I know you just received an update, but …
September 14. 2008
Dear Partners,
I realized that we talk a lot about the things we are involved in but
there is always so much to share that the details often get left
out. I have shared about the Women's Group meeting since we began
meeting in March of 2007. I would like to take you there so when I
talk about it you will have a feel for what it is like:
What is it like sitting through a normal Women's Group meeting?
First of all, everyone is delighted to see each other and many arrive
early to have time to chat. The women range in age from early
twenties to sixties, but mostly younger women. The actual meeting
begins with Zhenya leading opening prayer. Then
everyone sings
wonderful praise and worship songs (in Russian, of course) and Olga
always brings her guitar now and it is wonderful. The women sound
amazingly beautiful even when singing without accompaniment. (When
Steve stays in his office during the meetings he enjoys the music
most of all. He usually hits the road and entertains himself
wandering around town when the weather is nice though.) Then the
ladies like to play a game. Zhenya usually comes up
with the ideas.
Yesterday she put random words on pieces of paper. Then
started the
Russian folk tale version of our Gingerbread Man story. Going
around our circle of 14 women, each one had to continue the story
inventively using the words Zhenya held up on her
little pieces of
paper. The "new" version of the story was hysterical. This part of
the meeting always helps break down the reserve in the group and
everyone is more open to discussions that follow. The group
continues on with their current bible study. Now they are going
through the Women of Faith study on Prayer. After the program it is
normal procedure to go around the room and ask each woman, who
wishes, to present her specific prayer requests. Then everyone prays
out loud at the same time for a while. That took a little getting
used to for me but now it seems normal.
At this point we say grace and share in "tea." Tea usually consists
of fresh fruit, little sandwiches with meat and cheese and any
dessert that I baked for them that day as well as tea and juice.
When everyone is done eating and talking they leave at their own
pace. When this group first started meeting the women were
amazingly
shy, reserved and uncomfortable sharing anything personal within the
group. They have grown so very much in how open, trusting and
comfortable they have become with each other.
Just to give you an idea of prayer requests, these were shared
yesterday:
A prayer for a brother and sister who are alcoholics. The brother
recently got out of jail where he spent a few years for something and
it was hoped he would stay sober and find a job. But the day after
his release he connected with the alcoholic sister who cannot keep a
job and they began drinking together. Now they are stealing things
and selling them to get enough money to buy more alcohol. Neither
are believers.
A prayer for a young woman's mother who has made great
strides in her
life by kicking out an abusive, alcoholic, non-working husband and
getting sober herself. She now lives with her daughter and has a job
but is having problems with her health. She has also begun to come
to church.
A prayer for a young woman's housing situation. She has a decent job
at the post office but lives in a house owned by her uncle. A
neighbor has bought the houses on either side of her and her uncle is
under great pressure to sell his house to this man. The young woman
has no idea where she will live if she must leave her uncle's home.
Rent here is very expensive even though she has a job. She prays for
her uncle not to sell.
A prayer request for a mission program that teaches young
street
girls how to sew. The main teacher quit and they need someone with
special gifts of organization, leadership, patience and sewing skills
to be willing to work for a small salary and provide leadership for
this program.
Prayers for safe travel for a woman who must travel across
country to
obtaining ownership papers for property used for mission work.
Prayers of praise for the paperwork being completed for Certificate
of Ownership for a senior citizen's apartment she has lived in since
about 1955. All homes were owned by the government but when
everything changed here it was possible to prove that you had long
term resident rights to your own apartment. The paperwork took more
than 3 years to complete!
Prayers for another alcoholic son, 42, whom they are trying to keep
sober for 10 days so he can have medicine that will help him not
drink anymore. This is something that is apparently common here.
Prayers for a mother who is not a believer but has had some severe
health problems and has now agreed to allow her daughter to pray for
her! She has even been to church with her daughter three times in a
row!! Prayers for the sister to quit drinking and accept the
Lord as
well.
Prayers for a sister that she would stop going home with men
to get
enough money for alcohol.
Prayers for success on big tests coming up for a young
woman's third
year at the university. She also works full time and is praying for
a better paying job somewhere that people are not in constant
competition with each other. Basically, a more peaceful
workplace.
These were a majority of the requests yesterday. These women are all
strong believers and most of them attend bible groups during the week
as well as church on Sunday.
Please pray for all these women. They are but a small representation
of women here in
themes is alcohol. It seems there is a strong need for a good AA
program here geared to this culture. One of our fellow missionaries
has been working with starting AA groups in
retiring soon. There is a huge need there as well as here. Pray
that God would lead some people to come and reach out through the
strength of God to help.
Sharing and loving for Him on your behalf,
Carol