August 26, 2004

Dear Friends in Christ!

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The last time we wrote to you we were on the verge of the busiest week we have yet known in Russia. During that week, we expected to host four groups at one time. Al was in Ryazan with a very large group, leaving me in Moscow to manage the other three. We were feeling just a little apprehensive. The good news is that we all survived. In fact, it was wonderful how the more experienced groups, understanding the situation, stretched themselves to new limits to help us. Most of the groups are used to our undivided attention while they are in Moscow, a city of 12 to 16 million. I spent those two days going back and forth to the airport, train stations, and hotels. Fortunately, we had two experienced group leaders who have been here many times. With detailed instructions from me, they took on the challenge of navigating the metro and the city center with their groups. As I would drop one group someplace, I would head off to reconnect with another group, and somehow, the schedules all meshed. The Lord was with us. Everyone was always where we had agreed to meet and I think they felt good about what they had accomplished.

We have spent time with both our Baptist and Orthodox brothers and sisters. At this point, we are connected really with only two Orthodox congregations, but we think the door is opening to deeper cooperation. As we deepen these connections, we continue to marvel at how much our Baptist and Orthodox brothers and sisters have in common. Dialogue is beginning at the upper levels of these denominations. We hope it will bear fruit at the local level. In some areas relations are peaceful, in others they are not. It grieves us that the church is divided in our world.

We did buy a new car from colleagues in St. Petersburg. For those of you who remember the old red Chetvyorka or the purple Niva, you will be glad to hear that we now have a Kia Rio. The Niva is still with us, it did yeoman’s service in the camps this summer, but we will probably sell it this fall.

With August, the last of our guests departed for the States, and we all slipped away in the night for a week in Finland. We saw the sights of Helsinki and played.

They have hopes and dreams as well. Work is needed on their church building, and they want to establish a computer lab for young people, but prayer partners are their first priority. The church here reminds us the church in Paul’s time: They are small and weak and isolated by distance; they have been persecuted and they are still misunderstood; they are often feared; they treasure connection with Christians in other places and are strengthened by fellowship and prayers.

After worship in Orechovo-Zuyevo, we visited in another city with a young church that would like a partner. They are a delightful group, full of laughter. They are in the process of rebuilding a church that was destroyed by fire. The new building is a log church and they hope to have it closed in and useable by winter. The group shared with us about Americans who had visited with them in the past. There was love in their voices as they named each friend, but also a tinge of sorrow that those friends have never returned. We didn’t sense that the church had any grand expectations from partnership—they just enjoy guests. They have invited us back for their Zhatva (Thanksgiving) celebration at the end of September. We look forward to it.

May the peace and blessings of our Lord be with each of you.

With love in Christ,

Ellen & Al

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 182