Hello Everyone!!!
I just wanted to ask each of you all to be praying for the
Russia team this week. We are heading back to Ekaterinburg, Russia and Nizhny
Tagil (Yes!! That’s spelled correctly!!) :) to serve the local
blind community, orphanages, teach English, and minister to local Russian
Baptist Churches. I apologize in advance for the length of this post... but figured this was the easiest way to get people to PRAY! I hope to be able to update while I'm there... depending on internet availability! :) If not... you'll get THE update when we return!
A little history of Ekaterinburg:
It is a city of 2.5 million people and it’s located 1000 miles
east of Moscow in the Ural Mountain region of Russia (If you look on a globe or
a map… it’s right at the Europe-Asia border). Less than 2% of the population is
Christian.
Nizhny Tagil is a city of 400,000 people with only 1 small
Baptist church (25 people) outside of the city.
There are many specific prayer needs that we would love to be
lifted up throughout this week.
Basic needs:
~ Safety in travel: long plane rides, pilots and drivers to be
alert, pray we go through customs smoothly, pray for luggage to arrive the same
time we do! :) (Deut. 1:30)
~Time zone adjustments (flip flopping days and nights!) (Ps
62:5)
~Health- Pray that each member will have strong immune systems
and be healthy for the entire trip. Pray that my food allergies won’t be an
issue while eating different things. (Jer. 17:14)
~Opportunities to encourage the believers there and the
missionaries that we will be working with (Eph 3:14-21)
~Divine appointments with Russians to share the Gospel; Pray for
salvation, seeds to be planted and some watered! Pray for revival in the hearts
of Russians. Pray they see Jesus in us. (Prov 25:11)
~Spiritual Warfare: Satan wants us to not be effective. Pray Eph
6:10-20! For us to put on our armor, and protection of our minds, hearts and
relationships amongst each other.
~Events: working in orphanages, blind community, teaching
English, meeting college students- pray that each is a sweet time of
fellowship. (1 Peter 2:5, 9)
~Pray for other team members: Bailey Gray, Marc Roath, Wally
Blain, and Abbie Blain (Col 1:9-12)
Daily Schedule: (Remember we are a half a day ahead of you!! :)
Friday and Saturday (3/09-3/10): Pray for travel mercies! We also
have a long layover in Frankfurt, Germany! We will be exploring the area!! AND
I won’t have to drive stick-shift on the Autobahn!!
Last year... me clinging to the car... I mean giving PRAISE to GOD after I drove a stick shift for the FIRST TIME EVER... and my FIRST TIME EVER driving in a foreign country and with different road signs... and the German inspector man said I was a great driver considering most Americans bring the cars back beat up! :) That is seriously a GOD thing! haha!
Sunday (3/11): Arriving in Ekaterinburg today!! We are driving
from Ekat to Nizhny Tagil and will be attending the Russian Baptist church. We
will be getting to know/encourage members there! Also… please pray as I help to
lead in worship today!
You're the God of this city... You're the King of these People...
You're the Lord of this nation... You Are!
You're the Light in this darkness... You're the Hope to the hopeless... You're the Peace to the restless... You are.
Monday (3/12)- Russian cultural training- getting to know the
history of Russians- this is VERY important time for team members (especially
first time teammates)! We cannot meet the needs of the Russians without
understanding who they are and their past. My first trip to Russia, this was
the time where my eyes were opened to this being a place not like other mission
opportunities. Their history plays a vital role in how they view God. We’re
also visiting an orphanage today, taking a historical tour and meeting with
some English school students.
Tuesday (3/13)- Visiting the orphanage and sharing with college
students. Pray that we will be able to get to know them some and be able to share
the THE TRUTH! Also pray that I will be able to connect and share with some of
the girls that I met last year!
English school students!!!
At the holy place...
Wednesday (3/14)- Nizhny Tagil- visiting the orphanages and
meeting with the English students.
The blind community in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.
Thursday (3/15)- Travelling back to Ekat and stopping to learn
more about the Russian culture.
Left: Church on the Blood- Russian Orthodox Church
Right: A holy place where the Romanov family were buried. I forget the actual name! :/
Friday (3/16)- We are have a scrapbooking/ card making party
with local English learners/teachers. Pray for great conversations and
opportunities to share what Christ as done for us!
Sweet time of fellowship with the English teachers in Ekat!
Saturday (3/17)- Ekaterinburg- We will be meeting with English
teachers and having a fun day!!
Am I in Narnia?!?!
Sunday (3/18)- Traveling home! :) Pray for easy
adjustment in transitioning back to work/school/families.
This will be me... for the first 3 days after coming back to EST! PLEASE PRAY!! :)
Your prayers are VITAL! Thank you in advance for diligently
praying each day for lives to be changed and souls saved! Please let me know
how I can be praying for you!
"The Lord has put his Spirit in me, because he appointed me
to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to tell the captives they are
free and to tell the blind that they can see again. God sent me to free those
who have been treated unfairly and to announce the time when the Lord will show
his kindness."- Luke 4:18
To God be ALL the Glory,
Danielle
