Bibles for ROL

After our SAC mission trip in the spring of 2007, Susan Furr and I began to dream of a way to coordinate Bible study with the residents and graduates of Road of Life Family Homes (ROL) from back home in the U.S. After much praying and searching, God opened the doors for Susan’s mom’s church to help with this project by purchasing the John McArthur study Bibles that have been translated into Russian. Finding the source was easy, and the ladies came through with the money – then began the journey of the Bibles as we attempted to get them to St. Petersburg.

Problem No. 1 – each Bible weighs 3 lbs. each, so there was no way we could carry them over, and shipping was way out of our price range. So with further searching, Susan found a printer in Russia and a way to order the Bibles in St. Petersburg and have them shipped directly to a bookstore in the city. Sounds easy, right – well, we’re dealing with Russia, so NO!

Problem No. 2 – transferring the funds from the U.S. to Russia and then into the right hands to pay for the Bibles. Enter Dawn Ministries and Becky’s team – they ordered the Bibles, convinced the bookstore that there was really no need for a deposit, and asked to have them by November 17.

Problem No. 3 – now the funds were in Russia, the Bibles were in St. Petersburg at the bookstore, so who gets the money, makes the payment, and to whom do they make the receipt!!! As they say in Russia, “Oy!” After several calls between Becky at Dawn Ministries, some guy named Max, me, and Marina Topol, director of ROL, the payment was made, the receipt filled out (I guess it’s correct – it’s written in Russian, so how would I know?), and now all we had to do was pick them up.

Problem No. 4 – 22 Bibles weighing 3 lbs. (that’s 66 pounds for those of you who can’t work those big problems without your fingers and toes) each being transported by HAND from the bookstore to the ROL apartment at the Frunzenskaya metro stop. So off go Meisha (I’d say he’s about 5’6” and weighs 150 lbs.) and Big Locya (deaf 20 year old, 6’, 285 lbs.) who haul them back, making two trips to get them all to ROL.

Do you see why I love these kids! They haul 66 pounds of Bibles and then ask is there anything else they can do. They don’t complain or whine about it – the job is presented, and they do it. Oh, and speaking of carrying – they won’t even let me carry my own bag when I’m here – “Nancy, no, you must let me carry, it is too much!” I hear this all the time – these kids truly have the hearts of servants – all they want to do is help in any way they can – and I thought I was the one doing the ministering.

On Monday night, November 26, I began the small group Bible studies in which I gave out the Bibles and then showed them how to use them in their own personal study time. What a wonderful gift, and we are all going to read the Bible through together beginning January 1, 2008. There is a calendar in each Bible and when Susan Furr and I return to St. Petersburg in the spring, we will all be in the same place, studying the same part of the Bible. I hope Susan doesn’t make our homework assignments too hard!

God bless the ladies of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Jasper, Texas for their generosity in providing this wonderful gift to all the kids at Road of Life Family Home!