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Changing Russia

 

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Noel Morris

 

 

"Faith in Action" is supported by Faith Ministries & Faith Bible

College in New Zealand,

Faith Ministries Japan,

and World Outreach.

CHANGING A NATION, ONE BY ONE

In this newsletter I want you to meet some students at FIA. Five of them have just graduated and have just been thrust out into ministry. The others spend a few month on practical assignments before going back to the classroom at the end of February. As you read their stories, catch a glimpse of how Jesus changes lives - one by one. God changes their hearts, and at FIA we give them a chance to know Him and His Word in a practical way so they in turn can go out and change their great nation - Russia.

God's heart is for us to support World Missions. He even sent His Son from heaven to an inhospitable world that you and I would be changed by the Gospel. Now we are changed, we have the same mandate, to see our world changed.

HELP ONE CHANGE ONE
One lady, a retired missionary, sends $20 each month to support FIA. She has done this for many years. She prays. Faithful support like this is what is needed to keep FIA training young Russians to be the Christian leaders of the future. Will you be a part of what God is doing in Far East Russia? Will you too pray and give so that there will be more and more changed lives.

KINGDOM INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY For more than a year I have been writing about Dima coming to NZ to study. Dima was one of the first Graduates of FIA in 1994. He has since pastored churches, and for several years was the Principal of FIA. After delayed correspondence and missed deadlines for visas, it seems that Dima will at last be able to come to Faith Bible College in Tauranga in February to study for a year. A further $2000 is still needed for Dima's air fare, so if you would like to contribute to this, please let me know soon.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Last semester the students were involved in starting a Friday night prayer meeting in the church. They helped with several conferences, providing childrens' ministry, and serving the pastors. With the youth group they witnessed on the streets of the city, and learned some Jewish dances for another conference. As the winter snows came to Vladivostok, the 5 senior students graduated at a ceremony in the church. Their one year course came to its end on December 15th and they were thrust out into ministry - a frightening prospect and yet an awesome experience to step out with God in a new phase of their lives.

Graduating class December 2006

STORIES OF CHANGED LIVES
	Elena (30) My whole life is full of miracles of God, even though some things went different than what I wanted. When I was 23 I went to prison and spent some time there. "Where is your God? What is He doing?" In prison I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I was baptized in water and in Holy Spirit. Jesus became an answer for all my questions. I found what I'd been looking for all my life. But when you are released from prison it is difficult to stand in this world if there isn't somebody beside you to help you grow in the Lord. So I failed again, this time because of adultery. But I thank God that He has so much mercy for me. In March this year I spent 5 months in the rehab center of the Church of the Living God in Boikoe village. Now since September I attend "Faith in Action".
	Natalia (23) I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior in October 2004 and began going to the Church of the Living God in Pogranichniy. Some time later I was baptized and my pastor offered to send me to study. Now since September I have been attending "Faith in Action". God gave me gift to write poems. I can sing and I serve with these gifts in my church. I wand to know God deeper, and to prepare myself to take the Good News to this world.
	Larisa (22) I was born and raised in a big family. After high school I studied accounting in college in 2005 and I graduated in 2006. None of my relatives knew the Lord because I had the usual secular upbringing. In January 2005 God saved me. Now from September I attend classes at "Faith in Action" and I am thankful to the Lord that He redeemed and justified me.
	Olga (18) In 2000 I met with a girl, who later became my best friend. She asked me to go with her to the church's childrens' meeting, where her mom was in charge. I started going to church and received Jesus as my Savior. This year I graduated from school and my pastor suggested that I to go and study, and helped me to make the final decision. Now that I attend "Faith in Action", my big desire is to know God and be in children's ministry.
	Luba (47) Our Father called us to bring the good News, to bring Jesus to this world which is perishing from sins. We don't always do it for of number of reasons, the main one that we simply don't know how to. I think that studying here is a good opportunity to learn how to do it. In 2000 I came to the Lord and was baptized. This year I decided to study. My pastor gave me a recommendation and now from September I have been attending "Faith in Action".
	Alexander (45) In 2004 my friend who I worked with invited me to church. In 2005 I was in the rehab center of the Church of the Living God. I spent there few months and accepted Jesus as my Savior. Now since the beginning of September I attend Bible classes at "Faith in Action".
	Roman (28) My wife with who I lived about one year told me about the Lord. During this time I sometimes attended church. Then I was sentenced to 3 years in prison but was released on probation after one year. I again came back to church but with a different purpose now. I decided to change my life completely and to serve the Lord. God set me free from smoking and drug addictions. I am a living testimony for my family and relatives now. From September I have been studying at "Faith in Action". I love Jesus and want to serve Him all my life".
	Ruslan (30) My parents divorced when I was little. I was a good pupil till the 6 grade then I joined the bad company. I robbed an apartment and was sent to prison for 3 years. After prison I had an accident while I was drunk and on drugs, I was hit by a train and dragged 39 metres under it. After 2 more years in prison, my mother died and my stepfather kicked me out of the house. I slept anywhere I could find, like basements and apartment building entrances. I earned my living by collecting metal but it was not always successful. A guy I lived with suggested we go to church. He said that they give free meals every Sunday. When we came it was a children's meeting and I heard them talking about God. It was very interesting, and we were fed. I had no purpose in this life so when we were asked to receive Jesus, I did. Later I was baptized in water. People helped us to find jobs. Then my pastor asked if I wanted to study. I agreed because now I had found purpose in my life ­ to live for and worship God.
	Valerii (30) For 10 years I just lived for sport. After the college I became a physical training teacher in a primary school. In 1994 I went into the army. In 1995-1996 I fought in Chechnya and was rewarded with a medal "for courage". I was wounded in January 1996 and sent to recuperate in the republic of Severnaya Osetia until I went home. I entered the Ussurisk Cadet corps and later the Kazak Army, becoming an executive officer. But in 2000 I was sent to prison for 4 years. After my release I became the leader of a criminal group. Then in January 2006 I received Jesus as my Savior and two months later started attending "Faith in Action". In December I will graduate. I never regret that I left the world and came to the Lord. God set me free from smoking and alcohol. I thank my God for everything, and my choice is to serve Him!
	Sveta (33) I came to Jesus in 1990 in a Pentecostal church. My heavenly Father baptized me with Holy Spirit and I was baptized in water. I told that to my mom and now she and both of my brothers are serving the Lord. There was a time in my life when God called me to feed His sheep but I was afraid to take up responsibility, and this was the reason for my backsliding. But even though I turned my back on Him, He was always near. Many years passed and Father brought me back to Himself. He called me to ministry and this time I decided to be where Jesus wanted me. In my church I am the Worship Leader. I am graduating from "Faith in Action" in December. Footnote: Valerii and Sveta became engaged during their time at "Faith in Action", and plan to marry mid 2007. Sometimes a Bible School becomes a "Bridal School"!
	Natalia (31) After finishing school I studied at an agricultural college and qualified as an accountant. I couldn't find a job because of lack of experience, so I worked at a factory as a sewer for 3 years. In a desire to change our lives, my family moved to the other side of the country. These attempts were unsuccessful. My mother got seriously ill and needed a very expensive operation, but we had no money. There was no way out. But God, who saw all that had happened, sent us a Christian lady. That's how we knew about Jesus. Some time later we came back to Primorsky Krai, and I started going to church. After some time walking with the Lord I decided to study to know Him even more. That's how I came to "Faith in Action" in September.
	Alexander (29) From my childhood I knew that God existed, but I did not know Him personally. After time in the army I found a job. My friend who worked with me told me about Jesus and gave me a New Testament. That's how I started to know God. In 1999 I went to church and got saved, but it was just words. I had been going to church for a long time every Sunday, read the Bible, but on weekdays my life was like that of a non Christian. Finally I understood that I couldn't live like that any more. My pastor suggested that I go and work as a cook in the rehab center in Ugolnaya. After 2 months there, I was offered a chance to study at "Faith in Action". I will graduate in December.
	Olesya (20) Until 1998 I had a complete family, a mother and a father, then my father went to prison. We lost the one who fed us. My mother began drinking and sold everything we owned. I barely survived. I was living by myself for two years. Mother abandoned me and my sister. And then six month later we received a letter from her. She said that she was in the rehab center of the Church of the Living God. She asked us to come there. So we were taken to Vladivostok and from April 2002 I began attending church. In 2003 I was baptized in water. Now I am studying in the second term, and I will graduate in December. I thank God for everything.
(no photo)	Nikolai (42) I can write a lot about my previous life. But praise God He changed it. My father burned to death because of vodka when I was about 3. I studied in an orphanage. Later I was put in prison as a teenager, and released when I was 24. I got married and had a son, but alcohol destroyed my life. In 2000 I lost my hands and legs because of frostbite. I came to the Lord in 2003 and devoted my life to Him. I am born again and I want to do the will of God. I will graduate from "Faith in Action" in December.

NEW-LOOK WEB SITE

Please check out the links at the left and see Faith in Action's radically updated web pages. You can read about the history of FIA and learn about the people involved. You can also make an on-line donation in many different currencies: US$, AU$, CAN$, UK£, JPYen & Euro.

PRAY FOR: Zina and her family, for Nikolai's family, and for the dead student's family Alexei, Sveta and family, the staff and the students at Faith in Action. finances needed to run the school. Approximately US$2,000 per month (NZ$3,000, 250,000 Japanese yen.) Airfare and support for Dima to study in New Zealand. Gifts for this ministry to Russia can be sent: Online:   click here In NZ: C/o P.O. Box 12357 Hamilton In Japan: Postal Furikae 01150-8-74597 Faith Ministries In USA: C/o Christian Fellowship, 2199 N. Water Street, Decatur, Illinois 62526 (Make checks out to Christian Fellowship, but memo for Faith Ministries) From other countries: Bank: A/c name: Faith Ministries, A/c No. 060603 0000421 00 National Bank of NZ, Chartwell Branch, Routing No. NBNZ22