My, my, how time does fly! It’s hard to realize it has already been a month since our group from Elk City, OK landed in Ufa! What a blessing it was to spend the time we had with the whole team there! It was amazing to see God’s hand at work throughout the entire trip. We were all amazed when He brought the lady from out of nowhere in the Moscow airport and took us right to the head of the line sending us straight through. Experiencing the sweet fellowship with Chris and Eileen and their beautiful family as well as the gracious hospitality of Jesse and Matt….He was there!!! Attending the services Sunday morning in House of Prayer was very emotional to me, realizing He had brought me, an old farm boy, around the world to worship Him in this beautiful place with these beautiful people…a most humbling experience! That afternoon at Grace Church, I didn’t understand all that was said but, there was no question…”the Lord was in that place”. Attending the Men’s Club and interacting with our Russian brothers and the fellowship with the team on Thursday evening were occasions I will always remember. I truly enjoyed God’s handiwork in the beautiful parks and monuments we were able to see. The Bashkir and Tatar heritage and learning of the history of Ufa was very interesting to me. As a farm boy, I love good food; the Bashkir and Tatar dishes we had were nothing short of fantastic. In the university, the students’ desire for reading and cultural interests stood out to me. I really enjoyed listening and sharing our traditions with them. I am very thankful for God’s hand and guidance in assisting Chris in developing those relationships. I enjoyed Ufa and its people very much….would definitely go back to do His work. I am thankful for God’s grace that placed me in Ufa. We are blessed to have the leadership of Chris and Eileen and the support of Jesse and Matt. Love you all!!! John G.

How can it already be a month since we were there in Ufa? What a wonderful experience it was to be the hands and feet of God!! As I think back over the time we were there, the thing that best defines it is that it was just a small taste of heaven. Two languages - one God; two cultures - one Savior; two people groups - one eternity!!! I will never forget the smiles and joy of the ladies who were able to attend the Women's Club that Wednesday evening, and my prayer each day is that any of those ladies as well as any of the students and faculty at the university that we encountered would be drawn by the Holy Spirit into a saving relationship with Christ. We also enjoyed meeting with the two pastors of Grace Church and the House of Prayer and learning ways our church can assist in their ministries - but by far the best part was meeting and getting to know the Carr family as well as Jesse and Matt, and I will never forget the last evening at Jesse's when we enjoyed such a great time of laughter and fellowship. Keep up the terrific work!!! Tell everyone hello and that I miss them all and am ready to come back ANY time the Lord says to!!!! In Christ, Ronda

As a member of a group from Elk City (OK) that came to Ufa in September 2013, it was a great experience for me. God opened my eyes to the fact that He is at work in the hearts of people that speak another language other than English. One of the activities that our team was able to do was converse in English at one of the universities in Ufa while we were there. This was a wonderful experience for all of us as we were able to share with the Russian students about our traditions in America. We were able to share with them what the real meaning of Christmas is and that it meant we could all celebrate the birth of Christ. The students were very eager to learn about life in America and we also became aware that the Russian students were very proud of their homeland and traditions as well. The students were very knowledgeable about American movies and sports figures in America. At the end of every class time we were able to invite the students to an English Club in the home of Chris and Eileen. The students found their way on Monday evening to their apartment and enjoyed a wonderful time of English club. God is working in the hearts of the people of Ufa and we could tell that in the first worship service we attended at House of Prayer on Sunday morning. The excitement in the voices and faces of the choir members at House of Prayer made me realize that their main focus was to give glory to God. The music was just like our music except in a different language. God is good all the time and I am so thankful for our faithful team in Ufa. Our church may have an opportunity to help the churches in Ufa with their summer activities by providing funds to drill a water well at a campground. May God bless Chris, Eileen, their family and Jesse and Matt. Thank you for all you are doing for the Lord in Ufa. I pray God will bless you and your family. Tony Mikles