Below is a recent letter from Russian pastor, Sergei Stepanov. Sergei is a pastor a Spring of Life Church in Tambov. He serves with Pastor Anatoly Yarmolyuk, our Praise Country Leader.  Pastor Sergei also has internet radio ministry.

Our partnership with the Antioch Initiative allows the churches and pastors in the Tambov state to be more effective in their calling, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In most small towns and villages in the Tambov state there is not a single orthodox church, let alone an evangelical church. Young and experienced brothers learn together which allows us to receive the knowledge we need for the ministry, and also share the experience in ministry. Now we get to do not just summer camps, but also winter youth and family camps. For Christmas we get to share the Gospel with children [through Slavic Gospel Association's Immanuel's Child] not only at churches, but also in orphanages. I’m very thankful for your partnership and for financial support. May the Lord bless you.

~ Sergei Stepanov

We focus a lot on spreading the Gospel; we had five outreaches in 5 different locations (each was one week long). We went to the places that don’t have churches. 35 people came to God in the prayer of repentance. We are also involved in youth ministry. Your prayers and support help us serve for the glory of God and do not only the things I mentioned, but many others as well. May God bless you. 

~ Anatoly Yarmolyuk.

We thank the Lord for the relative peace we have in Cote D’Ivoire, The life is starting but the living condition is not easy now, even for our pastors. Pray for the political situation. The former president is now at the court, and the prime minister is also requested to be judged. We hear many rumors, news of fight amoung the rebel soldier called FRCI( Republican Force of Cote d’Ivoire). If the prime minister goes to court, he will denonce or expose the National President of Cote d’Ivoire, and probably some truth will come out, news that will trouble the stability of the country. Let pray that the will of God may be done and pray for the safety of God’s people.
Let ‘s also pray for Mali, so that God provide food for this year on. The lack of rain destroyed plantations and crops. They may be a need of food in few months.

God bless you as you pray for us.

~ Joseph

Mission Network News has a very interesting on the state of religious freedom in Russia. 

Operation World is a great source for how to pray more specifically for Russia.

Praise International has two Country Leaders in Russian.  Each of them have group of pastors whom Praise supports.

Nikolay Sobolev

Pastor Nikolay Sobolev, one of Praise's Country Leaders

Anatoly Svistunov, Victor Denisyuk, Sergey Krivashee, Andrey Korotchenko, Vladimir Zverev, Yuri Borodin, Viktor Velichko, Dmitri Velitchko, Pavel Musnitskiy, Vladimir Farzali, Nikolay Nasonov, Nikolay Molchanov, Viktor  Ivanov, Pavel Ponomarev, Alexander Astakhov, Leonid Popov, Viktor Lukashev, Sergey Kalishnikov, Alexander Sendetskiy, Gennadiy Rogotovskiy, Boris Tsygankov, Zuri Storozhev, Grigoriy Federov, Yuri Zhuravlev, Mikhail Malikov, Nikolay Katko, Vitaly Kunitsa

Pastor Anatoly and Vera Yarmoljuk Pastor Anatoly is one of Praise's Country Leaders in Russia.

Anatoly Yarmoljuk

Pavel Litvonov, Vadim Mikhalin, Anatoli Alipichev, Viktor Erasov, Shevnin Vladmir, Raphael Atikov, Alexei Silkin, Sergei Stephanov

Please pray for our Praise pastors in Russia, for their families, and pray for the people of Russia, that God would pour out His Grace upon them.

• Normally the world’s biggest producer and exporter of chocolate, now the export of chocolate in Cote d’Ivoire has virtually come to a standstill.  But worse that this are what the Ivorian people are experiencing.
• Hundreds of thousands of Ivorians are fleeing their country because of all the escalating violence. 
• Cote d’Ivoire is on the brink of civil war.  Some would say that Cote d’Ivoire is already in a civil war.  I would agree. 
• Close to 500 recorded deaths since the presidencial election that began this mess. 
• Now it is reported that hundreds of liberian “mercenaries” have gone on rampage of rape and looting in the region of Guiglo, in western Cote d’Ivoire.  That region of Cote d’Ivoire is a lawless zone, they say, because there are no functioning police there.
• In Abidjan, there are homeless children between the ages of 9 and 14 who wander the street, doing what they can to survive.  Sadly, what they have lowered themselves to do is give sexual favors with adults in exchange for a couple coins, a small bit of food or a piece of new clothing.

Life is extremely hard for Ivorians.  This is probably an understatement.  Pray for Ivorians.

Pray for Ivorian Christians.  I can’t help but think that the presense of Christians in a region like this should be an encouraging things.  Life is extremely hard for Ivorian Christians as well.  And yet, God can help these Christians surmont the difficulties and their testimonies can be an encouragement to many others.

Pray for Ivorian Christians concerning the Gbagbo – Ouattara debate.  Many Christian Ivorians had the sense that Gbagbo should have won, because they believed the Ouattara supporters had made death threats and had forced people to vote for Ouattara.  Gbagbo also happens to be from a “Christian” background, as opposed to Ouattara with his Muslim background.  So it has been hard for Ivorian Christians to know what stance to take.  Even in the evangelical churches, it was not easy because church members may have differing opinions about this subject.  Even to this day, it is still not easy for Evangelical Christians.

So please pray that God give Ivorian Christians wisdom and discernment, mercy and grace.  May these Christians be united, on the same page, like-minded, having one desire :  that God have His perfect way, that His love is demonstrated to the on-looking world and that He is glorified. 

Please pray for Praise’s 40-some pastors and their families.  That God strengthen them, that God will speak Truth through them, that His Grace would flow out from their words and behavior.

Thanks for your prayers for Praise International.

At the end of our Moldovan Pastors Conference we prayed over each pastoral couple.

I was conducting a European Pastors’ Conference in Chisinau, Moldova. After our first conference, our mission team took a day-off before our second conference began. That day we visited an area about 100 miles northeast of Chisinau called Orheiul Vechi, where archeologists have excavated virtually the entire 13^th century city.  

There’s an Orthodox monastery, called Mănăstire în Peşteră, which had been literally carved out of a limestone cliff by monks.   We turned off the road a bit before we arrived to get a bird’s eye view of Orheiul Vechi at this secret look-out place that our guide knew about.  It was breath-taking. 

Heading back to the car, not to far away from that vista point, we saw a dirt field where an old Moldovan farmer was cultivating the soil with a cleverly conceived make-shift, horse-drawn plow. 

This Moldovan farmer was dirt poor but very industrious. It was so interesting to talk with him.

 He was dirt poor but industrious. We stopped a few minutes to watch.  He was wearing an old sheepskin cap, a wool vest and boots. When he got close enough, we tried to communicate with him through our translator.  The farmer, Vladim, speaking Romanian with strong Russian accent, snickered when he told us that his horse was older than him.  He was a bit shy but had a great sense of humor.  Posing for a photo  with one of the ladies on our mission team, he quipped, “Don’t let my wife see this photo.”   Farmer Vladim’s circumstances are not-at-all uncharacteristic for a typical Moldovan villager.  In this extremely poor country of Moldova, the villagers are the poorest of the poor. 

 Praise International supports national pastors who live and serve the Lord in the remote and undeveloped parts of Moldova.  I met Pastor Sergiu and Tatiana Rutcovschi when they attended one of my Moldovan Pastors’ Conferences.  Praise support them in their quite remarkable ministry.  They don’t fit any stereotype that one might have of a pastor, even for Moldovans.  Born with a serious physical disability, Sergiu could have chosen to live an isolated, sedentary life.  But Sergiu chose another completely different route.  Accepting a call into full-time ministry, he moved to Chisinau, went to Bible school and became a pastor.  He got married and had children. Not only did he begin a church, he also founded the Charity Mission for Disabled of Moldova, which has grown into a nation-wide to Moldovans with all kinds of disabilities.  As if this wasn’t already enough, he solicited additional support from Praise International so he could start an Internet Café in his village.  He wanted not only to better provide for the needs of his family, but also felt that this Internet Cafe would give his church more visibility and credibility, thus more effectively reach out to folks in the community.

Please pray for Sergiu and Tatiana, that God strengthen them and protect them.  They have huge responsibilities.  They are allowing God to use them to the max.  In spite the extreme poverty in Moldova, in spite Sergiu’s severe physical disability, they are making a gigantic impact on Moldova for the Lord!  I think that Sergiu would agree when I say that it doesn’t matter what the disability, when we put ourselves into God’s hands, HE IS ABLE to use us.  “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Could you pray for an evangelistic event that they are planning for February 27.  They will call it the Pizza Night!  Members of his church will invite friends and family members who are NOT Christians.  Pastor Ion asks us to pray that God prepare them so they will be ready to open up their hearts to receive the Lord.

One of the pastoral couples that Pastor Ion and Elena have impacted is Marian and Coco Jipa. 

They have a small church that they started.  They start churches in Romania, as in many countries, by meeting in homes and inviting neighbors and friends into their homes.  Pastor Marian presently has 3 new home groups.  Pray for the young Christians in these house churches and for the non-saved people who attend.

The Jipas have a wonderful kids ministry.  I love to do camps for reaching kids.  They are organizing a camp right now and have 21 kids signed up to attend.  Pray for them as they run this camp and share the Lord with these children.

They want to start a mandolin orchestra for children.  They are giving mandolin lessons children right now.  Isn’t that a creative idea?  I’d love to hear this mandolin orchestra!

They are having car problems.  The have an old van that they use to pick people up and bring them to church and other meetings.  Presently they can’t use the van because they need to pay $420 for some taxes on the van.  The van also has need of some repairs.  I have driven on Romania roads many many times.  The roads are often full of potholes.  Often out in the back country, most of the roads are dirt and gravel with deep holes.  Vehicles get a lot of  wear and tear.  Please pray for this need concerning their priniciple vehicle.  It is essential for their ministry.

Would you pray that the Lord bless and encourage them.  The work is difficult.  Pastor Marian says that he wants to get more involved in missions and social outreach.  I’m thinking: isn’t he already very, very busy winning souls?  He says that there are so much pain and suffering around him, who need support and comfort.  What a heart Marian and Coco have for hurting needy people.  Pray for their ministry.

Thanks for your prayers for my wife and me.  More importantly, remember to pray for Pastor Samy and other Romanian pastors, also for all pastors who serve the Lord in impoverished countries, in difficult and often dangerous situations.

Take India for example.  Last week India’s Supreme Court rejected bail for Manoj Pradhan, the Hindu nationalist State Legislator in the Orissa district.  He was convicted of playing a “major role” in the murder of Parikhita Nayak, a Christian Indian.  

You may remember the tragic attacks of Christian Indian that happened two years ago. During those attacks about 600 villages were ransacked, about 5,600 houses looted and burned, more than 100 people were killed, including women, children, handicapped and the elderly, many others were victims of rape and other sexual assaults. Some 300 churches and 13 educational institutions were destroyed. Some 54,000 Christians were left homeless.

Pastor Anil is a Country Leader for Praise International in India.

Praise International assists a great deal of pastors in India. Pastor Anil Landge, one of Praise Internationals country leaders, told us recently that there is still a “state of lawlessness and utter fear” among Christians in India.  This is two years later!  They are still traumatized by those acts of violent discrimination.  Pastor Landge says that the persecution of Christians is still happening.  Many businesses owned by Christians have been boycotted. Some Christians are barred from drawing water from the public well. Christians are sometimes publically ridiculed. The police may pull someone over and charge him a fine for no reason except that he is a Christian. Christian cannot trust the police and local authorities.  Instead of righting the wrongs, they condone and even promote the wrongs.  [Contrast this with the Indian human rights organization that is presently protesting the abuse of terrorist prisoners.]

Please pray for Indian Christians. Pray for Indian pastors.  Pray for the national pastors who are supported by Praise International.

The solution is not that obvious. Electing a new president seems like the best of all solutions.  However, it would all depends who becomes the new president.