December 06, 2006

For God So Loved the World...

Two thousand years after the miraculous birth of our Savior, we are still discovering the almost incomprehensible height, breadth, and depth of His pure love. This month's newsletter is filled with tangible expressions that speak of this love, and we hope that as you read about them you are encouraged and your faith is lifted.

Student Spotlight: Olga Bezhura

Olga is a gifted worshipper/songwriter/mother who is currently studying in her second year at the StreetCry School of Ministry. Her music is featured on StreetCry’s next worship CD project to be released in Russia, early 2007. Her testimony reveals a journey of reconciliation and restoration into the father heart of God. Here is her story:

I was born in Kazakhstan (former USSR) in 1975. My family life growing up could be described as ‘dysfunctional’ at best. My mother deeply loved my sister and me, but was greatly afflicted by an abusive relationship with my step-father. He was a drunkard and an abusive husband who would often lash out at my mother in fits of rage.

As I grew up, the abuse worsened and intensified. Several times, my sister and I witnessed my step-father beat my mother beyond recognition, almost to the point of death. After these beatings he would force my sister and I to clean my mother’s blood off the floors and walls.

By the age of 10 I hated all men, and the word ‘father’ had become a curse word to me. Daily I watched as my mother was battered and humiliated by my step-father. His idea of fun was throwing knives at her while she defended herself with a pillow. Often, my mom would have us flee to find protection at a friend’s house.

The police were often summoned for assistance, and from time to time they would put my step-father in prison. However, when released, the anger and violence would only increase. The worse things became at home, the more I longed for love and protection. Most of my girlfriends came from similar situations, and I started to think that I was doomed for a life of torment.

When I turned 13, my step-father was convicted on charges of murder and sentenced to a life-time in prison. It was a relief for all of us. However, the damage had been done. My step-father’s actions towards my mother had left my soul in anguish, and my heart hardened. I could no longer fathom the idea of ever having a relationship with a man, or recovering from the effects of witnessing the atrocities dealt to my mother.

As years went by, I graduated from high school and enrolled in university. One class we were required to take was on atheism. The subject of my term paper was to be, ‘Why God Doesn’t Exist’. I had serious questions about the arguments my professors used in defending their beliefs. Their theories were self defeating and lacked substance.

While doing research for my paper, I happened across a Bible. I randomly flipped the pages open to Matthew 6 where Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray to God as Father. The word ‘father’ still made me cringe, and I thought it strange for a person to relate to God in this way. From this point on, I began a personal pursuit of the true meaning of the word ‘father’.

While in university, I slowly became friends with a young man (later to be my husband!) whose mother was a devout Christian. She would bring us to church where we would hear messages about the love of God. One Sunday, the pastor shared that God the Father loved the world so much that He sent His only Son to die for us so that we could become His children. It was a shock and a joy to hear this. How could I have lived my entire life and not known that I have a real Father who loves me! In prayer, I repented before God and gave my life over to Him. His presence flooded my soul, and I began to realize how long He had been waiting to show His love towards me.

Since that day, I have had daily fellowship with my heavenly Father with each encounter bringing a deeper understanding of His love. I will never be able to adequately express the joy and peace I now have in my heart. God has revealed Himself to me as Father. He was always there, even in the moments of sorrow, pain and fear. Now I can see very clearly that it was only because of my Father God’s protection, that I was spared from my earthly father’s abuse.

God has healed my broken heart. He has given me a future filled with love and hope. I am now happily married and have two beautiful sons! I know that God always protects me. He never fails me, He is my real Daddy.

Please pray for Olga as she continues to discover the love of God and share it with others.

News

Healing Training

A training course on healing has begun at StreetCry fellowship for people wanting to become more involved in healing ministry. Just as many at StreetCry have been trained and mobilized in evangelism and ministering prophetically, we hope to see this happen in healing ministry. Both healing and prophecy are powerful tools we seek to implement both in the church and evangelism.

Recently an instant healing occurred during a Saturday night meeting. A student, by the name of Gosha Karovushkin (featured in the November newsletter), came forward for ministry regarding a chronic problem with sores in his mouth. After receiving prayer from one of the healing teams, Gosha felt something happen on his tongue. He immediately ran out of the room to find a mirror to check the inside of his mouth. After confirming that he had in fact been healed, he came running back into the church shouting, “I’m healed! I’m healed!”. It was quite a scene!

Please pray that God would help us in the area of healing, and that this gift would be used in a greater way for His glory in spreading the gospel in Russia!

Plans for 2006/2007 Christmas Feed-In

As the Christmas season approaches, plans are in the works for StreetCry's tenth annual Christmas feed-in. As 90% of Russia's population are poor and needy, we specifically need to hear from the Lord each year which poor and needy we are to concentrate on! This year's feed-in will be a celebration of God's goodness to the hundreds of former heroin addicts living in and around St Petersburg who have been saved and delivered from their addictions. In previous years, we have seen thousands of lives touched by the love of God through this outreach, and are excited to see what God does this year.

Please pray that God’s tangible love would be experienced by everyone who attends this year’s feed-in.

Estonia Prophetic School Update

A StreetCry ministry team has recently returned from ministering at our prophetic school in Estonia. In only two sessions there has been a marked improvement in the quality of ministry and number of people ministering. A number of testimonies came forward of how people had begun hearing from God on a new level.

A woman attending the school, shared an exciting testimony of how the prophetic gift has come into operation in her ministry as an intercessor. She and her mother, both students at the school, had received an invitation to help a friend who was having problems with the spiritual atmosphere in her house. She informed the women that it continually felt dark and oppressive.

As the mother and daughter began praying through the house, the daughter had a hideous vision which she did not understand or want to share out loud. After counseling with her mother, she reluctantly shared the details of the vision with the other two women. As soon as the daughter had finished speaking, the friend who owned the house began to cry and ran out of the room. When she returned, she told her friends the vision was of a gruesome event that had occurred in the house several years earlier that she had been a part of.

Armed with this new information, the two intercessors were able to minister healing to the woman, and take authority over the evil presence that had taken residence there. The
daughter, who is quite young, was excited that the teaching she received in the school helped activate a gift in her that helped deliver a tormented sister in the Lord. Thank you Jesus!

Please continue to pray for the nation of Estonia and for continued grace on the prophetic school.

Newsletter Compiled by Chris Loewen