have been
sent to our sister].
Photo: Bible School in
Kazakhstan
BALVI
Every time you come here I
feel I gain something more spiritually. I am very happy waiting for the return
of Jesus. All here send their love to you all.
Bro. Kaspars
Sister Valentina is not
feeling well and I too am not well. We endure our situation, my only hope is
that life will work out better for my son. As the Bible says, we are pressured
on every side, yet we have hope and will not give up. I continue my work for the
truth each day.
Bro. Petris
GOBUSALA
Our situation here
is very bad as we urgently need to pay our land tax and other things, otherwise
we may lose our land on which we grow our food. We are so glad to know and
remember in hard times that we have our brothers and sisters also struggling and
believing in God.
Sis. Svetlana
JELGAVA
I truly believe that we
can help each other with our prayers, not only because it is written so. So
I keep praying about my relatives, about you, about myself, about... I really
believe if we truly trust in God, that He will act right in the same moment we
pray for our need. And I think He is with me, I have no doubts about it... But I
have many unanswered questions: why this is happening to me, why should I
suffer? But He knows better than I do.
Bro. Janis
LIEPA
I continue very sick, it is
hard for me to get a consultation even with a doctor. I am trying to hold on in
my self and in my faith.
Bro. Viktor
PILTENE
I feel I am going much
deeper in my relationship with God. In the midst of all problems I thank God for
things like that the sun is still shining. When I cannot sleep I have created a
habit to thank God for all blessings. In this area I have no fellow
Christadelphian, most religious people here are Catholics, Lutheran or
Adventist. I think about Daniel who was also very alone, who prayed on his knees
to his God.
Sis. Olga
REZEKNE
I very much missing not
having many brothers and sisters here for fellowship. However I have two people
who I believe are ready to be baptized here. The magazines are very wonderful
and encouraging but I need people also! I see from the Bible that we have all been given many gifts which we are to use with people!
Sis. Anna
Photo: Sisters receiving kindly donated
vitamins
RIGA
I may soon be moved to
another prison, I need your prayers about this.
Bro. Anatolijs
TUKUMS
I am facing a lot of
problems, including having things stolen, and also ill health. I am only looking
forward to the next Bible School to meet with brothers and sisters.
Sis. Vaira
VILANI
For the first time I will not be able to come to the next Bible school. I
suddenly seem to have so many things going wrong with my health after this
winter, it is as if my body has not gotten over the winter. I remain firm for
the truth.
Bro. Fjodjor
We are very happy to announce the baptism of LUBA after a careful study of
Bible Basics.
LENTVARIS
I am just so delighted to
be baptized, it is beyond my words to tell you how I feel! I have been
distributing leaflets around here. I was even chased by an old woman with a
stick in the railway station, when I left leaflets around there. Then some days
later there was a fire there in the very waiting room where I gave out the
leaflets and it was destroyed, so I wonder if this was some judgment upon them?
I pray for you all even those I have not seen!
Sis. Luba
VILNIUS
I am as always very
grateful for brothers and sisters remembering us in our problems.
Sis. Tanya
We are delighted to
report the baptisms of IRINA, VALENTINIA and LILIJA in Chisinau. May God guide
them towards His Kingdom.
CHISINAU
I am earning about $35 /
month as a lift operator but this is just not enough to clothe and school my two
children; I get no support from my former husband as he is alcoholic. I pray to
God for help, as unless I meet the bills on my flat I will be evicted.
Sis. L
I am very much praying for
you as you meet difficult and dangerous situations. But God hears our prayers,
as I have learnt in my life. God in the end will resolve all our conflicts.
Sis. Elvira
OLANESTI
I am reading very carefully
both the Bible and the literature sent me, I am truly thirsty to grow in
knowledge and I am so happy with all I learn.
Sis. Natasha
I'm having a very nice warm
Spring time. I continue reading the Bible and praying to God each day. I write
quite a lot of letters to Christadelphians in many countries. Linda is a big
girl, she recently celebrated her 2nd birthday. I get Gospel News
regularly. It's always very interesting to read. A lot of people are baptized in
Latvia. That's very fine. It's amazing how God works in our lives.
Sis. Helena
We are delighted to
report a large number of baptisms here from various locations in this large
country. A very successful trip was made here by members of the Bible Basics
Follow Up Team in conjunction with local brethren; a return trip is planned
soon, God willing, to address the many pastoral and preaching issues which there
are here.
KARACHI
I am willing to go to
Afghanistan. I trust the Lord is opening a door for us to enter with the gospel
message in this part of the earth. I am so glad about the joy of Brother Saeed
in sharing his faith with his other brothers, he needs encouragement.
Bro. F
SAHIWAL
Since we had so many
baptisms of women here recently, we held a seminar for Sisters about women of
the Bible and very many Sisters came. We had a very good time.
Sis. S
I was thinking this Easter
about the words of Jesus on the cross when He said, "Father forgive them". This
was so very wonderful of Him and I keep thinking about it.
Sis. Sa.
TOBA TEK SINGH
Thank you for your prayers.
Thank God Brother Rasheed's matter was solved peacefully. We had prayer meeting
and remembered you all and the one who managed to help us out. Not only Brother
Rasheed is thanking you but the whole of his family.
Ash was invited by Brother
S at his place Where he invited some other people from different cities like
Harapa and Boranwala. They were interested in Christadelphians. So Ash went
straight there after settling Brother Rasheed's problem.
Sister S
POZNAN
We are very happy here
after our wedding. We would like to have come to the Bible School in Riga but
unfortunately we don’t have such an opportunity just now, but our prayers are
with you!
Bro. Henryk and Sis.
Eugenija
We are delighted to
report the baptism of NATASHA (Krasnodarskij Kr.), ROMAN, GENNADY and MAXIM (Belgorod
Obl.); may the Lord keep them on their way to the Kingdom.
ARMAVIR
We were so really sorry to
miss meeting with Brother Duncan when he came here. We have many problems here,
as our electricity has been cut off. We are so proud we are counted your
friends!
Bro. Aleksej
BASHKORTOSTAN
I am very grateful that you
made the journey to us and enabled our baptisms here! I and Sis Larisa are so
enjoying reading together, so many unclear things are now made clear to us as we
read the Bible daily.
Sis. Natasha
DONSKOJ
I was so sorry not to have
been able to come to the last Bible School. I tried very hard to rejoice because
others rejoice, as we are commanded to, trying to share the joy of you who were
there, but I admit it was very hard for me as I so miss you all. My situation
here is still very bad and I have no human hope left.
Sis. Ekaterina
IRBIT
Our situation is really bad
as we are still without documents, as refugees. Because of this I have problems
at work and they pay me less and also threaten me that they will fire me from
the job. Tolya also was not paid by the theatre in the end because they say they
have no money. Our debt for our flat utilities and heating is rising too. We
pray on our knees for God’s help, we try by all means to preach the word to
others and we always are reading.
Sis. Nadia
KAZAN
I and my wife pray for your
missionary work each day. Sadly the men I work with are not open to my preaching
to them. We read the Bible each day and we so enjoy meeting with Sis Ludmila and
our ecclesia to break bread.
Bro. Andrej
I feel so concerned for the
brothers and sisters in so many places, I feel I ought to be travelling to see
so many. I pray for so many and love and miss you all. The breaking of bread
meetings at my place are going very well.
Sis. Ludmila
I have been thinking how
grateful we should be for the freewill which God gives to us. I admire the brave
work you do in Moslem countries. Having lived in a Communist state we can well
imagine the problems caused by secret police and those who do not allow the
exercise of freedom of conscience. We love you and pray for you always.
Bro. Viktor
KORKINO
We and all of us in Korkino
ecclesia are planning to go to the Bible School in Kazakhstan. We have been
thinking, that we truly serve God alone and not men, in all our service, and if
we keep remembering this then we will never have divisions between us.
Bro. Alexei
KRUTAYA
The winter is very long in
passing but it gives time to meditate on the things of God. I still remember the
graphic slides we saw at the winter Bible School of our brothers and sisters in
much greater need than we are and I pray for them.
Sis. Tanya
MOSCOW
We are very happy here and
welcome you to join with us here at our breaking of bread at any time. May God
bless all the service being done for our brothers and sisters!
Bro. Igor & Sis.
Tanya
POKROVKA
I am praying for the Bible
schools, that they work out well, even though I cannot attend myself. My son is
learning English at school and I am trying to learn as well so I can have more
contact with my brothers and sisters. So from cold Siberia I send warm greetings
to all my brothers and sisters everywhere.
Sis. Svetlana
RZHEV
I went to Moscow to the
meeting at the flat of Bro Igor, I couldn’t find the flat, so I had to return
home, and I had problems with my parents as I borrowed the money to get there
and they understood I would return it. I have such problems with them. I so long
for meetings with other brothers as I am alone here.
Bro. Sasha
SARATOV
I returned very happy from
the Bible School and
was met off the train by my grandson. Here in
Saratov
we are meeting together for the Bible readings regularly and we always have such
good discussions, beginning by disagreeing with each other and then ending up in
agreement. I so miss my children who are still in Kazakhstan, it is just too
expensive for me to get to see them.
Sis. Raisa
SHANINO
I am sorry not to
have written recently, this is because of bad health. Many letters have gone not
answered and I want to thank you all for writing, and to forgive me also for not
being able to come to Bible Schools because my heart is not strong now. I very
much miss you all and am only hoping for the Kingdom of God.
Sis. Tamara
SHYOKINO
I am really disgusted by
the hypocrisy of the Orthodox church, I have given instruction that when I die I
will not be buried by them or in their church, I see them as similar to the
Pharisees of whom Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 23. I am feeling very lonely
now my wife has died. I am always eager for any new books to read about the
truth.
Bro. Boris
TALITSA
Photo:
Bro Sasha, his Mum and Wife.
TOMSK
This is now the second
Bible School which I have missed. I am very disappointed. Here in our village my
family and I are so isolated both from our brothers and from society generally.
We pray only for the quicker coming of the Kingdom of God and we believe that
what we hear happening in the wider world is proof this will happen. So we are
continuing here, and we love you.
Bro. Ivan
VELIKIE USTYUG
I am so sorry not to have
written for so long. The truth is that for 15 months I have been lying here in a
tuburculosis hospital. My temperature is often 39.5, and I get little exercise
as my coughing and breathing is so difficult. I urgently need medicine against
tuburculosis. There is poor service and equipment here. Another sadness is that
I am the only Christadelphian here. However in my ward, there are two men to
whom I preach, I read the Bible to them each evening as they are too weak to
read. I ask all brothers and sisters to pray for me and for them.
Bro. Vladimir
VOLGOGRAD
We greatly appreciated the
articles about how to approach members of the Russian Orthodox Church in the
Russian edition of Gospel News. We very eagerly read everything, and are
very interested in the position of the Arab world against Israel, which we see
as the great sign that the end is near.
Bro. Sergej & Sis
Ludmila
Although your recent visit
to us was only brief it was wonderful. Our new sister Galina is growing in her
Bible study. She reads each day. Please all of you note that my PO Box has been
closed down.
Bro. Viktor
YELETS
We are always eager to
receive your preachings, may God give you blessing in all the work done by you
for Him.
Bro. Vladimir and Sis
Nina
BELGRADE
I am in need of some
English language copies of Bible Basics as I also am seeking to interest
people by every means possible in the truth of the Gospel. I am in touch with a
woman in Holland and I ask you to send her Bible Basics. Also I am
now talking to my sister.
Bro. Vladislav
SMEDEROVO
Thanks for your endeavours
for us, especially praying for us. People are in big trouble, because they don't
see things from the spiritual side, rather they have rejected the true Gospel of
Jesus. Pressure of materialism becomes all the meaning they have in life. They
are on the wide road. I have hope for a better world in the Kingdom and
therefore I will spread the word of God.
Bro. Nenad
SUBOTICA
Dear brothers and sisters!
I thought a long time what
to write. What could you learn from me new or what you already don't know? If I
say to you, that I am fighting and I am the smallest , you will say : "Also are
we". If I say to you, I give the best what I can for the Gospel and good news preaching, you will say : "Don't we do this all?" . If I say to you
that I have problems, you will say "We all have it". But if I ask you, Do you
know the difference between a street with two lights at each end of it , or a
street with all burning lights all along it, then you will understand which
differences are between a country like Serbia where we are not many
Christadelphians, and a country with many of you. So brothers and sisters help
us, pray for us. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"
(James5:16). So let all lights in the dark street keep burning and let the
lights which burn already burn brighter, so many would find the way, many walk
in the darkness. Thank you in advance, because I know that prayer will get to
God (Acts 10:4) like that of Cornelius and He will generously answer. And you my
brothers and sisters I call from the bottom of my heart to join me in spirit as
we break bread together in memory of our loving Saviour Jesus Christ.
Bro
William
ANTAKYA
We are working hard here to
forgive those who make sins against us. But we must remember that only God is
perfect. I hope that here in
Antakya we can bring more people to Jesus. There must not be even
a suggestion of money or benefit for those who want to accept Jesus. We don’t
want to have a situation where people only attend our meetings when people come
from England.
It’s not possible to be both a Moslem and a Christian and this choice is so hard
for people here.
Bro. Mehmet
VAN
I am in a rather hard
situation here as although my refugee papers were finally accepted, I am under
threat of being sent to live in northern Iraq as it is now supposed to be safe
and quiet there. I know this is not the case especially for one like me who
converted from Islam to Christianity, so I ask your prayers and support that
this will not happen.
Bro. H.
I have been very busy
sending out slippers and bags to those who ordered them and I so hope that they
arrived to you safely! I am going on OK here despite problems. I wish to send
greetings to you all!
Sis. G
KHARKOV
We have just done
the breaking of bread here together and we decided to write to you to send our
greetings and love and support as you all labour to take the Gospel to others.
Sis. Ludmila
POLTAVA
I continue with my work
here of writing Bible studies. We so enjoy our meetings together. Sis Ludmila
and I are very concerned about the danger for the work in Muslim countries. We
pray about this and we discuss it amongst ourselves. We are very worried about
the situation and we want all of you who are involved to know how deeply we
respect you and pray for you.
Bro. Gennady
I am so hoping to come to
the Bible School in
Riga and see my dear brothers and sisters again.
Sis. Ludmila
Nothing can be stronger
than prayer...those who truly and humbly pray surely receive help. Thank you for
the encouragement to pray. May God bless you.
Bro. Anton
TASHKENT
I very much love you all
who write with me. It is now hard and even dangerous to talk about Jesus Christ
openly here. I therefore pray so much for God to bless the dangerous work you do
in taking the Gospel to people in Moslem countries like ours.
Bro. Oleg
