Bike trip – August 30 – Lesozavodsk town

Covering about 5 kilometers we saw an opposing car coming to up and signaled us to stop. The road inspection car which was the first in the line stopped abruptly, then the car with the Administrative officer also stopped. We were also to use breaks in order to escape the clash. And our bikers stopped at the Jeep, and one stopped already on the asphalt. Praise God his “landing” was successful and he was not injured at all. We found out that a Christian man from the local church drove that car hurrying up to give us a Russian flag, which we did not have as one was stolen from our car before. He bought one and gave it to us. After this small incident we continued our way. About 2 kilometers after we met a minibus of the local TV channel, which accompanied us to the church house, interviewed members of the Expedition. After that we went to the church Pastor’s house where a lunch and sauna were prepared for us.

The service began at 19:00 p.m. by the concert hall. I was surprised at the kind attitude of the town Administration to believers. There are 7 churches of various Christian denominations in the town and our ECB group, which has not yet been registered as a church. Town Administration helped our church with the advertisement and the stage. Administrative representatives came to the meeting and greeted members of the Expedition and said kind words.

The service was held in a usual way. Perhaps that day the children’s ministry was even more successful than usual. There were more kids in the square than adults. Our children’s workers Kate and Marina were screaming out of joy. Our kind “Sharik” (brother Pavel dressed in a costume of a dog) invited kids to come. He had a very difficult task – to teach kids to become kind and obedient, to learn to be honest and friendly. Puppets Vitiok and Natasha constantly argued with each other. Once a kind puppy Sharik hearing their shouts came up to them and told them about God, and how he began to attend the church and it made him a really good dog. He stopped to rob the neighboring dog Tuzik of bones and learned to forgive everyone. Puppets Vitiok and Natasha also wanted to go to the church and read the Gospel. Such simple story attracted not only kids but also their parents who stood and listened.

It was interesting to observe two young moms, who at first listened to the children’s program and then harried up to the place where the service for adults was held on the other side of the square. After the puppet show Kate and Marina organized a competition for kids with the balloons, and even young girls took part in the game. A caretaker from the local orphanage came up to our girls and asked for the words of the children’s Christian songs, which she liked so much. Now kids in the orphanage will sing Christian songs. May God bless them to receive Him and not just sing but to know Him as their Heavenly Father.

After the service we picked up our sound equipment quickly and escorted by the road inspection cars went to have dinner in the house of a Christian brother

Leonid Kartavenko