Change Is In The Air

StreetCry has been going through changes on almost every front. In the past month, we've received new staff, a new building and a new group of students. Despite the challenges that change brings, we look forward to what God has in store for the future.

We thought we would commemorate these changes with a new format to our newsletter. We hope you like it!

Student Spotlight: Yura Bugakov

We are adding a "Student Spotlight" section of the newsletter where a testimony will be shared each month of one of our students. The stories of their lives are profound and awe-inspiring. We feel they are stories that need to be told, and we hope as you read them your heart is moved and your faith is strengthened.

This month's spotlight is on a student who was previously a neo-Nazi skin-head. Out of 15 gang-members, he and another student (to be featured in November's newsletter) are the only members still alive. Their lives are a miracle and testimony of God's power to redeem a life.

Yura Bugakov

I was born in Vologda, Russia. This is a place far away from St. Petersburg and Moscow. People in my town have the saying that "civilization arrives ten years later here".

When I was a child our town was divided into separate districts. This created an atmosphere of rivalry between the young people of different districts. We would fight with each other using solid metal bars. I carried a knife with me where ever I went. I lived with the daily expectation of being beaten with some type of weapon.

It was common for fights to break out during school dances. I remember one incident at a dance when a fight broke out between a local guy and someone from another town over a girl. The fight escalated into a town riot which later made headlines on national news.

In the 90's, after the fall of communism, regional violence subsided. Personally, I was still filled with hatred and a desire to protest. In order to find acceptance I turned to a subculture group of Russian Punks and joined their gang.

With-in a short amount of time I accumulated a broken nose, several concussions, and a torn earlobe. This caused me to realize that Russian Punk gangs were not for me. I left the gang but still embraced the culture.

I began collecting punk music albums from bands such as G.B.H., Dead Kennedy's, Exploited, and Kolovrat. I began making new friends who listened to the same music. The hate-filled lyrics were filled with racial overtones. The lyrics inspired us and we soon began to hate everyone who wasn't Russian. We embraced the swastika, and began to wear army clothes. We became very nationalistic and blamed Russia's problems on the foreigners. We would get drunk and go to Nazi clubs and shout hate chants.

At this point in my life I felt empty and sorrow began to hang over my beaten, shaved head. In order to accept the radical ideas of national cleansing I forced myself to drink more alcohol. Without noticing, alcohol was leading me into a deadly drug addiction. Soon I became known as "the Junkie" by my friends. Ironically, I continued to hate everyone who wasn't Russian, even though these were the people who supplied my drug habit.

As time progressed, I ended up in prison for drug related crimes. The time alone gave me a chance to reflect on my life. My attitude had become that everyone around me was weak. At the same time I realized there was no strength inside myself.

After being released from prison, I came to the end of my rope. Half dead from drugs and realizing I needed help, I applied to a Christian rehab center. It was there that I repented to God for all of my hatred and pride, and came to know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.

This was a miracle since before I would chant 'Jesus is dead!'. Now He was very much alive to me. Jesus never got offended at my sin, He only redeemed me. My angry, hardened heart was melting by His love. Now, I am sharing this love with all races and nationalities. Instead of trying to send foreigners home, I welcome them. I understand now that no power of the fist, or idea of a clean race will save the world from the power of evil. Only the redeeming blood of Christ can save us!

Please pray for Yura as he continues his training at the School of Ministry and is involved in overseeing a drug rehab in St. Petersburg.

News

New Staff

We are excited about the addition of Chris and Crystal Loewen as full-time members of our ministry team. They have moved from Winkler, Manitoba, Canada, and are graduates of the MorningStar School of Ministry. They will be helping with various administrative tasks and teaching at the ministry school. Please pray for them as they adjust to life in Russia!

New Rental Facility

Due to difficulties with our previous landlord, we have moved into a new building. The new building has adequate facilities for our School of Ministry, church meetings, and ministry offices. For the short term we are thankful to be renting a building where we feel welcome. Our long-term goal remains to purchase a property that would serve all the growing needs of the ministry. Please pray for breakthrough in finding a new property to own.

New Website Development

Development has begun on a new website. The new site will be simplified with updated information. We hope it will better serve the needs of our supporters and those interested in learning more about the ministry. We will inform you as soon as it is on-line and ready for viewing. Please pray that the new site will become a useful tool and accurately reflect the work going on here.

New Students

Our new group of 30 students have arrived, and the School of Ministry is now in session for the 2006/2007 year. We are very excited about the new students and the hunger for God they have brought with them. We believe they are part of the future leaders God is raising up in Russia to advance His kingdom. Please pray for a spirit of wisdom and council to rest on the teachers, and for the students to grow in the grace and love of God.

Newsletter Compiled by Chris Loewen