Sunday night

As I type these words you are in worship service. It is a little after 8pm here in Volgograd. Your day is beginning, our day is ending.

This morning we made the 30 minute walk to church to worship with the good saints from the church on the Volga. I bring up the 30 minute walk not to brag, but to wonder if I would do that back home. This is not a new question I have asked. I believe I would make such a walk, but....

As usual the good saints sang "God be with you until we meet again" and as usual there were tears knowing of the coming separation for another 6 months. It seems unfair.

Here's a couple of pics from the service.

Paul preaching to the congregation. He has been very ill and had a difficult time this morning.

You may recognize Katya and Sasha since they have been to Riverside numerous times, always staying in Tom and Margaret Kincannon's home. The Kincannon's help this wonderful family come to America in order for Sasha to have surgeries at Scottish Rite.

After the service, Natasha Simushin drove us to her apartment to feed us lunch. "Peace to this house," we say.

You may or may not remember Sergey and Natasha Simushin, but they are members of the church who, without hesitation, rescue children from the street and adopt them as their own. Last December their home nearly burned to the ground, and Sergey was briefly hospitalized with burns then had a stroke (but he is doing very well now). Riverside members immediately sent them $15,000 to help in the rebuilding of their home. It is currently under construction and God willing will be finished within a year. Here's a pic.

Inside the house under construction.

Below is a pic of the family. Natasha and her eight kids. There's a lot of sad story there, but God willing it will all have a happy ending. Sergey was away in Moscow but is due back this Saturday.

Above is a pic of the delicious food Natasha blessed us with. We ate like kings and queens (threw the "queens" part in for Julie and Rachael). What a wonderful family the Simushin's are!

David just walked in and told there was a baptism this morning (Tim and Beth's son, Tyler), so hugs and love from Russia.

The day is finished here and we are all back in our flats and bone tired. Tomorrow we're back at the university.

Please pray for us, and please don't forget about us.

Salt and light.

For the Team,

Mike