LAST POST THIS TIME

I LOVE THANKSGIVING SEASON !!!



THIS WILL PROBABLY BE MY LAST POST FOR THIS TRIP AS I WILL BE TRAVELING TOMORROW AND FRIDAY.

LET'S DECIDE TO MEET SUNDAY AT 11:00 INSTEAD OF 10:30. ALL WE'LL DO IS WORSHIP, EAT AND FELLOWSHIP. I'M THINKING THAT KATIE HAS ALREADY PUT THE FOOD PART OF THE DAY TOGETHER.? RIGHT?

REMEMBER THAT WE WILL NOT MEET NEXT WEDNESDAY FOR MIDWEEK.

IT WILL BE GOOD TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THE TIME CHANGE FOR SUNDAY. MAKE SURE TO CHECK WITH EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE. MAYBE SEND ME A QUICK NOTE AND SAY OK. SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YA'LL ARE KEEPING UP WITH EACH OTHER?

WE HAVE SNOW TODAY! HOW'S THE WEATHER THERE?

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SUNDAY!

LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

IVANOVA

THIS WEEK WILL BE ALL ABOUT COMING HOME. I AM IN IVANOVA RIGHT NOW AND WILL PROBABLY GO HOME FROM HERE. ANATOLY (ESTONIAN PASTOR) AND I WILL RIDE THE TRAIN BACK TO TALLINN ON THURSDAY AND I WILL FLY OUT ON FRIDAY MORNING.ARRIVE IN ATLANTA AT ABOUT 3:30.


LOT'S TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND YOU WITH ME.

WEATHER HERE IS PRETTY TODAY. SUN SHINING AND COLD, BUT NOT TOO. THERE WAS A LITTLE SNOW LAST NIGHT. NONE ON THE GROUND TODAY.

I'M READING AN INTERESTING BOOK ABOUT AN ESTONIAN LADY WHO WAS DEPORTED TO SIBERIAN BACK IN THE EARLY FORTIES AND LIVED THERE ON A COLLECTIVE FARM FOR 17 YEARS. 17 YEARS!!!!! HER CRIME? HER HUSBAND WAS A NEWSPAPER EDITOR. WHEN THE COMMUNISTS TOOK OVER ESTONIA IN 1939 ANYONE WHO WAS ANYONE WAS DEPORTED. REALLY INTERESTING TO TALK TO ESTONIANS ABOUT THAT TIME.

THINKING A LOT ABOUT ADYGEA THESE DAYS, AND WITH ANY SPARE TIME TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM AND ISLAM AND HOW WOULD BE THE BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REACH THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE.


http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=100079&rog3=RS




THE ADDRESS ABOVE IS TO THE ADYGEAN PEOPLES PAGE AT JOSHUA PROJECT. TAKE A LOOK.


I'M RUNNING NOW 5K A DAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S WAY COLD. 5K IS NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT I'M FEELING A LOT BETTER.


I LOVE THANKSGIVING!!!



LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

RECAPPING GWOF IN RUSSIA 2008

TRYING TO RECAP THIS WEEK. REALLY, THIS WHOLE TRIP AND ORGANIZE IT IN MY MIND. LET ME TRY TO WRITE IT AND IT WILL SORT ITSELF BETTER.

SMOLENSK WORK IS GOING FINE.


SMOLENSK CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS CLIPPING ALONG. I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO A SERVICE THERE, BUT UNDERSTAND ALL IS GOOD.


KASPLI WORK. WE WERE IN KASPLI FOR A SUNDAY SERVICE. THE WORK THERE IS STILL UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM THE ORTHODOX CHURCH, BUT GOING ON. VLADIMER CONTINUES TO HOLD THAT FORT WELL.

POCHINOK WORK IS GOING WELL. SERGEI FROM THE POCHINOK CHURCH IS TRYING REAL HARD TO GET HIS FEET ON THE GROUND AND DO A GOOD WORK. HE IS JUST MOVED INTO A HOUSE IN THE VILLAGE AND HIS WIFE IS JUST ABOUT TO HAVE A NEW BABY. HE DOES SERVICE AT THE CHURCH AND IN THE ORPHANAGE AND, I BELIEVE WILL DO A GOOD JOB, IF WE CAN KEEP HIM AND HIS FAMILY FED.

PERVAMAISK. RIGHT NOW, NOTHING IS HAPPENING AT PERVAMAISK. HOPEFULLY SERGEI WILL BE ABLE TO GET THIS WORK GOING AGAIN SOON.


DESNAGORSK WORK LOOKS REALLY GOOD. WAS REALLY ENCOURAGE WITH THE MINISTRY CENTER. THE GUYS THERE ARE REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB.


KARDIMOVA. WE WERE ABLE TO GO BACK OUT TO KARDIMOVA AND SEE THE KIDS AGAIN. THIS IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT AFTER BEING AWAY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. COLYA HAS OPENED THIS DOOR AND IS DOING A WEEKLY SERVICE THERE.


OUR CENTRAL CHURCH IS DOING SOME MINISTRY IN THE ORPHANAGE WHERE WE WORKED THIS PAST SUMMER, BUT WE NEED TO GO A STEP FURTHER AND DO WEEKLY, REGULAR SERVICES.


WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY IS GOOD WITH OLEG. WE HAVE ABOUT 40 STUDENTS NOW AND HIS INFLUENCE WITH THEM IS ALWAYS GOOD.


ADYGEA.

THE TRIP TO ADYGEA WAS SO FULL IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW:

WE PRAYED FOR A PEOPLE, A PLACE, AND A PERSON. THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE AN UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP. THE PLACE WAS NOT REALLY IMPORTANT, WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS. THE PERSON NEEDED TO BE SOMEONE WE COULD SEE HAD THE SAME BASIC GOALS AS WE FELT GOD HAD CALLED US TO.

IN FINDING THE THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE IN SOUTH RUSSIA AND LEONID, WE MAY HAVE FOUND ALL OF THOSE ANSWERS. I AM PERSONALLY SATISFIED WITH THAT WHOLE PACKAGE, BUT I SURELY WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND GET WISDOM FROM ALL OF YOU.
PLEASE BE PRAYING ALL ABOUT THAT AND WE WILL GO OVER IT ALL WHEN I RETURN.

SPEAKING OF RETURNING, I'LL BE HOME FRIDAY.


LOOKING FORWARD TO SUNDAY'S THANKSGIVING DAY WITH YOU.


HOW ARE YA'LL DOING?

LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

THINKING ABOUT HOME

I PRAYING THAT THIS WILL BE A BLESSED WEEKEND FOR YOU ALL. ENJOY THE BEAUTY AND COMPORT THAT IS HOME. OUR HOME. GOD HAS BEEN SOOO GOOD, (NO WAY TO TELL WHY), TO LET US BE A PART OF SUCH A GREAT PLACE IN THIS WORLD.
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED DOING WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW. BEING HERE, INVOLVED IN GOD'S WORLDWIDE KINGDOM. BUT I ALWAYS LONG FOR HOME AND FAMILY ANYTIME, ANYTIME, I'M AWAY. AS I READ ABOUT THE ISRAELITES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THEIR LONGING FOR JERUSALEM, I UNDERSTAND.
WHEN I READ ABOUT HOW THEY WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FOR SO LONG AFTER THE NATION DIVIDED, AND HOW THEY LONG FOR THE LAND GOD HAD GIVEN THEM, I UNDERSTAND. THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE WORLD LIKE THE PLACE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU. THIS TIME NEXT WEEK, I'LL BE BACK IN MY BELOVED GEORGIA.

ENJOY EACH OTHER. NOTHING LIKE BEING IN THE COMFORT OF PEOPLE YOU LOVE. AND WHO LOVE YOU. I WAS TRYING TO TEACH A LITTLE KINGDOM LIVING HERE THIS WEEK TO A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.
I SIMPLY TOLD THEM WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU. IF WE ARE GOING TO BE A FELLOWSHIP YOU MUST, MUST, MUST LEARN AT LEAST 3 THINGS. LOVE, ACCEPT, AND FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER. NOT BECAUSE WE DESERVE THE LOVE, ACCEPTANCE OR FORGIVENESS. BUT BECAUSE JESUS LOVES, ACCEPTS, AND FORGIVES US. JUST LIKE WE ARE.
WE LOST OUR RIGHTS NOT TO LOVE, ACCEPT AND FORGIVE EACH OTHER AT THE CROSS.


ENJOY THE PREACHING OF GOD'S WORD. WE LIVE IN A PLACE AND AN ERA WHERE WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO LISTEN TO THE BEST PREACHERS AND TEACHERS WHO HAVE EVER, EVER LIVED. WE HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW GOD BETTER THROUGH INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN GIVE US INSTRUCTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT AT THE TOUCH OF A KEY. PLEASE LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART THE FINAL LOUIE TOMORROW. KNOWING HOW GREAT OUR GOD IS AND OUR PLACE IN HIS GREAT PLAN CAN ONLY INCREASE OUR WORSHIP. AND TO WORSHIP IS ONE OR OUR GREATEST NEEDS.
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN SO MUCH. IT MEANS SO MUCH IS REQUIRED OF US.

PROBABLY WON'T POST TOMORROW. WILL WRITE TO YOU NEXT PROBABLY FROM IVANOVA. WILL TRY ON MONDAY TO GIVE A FULL RECAP OF THE TIME IN MAYKOP.
HOPE YOU'RE STILL HANGING IN THERE WITH ME. HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH FROM YOU. GRATEFUL FOR EVERY WORD. OR MAYBE I'M JUST WAY MISSING YA'LL.

SORRY I COULDN'T GET THE VIDEO CLIP TO LOAD YESTERDAY. THE CONNECTION HERE IS JUST WAY TOO SLOW. I'LL SHOW IT WHEN I GET HOME.

LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

SOPHIA

WE MET SOPHIA THE FIRST NIGHT WE WERE HERE, BUT I DID NOT KNOW THAT SHE WAS ADYGEAN. WE SAT AND TALKED TOGETHER WITH HER AND LEONID AND HIS FAMILY FOR NEARLY AN HOUR AND A HALF. DURING THIS WEEK I FOUND OUT SHE WAS ADYGEAN AND I WANTED TO MEET AND TALK WITH HER AGAIN. SHE IS ONE OF THE 12 ADYGEAN CHRIST FOLLOWERS THAT WE KNOW OF NOW AND I BELIEVE COULD BE WAY VALUABLE IN THE WORK. SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AN AUL AND UNDERSTANDS LIFE THERE. SHE IS MARRIED AND HAS ONE SON, BUT NEITHER OF THEM ARE BELIEVERS. SHE HAS A REAL HEART FOR HER PEOPLE. SHE SAID THAT SHE LONGS FOR THE DAY WHEN SHE CAN HEAR THE GOSPEL PREACHED, SUNG, AND PROCLAIMED THORUGHOUT ADYGEA, IN HER NATIVE LANGUAGE. SHE SPEAKS ADYGEAN FLUENTLY. THOUGH ALL ADYGEANS SPEAK RUSSIAN, TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK IN ADYGEAN OPENS SPECIAL DOORS INTO THE HEART OF THE NATIVE SPEAKER. I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD SING A SONG IN ADYGEAN FOR ME AND SHE AGREED. SHE ASKED ANGELA TO JOIN IN ON SOME OF IT. ANGELA, YOU'LL REMEMBER IS HERE HELPING LEONID. SHE IS ORIGIANALLY FROM BAKU, IN AZERBAIZHAN. INTERESTINGLY, THAT IS ALSO WHERE OLEG IS FROM. ANGELA IS LEARNING TO SPEAK ADYGEAN, BUT HAS A WAYS TO GO. THEY ARE NOT GREAT SINGERS, BUT IT DOESN'T BOTHER THEM. OR GOD. ENJOY. WHILE SOPHIA WOULD LONG TO SEE HER PEOPLE REACHED, SHE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS A LONG SLOW PROCESS. I ASKED HER, FROM HER POINT OF VIEW, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO REACH ADYGEANS FOR CHRIST? SHE SAID, ONE AT A TIME. I AGREE. SUCCESS HERE WILL ALWAYS BE DETERMINED IN SINGLE DIGITS. IT SEEMS LIKE SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN SO SHORT A PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP WITH BOTH MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. I FIND MYSELF AMAZED THAT WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD THAT WOULD CAUSE US TO BE DISTRAUGHT, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE EXCITED ABOUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO. HOW CAN WE WORSHIP AND PRAISE HIM ENOUGH? IT'S SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THANKSGIVING TO CHRISTMAS SEASON TO BEGIN. REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YA'LL. PLAN TO FLY OUT ON THE 21ST. WILL LEAVE THROUGH IVANOVA TO ESTONIA TO DROP OFF THE CAR, THEN FLY TO COPENHAGEN AND BACK TO ATLANTA. WE CAN'T LOOK PAST AUBURN. GONNA TRY TO LISTEN TO THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHT IF I COULD JUST GET ENOUGH CONNECTION.....NOT LIKELY, HUH? LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.


(I'M SEEING THAT THE VIDEO DIDN'T LOAD---I'LL TRY AGAIN. WAY SLOW CONNECTION HERE.)

ISLAM IN ADYGEA

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER BEEN INSIDE A MOSLEM MOSQUE. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO EXPLAIN THE SENSATION. KINDA WEIRD, REALLY. COLYA AND I WERE ALONE AT THE TIME BECAUSE LEONID WAS BUSY DOING SOME WORK AT HIS HOUSE, SO WE WANDERED TO THIS MOSQUE. WE ACTUALLY WENT IN THE WRONG DOOR. WE WENT IN THE BACK DOOR AND THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS ROWS OF SHOES. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU GO IN. WELL, WE DIDN'T SEE ANYONE SO WE JUST WALKED ON IN. THERE WERE SOME OFFICE TYPE PLACES. WE WENT UP SOME STAIRS AND SAW A SIGN THAT SAID "MUFTI". EVIDENTLY THAT'S KINDA LIKE "PASTOR". WE TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK DOWNSTAIRS. WE HAD STUMBLED INTO THE MINISTRY OFFICES OF THE BIGGEST SUNNI MUSLIM MOSQUE IN ADYGEA! IF THEY'D ONLY KNOWN! WE SCAMPERED OUT AND INTO ANOTHER DOOR THAT TOOK US INTO THE FRONT OF THE TEMPLE. IT, OF COURSE, IS NOT SET UP LIKE ANY CHURCH WE KNOW, IT'S RATHER JUST A BIG OPEN ROOM WHERE PEOPLE COME TO PRAY. WHEN WE CAME IN THERE WERE THREE MEN ON THERE KNEES DOING THE PRAYER TYPE THING THAT WE'VE BECOME USED TO SEEING ON TV. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SIGN ON THE WALL POINTING TO A PLACE UPSTAIRS WHERE THE WOMEN WERE TO GO TO PRAY. THE WOMEN AND THE MEN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PRAY TOGETHER. THE DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN AND THE MUSLIM PEOPLE COME HERE TO PRAY AT ANY TIME. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES DURING THE DAY IN WHICH THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PRAY, BUT THEY ALSO CAN COME WHEN THEY WANT TO.


THE SUNNI MUSLIMS ARE THE LARGEST DIVISION OF ISLAM. ISLAM HAS PROBABLY DIVIDED OVER THE YEARS MUCH LIKE THE BAPTIST, METHODISTS, LUTERANS, ETC., HAVE. ONE GROUP DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THE LADIES WORE THEIR OUTFITS SO THEY STARTED ANOTHER GROUP. ANOTHER DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THE MOSQUES WERE BEING LAID OUT, SO THEY SPLIT OFF AND MADE ANOTHER GROUP. YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES. PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE ARE 99.9% MUSLIM, BUT THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS MUSLIM AS WE THINK OF IT. THEY ARE LIKE THE RUSSIANS ARE ORTHODOX, OR LIKE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS ARE SOUTHERN BAPTIST FOR THE MOST PART. THEY DON'T TAKE IT THAT SERIOUSLY. THEY BASICALLY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BORN INTO THEIR RELIGION.


IT IS A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO START WORKING WITHIN THE 10/40 WINDOW OF THE WORLD, I BELIEVE. WE CAN BEGIN TO LEARN ABOUT ISLAM THROUGH A RELATIVELY BENIGN GROUP OR MUSLIMS AND BUILD ON THAT KNOWLEDGE TO GO FURTHER SOMEDAY DEEPER INTO UNREACHED PEOPLES. WHAT DO YOU THINK? IDEAS ARE COMING AT ME IN FLOODS RIGHT NOW. I CAN'T STOP THEM AND IT'S HARD TO CATAGORIZE THEM. SOME MOMENTS I HAVE TO STOP AND RIGHT STUFF DOWN SO I DON'T FORGET. I FEEL LIKE A 25 YEAR OLD IN A 52 YEAR OLD BODY!


SPEAKING OF BODY, I'VE ABSOLUTELY BLOWN MY HALF MARATHON TRAINING. HAVEN'T RUN IN A WEEK!!!! WILL RUN TODAY, BUT HAVE TO TOTALLY START OVER. LOOKING FOR ANOTHER HALF LATER ON. MAYBE JANUARY. FORGIVE ME GWOF RUNNER GIRLS!! KEEP RUNNING. DON'T STOP.

TOMORROW, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOPHIA, AN ADYGEAN BELIEVER WE'VE MET. I'M GOING TO GET HER TO SING A SONG IN ADYGEAN FOR US AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HERE IT HEAR.(I DID THAT FOR OUR GRAMMAR POLICEMAN)

HOW ARE YA'LL DOING?

LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

EXPLAINING ADYGEA

I WANT TO TRY TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE ABOUT THE WHERE I AM SO THAT YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND ADYGEA. IT WILL ALSO HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS SO MUCH CONFLICT IN THIS AREA. HERE GOES.

RUSSIA IS DIVIDED INTO 83 DIFFERENT FEDERAL AREAS. THESE AREAS ARE CALLED EITHER, OBLASTS, KRAIS, OR REPUBLICS. THEY ARE ALL SIMILAR IN THEIR MAKEUP, BUT IN SOME WAYS DIFFERENT. OF THESE 83 AREAS, 21 ARE REPUBLICS. TATARSTAN, SAKHA, AND CHECHNYA, FOR INSTANCE ARE REPUBLICS WITHIN RUSSIA. ALSO ADYGEA, WHERE I AM, IS A REPUBLIC.
A REPUBLIC HAS IT'S OWN PRESIDENT AND CONSTITUTION, HOWEVER, IT IS SUBJECT TO MOSCOW AND THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION OF RUSSIA FIRST. CONFLICTS HAPPEN WHEN THESE REPUBLICS TRY TO BREAK AWAY FROM RUSSIA AND BECOME INDEPENDENT. WHICH HAS BEEN THE CASE IN NEARBY CHECHNYA FOR YEARS. THE HISTORY OF THIS WEIRD KINDA SETUP GOES BACK YEARS AND YEARS. YOU CAN SEE THE 21 REPUBLICS IN THE MAP AT THE TOP, ADYGEA IS NUMBER 1. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE FLAG OF BOTH RUSSIA AND ADYGEA FLYING ON TOP OF THE CAPITAL BUILDING IN MAYKOP IN THE ACCOMPANYING PICTURE AS WELL.

OUR INTEREST IS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ADYGEA. ADYGEA IS A SMALL REPUBLIC OF ABOUT 450,000 PEOPLE. OF THIS POPULATION, 130,000 ARE ETHNIC ADYGEANS. THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE ARE 99.9% SUNNI MUSLIMS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE MUSLIMS MUCH LIKE THE RUSSIANS ARE ORTHODOX. IT SIMPLY MEANS TO BE BORN ADYGEAN IS TO BE MUSLIM. THEY ARE NOT MUSLIM LIKE THE IRANIANS OR THE IRAQIS THAT WE ARE USED TO SEEING ON TV. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL FROM HERE, THERE IS NOT ANOTHER NOTICABLE EVANGELICAL GROUP WORKING AMONG THIS PEOPLE GROUP. THE PICTURE HERE IS OF ME IN MAYKOP EXPLAINING ALL THIS TO YOU.

THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED INTO 12 FAMILIES. LIKEN IT TO HOW ISRAEL IS DIVIDED INTO 12 TRIBES. MOST ADYGEANS LIVE IS VILLAGES CALLED AULS(AOOLS). THEY ARE WAY CLANNISH AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO BREAK INTO THEIR CLAN. WHICH IS WHY WHEN ANGELA TRUSTED CHRIST, IT WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL. THIS IS A PICTURE OF A ROAD LEADING INTO AN AUL.


ONE OF THE REASONS I'M SHARING THIS WITH YOU IS BECAUSE IT'S JUST BECOMING CLEAR TO ME FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WRITING IT TO YOU MAKES IT EVEN CLEARER TO ME. WE NEED TO BECOME EXPERTS ON THE PLACES WHERE GOD SENDS US. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS LEARNED OVER 14 YEARS AS A MISSIONARY. LET'S LEARN ALL WE CAN ABOUT THESE PEOPLE AND BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT REACHING INTO UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS! SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE. WHY NOT US?

WANT TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THE ADYGEANS AND ISLAM TOMORROW. KEEP PRAYING AS WE SEEK GOD'S WISDOM IN WORKING HERE TO REACH A PEOPLE WHO SO NEED CHRIST AND HOW WE MIGHT PARTNER WITH LEONID IN BRINGING UP THERE, DOWN HERE, HERE! (WOW THAT JUST COME OUT!)

ENJOY LOUIE AGAIN TONIGHT! WAY MISSING YA'LL. I'M WITH GOOD PEOPLE HERE, BUT SUPER LONELY. NOTHING LIKE BEING WITH MY FAMILY AND MY GROUP IN GAINESVILLE.

LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

SUNDAY IN ADYGEA

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LEONID PURCHASED A LITTLE PLOT OF LAND A LITLE BIT OUT OF TOWN IN A PLACE THAT WAS SET UP ORIGINALLY AS AN AREA FOR DACHAS. HE BEGAN TO BUILD A LITTLE HOUSE FOR HE AND HIS FAMILY BY HIMSELF. THEY LIVED IN AN APARTMENT IN TOWN UNTIL HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE PLACE TO WHERE THEY COULD, AT LEAST, LIVE IN IT. WHEN HE GOT THE KITCHEN AND ONE ROOM FINISHED, THEY MOVED IN. THERE IS NO INDOOR BATHROOM (IN FACT, I DON'T SEE A PLACE FOR ONE RIGHT NOW) AND NO RUNNING WATER AND NO HEAT (THEY USE AN ELECTRIC HEATER RIGHT NOW). I TELL YOU ALL THAT BECAUSE IT SAYS A LOT TO ME ABOUT THE FAMILY'S SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION. THEY ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT HARDSHIP IN ORDER TO GET THE WORK DONE. I HAVEN'T HEARD THEM WHINE OR REALLY EVEN MENTION THE SITUATION THEY LIVE IN.
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WE HAD OUR SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE IN THEIR HOME. IT WAS LEONIDS FAMILY,ANGELA (WHO WORKS WITH LEONID) COLYA AND I, ANNYA ( A FRIEND OF KSENYAS), AND TAMARA (A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY). GREAT DAY, WE MUST HAVE SUNG 20 SONGS! IN A ROW!!!!!I SHOULD SAY THEY SANG AND I LISTENED. LEONID PLAYS THE GUITAR A LOT LIKE NICK WEST. YOU KNOW, THE MONKEES VERSION. THEN I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT AND THEN LEONID A LITTLE BIT AND THEN COLYA. IT WAS A GOOD TIME. I SENSE THAT THE FAMILY HAS A SINCERE HEART FOR GOD AND THE WORK HERE. I'M TELLING YOU THAT BECAUSE, RIGHT NOW, I FEEL LIKE THEY ARE WORTHY TO PARTNER WITH. I PROBABLY SHOULD SAY IT WOULD AN HONOR TO PARTNER WITH THEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING AGAIN WITH DEMA IN IVANOVA AND SEEKING GOD'S WISDOM ON HOW BEST TO REACH THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE WITH LEONID. REMEMBER HOW WE WERE PRAYING FOR A PEOPLE, A PLACE, AND A PERSON?

ARE YA'LL THERE? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SICKNESS GOING AROUND THERE. YA'LL HANG IN THERE. REALLY LOVE THE WORK HERE, BUT REALLY MISS OUR GROUP. YOU ALL GIVE ME ENERGY.


LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL LOVE EACH OTHER.

ANGELA ENTERS THE KINGDOM

THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN RUSSIA ARE LISTED IN A LONG LINE OF PEOPLE GROUPS AS ONE OF THE LEAST REACHED IN ALL THE WORLD. WHILE I'VE BEEN HERE I HAVE LEARNED OF ONLY 11 THAT WE KNOW OF THAT ARE CHRIST FOLLOWERS. THAT IS OUT OF A GROUP OF 130,000 PEOPLE. FOR THAT REASON WHEN ONE OF THEM COMES TO CHRIST, IT IS A REALLY BIG DEAL. OF COURSE, WHEN ANYONE COMES TO CHRIST IT IS A REALLY BIG DEAL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. GOD GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT HAPPEN SATURDAY NIGHT.

ALL DAY LONG WE HAD BEEN TRAVELING OUT TO THE DIFFERENT VILLAGES(AULS) AROUND MAYKOP. IT IS REALLY COMPLICATED(AS IS ALMOST EVERYTHING IN RUSSIA) TO EXPLAIN HOW THE POPULATION OF ADYGEA IS SET UP. I'LL TRY TO SORT IT OUR FOR YOU EITHER IN ANOTHER POST OR WHEN I GET HOME. SUFFICE TO SAY THAT AN AUL (PRONOUCED AOOL) IS A VILLAGE OF ONLY ADYGEAN PEOPLE. AT ABOUT MIDNIGHT WE STOPPED BY AN AUL CALLED GABYKAI. THERE WAS ONE LADY IN THIS AUL THAT LEONID HAD COME TO KNOW LAST YEAR. HIS DAUGHTER (KSENYA)HAD MADE FRIENDS WITH HER DAUGHTER(ANGELA). THEY ARE BOTH 14 YEARS. THE MOTHER AMAZINGLY HAD BECOME A CHRIST FOLLOWER LAST YEAR AND, AS BEST SHE COULD, HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR HER DAUGHTER. THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WHEN I WAS INTRODUCED TO HER WAS THAT SHE WAS WEARING A MUSLIM CRESENT AND STAR AROUND HER NECK, MUCH LIKE WE WEAR THE CROSS. WE SAT DOWN AND BEGAN TO FELLOWSHIP (I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING "AT MIDNIGHT!", BUT THAT'S ANOTHER BLOG) IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE LEONID BEGAN TO TALK TO HER ABOUT JESUS. I LISTENED AS HE VERY THOUROUGHLY LED HER THROUGH THE STEPS OF SALVATION AND AS SHE SWEETLY ASKED JESUS INTO HER LIFE!!!!!WOOOOW!!!! AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT FOR ME. WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT,....FOR HER!!! BUT I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN THERE. IT WAS A DRAMATIC STEP IN HER YOUNG LIFE. IT MEANS SOOOO MUCH IN THESE MUSLIM VILLAGES WHEN ANYONE BREAKS AWAY IN ANY FASHION, ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS. INCREDIBLE! SUCCESS HERE IS MEASURED IN SINGLE DIGITS. THIS IS HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE KINGDOM.


NOW COMES THE DIFFICULT PART FOR HER. GROWING IN CHRIST. IT WILL BE EXTREMELY HARD FOR HER. PLEASE BEGIN NOW TO PRAY FOR HER. IN FACT PRAY FOR:

ANGELA
MERITA(HER MOTHER)
GABYKAI(THE VILLAGE-AUL)

THE PICTURES ARE TAKEN ON THE FRONT PORCH OF THEIR HOME. IT WAS HARD TO GET HER TO POSE (KINDA LIKE IT IS TO GET SOME OF MY BOYS TO POSE). ANGELA IS THE YOUG LADY ON THE FAR RIGHTIN THE FIRST PICTURE. MERITA IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OTHER PICTURE BETWEEN ELLA AND KSENYA(LEONID'S WIFE AND DAUGHTER).

I HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS AREA AND THE WORK HERE, IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL POSTS, SO STAY TUNED DAILY.

I'M A LITTLE FIRED UP. SORRY. I FEEL LIKE I MAY BE IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS AND SEEING WHY WE'VE COME TOGETHER AS GWOF.

GLAD TO HEAR YOU ENJOYED THE ANDY'S(STANLEY, NOT GRIFFETH). WAY IMPORTANT TIME IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. I PROMISE YOU, THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING. PRAY.

KATIE, LETS PLAN TO PURCHASE A TURKEY AND HAM AND HAVE EVERYBODY BRING THE FIXINGS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU'RE PROBABLY WAY AHEAD OF ME ON THAT. LET'S PLAN TO MEET AT 11 ON THE 23RD AND JUST BE TOGETHER AND REALLY WORSHIP AND THANK OUR GOOD HEAVENLY FATHER FOR EVERYTHING.

REALLY LOVE YA'LL, YA'LL REALLY LOVE EACH OTHER.