Dear Friends and Family!
Blessings to all of you! Sara and I make it a point to pray for you and bless you and your families and churches daily. We are very thankful for your encouragement and support.
Summer has come and gone! We have had several wonderful weeks of rest, ministering in churches and receiving coffee training for our student cafe. We hope you have had some time off and have enjoyed the beautiful summer this year as well.
UPDATE: JOHN AND SARA
For the last two years John and I have been in the US taking care of John's dad, visiting Estonia and Russia occasionally, while leaving the church and cafe in Tallinn, Estonia in the hands of the Lord and our faithful family there. When we came here we felt that it was the Lord's leading and knew God had a purpose and a plan. Someone recently asked me two questions: what was the most beautiful thing and what was the most challenging thing that happened during these two years. As I am writing this the answer came to mind.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
One of my favorite passages of scripture is John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that will last - so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." From the very beginning of my walk with the Lord I wanted to bear fruit for Him, especially fruit that will remain, that will last, forever. One of the only things that will last forever would be a soul that I was able to lead to Christ through their repentance and acceptance of Christ's lordship. It is great joy when one more person will not experience separation from the love and the light of the Father God.
Many years ago while on the mission field in Russia, John was getting concerned about his aging parents, about their eternity. After all these years they still were not born again. At the time he was wondering if he should leave the field and go take care of his mom. In prayer the Lord spoke to him saying: If you take care of My children, I will take care of your parents. As we stayed faithful to the work in Russia and later in Estonia, the Lord has been faithful to His promise and worked on John's parents' hearts until the day of salvation.
As you know his mom received the Lord into her heart last August on her birthday and the Lord spoke to John that morning that today is the day of her salvation. It was a similar situation with his dad when on Christmas morning John felt the same urge to share the Christmas message and the message of salvation with his dad. It was this past Christmas when he gave his heart to Jesus. A few months later, May 30th, John's dad passed away at the age of 98. We were very sad but we knew he is going to a better place where there is no pain, no worries, and every tear will be wiped away by our Lord Jesus!
The most beautiful thing that happened is that two souls will be able to spend their eternity with our loving heavenly Father!
THE MOST CHALLENGING
Leaving the mission field and the work that was so young in the hands of others, trusting God that He will guide them, was the most challenging thing for me. I had to learn what Paul wrote with such confidence , faith and trust that comes from knowing who our God is, to the church in Ephesus. Acts 20:32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."
I realized that our job was to pray for the young leaders to be willing vessels through whom God's Spirit can flow and achieve God's purposes, in whom God's word can work and build them up so they can get a hold of the inheritance with all the saints, and be sanctified by the fiery trials that they go through.
Now John and I are in the process of taking care of legal business of his dad's estate and praying for our next step and possible next mission field. We would appreciate your prayers for us to know what our next steps are, which haven't been fully revealed to us yet. We have several countries on our hearts as far as our next place. At the same time we are still overseeing the work in Tallinn, and involved in Russia during Christmas time.
We can truly say that these two years with John's dad have been fruitful for us. We have learned many lessons. Having worked for years with young people we really didn't understand the heart of God for the elderly until we got to the hills of West Virginia. The Bible says in Eph. 6:2 "Honor your father and your mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise - "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." We have been truly blessed beyond measure. During these two years we have made new friends here in WV and were able to lead a Bible study at a local church and at home helping people to grow closer to God.
THE LIVING ROOM STUDENT CAFE AND THE LIVING ROOM FELLOWSHIP
Our daughter Katya who oversees the cafe ministry and Imre Kuller, the pastor of our church in Estonia, came to the US and spent a few weeks with us. Beside the rest that they needed after quite a difficult year, they also went through two trainings for the coffee shop and had opportunities to minister in a couple of churches.
(Cupping) (Sorting coffee beans)
They were also able to participate in the local event " Praise in the Park" where we had a divine appointment with some very precious Christian brothers who are now dear friends. The Lord gave John an opportunity to speak into the life of a man, who is starting a rehab center in the area.
During July we visited some of our old friends and churches in WV and VA. There were so many others that we haven't been able to visit yet, but still hope to. We wanted to say THANK YOU for your hospitality, for opening your hearts, your churches and homes to us. We were very blessed by the fellowship and openness of hearts. The conversations that we had with you ministered encouragement to us. It was good to hear how the Lord brought some of you through some deep waters and fire and blessed you at the end as He has done with us as well.
(Visiting a farm, cupping)
Katya and Imre are back in Tallinn and recently celebrated the 5th anniversary of the cafe's opening. THANK YOU, TEAM FROM WALES, for helping in so many ways during your visit! We pray that during this new season the Lord opens many hearts to receive and obey the gospel.
(Coffee break after going out on the streets)
REVIEW OF THE COFFEE SHOP FROM A VISITOR
"The Living Room is so much more then a coffee shop. Within a second of walking in, it felt like home. Their drinks and food are some of the best you will find in Tallinn, but it is the people that really set this place apart. They have become family to us, and love us so well! I can promise they will love you too. Also don't forget to ask about their free spiritual menu. 
:)"
:)"
PRAISE REPORT FROM INDIA
A couple of weeks ago we received an urgent prayer request from Natasha and Lana. They asked us to pray for three orphaned sisters ages 10-16 who lived in a local red-light area and were abused by people around them. Natasha and Lana met them at their Christmas outreach and have been meeting with them ever since.
Their mother abandoned them when the youngest was four months old. They stayed with and were cared for by a neighbor until she died four years ago, then by the lady's son who grew tired of them being around. In India these girls are called "invisible children". They have no relatives or documents or any legal guardian.
Finally after much prayer, danger, beatings and threats all three girls are out of the red light area! They are staying at a transition home for a few days, after that they will be moving to Hope Foundation, a home supported by donations with much higher standards than government homes. Natasha and Lana have connections there, so they will be able to visit the girls.
Even though the sisters were abused in that area, they seem to be very attached to people there. Please pray for their hearts and a smooth transition, continue to pray for them to be placed in a Christian home.
What a week they had!! (from Nat & Lana)
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- leading and guiding of the Lord for John and Sara for their next destination
- speedy settlement of the estate, selling of property
- wisdom and discernment for future decision making
- fruitful evangelism ministry at the Living Room cafe
- salvation of souls in Estonia
- spiritual and physical strength for the leadership in Estonia
- spiritual growth of the church members
- protection of the ministry and our missionaries in India
- fruitfulness of the work in India
- for young Indian girls, their transition time and a Christian home
- provision for all of the financial needs
NEEDS FOR THE CAFE:
- coffee roaster for the cafe (this will help lower our costs considerably)
- new (used) vehicle for the ministry (our once trusty 2002 Toyota has well over 250,000 km and needs to go into retirement)
- new stove for the kitchen (ours is a used home stove, we need industrial
- furniture
Thank you so much for your faithful support, for your continual prayers for us and the ministry! Thank you for staying in touch with us by sending your responses to our newsletters. We appreciate when you let us know how things are going with you all as well!
Thanks and God bless!
John & Sara Russell,
and The Living Room Fellowship team
for StreetCry Ministries & The Living Room Fellowship
