Pray for Valya

Pam and Gary Amstutz from Ohio are counselors in the Boys’ Family Home for Road of Life (ROL). They also are a part of a ministry called Reflections of Hope that also ministers to orphans in Russia. As they have served ROL this year, they have also allowed God to provide for them an opportunity to open a transitional home (TH) through Reflections; and have been blessed to have two beautiful, Christian young women to be their counselors at that home – Natasha (from Siberia, who knows little English, but is trying, and who always greets me with the phrase, “Nancy, I love you!”) and Valya (from St. Petersburg, who sounds more American than Russian when she speaks English).

I have truly enjoyed getting to know these two young women over the last two weeks, and spent the night with them at their TH last night. After we had enjoyed some “girl” time together, Valya asked if she could practice the mime routine that she is to do while on her upcoming mission trip, since she had not done it in front of an audience in several months. Of course, I was thrilled – always up for a little entertainment!!! When she began to play the song and translate the words in Russian to Natasha so that she would understand the meaning of the gestures, I was excited to hear that it was Ray Boltz’s “Watch the Lamb.” I love this song, and if you have never heard it, stop now, go to any tunes website and listen to it – it truly depicts the story of Easter and reminds us that we should stop to watch the One who died for us.

I have included two pictures here, but of course stills cannot truly depict the beauty of the piece, or the expressiveness of the mime work that Valya did. She has promised me that we can video it while I am here so that I can bring it home and show it to you. Otherwise, she’s going to have to fly over to the US so you can all see it – I would LOVE that too!

This was also a special evening because Valya, who attends Bible college here in StP, leaves Saturday morning for a three week mission trip to the Congo in West Africa. It will take her three days travel to get to the village where their mission team will be trying to help a local pastor stop the influence of witchcraft over the people there. It will be hard work, but I know that Valya is up for the challenge, and we had a chance to have a special prayer for her this morning before I left their home.

Please pray for Valya as she serves God on this mission trip; pray for Natasha as she serves alone in the Reflections TH; and pray for all of us as we reach out to the orphans of StP to hopefully lead them to love us and want to come and join our families!

From Russia with Love!
Nancy