Larisa shared that she found her calling in isolation—living with her family high in the mountains, rarely going out to see people, taking care of the household, and serving those close to her. There, far from the noise, she felt a sense of peace. But unexpectedly, she added that she had recently started smoking. I couldn’t help but smile—in my understanding, “peace” and “cigarettes” simply don’t go together. It was clear that we were facing someone who was weary and deeply lonely.
With me was a young woman who had recently accepted Christ and renounced esotericism. She told Larisa how Jesus had changed her life. We shared passages from the Bible. At first, Larisa’s expression was sad, but the more the Word of God was spoken, the softer her gaze became—until suddenly she smiled for the first time. In that moment, she opened her heart to Christ.
Together we said a prayer of repentance—simple, heartfelt words—and with all my heart I felt the heavens rejoicing. After the prayer, Larisa began asking questions about yoga and “good luck” rituals, and then said herself, “I don’t want this anymore.” Only the living Spirit of God can work in such a way.
That evening, among the mountains and the silence, another soul found the Savior. This experience once again confirmed that no isolation and no philosophy can bring true peace. Peace is in Christ!
One of the highlights of the month was a women’s breakfast, where two new participants joined us. We talked about how God is at work in our lives and why it is so important to turn specifically to Jesus. In today’s world, it’s becoming popular to seek help from “the universe,” from within oneself, or from a psychologist. But we discussed how all these paths are ultimately deceptive. Only Jesus Christ is the true Healer of souls. Only in Him do we find real peace and rest.
Many women shared personal testimonies of how God had spoken into their lives in supernatural ways. These were touching moments that showed just how close the Lord is to each of us.
Our Saturday children’s gatherings also continue. This month, we introduced a new format: after the lesson, we now read a short Bible passage together with the parents and discuss what God is saying to us through His Word. Another mother and child joined us recently, and I rejoice at how the Lord is gently leading and expanding this ministry.
We also had many personal meetings this month — times when we simply prayed for one another, giving our worries and burdens to the Lord. In such moments, it becomes so clear that “the Lord is near to all who call on Him.”
Thank you so much for your prayerful and financial support!
In the Middle East, especially in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey, people’s attitudes toward the Gospel have changed over the past decades. This became particularly noticeable after the civil wars in Syria and Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of people fled their homes, becoming refugees in other countries, without shelter or means of existence. In the civil war, many people saw the true face of radical Islam. Tired of war, terror, and death, people began to show interest in learning about Jesus Christ.
The Lord is opening doors for evangelism in these regions where the preaching of the Gospel has been closed for many centuries. In 2023, we organized children’s camps in Lebanon. Parents brought their children to daily activities and worship services. The camps were held across the country, starting from Tyre in the south and ending in Tripoli in the north. Over a thousand children heard the message of salvation. In Istanbul, on March 17, 2024, a Slavic church opened in the historic city.
Therefore, we plan to hold evangelistic services in Istanbul on May 12, 2024. We ask the “Lord of the harvest” to send laborers to the ripe fields. Tickets, accommodation, and meals will cost us $4000. We will be grateful for any assistance! Thank you!
In early May 2023, we started conducting children’s camps in the city of Tyre. Youth from the USA and Germany came to help. Brothers worked with the boys, and sisters worked with the girls. Every morning, they welcomed the arriving children who eagerly participated in all the activities. The daily service began with collective worship, followed by biblical lessons. The sessions ended with entertaining children’s programs.
The children embraced their caretakers with joy as a sign of gratitude. Many of them told us that they had never felt such warmth and love from their close ones and family members. Our goal was to show Christ’s love, sow the Word of God in the hearts of children and youth, and point the way to Christ. The camps were held with children in the south of Lebanon in the city of Tyre, in the central part of the Bekaa Valley, and in the north of Lebanon near the city of Tripoli. Vyacheslav Kirnev was responsible for administration and organizational matters, and with God’s help, he successfully fulfilled his responsibilities. The children received meals on time, and to the best of our ability, we created all the necessary conditions for these ministries. We sincerely believe that the sown Word of God in the hearts of these souls will bear good fruit in due time.
Dear brothers and sisters, thank you very much for your participation in this ministry. Thanks to your prayers, the Lord arranged, blessed, and protected us from any adversaries and enemies of the Gospel, and your donations made it possible to conduct these blessed services.
For over 10 years, we have been serving in the Middle East in Lebanon in the city of Tyre. At the moment, our eldest son Vyacheslav, his wife, and their three children have moved for long-term service in Tyre. The main goal of this ministry is the evangelization of the population with the subsequent opening of churches. In 2013, while serving with the local pastor Mohammed, we jointly decided to start a ministry among children and youth. To do this, children’s camps were organized in the city during summer. We gathered refugee children from Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon.
During this time, a young church was formed in the city. Many children who attended the camps came closer to God, and some were baptized. Last year, from May 8-13, we held evangelistic services with Pastor Mohammed among the local population. It was our last joint service here on earth – a week later, he was found dead in his car. At the moment, based at the church in Tyre, we continue to work among the children and youth of Lebanon. We sow the word of the Lord in the hearts of the younger generation, wishing to lead them to God. We teach biblical truths and also identify born-again souls to prepare them for ministry among their people.
Dear friends, I appeal to you with a request to become a part of and participate in this ministry. We need your prayers and help. We ask you to direct those who are willing to work in children’s camps in the city of Tyre. The opening and start of the season will be from May 15 to September 30, 2023. Thank you for your prayers and participation!
What can we do? There is a riot in Lebanon, and all services
are already planned. Local people are used to the unrest in the streets and are
calm about it. But we were worried, afraid to put our lives in danger, but it
was unacceptable for us to refuse to serve; the Lebanese would not understand
us. For them, the most important thing is to trust in God. Those who have
accepted the Lord understand that every believer is worthy of Christ if he is
ready to give his life for Him.
Relying on God and His mercy, we decided to go to Lebanon. At the airport, no one met us, and only by morning, it became clear that the greeters were blocked by the protesters. On the way to the place of worship, we had to bypass some streets because of the protesters. The services were held among Syrian and Iraqi refugees. More than 500,000 children live in Lebanon who are deprived of adequate nutrition and do not have access to education. Once, having gathered for prayer, I noticed that all the brothers had recently come to the Lord and that each was from a Middle Eastern country – Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan. And they all were united in their understanding of the Gospel, confessing Jesus despite the persecution and oppression from their fellow tribesmen.
After completing one of the services, Syrian women came up to us saying: “We are very glad that you have come to us.” The Lord has his own plans for these nations. We appeal to brothers and sisters with a request to pray for the awakening of the peoples of the East and also ask you to support our evangelistic projects and pray for our music group so that the Lord will continue to give boldness to carry out the ministry of preaching the Gospel.
