Dear Friends!
We thank God for your love, prayers, support, and interest in our ministry!
Spring is just beginning here in St Petersburg. The nature is awakening after the cold winter, the sun is shining brighter reviving everything around, and an atmosphere of newness is in the air. The days in St. Petersburg are getting longer and longer, pretty soon we will have light all night (white nights). To us it means more opportunities to bring the Gospel to the people in the streets. The youth are making the most of the season – groups of young people are hanging out in the parks, squares, central streets, making music, dancing, etc… and we are reaching out to them in evangelism and are preparing to go out with the street concerts as soon as it will become warm enough outside. We are inspired and would like to share with you what God is doing among us here.
REHAB CENTER NEWS
The girls rehab center together with all our church has celebrated the graduation of Lena and Veronica. In February, they completed the one-year program of rehabilitation from heroin addiction. Below are the words of gratitude they shared at the celebration:
Veronica: “Thank you so very much for all your prayers and support during this whole year of my life. I am so grateful to Jesus for all He has done for me! He revealed Himself to me as the Savior, keeps revealing more and more of Himself and of His Kingdom! He healed me not only from drug addiction but also from headaches that tormented me constantly dor many years of my life. He showed Himself as a wonderful Provider. When I decided to make a clear break from my past and come here for rehabilitation, I left my Mom to face my creditors and I was very worried because I knew that she had no means to pay those debts. All I could do was pray. And miraculously all those issues got resolved as I kept following Jesus rather then try to resolve them in my own strength.”
Lena: “I also want to express my gratitude – for opening the rehab center and taking us in, for your faithfulness to the Lord, for your perseverance, and patience with us. Even the fact that we are standing here now with you – alive and full of joy is a real miracle of Jesus! The fact that we are free from drug addiction is also the fruit of your prayers and labors! And moreover I am very thankful to Jesus for healing me from hepatitis C this year!”
Both Lena and Veronica are staying active in our church, and step by step seeking God’s will for their future as they are attending evening Bible classes. Please continue to pray for their growth in the Lord and fulfillment of His destiny in their lives.
We thank God for your love, prayers, support, and interest in our ministry!
Spring is just beginning here in St Petersburg. The nature is awakening after the cold winter, the sun is shining brighter reviving everything around, and an atmosphere of newness is in the air. The days in St. Petersburg are getting longer and longer, pretty soon we will have light all night (white nights). To us it means more opportunities to bring the Gospel to the people in the streets. The youth are making the most of the season – groups of young people are hanging out in the parks, squares, central streets, making music, dancing, etc… and we are reaching out to them in evangelism and are preparing to go out with the street concerts as soon as it will become warm enough outside. We are inspired and would like to share with you what God is doing among us here.
REHAB CENTER NEWS
The girls rehab center together with all our church has celebrated the graduation of Lena and Veronica. In February, they completed the one-year program of rehabilitation from heroin addiction. Below are the words of gratitude they shared at the celebration:
Veronica: “Thank you so very much for all your prayers and support during this whole year of my life. I am so grateful to Jesus for all He has done for me! He revealed Himself to me as the Savior, keeps revealing more and more of Himself and of His Kingdom! He healed me not only from drug addiction but also from headaches that tormented me constantly dor many years of my life. He showed Himself as a wonderful Provider. When I decided to make a clear break from my past and come here for rehabilitation, I left my Mom to face my creditors and I was very worried because I knew that she had no means to pay those debts. All I could do was pray. And miraculously all those issues got resolved as I kept following Jesus rather then try to resolve them in my own strength.”
Lena: “I also want to express my gratitude – for opening the rehab center and taking us in, for your faithfulness to the Lord, for your perseverance, and patience with us. Even the fact that we are standing here now with you – alive and full of joy is a real miracle of Jesus! The fact that we are free from drug addiction is also the fruit of your prayers and labors! And moreover I am very thankful to Jesus for healing me from hepatitis C this year!”Both Lena and Veronica are staying active in our church, and step by step seeking God’s will for their future as they are attending evening Bible classes. Please continue to pray for their growth in the Lord and fulfillment of His destiny in their lives.
EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS
Arkady Ledkov (photo on the left) has been part of our church, ministry and staff for a number of years. Several months ago we sent him out with the laying on of hands to reach the people of his ancestry. Arkady was born in a small nenets (national minority) village of Karataika in the Arkhangelsk region - the far North of Russia beyond the Polar circle.
His people are nomads, their main trades are still reindeer herding and fishing. Nothing edible grows up there except for wild berries and mushrooms. The villages are isolated from civilization – there are no roads to reach them. For food and other bare necessities vendors and government workers travel there from the population centers by way of depreciated army tanks (in winter when the swampy ground is frozen) and by helicopters in summer (when there is no access by land at all). Other people can join the expeditions on certain occasions according to special agreements with the food vendors and definitely for a very expensive price. The closest cities of Vorkuta and Narian Mar are a 46-hour non-stop drive in such a tank away from Arkady’s village but there are villag
es that it takes weeks to reach. In winter the night lasts for several months – the sun does not come up at all. The temperature goes down to – 50 C degrees. Alcoholism with the consequent domestic violence, hopelessness, depression and suicidal tendencies run rampant, even among the youth. By now, Arkady has lost several immediate family members and more than half of his classmates to these vices.
After graduating from his village high school, Arkady came to St. Petersburg to study at the Polar Academy (univercity). He majored in economics and was filled with far-reaching ambitions to become a famous man among his small nation. But God had a different plan! During one of our dorm evangelisms, the students of our school of ministry met Arkady and shared the Gospel with him. To make a long story short Arkady dedicated his life to the Lord, and graduated from our school of ministry. At the same time he successfully completed his studies in the Academy and worked for several years as our office administrator, also leading a home group, heading evangelism in our church and teaching in the School of Ministry.
All these years the memories of his homeland and the desperate needs of his native people kept filling his heart and he persistently interceded in prayer with tears and supplications for a chance to bring the Gospel to them. This year God made a way for Arkady to do it as part of a missionary effort of Canadian brethren. The team he joined as an interpreter consisted of 4 Canadian missionaries who sponsored the trip, a Russian pastor from the city of Vorkuta and 2 other Christian brothers who took time off of work in a mine in exchange for future overtime work, so they could help with this priject.
Arkady (with a child in the photo on the right) is describing the trip:
Arkady Ledkov (photo on the left) has been part of our church, ministry and staff for a number of years. Several months ago we sent him out with the laying on of hands to reach the people of his ancestry. Arkady was born in a small nenets (national minority) village of Karataika in the Arkhangelsk region - the far North of Russia beyond the Polar circle.His people are nomads, their main trades are still reindeer herding and fishing. Nothing edible grows up there except for wild berries and mushrooms. The villages are isolated from civilization – there are no roads to reach them. For food and other bare necessities vendors and government workers travel there from the population centers by way of depreciated army tanks (in winter when the swampy ground is frozen) and by helicopters in summer (when there is no access by land at all). Other people can join the expeditions on certain occasions according to special agreements with the food vendors and definitely for a very expensive price. The closest cities of Vorkuta and Narian Mar are a 46-hour non-stop drive in such a tank away from Arkady’s village but there are villag
es that it takes weeks to reach. In winter the night lasts for several months – the sun does not come up at all. The temperature goes down to – 50 C degrees. Alcoholism with the consequent domestic violence, hopelessness, depression and suicidal tendencies run rampant, even among the youth. By now, Arkady has lost several immediate family members and more than half of his classmates to these vices.After graduating from his village high school, Arkady came to St. Petersburg to study at the Polar Academy (univercity). He majored in economics and was filled with far-reaching ambitions to become a famous man among his small nation. But God had a different plan! During one of our dorm evangelisms, the students of our school of ministry met Arkady and shared the Gospel with him. To make a long story short Arkady dedicated his life to the Lord, and graduated from our school of ministry. At the same time he successfully completed his studies in the Academy and worked for several years as our office administrator, also leading a home group, heading evangelism in our church and teaching in the School of Ministry.
All these years the memories of his homeland and the desperate needs of his native people kept filling his heart and he persistently interceded in prayer with tears and supplications for a chance to bring the Gospel to them. This year God made a way for Arkady to do it as part of a missionary effort of Canadian brethren. The team he joined as an interpreter consisted of 4 Canadian missionaries who sponsored the trip, a Russian pastor from the city of Vorkuta and 2 other Christian brothers who took time off of work in a mine in exchange for future overtime work, so they could help with this priject.Arkady (with a child in the photo on the right) is describing the trip:
“The favor of the villagers was stunning and can be only attributed to God answering prayer. As we arrived to Karataika we were given radiophones to constantly stay in touch. The local House of Culture gave us free use of their building and all the equipment they had. We made our beds on the second floor and used the hall to the full! The governor himself took us in his own vehicle to all the villagers who could not make it to the meetings we conducted so that we could deliver the food presents to them and pray for their needs, healing, etc…We held meetings for adults showing the Jesus film, sharing our testimonies, preaching the Gospel and doing an altar call. Practically all the villagers attended and more than a 100 gave their hearts to the Lord.
After that, we were invited to the local school and conducted similar meetings for the children. We showed the kids version of the Jesus film and it was very inspiring to see the hunger in their eyes. Many of them live in tents, made of reindeer skins, tending reindeer far away even from the village and do not speak Russian, but only their native nenets dialect, but several children served as interpreters among each other explaining who Jesus is and helping to pray the prayer of repentance.
Such a response added boldness to us to smash a local youth idol – a weekly disco dance party that happens in the House of Culture every Saturday and serves a fruitful ground for drunkeness, fights and fornication.
Since we were given complete control over the building and it was our residence also, the pastor from Vorkuta proclaimed that he is going to dismount the disco party advertizing board and conduct a Gospel meeting instead. I know the local youth and I thought that they would stab the pastor, and I tried to warn him. But definitely he was led by the Spirit of God because the youth even though stunned obediently followed his instructions to take seats in the hall
instead of dancing and listened to the Gospel preached. In addition, we showed a movie about Father’s love and it made the evening. The elderly Canadian minister leading our team came out and offered a fatherly hug to everybody who wanted. Surprisingly, one by one the young people responded. I know it is not a local tradition for a father to hug his children, so for many this vivid picture of the Father’s love brought out tears and healing of the hearts – nobody wanted to leave”.Arkady returned to St. Petersburg inspired by what the Lord has done, praying for the church to be established in his native village for all those who accepted Christ as their Savior during this evangelistic campaign. Soon the offer came to him from the director of Karataika village school to fill the need for an English teacher. Arkady willingly accepted and is staying in Karataika until June or maybe even longer helping to establish the local church and especially minister to the youth. Please continue to pray for the fruitfulness of his efforts.
NEWS FROM JOHN AND SARA IN ESTONIA
Thank you all for your continued prayers for our pioneer work in Estonia. This past month, 2 young men came to Christ and have been completely set free from drug addiction. We sent them to the Betel rehab center in Finland. We are going out doing evangelism on the street several days a week and so far 10 people have repented and given their lives to the Lord. One young girl, Veronica, who has already been in prison for drug related issues, received a tract, and prayed the prayer of repentance, then phoned us. We have been meeting her weekly for fellowship and Bible study. She has asked for prayer for God to help her stop lying. Please pray for her complete deliverance from the affects of years of addiction.
We are also in negotiation for a building in the heart of Tallinn, to rent for a coffee house and evangelism center. God will have to do miracles for it to happen. Please pray for His will to be done.
APRIL NEWS
In April we will be celebrating our 100th consecutive monthly worship and intercession night. We have been having these city-wide events the first Saturday of each month for 8 years and 4 months. During this time we have seen the body of Christ grow from a singing and entertainment geared understanding, to people who deeply understand and desire to worship God with all of their hearts, and intercede for the lost during times of united worship.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: NATASHA BAKSHAEVA
Natasha is 26, currently in the first year of our School of Ministry. She is very gifted prophetically, evangelizes fervently and has a big heart for the girls who need deliverance – from drugs and other addictions, for example the one that Natasha herself had in the past, from which Jesus set her free. Here is her story:“Hi, how are you?” – my girlfriend asked. – “Fine. What should we do tonight? Go to a bar, club, something else?” In this manner, almost every evening began. I always liked adventures and excitement. Life continued in the usual manner, my status quo satisfied me: work, family consisting of Mom and my twin brother and my lover. By the way, before her, I dated guys but as we met I decided to try something new. I was wondering how does it feel and I… liked it. Only very seldom a thought pierced my mind that we were doing something WRONG but I disregarded it.
“Hi, how are you?” – I heard a familiar voice. – “Fine”. – I answered automatically, lifted my eyes, but instead of my girlfriend I saw another girl whom I did not know. “What does she want of me? – I thought. But a normal question had been asked very sincerely and I ventured to continue the conversation. As we talked, I discovered that this new acquaintance was a Christian but before she met Jesus, she used to be a lesbian like me. She shared the story of her relationship with a girl and the following turning to Jesus. She talked a lot about the changes that Jesus produced in her, how happy she was that she met Him and that she has no regrets.
All this sounded very weird. Why did she come up to me when there were so many others in the park? Why is she telling me about some Jesus?
For several days this encounter made me think. She said that not only what I was doing was WRONG but that it was sinful! But Jesus can set me free – pounded in my head. I was pondering the issue of sin.
By the way, I was not religious at all, I never thought about God. I hardly fancied the concept of His existence much less the reality of some Jesus changing my thought patterns, my feelings, my whole inside. I was pretty self-sufficient. The relationship with my girlfriend was strong, seemed like nothing and no one could break it. At the same time I could not escape the conviction of sin, I kept pondering the words from the Bible that such relationships are abomination in the sight of God and therefore they have no future…
Finally I came to the conclusion to find out WHO WAS THIS JESUS AND HOW CAN HE CHANGE MY LIFE. I contacted my new acquaintance. As we continued to fellowship she explained to me what I needed to do to know Jesus. IT WAS A LOT! To confess my sins, repent, accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord…Not so easy. My strong character and a lot of pride stood against me confessing my sins to anyone, even God. On the other hand the desire to get to know Him grew day by day. Gradually the relationship with my lover started shaking, it was painful to realize that we could break up at any moment. Finally I decided to turn to Jesus.
My prayer went somewhat like: “Jesus, I realize that I am wrong and I am doing wrong, I do not want to continue my relationship with this girl but I cannot stop it myself. Please forgive me my sins and set me free from my wrong interests.”
As I said these words I literally felt how something changed inside of me, like a mechanism clicked and went the opposite way, like a huge burden fell off of my shoulders, my heart felt lighter, unusual clarity filled my mind. My girlfriend and I did break up real soon. Surprisingly I did not regret it or for a moment experience any hurt of loneliness that accompany broken relationships. On the contrary – I experienced FREEDOM! Something was filling me from the inside, something new, something wonderful! WOW! HE DID IT! JESUS DID CHANGE ME COMPLETELY! WHAT A MIGHTY GOD!
The changes He began in my heart are continuing to this day touching all the aspects of my life. As the Bible tells us in the book of Proverbs: The path of the just is as a shining light that becomes brighter and brighter day by day."
PRAYER POINTS FOR MARCH:
- Please pray for our School of Ministry - our goal is to continue raising up more evangelists, pastors, teachers, prophets, apostles and ministers in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit
- For evangelism strategy for the spring and summer season - we want to make the most of all the opportunities God gives us to touch as many lives as possible with the Gospel
- For Arkady Ledkov in the northern nenets village of Karataika – effective ministry to the young people and establishment of a local church
- For the future of the girls who have completed the rehabilitation program
- For physical and spiritual protection for the entire church and ministry, divine health and strength for all of us in the midst of a flu flying around and hitting many in St Petersburg
Unity, love and wisdom for the leadership team - For direction, anointing and grace in the pioneering work in the neighboring nation of Estonia
- For a breakthrough with an abundant supply of finances for the advancement of the Kingdom of God here. We have debt, but are continuing to press on in spite of the difficulties. Please pray specifically for $35,000 to cover debt. Thanks so much!
Thank you again so very much for your prayers and continued support of our work! If you are not doing so already we would like to ask you to prayerfully consider helping us on a regular basis. Your help is much needed and highly appreciated!
God bless and keep you all,
Your StreetCry family
