I am sitting at the breakfast table in my apartment while I write this blog, on this beautiful morning here in the city of Ufa. By this time over 9 months have passed since my arrival into the country of Russia. During my time here, the journey has been very interesting and it is good to sit back and contemplate a bit on these past summer months. So if you would like to, dive in with me, into my thoughts on all that has happened this summer.

     Doing nothing and doing too much can have the same consequences. I needed to take the time to slow down from so much that had happened throughout the summer. To be refilled with a new energy, heart, and passion for everything I was being a part of. Yet, I also saw how every time I was busy with something, that at the same time I was being taught as well. It is a beautiful exchange that takes place when we allow God to pour into us a knowledge, which we find from being out and about in the world around us. Whether I was still or moving, I realized that I must always be “still” and allow God to act through me, seeing that He truly is in control.

The last few days of June and the beginning of July I found myself staying very busy. For example:

I was out in the middle of the Southern Urals with a group of 50 kids who all wanted to learn English. I learned about different plants and different customs. Also, I ate raw cloves of garlic before several different meals.

The next 7 days of July were spent with a group of tourists from Virginia. I learned more about the differences in interactions with the public. Also, I learned about the deeper heart for friendship with locals who invited the group over for “banya”(Russian sauna) and “shashlik”(Russian cookout).

Then, for approximately 11 days, I traveled back to the Southern Urals, a small village called Aigir, for more time with kids, from all over Bashkortostan, who all wanted to know the English language. We shot off fireworks, wrote our own fairytales, and went on hikes to the top of peaks!

 Finally, every weekend, until this very moment of writing all of this down, was spent either in cities, such as Neftekamsk or Moscow, or floating/camping along the Inzer River with friends.

Wow…of all that time spent this summer, there was little time for growing and learning for myself , right? Actually, quite the opposite happened. Through every moment that was spent with new people and/or old friends, I was also being taught, especially when it came to new vocabulary. “To be Still” was to let go of everything I thought I needed to control and allow God to “show me ropes” of life. And “To Love” is not something I could just read about in a book and then live like nothing changed in me.  But love then compelled me to act, react, learn, teach, speak, and listen.  When I am filled by this love, which truly only comes from God, I long to experience its power and see the different capabilities it displays at work around me. I was able to learn so much about culture, custom, and even different personalities from every person I spent my time with this summer. This new knowledge then enabled me to approach differently in certain situations or even adapt to the conversation to allow better understanding for everyone.

Every moment I spend out on the streets, in cafes, at the university, at parks, and even simply in my apartment, I knew that God was with me through it all. He is always teaching me and showing me what it looks like to love people. Love, nothing I initially thought of on my own, is what compels me forward into this different culture and lifestyle. I look forward to continually learning and understanding more about this culture and language.

Kevin S. 

Last month we witnessed eight new believers being baptized by pastors of a local church.

A pool in a public sauna was rented for the event. Those of us there to witness the baptism crowded around the pool on a narrow walkway between the wall and the edge of the water.

Those who were baptized entered the pool two at a time. They were asked to reaffirm their confession of faith before being immersed by one of the pastors.

As each newly-baptized believer was raised out of the water we sang a song of praise around them.

It wasn’t but a few weeks later that one of the recently-baptized believers shared a testimony of how she had taken the opportunity to share her faith. We praised God that her obedience in baptism was quickly followed by her obedience in evangelism.

These newly-baptized believers already serve with the church. Give thanks with us for the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their lives and for the obedience of other believers to be disciple-makers.

We’re praying, too, that these eight new believers will be the start of a movement of God across the city, a chain-reaction of evangelism and discipleship.

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Colossians 3:19-22)

Shawn B.