Standing In An Answer to Prayer

One of the bonuses of a “fact-finding” trip like the ones we take are the many side-stories that we come across on the way. In just our first day here, we have found that our trip to Surgut is no different and it is always exciting to hear how God has moved among people, regardless of where in the world you are.

Tonight while at the Baptist Church in Surgut we met the Senior Pastor’s brother-in-law Victor, who grew up in Ukraine, but who now lives in Surgut. And, every day that Victor comes to the church he is reminded of the fact that God is faithful and answers prayer. You see, during the Communist era, Victor’s grandfather was sent from Ukraine to a work camp in Surgut because of his faith. During that time he prayed that God would start a church in Surgut. And today, the church where we met Victor has more than 250 regular attendees.

Now, decades later, Victor has a similar prayer: that churches will be started among the Khanti people of northwestern Siberia. Won’t you join Victor in praising God for what he has done, and ask that new churches be started among the Khanti?

Blessings,
Marc
For the Engage Russia Team

In Search of the Khanti

We arrived in Surgut this morning just after 4am and were met at the airport by Senior Pastor, Sergei Kubata who took us to our hotel to get settled into our home-away-from-home for the week.
After a couple of hours of much-needed rest we met at the church for a light supper and learned much about the work here among the Khanti. Of the 20,000 Khanti there are only about 70 believers – that’s 4-thousandths of a percent! They are scattered throughout the region mixed-in with Russians in different churches and groups. Right now there are no Khanti churches.
A difficulty of reaching the Khanti, we learned, is their semi-nomadic lifestyle. We are hoping to visit a reindeer herd while we are here. As we are told, the problem is that this time of year the herders are deep in the forests far from any roads or civilization. We are looking for some snowmobiles, and permission to go out into the forest, but even then, the temperature is to the point that reliability is a real concern. It is minus 30 Celsius (or minus 22 F). And even if we can find the snowmobiles, and someone to take us, there is no way of knowing where to look for the groups, they could be anywhere. How do you plant churches among a field that is constantly on the move across the frozen tundra?
We don’t know either!
Pray for the work among the Khanti. Pray for the local Baptists as they reach out to the Khanti. Pray for our trip Thursday to the village of Ruskinskaya, a modern day trading post for the Khanti.
S’Bogum
Tim for Team Engage Russia

The Khanti-Mansian Call

No, it wasn't a vision. In this case it was a Senior Pastor saying "Come over to Surgut to help us."

Several months ago, Pastor Sergei Kubata came to our IMB offices here in Moscow. He came with Pastor Alexander Popov from Udmurtia. We have had a stateside church partnership with Udmurtia for a few years already, and the two had been talking.

"Can you find us a partnership like the one with the Udmurt?"

"We need help reaching the Khanti people in our area."

As we talked, Pastor Sergei shared about their church planting efforts among the people group of 20,000. Scattered throughout the region in remote villages, the Khanti have had little or no chance to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Russian Baptist churches have one Russian missionary trying to reach them.

They have asked for our help.

This week's trip is designed to learn more; more about the Khanti and more about the efforts to get the Gospel to them. We are hoping and praying that what we see, what we learn, and what we experience, will lead to a partnership between some of YOU and the Khanti People of Russia.

Follow this Blog, sign up for our Twitter, and join us through your prayers as we follow the Khanti-Mansian Call!

S'Bogum

Tim for Team Engage Russia

Engage Russia Now Twittering

The Engage Russia Team has now began Twittering!
What is twitter and how does it work?
I am not quite sure how to answer that, but basically it is another internet based communication tool for updating others about what you are doing, when you are actually doing it.
For example - next week Marc, Tim and Jimmy will be traveling to Surgut, Russia to learn more about the work among the Khanti People of Russia. During their trip they will be posting on this blog daily (depending on internet capabilities) AND Twittering every few hours, using Marc's iphone.
There is a box on the right hand site of this blog site that will be updated with frequent, shorter updates about where we are, what we are doing, who we are talking to, etc. in almost real time.
Following us on twitter will be like being there on the trip with us, almost.
So, follow the blog, the twitter, the upcoming website, as we together continue to ENGAGE RUSSIA!
S'Bogum
Tim for the Engage Russia Team

The Official Engage Russia Refrigerator Magnet

Engage Russia-Chuvash People Group Prayer Guide

Engage Russia-Chuvash People Group Poster