Marching Forth

Here in St. Petersburg the weather is warming and snow melting. As signs of spring emerge, anticipation builds for the ministry opportunities in the warmer months ahead. The sounds of marching can be heard in the tree tops as God’s army goes forth into battle (1 Chronicles 14:15). This month’s newsletter contains a new student testimony as well as fresh news from around the ministry.

Student Spotlight: Zhenya Stashevsky

Zhenya is currently a first year student at the StreetCry School of Ministry. He began work at a local Christian rehab center after overcoming a serious drug addiction that lasted 8 years. Here is his story:

I was born in St. Petersburg and grew up in a modest lifestyle typical of most Russians. My father worked in a factory and my mother was a nurse. Their goal was to provide a stable life for my brother and I, making sure we always had a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. They always stressed the importance of us finishing our education, and I knew if I could accomplish this I would be a success in their eyes.

Up until the fifth grade I did very well in school and even won scholastic competitions in mathematics. Most of the guys my age took more of an interest in sports, however, mine became girls. The girls I was interested in spent most of their spare time drinking and going to dance clubs. In a short amount of time I had cast off all restraint and was getting heavily involved in the ‘party scene’. My infatuation with the opposite sex became a major distraction from my studies causing my grades to drop significantly.

After finishing the eighth grade I was not accepted into high school because of my poor academic record and my growing reputation as a negative influence on other students. Usually male students who find themselves in this position are left with few options. My father strongly encouraged me to enlist in trade school and he helped me get accepted into a specialized school for cooling and refrigeration.

1998 was a particularly difficult year for Russian youth. It was a year when huge numbers of them began experimenting with drugs. Always the one to follow the trends, at the age of 16, I became a heroin user and was immediately addicted. I quit trade school and began working to support my new drug habit.

As a nurse my mother was trained to recognize symptoms shown in people using heroin. It did not take her long to figure out what was happening with me. In an attempt to intervene my parents cut off all contact I had with my friends and confined me to the house. They managed to get me back into the same trade school studying under a different department.

The imposed discipline of my parents helped me get back to studying and achieving good grades. After one year of being under ‘house arrest’ I finished my studies. Although I was no longer using heroin my desire for it never left. As soon as my parents agreed to let me out of the house I was on a mission to find my next dose. What happened next in my life came as an incredible shock. One day after purchasing some heroin on the street I was caught and arrested for possession of an illegal substance. Fortunately I was not sent to prison but the humility and shame regarding this situation sent me into an emotional downward spiral.

For the next seven years I became immersed in drugs. By 2005, I was using 4 or 5 different drugs at the same time. I hated myself for who I had become. The amount of money required to support my habit was more than I could afford so I resorted to stealing. This took me to a new low but I could not see a way out of the cycle. I no longer considered myself a human-being. I could not live without drugs. Thank God He had a different plan for my life.

As much as I hated to see what the drugs were doing to me what bothered me even more was how my worsening condition grieved my mother. She and I always shared a special bond while growing up. She was emotionally and physically dying along with me because of anxiety. I could no longer even look her in the eyes without crying.

My mom made me promise I’d call her twice every day so she knew I was still alive. She had promised me that even if I was dying in a street gutter she would come and sit with me. My motivation for getting off drugs became more to save my mom than to save myself. I finally made the decision to join a Christian rehab that one of my friends had told me about. I thought both my mother and my body could use a break from the life I was living.

I knew very little about this rehab center and even less about God. I was expecting to receive treatment in a hospital type of facility but was surprised to find out it was a simple house outside of St. Petersburg. When I arrived I was introduced to 30 guys just like me who shared similar stories.

I was at the rehab for 3 months and argued with the leaders the entire time. Still I could not deny the fact that the guys who believed were getting free. One day during church there was a call for repentance made and this time the eyes of my heart were opened to the reality of God. I did not go forward but stayed in my seat and said the sinner’s prayer.

After this point the stranglehold the drugs had on me was severed and all the things I loved previously began to be revived in me. I spent my time talking with people; loving on people; helping people. The drugs had eaten everything good out of me but when Jesus came into my life the dreams of my youth came alive again and now I could love people with a supernatural love.

I can testify that the things we are looking for in life we can find in Christ. We find them at the feet of Jesus. I have a desire to help people. My rehab leaders always told me that the Christian life would not be easy but it would be interesting and abundant. This is the kind of life I always dreamt about and now I have found it. I am so thankful to be serving the God of miracles.

News

Estonia Prophetic School Update

Vera Abezina, Anya Motorov and Sergei Tovstopyat recently returned from ministering in the satellite prophetic school in Estonia. The seats in the hall were filled with people hungry to both learn and participate in prophetic ministry.

There was a sense of God’s love and acceptance that permeated the atmosphere. Vera and Anya shared on some of the pitfalls people can fall into when ministering prophetically. The material was devoured by the listeners even though the content was serious and challenging.

Sergei was able to personally minister to over half of the people in attendance and then taught the evening session on the importance of character and being shepherded in the prophetic ministry.

The team was encouraged to see people putting into practice what they were being taught. During one exercise people were randomly chosen from the audience and then instructed to give a prophetic word to someone else in the room. All participants received wonderful words and administered them in love and encouragement.

Café / Bookstore Reopened

The newly renovated café and bookstore have been reopened here in St. Petersburg. They will now be open to the public on weekdays from 9AM – 6PM. The hope is that the café becomes a venue to make contact with unbelievers and also as a place for fellowship for people within the ministry. Further renovations will be made to the facilities to improve the overall décor as the finances become available.

Prayer Points for March:

• Continued fruitfulness of the prophetic school in Estonia
  

• Financial supply and increased fruitfulness of the new café and bookstore
  

• Spiritual growth of School of Ministry students and staff
  

• Wisdom and understanding for leadership team
  

• Physical and spiritual protection for entire ministry
  

• Spiritual breakthrough in St. Petersburg and Russia
  

• Righteousness, peace, and joy for everyone in the ministry
  

• Wisdom, compassion, boldness and power for evangelism ministry
  

• Abundant supply of finances for the advancement of the Kingdom of God