- April 2000 Newsletter
for Faith In Action Bible School
- Vladivostok, Russia.
Staff and Students at "Faith in Action"
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STUDENTS
Classes began at FIA on February 21st with students returning
from their practical outreach in Nahodka, and new students coming
from many parts of the Russian Far East. There are now 23 students
studying at FIA.
The reports I receive are that there is a good feeling at the
school, especially because now the place is "ours",
and we are not facing the threat of being put out at sudden notice.
Some repairs that had not been done before because we were just
renting, have been done, the heating and water supply are both
working, and there are happy relationships among the students
and staff.
Pastor Alexei and Principal Dima
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TEACHERS
Because of administrative problems with visas, there have been
no "outside" teachers visiting the school yet, so the
teaching load has fallen upon the Russian staff and pastors in
the Vladivostok area. This is actually a great step in showing
confidence in the Russian brothers to carry such a large part
of the teaching responsibility. Dima the Principal has been ably
supported by Pastor Alexei, Sergei Yelefunkin, Mikhail Kasyanov
(Prison Ministry evangelist) and many others.
I was supposed to go and teach during March, but through pressures
from the growing ministry in NZ God has been showing me to reduce
my trips to Russia to 2 times each year. This means that I will
next go to Vladivostok at the end of May for the last 2 weeks
of term and the Graduation Service on June 9th. I also want to
participate in the March for Jesus on June 10th.
Students at Faith in Action Bible School
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MISSION BARABAS
In April we have invited Pastor Hiroyuki Suzuki from Japan to
visit Vladivostok. Pastor Suzuki used to be in the Yakuza (Japanese
Mafia), became a Christian and started an evangelistic ministry
with other ex-Yakuza called "Mission Barabas". He will
be accompanied by Tsuyoshi Tokiwa, FM's Japan representative,
Miss Asano, and interpreter Alyona Agovorunova who has been studying
in Japan.
As well as teaching at FIA we are planning for Pastor Suzuki to
visit some of the prisons in the area where there is a significant
revival taking place. Usually we only hear of negative things
about Russian prisons like the outbreaks of Tuberculosis, but
recently hundreds of prisoners in both men's and women's prisons
are finding Jesus as their Savior.
Pastor Hiroyuki Suzuki was a Japanese Yakuza
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RECONSTRUCTION
In a few months when the snow melts the efforts to rebuild and
repair some of the buildings on the campus will begin. Please
pray for the finances for all this reconstruction, and for volunteer
builders and specialist construction workers to come and help
during the months from May to October. Our specific projects are
a student dormitory and the building for the church, but as well
there are plans for a children's home and a half-way house to
help released prisoners adjust to "outside life" again.
THANKS
Thank you again for your generous giving. We have been able to
support all the workers each month, and the Bible School has been
able to function normally. The team from Japan will take the next
support money with them when they go in April.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
1. Pastor Suzuki and the Japanese team's visit to FIA and the
prisons in the Vladivostok area.
2. Continued financial support for pastors, workers and students
in Far East Russia.
3. Money for the reconstruction of the Students Dormitory.
4. Volunteers to come and help with building and repairs.
5. Continued religious freedom under the new Russian President
Putin.
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