are working to establish a church in the regional center of Zhernofsk, Russia. One church gave their entire building fund. Because Serge has partial use of one kidney due to his past lifestyle of drug abuse, some may say it was not wise to help him. But the Lord has used him to bring many to repentance. The sacrificial service of this couple has en- couraged others to serve in a similar way to how the Lord is using Serge and Nadezhda.


families in need. Who knows how the Lord will use them in the future?


The ministry of another missionary student, Anna,


may also be considered “unwise.” She adopted two special needs children before she met and married her husband Volodia. They are now in charge of the Baptist Union’s rehab center for men. Anna, besides caring for their own three children, also has an online ministry assisting many families who have special needs children.


Then there is Raphael and Another missionary couple, Dimitri and Katya, came


to us with a pedagogical education. They have a house and three sons. Two years ago, Dimitri gave up his job as a truck driver to attend missionary school. Presently, Katya is a student. They are heavily involved in the regional movement of spiritual coaching for teens. When one 16-year-old boy, who was under the care of the state, was hindered from attending the training by the authorities, they decided to take him on as their foster son. Their unsaved friends and relatives thought they were crazy. The church saw them as loving. When their relatives came down with Covid-19 last year, they couldn’t find any med- icine in their area. Yet through the church the medicine was found and delivered to them.


Dimitri and Katya


are moving into the Otradnaya Crisis Center that is near the city of Mikhilovka, Russia which has a popula- tion of 100,000. This summer, they had a day camp for children, and regular outings for teens. They are raising up a team of teenagers


to help them clean and distribute donated clothing to Jim and Olya Wiens are FEBC missionaries from Cornerstone Bible Church in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, working with Avant Ministries


in Volgograd, Russia. Besides ministering in music at Transfiguration Baptist Church, their Russian home church, Jim pastors Koinonia — a ministry to international students. Graduates of Koinonia are scattered all over the world, continuing to serve the Lord just as they learned to serve Him in Volgograd. The Wiens also actively support the local Baptist missionary movement in the Volgograd region.


FELLOWSHIPFORWARD.ORG 13


Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save their life will


lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35 niv).


Often people in Russia ask me why I am in Russia.


Isn’t America better? I reply that the best and safest place in this world is where the Lord calls a person to serve. In the end, what many consider as unwise, may actually be the wisest thing to do in the world. How wise are you?


Sveta who immigrated from a very strong Islamic country to Russia after receiving the Gospel. At first, Raphael was focused on building a ‘good life’ for his family. But grad- ually he came to understand that God had called him to commit his life to help his pastor, Renat, and other missionaries. He graduated from the Missionary Training School where Sveta is a now a student. They just had their fourth child. Ten years ago the church had a small population of only five elderly ladies. The church has grown. This year their church broke ground for a new building in a remote town that is considered a hotbed of radical Islam.


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