Each day we had 4 hours of seminar teaching. Pastor Mikhail and Pastor Alexei and I shared the teaching load. The evening sessions were open to the church members as well, and were more preaching. On the Saturday many of us went to the beach for a swim and a game of volleyball. Konstantin Bendas, who works on a religions council with President Putin was one of our special guests. Later a Russian/American brother Anatoli joined us. Today after exhorting these Graduates we laid our hands on each one and prayed for them to go back to serve the Lord with refreshed vision and strength. Each one received a selection of reference books to take with them. After a photo session and a good meal they set off by car, by train or by bus to their homes.
Everyone had a chance to share what the Lord is doing in their lives and ministries. I have most of those translated and recorded on cassette, and I will transcribe them in future so you can read and be as blessed as I have been. Special thanks for all who had a part in the Faith in Action reunion and my trip to Russia through prayer, encouragement and giving. It was fantastic to see the fruit of ten years of ministry and what our Graduates have achieved. Your prayers are being answered day by day, and your money has been used for eternal purposes.
Evangelism & Healing Outreach After the successful Seminar and Reunion at Faith in Action Bible School, I had a few days left before flying home to NZ. Some pastors decided to arrange a 3 day preaching tour for me covering some 700 Km and six village churches. They particularly asked me to pray for the sick. On Friday a 5 hour bus ride brought Dima (my interpreter) and me to Arsenyev, where the church was started 5 years ago by Sasha and Aniya (Graduates who married after Bible School). Sasha was still returning from a Bible courier trip to China, but some 60 people gathered for a special meeting in a rented Kindergarten hall.
After some praise and worship I preached and then prayed for most of the people for healing. Many of them were touched by God and fell down under the power of the Spirit. There were all kinds of needs: back pain, arm and leg problems, kidney and liver complaints, several eye problems. One 12 year old girl suffering from a heart condition was particularly touched by the Lord. Another 16 year old spastic girl was lifted from her chair and helped to take a few weak steps. I thought it was not so significant, but was told that she had never even done that much before. The next day we took the bus back 3 hours to Ussuriisk where Pastor Oleg met us. In his van we then headed North towards the border with China to Pogranichni. On the way he drove us to the border crossing and showed us where a team had recently gone to deliver the Word to Chinese believers. That evening about 20 people had gathered in Boyko village in Nina's house. Pogranichni church has sent many students to our school, and Nina had returned to start this house church. Again many were healed and touched by the power of God. Sunday was a busy day. Even before church I visited the pastor's father who has lung cancer to pray for him. At church about 70 had gathered for worship. Even the young children shared in the worship, waving baloons in time to the music. About 6 of our Graduates were working in that church. Again I preached and prayed for the sick. One lady who injured her arm many years ago was now able to turn it further and move here fingers more. The next lady had broken her ankle which had healed but left her in pain. The pain disappeared and she went running and dancing around the room. This raised the faith level of others to receive their healings too. Even before the service finished I was rushed to the van and we headed for the next meeting in Boguslavka. Olga's small church meets in a renovated shop, and half of her 10 people come from a rehabilitation farm. Again I preached and prayed for all of them.
Pastor Oleg came to take me to the next village with news that the lady who's ankle was healed earlier was a first-time attender, and had been led to the Lord. We drove over unsealed country roads to Zharikova village. Here Valerii and Natasha have a home church, but we had some time to walk around their garden and sample strawberries, raspberries and other fruit in the sunny afternoon. When we went inside their modest house I shared some testimony and quickly prayed for them all before we were again on the road. Next stop was Kamen-Rybolov on the shores of Lake Hanka. My interpreter Dima had started this church 10 years ago while he was at Bible School. Now his mother Nina was pastor. About 50 had gathered for a special Sunday afternoon meeting. I had been here several times before and they listened eagerly to my mesage. Everyone lined up for prayer, and as we prayed the Lord touched their bodies. Scoliosis, hepatitis, eye problems, skin problems. I will probably have to wait months to hear all the results of what the Lord did that day.
After a meal we were again on the road. Another 200 Km back to Vladivostok, arriving just before midnight tired but rejoicing. Dima and I had covered over 700 Km, prayed for some 200 people in 6 churches, and seen about 13 of our graduates in their ministries in the village churches of far East Russia. PRAY FOR:
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