Podcast: Download (Duration: 4:45 — 3.3MB)
Serving the people of Russia
A bumpy start
At the beginning of the year, from January 4th to January 15th, we embarked on a journey to northwestern Russia. Our travel group consisted of seven people. We were accompanied by two bishops from Russia.
After overcoming some unexpected difficulties due to our delayed PCR test results and finally, by God's grace, boarding the plane, we were excited to support the people in the cold north of Russia both spiritually through sermons, testimonies and programs, and financially through donations.
The first days of deployment
Our ministry began in Salekhard, the only city located directly on the Arctic Circle. We arrived at our destination at 8:00 a.m. The temperature was -22°C. The first church service took place that afternoon. For over four hours, we experienced God's blessing and were privileged to witness the ordination of a minister in the congregation. For the first time, we experienced the heartfelt warmth among the Christians in this cold region.
That same evening, our journey continued to Labytnangi. We spent the night in a small house church and heard our brother share his testimony about his near-death experience during the morning service. After fortifying ourselves with a typical Russian lunch, we set off in -30°C weather to the train station, just 1 km away, to begin the 17-hour train journey to Ukhta. During the trip, we had plenty of time to share our experiences, learn from one another, and recover from the journey.
A two-day conference for local communities was to be held in Ukhta. Among those present were the Komi people, indigenous to the far north, who were considered special guests. They still rely on their reindeer for their livelihood.
Our guiding verse
Under the guiding verse, "The Lord has done great things for us" (Psalm 126:3), we experienced God's work in the sermons, talks, and prayers. Many people were moved to request prayer during the service. Several members shared the miracles the Lord had performed in their lives. Together, we affirmed our guiding verse and glorified God. The presence of the visiting bishops also allowed for the ordination of a minister and an engagement.
Youth hour
The next stop was Syktyvkar, the capital of Komi. After the joint church service on Sunday, we gathered for youth group. The bishop, who had accompanied us, captured the young people's attention with interesting stories from his life and then instructed them on the topic of confession. Many young people took advantage of this opportunity and sincerely repented.
Further community visits
From this location, we also visited the congregations in Wisinga, Kotlas, and Zelenets, and everywhere we were able to be an encouragement to our fellow believers through our testimonies. In Kotlas, we met a family whose 9-year-old son was seriously ill. Despite his suffering, he testified to God's wonderful help and glorified his heavenly Father. A few days after our departure, we learned that he had gone home to his heavenly Father.
The final hours of the journey
We spent the last evening before our departure enjoying fellowship with our fellow believers and the youth in Syktyvkar. The next morning, we set off early for the airport. From Syktyvkar, we flew back to Germany. We can look back on a mission trip blessed by God and full of memorable experiences.
At this point, we would like to thank all the brothers and sisters who have supported us and ask you to continue praying for the congregations, the ministers, and the youth.
Nick Grenz,
Municipality of Speyer
More information about the project and the opportunity to donate:
https://cdh-stephanus.org/russland/
Youth hour in Syktywkar