Tuesday, April 13:Road of Life Vladiminskaya Apt.
(Front L/R) Vera [counselor], Jonathon, Nancy, Anne, Sasha
(Back L/R) Anya, Vova [counselor], Rita, Sasha and Nakita [Vera/Vova's sons], Nadya, and Katya
Vera and Vova are in their fourth year as ROL counselors, and they are truly two of God's helpers in StP. They are always willing to open their home to those coming to StP to do ministry and on a previous trip I lived with them for 2 weeks. I will always cherish the mornings spent with Vera, drinking a cup of coffee and eating a piece of chocolate after everyone had left for the day. These times were especially fun since Vera doesn't speak much English and we all know I speak little Russian; but lots of hand motions and laughter made our time together very special. Vova is our main "taxi" driver as he transports us to and from the airport and helps to haul all of our luggage - we kept him extra busy this trip, and he always served with a smile. He is our St. Petersburg Prince!
Friday, April 16:
Road of Life Frunzenskaya Apt.
(Floor) Jonathon Furr
(Front L/R) Nancy, Losha, Anne, Larissa and Nina and Artur [Nina and Artur are counselors, and Larissa is Nina's mom - all originally from Armenia], and Pasha
(Back L/R) Anya, David [Artur/Nina's son], Volodya, Sasha, Karina [Artur/Nina's daughter], Marina, and Dima
This is the boys' home where Jonathon lived during his "extended" mission trip to St. Petersburg. All of these people (except Losha who has graduated from Road of Life and is living in his own apartment) live in a 4-room flat - just "comfortable" by Russian standards. Artur and Nina have been counselors with ROL for 2 years, and when Artur prays it is truly like God has stepped into the room!! I don't understand his words because he is praying in Russian, but I certainly understand the "meaning" of his words, and I am usually in tears by the time we all say, "Amen". I grew up in a family of preachers - my grandfather, Ben Joyner; my dad, Larry Joyner; and my uncle, Guy Murphrey, and I've heard some true men of God pray in my life, so I can tell you that Artur is truly a "lay"-preacher as he ministers to the young men who live in this home.
Sunday, April 18:
ROL Graduates at our home on Bukharestskaya
Sitting around the coffee table working on a mind puzzle set up by Losha (from L/R): top of Jonathon's head, Nelly (just returned that afternoon from a week of ministry with John Neese as translator in Estonia), Nancy, Anne, Ira (single mom who brought her 3-year-old son Danya), Katya, Little Anya, Marina (director of ROL), Losha.
Our devotion time, mind puzzle time, and farkle-playing time ran a little long, and we forgot to take a group picture, but our evening spent together was wonderful. We were loud, but a good time was had by all. I made gumbo and Anya made guacamole, so the food was really good!
Marina had called Ira earlier in the day, but Ira said she didn't have the money to get to our apartment, so Marina told her to dig around and find enough money for the metro ride (19 rubles, or about 65 cents) to Electrocila and there Misha and Losha would meet her and pay for the tram ride (another 19 rubles). As Ira was getting ready to leave, Marina and I paid Misha the money he had paid for the tram ride over, and then gave Ira 1000 rubles (about $35) so that she could have money to get home - and then go to the grocery on Monday to buy food. It was sad to watch as she a little Danya ate dinner because Marina said many times Ira will go without eating so that Danya can have food to eat. Please pray for this single mom who is struggling to give her son a better life than she has had.
Monday, April 19:
Road of Hope Ministry home
(Front L/R): Aleona (born in St. Petersburg, but mother living in India - she is studying at the university in StP), Luda (I met her 2 years ago at dorm 70), Anne, and Nancy
(Back L/R): Anya and Natasha (counselor)
Road of Hope ministries is run by Pam and Gary Amstutz from Ohio, who had served as Road of Life counselor 2 years ago. Pam and Gary now live in Siberia and Natasha is the counselor for their StP home. Aleona and Luda live at this apartment full-time, but on the weekends 4/5 girls come from Orphanage #51 which is nearby. Natasha just celebrated her 29th birthday, and is truly a young woman committed to doing God's work wherever He may lead her. It has been a joy knowing her these past 2 1/2 years, and especially watching her English improve as she has worked so hard to master our language.
Tuesday, April 20:
Light of Hope Ministry for single moms
(Front L/R): Yulia and her 3 mo. old son Fedya, Tanya (asst. counselor) and her 3 yr. old daughter Eliza, Tanya (holding Dasha who is 2 yrs. old and her mom is in the hospital), Nancy (holding Sofia, Tanya's 3 yr. old daughter), Anya, Svetta (asst. counselor), Alla (counselor and founder of home, holding Vera, the 14 mo. old daughter of Vika), and Marina
(Back L/R): Anne and Vika (Vera's mom).
Not pictured were Larissa and her 1 yr. old daughter Victoria (who was a little cranky and in need of a short nap).
I will write more about this ministry and the ladies living in this home on a separate blog, but let me tell you that this was one evening that I won't ever forget. They each have such a sweet spirit and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time spent together. Anne helped the girls make a card with a gold or silver cross on it, and the ladies loved it; while Anya and I played with the little ones - I got in some practice for hopefully some day being a grandma!! This is the ministry site that Emmanuel Baptist Church has donated extra funds to help support during my trip, so we are taking Alla, the counselor, and her daughter Nastya, who is her assistant counselor, shopping today to buy clothes for the moms and babies, and some other items needed for their home. By the way, their home is on the top, 5th floor of an apartment building that has received heavy damage due to the excessive snow fall from this past winter - some of the damage includes loss of electrical power to one room and the entry-way because of water shorting out the lines. But they continue to manage and are thankful for a safe place to live. Keep them in your prayers!!!
I know that part of my ministry while here in St. Petersburg is to lead these families in devotion and/or Bible study, but I always find that as I minister to them, they continue to bless my heart in so many ways. They live together, fight together, and love together, just like any family in America would, but ultimately they all try to be the person God intends for them to be, and that's when I truly receive a blessing from them.
Keep all of my Russian family and us in your prayers!
From Russia with Love!
I will write more about this ministry and the ladies living in this home on a separate blog, but let me tell you that this was one evening that I won't ever forget. They each have such a sweet spirit and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time spent together. Anne helped the girls make a card with a gold or silver cross on it, and the ladies loved it; while Anya and I played with the little ones - I got in some practice for hopefully some day being a grandma!! This is the ministry site that Emmanuel Baptist Church has donated extra funds to help support during my trip, so we are taking Alla, the counselor, and her daughter Nastya, who is her assistant counselor, shopping today to buy clothes for the moms and babies, and some other items needed for their home. By the way, their home is on the top, 5th floor of an apartment building that has received heavy damage due to the excessive snow fall from this past winter - some of the damage includes loss of electrical power to one room and the entry-way because of water shorting out the lines. But they continue to manage and are thankful for a safe place to live. Keep them in your prayers!!!
I know that part of my ministry while here in St. Petersburg is to lead these families in devotion and/or Bible study, but I always find that as I minister to them, they continue to bless my heart in so many ways. They live together, fight together, and love together, just like any family in America would, but ultimately they all try to be the person God intends for them to be, and that's when I truly receive a blessing from them.
Keep all of my Russian family and us in your prayers!
From Russia with Love!
Nancy and the team
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