1st Regional Youth Leader Meeting

Our first meeting of youth leaders in the region . . . they either currently serve or have a heart to begin so. Of all the places we've visited so far, this was a great showing . . . we talked vision and got to know one another . . . we'll begin meeting once a month for prayer, training, encouragement, and team building.

Youth Travels #3 Feb 08

Home for 2 days, and then off again to Kamensk, Oymr, Baikal Kudara, Selenginsk . . . Here's Masha & Valya in Baikal Kudara . . . this has been a tough place for Valya, but she stays tough and young people will seek her out to ask questions. Hey, Masha!

The Orthodox Church is the "norm" church in Russia . . . evangelical & protestant churches are viewed on as sects.

On to Tatayrova

The fad in Tatayrova is for teens to translate satanist songs from German or English and publish the words in their school paper.

Tanya is 15, wants to serve God, and is a spitfire whose style is respected by other teens.

Youth Travels #2 Feb 08

Our goal was to travel the region to seek out where we have teens and where we don't . . . and to see if we couldn't identify a key for that town or area. We went to hear the heart of existing youth; encourage pastors, leaders, and churches in general to tune into this culture; and try to identify future leaders with a desire to serve the youth culture . . .

. . . BUT 1st we got a FLAT w/ an expensive winter tire near the local Buddhist shrine . . .

Have you ever tried to change a tire reading an instruction manual in Russian???

So, the tire jack didn't work, or any of our other tools for that matter :) Finally some guys came along and helped us out. We were late for church, but we had a good prayer time in that area given to Buddhism, and Svieta had quite a talk with our helper "angels."

We finally got to Novokijinginsk . . . one of my favorite places! Someone gave them several (maybe 30 or 40?) sets of skis, and they are using them to hang out with the kids from the local orphanage . . . they are definitely in the relationship building mode.

They listened to our hearts & we to theirs.

Sergei is their new leader & a great guy . . . pray for he & his wife Katya.

Then on down the road to Ilka where even the church is currently non-existent, but there is thought that a tea cafe/hang out could be effective.

And finally to Garhone . . . Pastor Valody says he may be older than the typical youth leader, but as long as there's no one else, he's joining our ranks :) He really feels that what we are doing is not just talk . . . that something powerful is going to begin happening in our youth!!!

Pictured here w/ Sasha who committed his life to Jesus later that day.

Youth Travels #1 Jan/Feb 08

In January, Svieta and I prepared to begin travel to the youth of our churches in Buryatia. Sadly, there is little to no focus on the youth culture, and understandably many who come to church because their parents do are just counting the days until they can choose for themselves.

These 2 churches, Bethlehem & Way of Faith, are two of the largest in town and were part of our support team as we began our travels . . .

Getting ready for tea . . . tea time is vital to Russian culture!
A skit . . . showing some leg!Worship
Bethlehem Church invited the Presbyterian Church in town to join them for their youth service. They prayed, worshipped, ate, played games . . . and had a great time!

Way of Faith Church Youth helping me out w/ the Joseph story

This was a great Sunday . . . Way of Faith Church Youth surprised their leader and got serious about the month of fasting and praying called for in February for the youth of Buryatia. They didn't stop at month's end because God started to really "show up" for them . . . they were experiencing God . . . not just talking about Him. This Sunday, two guys came to the youth meeting . . . no one even invited them, but they came and gave their hearts to Jesus. The week before, 3 more teens had come at someone's invitation & gave their lives to Christ.