262 - We welded on little shovel that Vladimir brought to him. The shovel belongs
to the Family Support Center located in Ust-Kulom. October 31, 2005
263 - The ministry bought horse gear for our dear brother Anatoly from Don. Anatoly
has been helping a lot of his neighbors and church folks. Anatoly has spent quite
a few hours digging a well for our sister in Christ Rima, also from Don. Anatoly
has a horse that he is going to be using this winter to haul hay and stuff. We also
welded on Anatoly’s sled. We formed the metal to fit bottom of sled for the runners,
drilled and welded stud bolts and fastened. October 31, 2005
264 - William and Simeon hauled Tamara’s cow in the VW to Don. Tamara is our sister
in Christ and her middle son Daniel is getting conscripted to the army in November,
2005. That is why she decided to get rid of the cow, because otherwise it would be
hard for her to take care of it on her own. Just think, a full-size cow had to lower
its head to fit into VW. We have an opening from the cab to back end. Simeon help
the rope and fed bread to the cow to help keep it calm, but, guess what. Too much
bread. What a mess to clean up afterward. It was a ten-mile trip, but, praise God,
all okay. October 31, 2005
265 - Helped two neighbors to cut and install glass.
266 - Cut and welded a piece of square tubing on bottom of car for a place for jack
handle or lift to fit in fo mayor of Don.
267 - Donating to Faina’s daughter who needed to go to Syktyvkar to study. Faina
works at the Ust-Kulom clinic as a drug and alcohol doctor. She has been to our services.
October 2005
268 - Our mayor of Don, whom, if you remember when we first arrived, the struggle
we had and how angry he was. He truly did not approve of our being in his settlement.
Well, the past years we continued to pray for a relationship and his salvation. Praise
God! We now have a wonderful relationship and we consider each other good friends.
The reason for this change is because we followed God’s instruction. We prayed, we
helped his settlement greatly by working a lot in his administration, school, culture
club, kindergarten, private people, and even himself. We had welded on his car a
few times, took him to other settlements that were under his control to try and solve
problems, worked in schools in these settlements, and on and on. Today, we finished
welding on his private peachka. Took two days. We have shared the Gospel with him,
more than once, now waiting on God to save him. October 2005
269 - We welded up sprocket for a local Komi man. This part was an expensive item,
if one could find and buy. It was a part for his Russian chain saw. He was greatly
thankful.
270 - The director of three boiler control centers in three different settlements
asked us to go to Shereog, a 35-40 minute drive, to repair some parts. We had to
grind off some parts and weld on new pipe, etc. Thirty-five minutes work. The boiler
department provides heats for school, kindergarten, and sometimes a few homes, but
very few. October 2005
271 - We bought a stereo for Antonena’s birthday. Antonena is our dear sister in
Christ from Don. The Lord has been using her a lot to open many doors for the Gospel
in Ust-Kulom district. She did not have a stereo at home, so we bought her a new
stereo so that she could listen to Christian music. November 6, 2005
272 - Simeon installed a light at the culture hall of Don. They appreciated the help.
November 7, 2005
273 - Cut off studs from gear and re-welded for local Komi neighbor all in the name
of Jesus.
274 - Hauled 9 sacks of potatoes for a lady named Valentena who is new to this area,
living with another sister in Christ who lost her husband due to an alcoholic accident,
even though we had shared many times with him. Valentena has attended our home church
almost every Sunday since she came to Don. She lived in another settlement called
Kusba, where we had to go and pick up the potatoes. The old house she had been living
in reminded me of St. Louis drug district: Alcohol bottles everywhere, almost nothing
in their home, windows broken and in a state of condemn. Her husband was sent to
prison, most likely due to an alcohol problem. The have one 3 year old boy. Valentena
has not been drinking while being here and maybe she had not before–don’t know.
275 - Welded up a small metal ladder for boiler department.
276 - We went to Svieta’s sister’s home, rewired several rooms. Svieta’s sister is
called Valeria. She is a single mother living with her little daughter in the settlement
of Smolianka, about 45 minute drive from Don.
After she did a remont at her place, her wire was in bad shape. So we fixed that.
We talked with her about the faith. She says she has enough Christian literature
at home now. Svieta has talked with her several times about Jesus. Now Valeria has
to make a decision.
277 - Simeon installed two lights at the Culture Hall of Don, and did the wiring
there. This helps improve the relations with the employees of the hall. We have done
many outreaches there. November 9, 2005
278 - Helping Ludmila’s daughter from Kuzhba. Ludmila is a new Christian who used
to drink. Tamara, our sister in Christ, shared with her. Lumila’s daughter needed
clothes. We donated money for her. Ludmila has been to our services a few times.
October 2005
279 - Did some welding for our neighbor.
280 - We decided to continue to dig by hand a well for Rema our sister in Christ
whose husband died very early due to alcohol. She is left with two small children
and one of the hardest working ladies, who would put 70% of men to shame. Finally,
after 30 feet, we have reached water. Praise God! We may need to go a little more,
but all the hard word and many, many days and prayers have blessed us. I’m not sure
this might be a record for a hand dug well. We started with logs to hold the sides
of the walls of sand from caving in. Then made wooden boxes like a sleeve, each box
a little smaller. The bottom box is only two foot square. Try digging by hand in
this small space.
281 - Because we did a work project in the culture club in Shereog, we were able
to show Christian videos and give testimonies along with gospel message. We invited
them to church, although we had to pick them up and return home as there is no transportation
on Sundays. This settlement is 35-40 minutes drive one way. First time, we picked
them up the back and front of the VW was full. Then the numbers dropped, but still
a good number. However, most children, but a good age. They have been coming every
Sunday for about a month. Erma is now our children’s church leader, although Erma
is young in faith, her growth was fast and still growing. She has done a great job
with our youth since Olga left. We decided to have an outreach with all the children
in Shereog where many of these children were from. They were told to invite their
family and friends. Well, we got there and the place was large in number. All seats
full and some standing. Alonena, our littlest prayer warrior, led the outreach. Then
Anatoli, Erma’s husband who was a severe alcoholic for twenty years then came to
Christ and was delivered and now sharing Jesus. He also had some relation from this
settlement and he spoke in Komi, their first speech. Then the children sang five
wonderful Christian songs. Then Adam, has been here for a time, an American who is
planning on taking over this house and church family as I move on. Adam spoke a good
message. Then Sveata had a wonderful message, the young lady staying with us, then
Antanena, our very good sister in Jesus, spoke some great message. She is very well
known and respected. Then the children sang around five more songs, then Andre had
a message. Then Andre and Simeon played and sang wonderful message songs about our
Savior. The work project gave us a great chance to sew seeds. Now prayer and God’s
saving grace fall upon them. We gave out even more Bibles to adults and how to reach
up. The people want us to show more Christian videos which we plan to show later.
282 - Alexcia, a telephone worker who lives here in Don, Came very nervous and asked
us to take him to hospital in Ust-Kulom to pick up his wife. She had been in some
accident and needed a way home although she was in much pain. We took them to their
entrance of home. We prayed for in secret–you see, this lady is very orthodox, and
still believes we are of another faith, mostly because the local orthodox priest
some 110 miles away in Ust-Kulom tells them we are not of the true faith. A serious
battle we face.
283 - We helped haul our brother Anatoly’s hay to his barn. We loaded and unloaded
the hay. He hauled the hay on a tractor. November 11, 2005
284 - Buying a bus ticket for Natalia (little Nastia’s sister). She needed to go
to Syktyvkar and had no money. A single mother with a kid.
285 - Simeon welded on a local boy’s bike and another man’s horse collar.
286 - Welded on two hay forks for Anatoli’s dad.
287 - Welded on shaft for ex-mayor’s tractor. Then, another man had a small weld
job, a handle for tractor crank.
