Letter from Siberia

December 4, 2002

To our Loved Ones in Christ!

Happy Holidays!
We indeed are a blessed nation. While much of the world is in seemingly constant turmoil, we continue to live at peace. While much of the world is hungry, most of us do not know what it is to really be hungry. My family spent Thanksgiving with family and friends. I think that's why it is my favorite holiday. My brother-in-law died while I was in Russia, so it was a good time for me to be with my sister.

Recent Trip
In October and November I was in Barnaul. It was great to see all the brothers and sisters there again. This trip I was teaching in the Preaching School and working with the Church. Satan is always looking to capitalize on the weak and fainthearted (all around the world), so it was great to spend some time studying with some church members and study from the Gospel of John, encouraging their faith and walk with God.

Preaching School
I was impressed with the new class of students. I am so thankful that God is giving us such good "jars of clay" in which to place his treasure. The second year students realize they are nearing the final stretch of their two-year study. They are eager to find a place that God can use them in his Kingdom. It was interesting as I visited with each of them and listened, as together we discussed possible mission points in Russia that they may soon call home. They also asked me to express their deep gratitude to those who have made their Bible education possible. They made statements like, "I had no idea how much there was to learn", "Now the Word of God is so much clearer", "I can guess what my life would have been like without these two years", "I don't have enough words to adequately thank all who have made this two years possible", and "I want to use my life to glorify God." Please pray for these students and for those already out in the "trenches."

Winter Wonderland
The 100-degree summer is giving way to winter. The temperature is already in the -5 degrees Fahrenheit range. It will not be long until the temperatures will reach minus 20-30 and lower and this land is plunged into its natural state for 4 almost months. The snow is indeed beautiful. As God covers all the dirt he makes the landscape look pure and clean. Except for the extreme cold of minus 30-60, this is one of the favorite times for many Russians. Some like to ski and others like to ice fish. I prefer to sit close to the radiators and read a good book.

Recent Trip Stateside
Upon my return in mid-November I went to Council Bluffs and Des Moines, Iowa. I visited with two congregations that support the work in Ulyanovsk, Russia. They are eager to add another graduate and his family to the work there. It was great to put some faces with names that I had only known via the Internet.

 

Student of the Month

ELENA SHMAN


I was born in the city of Krasnoyarsk. A year after my birth we moved to Omsk. My mother was the head of the library and my father an engineer at the thermoelectric power station. That was the happiest time of my childhood; I have the brightest memories of it. My parents were the best for me; I loved them and believed them. I never heard them shout or quarrel. When I would do something wrong they would explain what I did wrong and teach me how to do it better. I wanted to grow up as soon as possible, wanted to learn everything and to be like them. In my childhood I wanted to become an actress, to be in movies, to be like various characters in movies and books. At home I staged puppet shows: I stretched a blanket and asked my parents and neighbors to take their seats and made up fairy tales and performed for them. I also gave concerts: I sang, danced, and recited poems. I liked to draw very much. Everything that I dreamed of and thought about was reflected in my drawings. I dreamed that when I grew up I would serve in the army as a soldier and defend my motherland. Every Sunday I watched a TV program “I serve the Soviet Union”, and more than anything I wanted to fly into space as a cosmonaut.

When my parents were growing apart, they sent me to a pioneer camp for three sessions and didn't visit me for a long time. I was playing with kids, laughed, but felt very lonely and something was aching inside of me. I wanted to run away from camp. Fortunately, my parents came for a visit and asked me to endure their being away. They said it was temporary. I tried to stand this separation hoping that soon we would be together again. When Mom came to pick me up it was a holiday for me. I put on my prettiest dress and waited. When we came home Dad wasn’t home. My Mom collected my clothes and toys, and in spite of my tears took me to my aunt. It was very painful for me.

Grades 1 through 3 I studied at a boarding school for kids from dysfunctional families. I was happy when I was going to school on the 1st of September, my grown up life was beginning. I occupied the front desk right in front of the teacher and I wouldn't take my eyes off of her.

Kids stayed at school the whole week and on weekends they went home. We had a huge bedroom for 20 people. In the evenings before going to bed I would tell the girls the fairy tales that my Dad and aunt used to tell me. Everyone would fall asleep, but I couldn't. I had nightmares. When I would wake up the nightmares seemed to come to life. Sometimes during the night older girls would come to us and take some of us to the bathroom (they made the girls go barefoot). The younger girls would cry, and the older would laugh and shout at them. They didn't touch me and my friend because she had an older sister. I felt sorry or the other girls. Once I tried to interfere and an older girl hit me. I felt bad because I was helpless. We reported this problem to our teachers but it would stop only temporarily.

Every summer I went to a pioneer camp. I was happy there, and there I met my first love. In the 4th grade I went to an ordinary school. By the 6th grade I started dating and by the 7th grade I started I was getting C’s. I started wearing make-up, didn't want to wear the school uniform, and skipped classes. No one could do anything to change the situation with me, because there wasn't any adult who would be an authority for me. My Mom came to see me and said that I had a demon inside of me and I needed to be baptized. I did not believe in God and didn't think about him seriously. But Mom insisted that we go to the Orthodox church. When the priest asked me to repent I said that I have no sins. Eventually Mom paid the money and I was baptized. We lit a couple of candles and I never went back to church.

Along with the regular school I was attending an art school. The head teacher of our class said that she wouldn't let me go in to the 9th grade and I entered an art college. I got married when I was 17. I left college after the first year. I finished the courses for secretaries and worked as a secretary and typist. Then I worked as a sales-assistant, then I became an entrepreneur and opened a clothing shop.

My husband started drinking, he partied with his friends, often didn't come home for the night. He didn't pay attention to the problems we had. He refused to assume responsibility, he didn't want to discuss our problems together, and he was satisfied with the current situation. I was afraid to tell anyone that our relationship was so bad, so I lied and pretended that everything was great. I kept everything to myself. I thought that it might have been my mistake that I had done something wrong and I tried to please my husband in every way. But I couldn't pretend forever and I came to a dead end. Not knowing the way out, not knowing God, I decided to poison myself. I took some pills. But looking back, I believe God saved me. He had a purpose for me and wasn't finished with me yet. My husband came back from work earlier than usual and called the ambulance, and they saved me. I spent three weeks in the hospital. My husband still didn't have the desire to change. I moved in with my mother to recover and my husband didn't come to visit me a single time.

Somewhere around this time my Mom read an ad in a paper about the campaign where they tell about God, and we decided to go there. It was unusual to see kind, affable and smiling people who were interested in you. We also liked their singing. This is how we met believers in God and started to communicate with them. We had some individual classes. There were a lot of questions, but as God was answering them I was coming to know Him and I came to realize that I love God and could love people. I wanted to hug everyone. I was baptized. I thought that as soon as people learn about God, they too would change right away and this would be the end of their misfortune. I retold people the whole sermons and lessons that I heard. I was surprised that I could do that but my emotions were so high.

After a while, my husband was baptized as well. I hoped that we would get along and everything would be fine. He read the Bible for a little while, but soon he stopped reading and said he didn't want to change anything, and continued his former lifestyle. This was the end of our relationship. I started to work more, gradually I came to church less and less, acquired new friends in the world, and didn't even notice how I was moving away from God. I had very merry company, but not very good company. It’s written that “bad company corrupts good character.” Gradually that happened to me.

The few Sundays I came to Church, I was waiting for someone, hoping they would come up to me and want to talk to me seriously, not just “How are you?” kind of conversation. But this wasn't happening so I finally left. Now as I look back, I see that I waited for something for myself not trying to give anything in return, I thought only about myself and my desires. The problem was I looked at people but not at God. Of course if I had known God and his word, I wouldn't have left the church.

At this time, I learned to earn money dishonestly. I lived giving way to my desires, I did not put any limits to my life and I thought I was happy. I had everything, people I liked to be around, money and freedom to do anything. I thought that this would go on forever. But that kind of freedom was only false freedom and soon nothing satisfied me.

My friend Anya went to Chelyabinsk to work as a translator in a Christian campaign. She married a missionary Kevin Wells, who worked with the church there. They sent me an invitation to visit them. I came for two weeks and stayed for half a year. I found myself in a truly Christian family. The Lord indeed surrounded me with His care. Every day I listened to stories about God and saw how people live with Him. Every day Jesus touched my heart. I cried every day, but those were tears of repentance, liberation and happiness. I learned about God’s love, His mercy and goodness to me and all people, His forgiveness and desire to save the perishing. I understood that it’s happiness to do the will of God. I opened my heart to God and gave it to Him, He filled me with His love, joy and peace and I wanted to share it with everyone. I know now that only if I allow someone or something can I be taken away from God’s love. I want to be faithful to Him in every way, I want to be obedient, to serve for His glory, so that His love would grow in the world, that good would overcome in every heart and saved would be added to the Kingdom of God. It is to this end I live.

To Him alone is the glory and praise unto all ages.
Elena

It is our prayer that God will grant you a time of joy and thanksgiving during this holiday season and that your time with family and friends will be a time of refreshing for you!

Serving Together in His Kingdom!
Jerry, Pam & Levi

Previous Letters from Siberia:

March 8, 2000
October 7, 2000
November 10, 2000
January 3, 2001
February 17, 2001
April 13, 2001
 May 28, 2001
September 12, 2001
October 28, 2001
December 22, 2001
March 3, 2002
May 14, 2002
October 4, 2002