Connections

What a surprise we had at church last Sunday. We attended a nearby Russian church where there was no interpreter. It was a very small congregation (I think Suzanne and I made nine) but we were given a hymnal and the pastor told us the numbers in english. We sang a couple songs that we knew in English and followed the scripture. The pastor's wife knew a little English and shared some prayer requests from the congregation. Low and behold she asked for prayer for Texas in regard to the hurricaine! Here we were on the opposite side of the world and this small congregation of Russian speaking Christians was praying for the residents of Texas! What a great God we serve!

We've been here over three weeks and have begun some of the normal emotional ups and downs. There are things (and people) we're missing from home, as well as experiencing an onset of frustration when supposedly simple tasks become complex due to the conditions. We've learned from our limited experience to treasure the times things go well and just sigh when they don't.

We've gotten a little more adventurous in taking busses. (I mean a little more.) We've taken another bus route and had a bit of a walk today to our friend's home. We have high speed internet access and they're very accomodating in allowing us the opportunity to use their connection. In fact, we're sitting in their living room right now.

Our area of service is still working hard at meeting the government requirements to teach. We're working on a plan that would allow us to grant a BA degree. This will be a huge step for us for two reasons. The first is our orientation as a Christian institution. The second is that the government leaders would rather not have small schools. We're pressing on and seeking God's wisdom for who to contact and how to adjust. We're also working on some options that might be available should our attempts fail. Please pray that God will open all the doors that should be open and our eyes to see the open doors.

I began by remarking about how great God is. In the midst of this culture we're confronted time and again by reminders of how great he is, how much he loves and how needy these people are for the gospel. Back in the 60's Elton Trueblood described the American society as a "cut flower generation." His point was that a freshly cut flower retains all of its beauty for a while, but then death sets in and the decay is evident. I've thought often about his description of America over these last years and believe that he was right. My point is that this culture doesn't even have that background. I have not only appreciated America more, but understand better the impact the gospel can have on a culture as it changes the people.

Pray for Central Asia. There is a great lostness here. There is also great opportunity and richness.