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The Russian Youth Camp for about 200 young people hosted by the Word of Truth Church was glorious - in the first two meetings every non-believer came to Jesus. Then the hunger began to grow for more of God. In the third meeting, I taught on how to receive God's power to stand firm in faith and be filled with His power. You should have seen them standing in God's presence soaking in the Holy Spirit. Within 20 minutes almost everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit.
The team took God's Word powerfully into the churches across the country each week night and over the weekend. Many needy people were saved and they saw many needs met in answer to prayer. Pastor Peter, once a broken alcoholic, who'd planted a country church in Saulkrasti, for desperately needy folk, started a very ambitious project to build a much larger church building. So many were coming to the meetings and jamming into his little home. He took a step of faith and commenced building a much bigger building. They'll move in soon with great victory. Other glorious church meetings were held in Jelgava, Dobele, Gardene, Salaspils and Bauska on the Lithuanian border. It was my joy to minister in two very effective churches - the large Good News Church (who were so enthusiastic to learn how to bring God's healing power into their hurting home situations and lead family members to Christ - the response was huge), and the Mission Church, pastored by Petr Samoylich. Petr hosts a Teachers Conference three times a year, attended by over 200 teachers. They are trained to teach from God's Word and bring their students to Christ. they are given 10 Bibles each and sent back to minister into their school context, almost like pastors in their situations. We've been privileged, with the help pf dear friends to provide a lot of those Bibles. In fact, I've been asked to teach at their Teacher's Conference next April. After one long day ministering at the youth camp, I was driven by my interpreter Alexander Rodionov, to a Salvation Army Church some 2 hours away. I was so tired I slept most of the way to Liepast Pagasts. I was amazed to find many Catholics and Lutherans gathered with the Salvation Army folk. Their worship was precious and so many responded to the Word and received Christ. Again during the prayer ministry was the presence of God melted hard hearts and met so many needs. One evening the team travelled more than three hours from Riga to the Baltic coast city of Liepaja to minister in a church pastored by an Argentinean couple. They had come to pastor in Russia, learnt Russian and then taken the leadership of this hungry church in Liepaja. The team said that the Holy Spirit overflowed in the meeting and touched people so deeply. Each day the team was divided into three smaller teams to cover all the ground where ministry was needed. Each day's speciality was into the orphanages to endeavour to meet the needs, show our care and concern, and minister the Gospel to these disprivileged children. In one orphanage it was our joy to provide blankets (with the help of a lovely Australian couple) to keep the children warm during the cold winter months. In another large orphanage it was great to be able to leave them money for medicines and enough to pay the heating bill for a couple of freezing winter months. This is something not many think about - funds to pay the electricity bill so the children can keep warm in winter when the temperature drops to - 20 degrees. If there's no money to pay the bill the authorities turn off the electricity. Children, whose immune systems are so low, have died in their sleep from the cold. This is one of our great concerns for them during the very cold winter months.
In the prisons the team ministered God's word with great power and dignity. Many prisoners came to the Lord. It's been wonderful to see the men in a maximum security prison in Jelgava, growing in their faith. What we've done is endeavour to provide Bibles for every prisoner who believes, even those on death row awaiting execution. We trying to provide them with a TV and Video player to watch teaching videos. When these fellows get blessed and filled with the Holy Spirit they are so powerful in god's service.
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Updated 22 April, 2009 |
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The next session was to deal with what God's word says about sexuality
and their relationship with the opposite sex. You should have
seen their surprise and delight that God wanted to be so involved
in this aspect of their lives. In fact many were amazed to hear
that God had invented sex, and if they ever wanted to know how
these delightful "invention" should work, the best
person to listen to was the Inventor. Many flooded forward for
prayer ministry for healing in this context. Many tears flowed
at this time.
In a very special orphanage at the coast of Latvia, after we'd
donated money for these purposes, the opportunity opened to have
a very impromptu meeting. Peter Wallace struck up a few songs on
his guitar and the children and their carers came running from
everywhere. Various team members shared, and at the altar call
many children and the lady carers came to Jesus. It was glorious
to see them so open to the Lord. To me this is the reward of helping
them stay alive over the years.