Comforting Those Who Mourn – June 2007 – Part 2

Today, choose whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord. ‚   ‚   (Joshua 24:15)
6/3/07, Sunday: Went to AM fellowship. Afterwards, did lesson planning for tomorrow”s English classes. Went to visit Mairbek (who survived the attack, but lost his mom in it). We played ping pong at the park, and then hung out some at his house. Later, I visited with Madina and her family (who lost 10-year-old Marat in the massacre). The Lord gave an absolutely amazing time of sharing with Madina”s mom (Zalina), all praise be to His Name! I had prayed for an opportunity to share Jesus, and He answered. Among other things, was able to share that none of us are ” ˜good,” and that we all have a debt which we can”t pay. But, we can accept Jesus” payment for us. The Lord gave great opportunities to share truth and His Word, and so all the glory be to Him! I played with and helped occupy Alanchik and Alanka (Madina”s baby brother, and her little sister) while Madina studied for her very important algebra exam/final tomorrow.

6/4/07, Monday: Had English and guitar lessons today. The kids hung out for quite awhile, and before the 7 o’clock adult group came, things were a bit rowdy; and so by God’s grace, we started reading The Bible together. Each youth read a verse, and we went through all of James 3-5, as well as some of Psalm 145.

6/7/07, Thursday: The English and guitar sessions in the afternoon were pretty discouraging” ¦ somewhat like babysitting. You’ll have that when working with groups of kids” ¦ and I confess that I’m still trying to learn the balance in all that. If you’re too strict, no kids will want to come, but if you let everything slide, then no one wants to come ” ˜cos it’s like a circus!

6/8/07, Friday: Went and taught Georgi, his cousins Asik and Alina, and three other kids. (Georgi is a young boy who survived the attack, but lost his whole family there: his only brother and sibling, his mom, his dad, and his grandma. Georgi now lives with his aunt’s family. He’s a very sweet kid” ¦ smiling a lot, but also very quiet and sensitive.)

6/10/07, Sunday: Went to AM fellowship. Visited with Taisya and Zalina. (Taisya was a hostage along with her four young daughters” ¦ all lived except the second-oldest daughter.) ‚   Had a nice visit with them, and Taisya gave me a Russian/Ossetian/English mini-dictionary” ¦ thank You, Lord, and please bless her! Gave them both of my CDs. Taisya told me of Saudi Arabia ’s invitation for Bsln kids to visit there in September or something” ¦ to visit Saudi Arabia when they will be having a big muslim holiday. Taisya and I talked of the absolute stupidity of the muslims’ invitation. Like Taisya mentioned, to have Bsln kids there ” “ in Saudi Arabia of all places ” “ and hearing people saying ” ˜allahu akbar’ like they heard the terrorists say in the school massacre. What an absolutely insane and absurd invitation” ¦ that is about the height of stupidity! Let’s see, muslim terrorists ” “ in the very name of their ” ˜god’ ” “ attack a school here in 2004 and hold over 1,000 people hostage in appalling condition… kids having to resort to drinking their own urine and so forth. More than 330 people are killed, and then a muslim country ” “ Saudi Arabia of all places ” “ invites kids who survived that nightmare but lost family members and friends in it ” “ to visit their country during a huge muslim holiday? I want to keep on writing about how absolutely and incredibly dumb such a stupid invitation is, but i’m just at a loss for words. The “religion of peace”  never ceases to amaze me. ‚   ‚   ‚   ‚   ” ¦Later visited Madina; she’s still taking exams – she said how her parents were doing bad (healthwise). I asked her how she was, and she said something like, ” ˜I have to be okay.’ I know she carries so much on her shoulders, in helping take care of her family. She said how much she just wanted a day to spend by herself. I told her that after her exams were done, I’d give her money for her and a friend to go do something special. ‚   ‚   ‚   ‚   ‚   ” ¦.Later, The Lord blessed me with a really nice time of visiting Sergei and Byella, two amazing believers who lost two of their daughters in the massacre. (Sergei is a pastor here, and his family remains active in the ministry.) Byella told me of how difficult it was for her when she was studying during the time of Communism, because she refused to sign a government paper which said there was no God. She also shared that their family still gets sympathy letters, and i would encourage you to pray and consider sending a card or note of encouragement as well. Though they lost two of their daughters almost three years ago, they obviously must live in the present reality of not seeing their beloved children by their sides. We talked for quite a while, and when I was leaving, Byella said it was very nice to talk with me ” “ for in Christ, we are one spirit. Amen! Lord Yeshua ” “ thank You for the bond in You and friendship with these saints, and thank You for laying down Your life for us. All the glory and praise be to You!

Prayer Requests

• Wisdom for Madina as she studies for and takes her many exams ” “ pray also for strength and encouragement for her, and for her to find those things in Jesus;
• Madina’s parents, Alan and Zalina, for better health, and for their wounded hearts;
• Yah’s encouragement for one of my Christian sisters here;
• me, to be surrendered to ” “ and led by ” “ His Holy Spirit; and that i might learn the languages here better;
• President Bush and his family, as well as our other leaders;
• God’s blessing on the English, guitar, and Bible-reading times here;
• the peace of Jerusalem .

Thank you all for being part of this outreach! All the glory be to our Magnificent God for Who He Is and for all that He does!

The Lord Is our Refuge,
jason, [email protected]

Whom will you serve? Choose today! As for me & my house, we will serve YHWH. ‚   ‚   (Joshua 24:15)