Over the past several months, we have been active and inspired with evangelism. Teams have been taking the gospel to the streets and student dorms here in St. Petersburg. Recently we held an evangelism concert in Novgorod, a city 3 hours away. Thank you so much for your prayers and continued interest in our work here.This month's "Student Spotlight” features Denise, a former drug addict from Ukraine who found freedom and new life in Christ.
My name is Denise and I was born in Crimea, an area commonly shared between Russia and Ukraine on the Black Sea. I grew up in a working family and my father was a heavy drinker and used to beat my mother. From a young age I was always trying to escape the situation at home and found myself running away to the streets.
By the age of twelve, I was regularly spending nights on the street, arriving home just as my parents would wake up; of course this also led to problems at school. Teachers would get together and talk about the bad students and the worst classes. Our class was by far the worst and they ended up splitting our class and sending us all to other classes. This only seemed to add to my confusion and by the seventh grade, I was regularly drinking beer and smoking hash.
After finishing high school I went to a trade school, where my grades did not improve. I was kicked out of school for making forged documents that said I was sick and had passed exams. At 18, my parents told me that I was old enough to take care of myself and stopped giving me any financial support.
I started to work at a construction company during the winter and when summer came, I would rob the tourists that came to the Black Sea for holidays. This led to constant problems with the police and arguments with my parents which resulted in me being kicked out of my parents' home and living on the streets.
In the summer of 2003, I was living in the basement of an apartment building and was doing opium. When we were not under the influence of drugs, we would go out and rob people to get enough money to buy more drugs. Day by day I felt worse and worse. My health was being destroyed: drastic weight loss, my liver and other internal organs were constantly in pain. My so called friends left me because I was getting very weak and would get tired very quickly.
I tried to make peace with my parents and tried to live at home again. This didn't work out because at the first opportunity, I stole money from my parents and returned to the basement of the apartment building to hide.
My father found me in the basement and brought me to my mother. She said that she was tired of the entire situation and was going to call the police and make sure that I would go to prison. She told me that after I got out of prison not to come back as I would be nobody to them.
Standing on the balcony of my parents' home and seeing a beautiful sunset, I realized that this was my end and I was only 20 years old. My mother was about to call the police when the phone rang. An acquaintance of hers, a believer from a local church called and talked about the possibility of going to a rehab center named 'Betel.' Of course I agreed to go.
They took me in as I was and sooner than I had expected. When I arrived, I saw so many young people that where rejoicing, living life without drugs. I kept hearing them testifying of how Jesus helped them out of their addictions.
At first I wanted to leave, as there were so many things that I could not relate to; like all this talk about Jesus. There was something inside of me that was holding me, something that didn't let me leave. I decided to stay and day by day I came to realize that life without Jesus is impossible.
I cried out to God and He changed my life, He changed my heart, changed my thinking and He delivered me from my drug addiction. Now I am a minister at Betel (the rehab center) and I can say that me life is not meaningless as it was before. I live to help others instead of bringing them pain and suffering and have dedicated my life to help people like I used to be and see them set free from their drug addictions.
Denise is a first year student and currently ministers at the drug rehab center, Betel, located outside of St. Petersburg. We work in cooperation with them on ministry outreach and helping their potential leaders with Biblical training.
Evangelism NewsBy the age of twelve, I was regularly spending nights on the street, arriving home just as my parents would wake up; of course this also led to problems at school. Teachers would get together and talk about the bad students and the worst classes. Our class was by far the worst and they ended up splitting our class and sending us all to other classes. This only seemed to add to my confusion and by the seventh grade, I was regularly drinking beer and smoking hash.
After finishing high school I went to a trade school, where my grades did not improve. I was kicked out of school for making forged documents that said I was sick and had passed exams. At 18, my parents told me that I was old enough to take care of myself and stopped giving me any financial support.
I started to work at a construction company during the winter and when summer came, I would rob the tourists that came to the Black Sea for holidays. This led to constant problems with the police and arguments with my parents which resulted in me being kicked out of my parents' home and living on the streets.
In the summer of 2003, I was living in the basement of an apartment building and was doing opium. When we were not under the influence of drugs, we would go out and rob people to get enough money to buy more drugs. Day by day I felt worse and worse. My health was being destroyed: drastic weight loss, my liver and other internal organs were constantly in pain. My so called friends left me because I was getting very weak and would get tired very quickly.
I tried to make peace with my parents and tried to live at home again. This didn't work out because at the first opportunity, I stole money from my parents and returned to the basement of the apartment building to hide.
My father found me in the basement and brought me to my mother. She said that she was tired of the entire situation and was going to call the police and make sure that I would go to prison. She told me that after I got out of prison not to come back as I would be nobody to them.
Standing on the balcony of my parents' home and seeing a beautiful sunset, I realized that this was my end and I was only 20 years old. My mother was about to call the police when the phone rang. An acquaintance of hers, a believer from a local church called and talked about the possibility of going to a rehab center named 'Betel.' Of course I agreed to go.
They took me in as I was and sooner than I had expected. When I arrived, I saw so many young people that where rejoicing, living life without drugs. I kept hearing them testifying of how Jesus helped them out of their addictions.
At first I wanted to leave, as there were so many things that I could not relate to; like all this talk about Jesus. There was something inside of me that was holding me, something that didn't let me leave. I decided to stay and day by day I came to realize that life without Jesus is impossible.
I cried out to God and He changed my life, He changed my heart, changed my thinking and He delivered me from my drug addiction. Now I am a minister at Betel (the rehab center) and I can say that me life is not meaningless as it was before. I live to help others instead of bringing them pain and suffering and have dedicated my life to help people like I used to be and see them set free from their drug addictions.
Denise is a first year student and currently ministers at the drug rehab center, Betel, located outside of St. Petersburg. We work in cooperation with them on ministry outreach and helping their potential leaders with Biblical training.
The Lord continues to bring people and opportunities across our path to reach others with His saving love. We have been able to see a number of people come to the Lord, whom we had previously witnessed to.
During a concert this summer we met Katya who was very open to the gospel. She stayed for the entire concert and afterwards exchanged telephone numbers with one of our singers. Katya then left the city to spend some time visiting relatives and became very sick with a blood disorder. She sent us a message asking for prayer and explained her situation. We interceded for her, believing that the Lord would touch and heal her. After she returned to the city, she came to a service and shared how the Lord had healed her from the blood disorder. That same service she repented of her sins and gave her life to the Lord.
The following week, at our monthly city-wide worship and intercession night, a young man gave his life to the Lord. He is a co-worker of one of our Bible school graduates and had come to service for several weeks before he repented and submitted to the drawing of the Holy Spirit.
One of our members decided to send out a text message on his cell phone to an entire network of people. The message was a simple message that Jesus loves them. One girl answered the message and asked why. The brother was able to answer her questions and witness to her through the text messages. He kept asking her to come to church, and finally after several weeks, she did. During that service, she repented and gave her life to the Lord.
Outreach in Novgorod
During a concert this summer we met Katya who was very open to the gospel. She stayed for the entire concert and afterwards exchanged telephone numbers with one of our singers. Katya then left the city to spend some time visiting relatives and became very sick with a blood disorder. She sent us a message asking for prayer and explained her situation. We interceded for her, believing that the Lord would touch and heal her. After she returned to the city, she came to a service and shared how the Lord had healed her from the blood disorder. That same service she repented of her sins and gave her life to the Lord.
The following week, at our monthly city-wide worship and intercession night, a young man gave his life to the Lord. He is a co-worker of one of our Bible school graduates and had come to service for several weeks before he repented and submitted to the drawing of the Holy Spirit.
One of our members decided to send out a text message on his cell phone to an entire network of people. The message was a simple message that Jesus loves them. One girl answered the message and asked why. The brother was able to answer her questions and witness to her through the text messages. He kept asking her to come to church, and finally after several weeks, she did. During that service, she repented and gave her life to the Lord.
Recently our evangelism team traveled to the ancient city of Novgorod. Novgorod is the oldest city in Russia, founded in the middle of the 10th century, and is located some 150 miles south of St. Petersburg. Working with a local church we had an evangelism concert where nearly 800 young people came and heard the Gospel message.
During the week before the concert, one of our Bible school graduates was in Novgorod working with the youth of a local church, teaching about evangelism, passing out tracts and advertisements for the concert.
At the concert, one girl, Lena, was intently listening but could not understand how the Lord could forgive her. Although her friends kept asking her to leave with them, she stayed and continued to talk with
one of the team members. Although she felt that she was not able to give her life to the Lord at that time, Lena allowed the team to pray for her.
After nearly everyone had left and the building was about to be closed, Lena came running back into the hall crying. In tears, she realized that she needed to give her life to the Lord and it was time to stop running. After she repented and gave her life to Jesus, the team prayed for her, introduced her to members of the local church, and gave her a New Testament. It was so wonderful to see and it is all worth for the salvation of one lost soul.
Prayer Points for January:
During the week before the concert, one of our Bible school graduates was in Novgorod working with the youth of a local church, teaching about evangelism, passing out tracts and advertisements for the concert.
At the concert, one girl, Lena, was intently listening but could not understand how the Lord could forgive her. Although her friends kept asking her to leave with them, she stayed and continued to talk with
one of the team members. Although she felt that she was not able to give her life to the Lord at that time, Lena allowed the team to pray for her. After nearly everyone had left and the building was about to be closed, Lena came running back into the hall crying. In tears, she realized that she needed to give her life to the Lord and it was time to stop running. After she repented and gave her life to Jesus, the team prayed for her, introduced her to members of the local church, and gave her a New Testament. It was so wonderful to see and it is all worth for the salvation of one lost soul.
Prayer Points for January:
- For a fruitful and life changing year at the Bible School/School of Ministry
- For all physical and spiritual needs to be met and for growth in the staff and students
- For our upcoming Christmas feed-in and celebration with the many drug rehab centers in the area
- Grace and favor for the ministry here in St. Petersburg
- Spiritual breakthrough in St. Petersburg and Russia
- Grace and anointing for the team at our women's rehab center
- Open doors for the Gospel to go out to youth in St. Petersburg and across Russia
- Wisdom and understanding for the leadership team
- Physical and spiritual protection for the entire ministry
- Righteousness, peace, and joy for everyone in the ministry
- Wisdom, compassion, boldness and power for evangelism ministry
- Abundant supply of finances and fruitfulness in the advancement of the Kingdom of God
- For women to come to Christ and maturity through the rehab center
