A year ago, before the Easter holiday, the Lord introduced us to a family. The elder sister Van lost her parents early (at 12 years old) and was left with her younger sister Ann. She then gave birth to two children (a girl and a boy) and raised them all by herself. She works 16 hours a day for a small salary. When we met and got to know her, we told her about the Savior, and she happily turned to Jesus. She started reading the Bible and praying. She is preparing to fulfill the commandment and be baptized.
Recently, she fell ill and could not work, so she asked us to help them with food and hygiene items. We came and bought groceries. It’s good that they have a refrigerator. We collected a lot. Returning home from the store, we got on our knees and thanked God for His care for us. Then she writes to me that she is praying to God for a washing machine to be in their home. This puzzled me a bit because we usually bring clothes and food, but here is an entire washing machine, and the budget increases immediately.
The washing machine costs about $300, and it is very difficult for us to come up with such money. For this reason, we ask you, beloved ones, to support us in prayer for this need. And also, pray for wisdom, strength, and guidance here in Vietnam.
I want to tell you about the ministry that God is blessing in these days, spreading His word in Laos. We printed Bible verses and prayed, then set out. From the beginning, we faced challenges. Our flight was delayed and we were given another one, and we almost missed our connecting flight. Then, at the last minute, one brother couldn’t come. We understood that this was a spiritual battle, and we tried to be humble, believing that the Lord was with us. As we worked to spread the Gospel through His Word, communication, help, prayers, and singing, we saw that people were listening and hearing God, and they needed Him.
Today, while we were driving, we saw a cross and stopped to look, but the church was locked. Next to it was a school for the poor. We went inside and all the children were happy to see us. The teachers and children read a golden Bible verse in their native language with interest. Therefore, we ask for your prayer support. We need doers and laborers here in Laos. We are now returning to Vietnam, but we pray for the blessing of the people of Laos. Our precious brothers and sisters, dear friends, from the bottom of our hearts and souls, we thank you for your prayers and help in new fields. Glory to God for your support!
Grace and peace to you, our friends, brothers and sisters. I
will tell you the story of the family, so that you support in prayers about the
trials they had in their life.
Kam (Vietnamese) is 28 years old, in February 2019 he moved
with his wife, Zhenya (Russian) to his historical homeland from Russia.
When he was 6 years old, his parents moved to live in Russia, they divorced later, and Kam ended up in a Christian orphanage with a family of believers, where he met Jesus Christ, and later married Zhenya. They actively served in the church in Russia.
After moving to Vietnam some adjustments had to be made to their lives and they began to adapt to it. Kam got a job in a jewelry company to sell gold, his earnings were decent, Zhenya worked as a hairdresser and this completely covered their needs. When she became pregnant, she invited her mother from Russia to help them, since she had to give birth soon. All these everyday zealously tasks kept them from going to church; they went there rarely, once or twice a month.
In February 2020, the desired and long-awaited, Dana, was born. Then the pandemic came into the world, Kam was fired from his job selling gold, since most of the sales came from tourists.
Now they always come church, thanks to what has happened to them, their thirst for fellowship is visible now, and set the right priorities in relation with the Lord. They ask that the fire of God’s love burn in their lives, so that they would not be warm, but only burn for God, because He had done so much for them.
We thank the Lord for you, may God Almighty bless us all in all circumstances of life.
We are all co-workers of Christ. While spreading the Gospel in Vietnam, we come across people with different nationalities, and even from Buryatia. We wrote to you about the baptism of Lisa’s sister, and just recently, how she was forced to return to Russia in order to undergo surgery. She was diagnosed with cancer. After praying with the church, we blessed Lisa and her children on their way. Even though they are far now, we communicate, support, and encourage her.
The operation and all procedures related to treatment were carried out according to plan. While being sick, Lisa learned to develop a close relationship with God, constantly prays, and reads the Word. The other day she called, all in tears of joy and tells me:
I constantly read the New Testament, and a woman came up to me, who is also being treated for cancer, and asks, “What are you reading? ” I answered her – “The Bible, the Word of God, I am a believer.” She says: “I am also a believer, I have been going to the church for many years, but I have never read the Bible.” I gave her the New Testament to read. She read for three days, and it was clear how the Word of God touched her heart. She came up to me and so delightfully started talking about Jesus. It was evident from her radiant face that she had met the Savior. Tears of joy overwhelmed me.
Despite being in quarantine, we continue to pray and serve the Lord. The inconvenience is that due to the epidemic, the borders are closed, and we cannot leave the country to serve in Laos or Cambodia.
Thank you for the work of faith and your work of love before the Lord. “Beloved, be firm, unshakable, always succeed in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not in vain in the presence of the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58.
As you remember, we were detained and arrested 2 months ago in a hospital for preaching the Gospel. And here we are again in this hospital. Our friend Igor – a homeless person got here with an injury. He lives on the seashore with his Vietnamese girlfriend Tu. For about a year now we have been praying for them and helping them out.
Igor was hit by a motorcycle; he doesn’t remember anything because the accident was too great. Someone called an ambulance and he ended up in a hospital bed. His head was fractured, he had multiple bruises, and the motorcycle driver disappeared. During prayer walks along the beach, we met him. Having met his girlfriend Tu, we bought food, clothes and went to the hospital. Igor lies under a dropper, already conscious, barely recognizing me. Seeing us, a girl in a white coat came to his bed right away with a bill for his hospital stay. The total of 50,000,000 dong is written on a paper, which is around $2,200. When telling her that he is our friend, that we do not have that kind of money, she left. We prayed and talked. The next day, we visited him again, brought glasses and the Gideon Gospel.
A day later, walking along the beach, I see Tu from far away, waving her hand, she comes to me, and Igor gets out of the bushes and says: “As soon as the doctors in the hospital saw that I was recovering and could walk, somebody else took my bed in the hospital.” His treatment ended abruptly. Igor has been homeless for about 5 years, nobody needs him. He collects cans and cardboard, turns it in for recycling, that’s how he is making his living.
Sometimes, the place where they sleep is cold, and we think how to help them. Please support us in prayer, we have not only Igor in need, but other families with children who live on the street. Thank you for participating in the lives of these people.
In Cambodia, we were allowed to visit Russian-speaking prisoners. One man was English-speaking, Andreas – he is sentenced to life. When we read to him from the Word of God and told him we had come to him for Jesus’s sake (I was in prison and you came to Me. Matthew 25:36), he cried. The word of God touched his heart. Another man – Sasha, prayed like this, “Hello God, my name is Sasha!”… We were greatly touched by his sincere prayer. We visited Sasha last year. Through him, many more people in prison found God.
At the time of writing this letter, I received a message from Cambodia, Sasha was released earlier than scheduled, he is in the church today. Two other Russian-speaking men have been under investigation for six months now. They promised to come to us in Vietnam whenever they are released. Of course, we talked and prayed with the Khmers (the local population of Cambodia), they seemed very sincere to us.
In the evening we were at a service in one of the churches, they sang, testified about the love of Jesus Christ, how good and merciful He is and after fellowship, we were invited to a dinner, where we were treated with all kinds of national food.
A different service was in the dispensary for drug addicts and alcoholics. The Lord allowed to testify of His power and to call for repentance. Everyone prayed, but more than 30 people came forward, knelt and turned to the Lord. Many of them cried. We all gave them some goodies.
We also went to slums, met with children and treated them with sweets. We also served in the orphanage, there are 35 children, we prayed and preached there.
Our dear friends, with all my heart and soul we thank you for the work that you are doing with us in the Glory of His Holy Name!
