July 3rd note
Good morning or evening everyone.
I hope all the plans for the 4th are in order. I know they are. I hope you have a lot of success this year. I was able to get to the computer today. I am able to navigate in town pretty well and do not have my interpreter with me this morning. I will be going to make some visits on members of the parish this afternoon to pray with them and take them communion.
There is a young man named Dema who has really changed since I have been here. I guess he was a problem child but went to the retreat last week and has started to think more about God. He was at all of the Bible studies I had and we played tennis together. He seems to really like “the American”. On Sunday he got up early and told his mother,” Lets go to church”. That has never happened before, I am told. So maybe something good will come out of just being here even though I don’t feel like I am doing what I thought I would do initially.
There is another young man named Cola or Colya. He was an orphan. His stepfather killed his mother and almost killed his little brother but he is in church every week. It is amazing what the Gospel can do with people. Both of these young men are thinking about working in the church now. We will see.
Anyway, I hope to get to a place where I can send pictures.
Have a great 4th and we will see you in a couple of weeks.
If you take pictures of the 4th celebration, you can send them to Pastor Andreev. I know that someone has his e-mail.
In Christ,
Pastor