Our budding church plant has this week been involved in a conference that was attended by 50 church pastors looking at what New Frontiers stands for and what we are here doing in the city of St Petersburg!
And to our regular meetings, people continue to come on in. At our last Wednesday night meal we have 33 people in total, which was the most so far by some way. Of this number, something like 10 of them were first time visitors, and there were about the same number who'd been before but were not there then! So the prospect of getting 40 next time is very possible...!
At our last Saturday night, with the same traits as the Wednesday, we had 22 people.
With a meeting again tonight and then a meal again on Wednesday, having missed last week because of the conference, it'll be exciting to see who else comes along.
And this is all still without any advertising - we all just seem to invite people, and they come along!
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Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mission Realities - A Great Honour
Today in Russia is Men's Day - 23rd February. It's a national holiday and another reason for a good party. I have not learnt fully what it means but it did mean that I got a card and two chocolate bars from my wife and rather excited little three year old this morning.
We also listened yesterday to a Mark Driscoll talk that looked at the importance and great honour of a father to his daughter, about how amazing it is to bring up a Christian women.
So with all this in mind, and my heart already stirred afresh with wanting to do the right thing for my daughter so that I have the best relationship possible with her as she grows up, as well as all the Men's Day stuff in Russia, it just so happened that today was also to be the first visit as a family to an orphanage!
Oh, how privileged I felt by the end of the time. How honoured that God had allowed me the opportunity to serve these little boys and girls, who have no parents, which gives them very little prospects at all.
Was it just chance that these events all coincided? I doubt that very much!
The orphanage that we went to (myself, wife and three year old, joining our friend Johanna) was south of the city, about 8 stops down from our nearest metro station. A toddler group from a UK church had sent two bag fulls of toys and stuff for them so we'd taken them with us, giving them to the director of the home to be distributed as she saw fit. We just pray they get to the children who need them most.
We only had about an hour with the children, mainly because we were playing outside with them in the snow. We'd been told to wait an hour already so this was now two hours in the cold of a Russian February afternoon, and too much for a three year old, though I also was starting to feel cold as well.
The children all seemed genuinely happy to have us - noticeable was the fact that all the female workers (only females...no men around) just stood around outside, 'watching' the children play but not actually playing with them. We can't pass judgement on this as this is the way it is here, even in the private kindergartens. But while there were only about 8 children outside to start, they kept coming and soon there must have been up to 30 of them running around, all various ages and sizes (meant to be from 5 years and up) but some were very small, surely a result of a poor diet. Many of the children's teeth had rotten away, though this didn't detract from the warm smiles that they greeted us with. The boys were all very polite, constantly coming over to me when they first arrived and saying the very official & polite Russian 'hello' to which I was only too happy to return (the less formal, and more friendly version), getting down to their level so as not to scare them!
So I titled this entry as a Great Honour because that is what it was! It wasn't us doing our good bit for the week, or anything equally worthless. It was an honour to be there, to be a daddy to these children, albeit for only an hour, but it was wonderful.
We really pray now that when Johanna checks next week whether we can come back weekly with her, they say yes! Because this isn't a job or just a good work. To give these little ones, even an hour of attention a week, there's no knowing what impact it would have on their lives.
Jesus - I thank you for each of those little children. I thank you that you have a plan and a purpose for them. I thank you that you haven't forgotten about any one of them, and though life circumstances have thrown them into that home, you haven't stopped loving them. Please help them Lord. Please give them all a future that is centred around you.
We also listened yesterday to a Mark Driscoll talk that looked at the importance and great honour of a father to his daughter, about how amazing it is to bring up a Christian women.
So with all this in mind, and my heart already stirred afresh with wanting to do the right thing for my daughter so that I have the best relationship possible with her as she grows up, as well as all the Men's Day stuff in Russia, it just so happened that today was also to be the first visit as a family to an orphanage!
Oh, how privileged I felt by the end of the time. How honoured that God had allowed me the opportunity to serve these little boys and girls, who have no parents, which gives them very little prospects at all.
Was it just chance that these events all coincided? I doubt that very much!
The orphanage that we went to (myself, wife and three year old, joining our friend Johanna) was south of the city, about 8 stops down from our nearest metro station. A toddler group from a UK church had sent two bag fulls of toys and stuff for them so we'd taken them with us, giving them to the director of the home to be distributed as she saw fit. We just pray they get to the children who need them most.
We only had about an hour with the children, mainly because we were playing outside with them in the snow. We'd been told to wait an hour already so this was now two hours in the cold of a Russian February afternoon, and too much for a three year old, though I also was starting to feel cold as well.
The children all seemed genuinely happy to have us - noticeable was the fact that all the female workers (only females...no men around) just stood around outside, 'watching' the children play but not actually playing with them. We can't pass judgement on this as this is the way it is here, even in the private kindergartens. But while there were only about 8 children outside to start, they kept coming and soon there must have been up to 30 of them running around, all various ages and sizes (meant to be from 5 years and up) but some were very small, surely a result of a poor diet. Many of the children's teeth had rotten away, though this didn't detract from the warm smiles that they greeted us with. The boys were all very polite, constantly coming over to me when they first arrived and saying the very official & polite Russian 'hello' to which I was only too happy to return (the less formal, and more friendly version), getting down to their level so as not to scare them!
So I titled this entry as a Great Honour because that is what it was! It wasn't us doing our good bit for the week, or anything equally worthless. It was an honour to be there, to be a daddy to these children, albeit for only an hour, but it was wonderful.
We really pray now that when Johanna checks next week whether we can come back weekly with her, they say yes! Because this isn't a job or just a good work. To give these little ones, even an hour of attention a week, there's no knowing what impact it would have on their lives.
Jesus - I thank you for each of those little children. I thank you that you have a plan and a purpose for them. I thank you that you haven't forgotten about any one of them, and though life circumstances have thrown them into that home, you haven't stopped loving them. Please help them Lord. Please give them all a future that is centred around you.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A Growing Church - Update 1
Having only just written the last entry, its great to be able to say that after the meal we had last night, there were three new faces. A french man that I'd met on Sunday and invited to the meal, as well as two Russian ladies. One is Nadia's housemate, and the other a lady that works for Oleg.
So we hit twelve adults last night, and that with one girl not available. With David & Scilla arriving on Monday and Johanna sure to be around next week, numbers are set to increase even further.
And then we'll have the problem of space....though surely that's a good problem for a church plant, isn't it...!
Blessings, Tim.
So we hit twelve adults last night, and that with one girl not available. With David & Scilla arriving on Monday and Johanna sure to be around next week, numbers are set to increase even further.
And then we'll have the problem of space....though surely that's a good problem for a church plant, isn't it...!
Blessings, Tim.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A Growing Church
I want to take this mini series to walk people through the growing work that is happening here in the centre of St Petersburg.
When my family arrived (3 people) on the 1st August we joined Dave & Hannah (plus three kids) who'd got here five days before. By about mid August Nadia, a Russian girl originally from Moscow, had moved up to join us from Tver, where Dave & Hannah had spent the previous year.
By the time we were meeting for food on Wednesday nights at about the start of September, Johanna, an America student who'd just arrived, had also joined. She had gone to a New Frontiers church in the US and the church had hosted David Devenish, who does a lot of work into Russia. When it was made known to him that she would be coming, the relevant details were given to her for when she arrived. She is on a language program here with many other America students.
The six adults and four children then continued to meet together of Wednesday nights, eating a meal before trying to do a normal home group, with Russian songs and a word section.
Towards the end of the year, where there had been the odd visitor to the group which pushed numbers up a little, a Russian guy named Oleg had also been coming. He is soon to be married and when he is they intend to move into the centre and join us, which will be a huge help.
Just before Christmas, we met an American student named Chelsea, who we invited back to lunch. We were having Johanna back that day as well and it so happened that they were on the same course, though at different stages. So when we started in the new year, Chelsea came along and was joined by another student that Johanna brought, a girl named Jenny. Now also Oleg has been bringing another Russian guy along.
With the numbers a little pushed, it was clear that two nights were needed. So now on a Wednesday we meet to eat together, and on a Saturday night we look to do church. We are up to 10 adults, with others looking in, and this all without any advertising as we feel we are still finding our feet.
A week today David & Scilla Devenish arrive in St Petersburg where they'll live for three months, joining in with us here and helping us along. Their input is surely set to grow things even faster so it might be that the next time I update this thread there are many, many more names to write about.
But God is on the move here! Amen!!
When my family arrived (3 people) on the 1st August we joined Dave & Hannah (plus three kids) who'd got here five days before. By about mid August Nadia, a Russian girl originally from Moscow, had moved up to join us from Tver, where Dave & Hannah had spent the previous year.
By the time we were meeting for food on Wednesday nights at about the start of September, Johanna, an America student who'd just arrived, had also joined. She had gone to a New Frontiers church in the US and the church had hosted David Devenish, who does a lot of work into Russia. When it was made known to him that she would be coming, the relevant details were given to her for when she arrived. She is on a language program here with many other America students.
The six adults and four children then continued to meet together of Wednesday nights, eating a meal before trying to do a normal home group, with Russian songs and a word section.
Towards the end of the year, where there had been the odd visitor to the group which pushed numbers up a little, a Russian guy named Oleg had also been coming. He is soon to be married and when he is they intend to move into the centre and join us, which will be a huge help.
Just before Christmas, we met an American student named Chelsea, who we invited back to lunch. We were having Johanna back that day as well and it so happened that they were on the same course, though at different stages. So when we started in the new year, Chelsea came along and was joined by another student that Johanna brought, a girl named Jenny. Now also Oleg has been bringing another Russian guy along.
With the numbers a little pushed, it was clear that two nights were needed. So now on a Wednesday we meet to eat together, and on a Saturday night we look to do church. We are up to 10 adults, with others looking in, and this all without any advertising as we feel we are still finding our feet.
A week today David & Scilla Devenish arrive in St Petersburg where they'll live for three months, joining in with us here and helping us along. Their input is surely set to grow things even faster so it might be that the next time I update this thread there are many, many more names to write about.
But God is on the move here! Amen!!
Life & Times - Part 7
I'm so well aware that I've not written much on this blog at all for so long. Of course that doesn't mean not much has been happening - quite the opposite in reality, which is probably why I haven't written on this blog for so long...
Many people I guess have access to our Facebook group and so therefore you have no doubt been receiving our regular updates. If you aren't on the group but want to stay in touch, do seek us out. The group is call Tim & Rachel to Russia.
Pressing into the end of January now in many ways I am amazed at how dark is HASN'T been and how cold it HASN'T been. Our anticipation and even apprehension before coming here was certainly much darker and colder than the actual reality of being here.
Yes, clearly it was much darker and colder that the UK, but not as much as we had feared. And once we're wrapped up, the cold was OK. The coldest we think it dropped to in the day so far is about -12, with night times down to -16. And even the dark was kind of nice to be inside, though it does make the mornings harder a little, as it looks like its only 4am and in fact its 10am or something!
But the truth is is that I found this season wonderfully beautiful. When it snows heavy, I praise God. It's so amazing to walk in such snow, each flake a unique example of God's creativity. And for New Year to be down by the river at midnight and to see such an amazing firework display above the frozen river Neva was something I'll always remember.
I've been writing a lot though as well, just not on my blog. With the language lessons stopped for the holiday, I managed to finished the first draft of my novel, detailed on by sister (brother?) blog linked to this one. Why am I writing? Well, its a passion of mine and something that has opened up since being here. Using my free time, of which at the moment I have more of than I ever did when in the UK, I aim to finish the book to get it ready for publishing, testing that whole career route as a means to be financially viable in the years to come when our support ends.
So I am excited and prayerful about what that might lead too?!
Every blessing,
Tim
Many people I guess have access to our Facebook group and so therefore you have no doubt been receiving our regular updates. If you aren't on the group but want to stay in touch, do seek us out. The group is call Tim & Rachel to Russia.
Pressing into the end of January now in many ways I am amazed at how dark is HASN'T been and how cold it HASN'T been. Our anticipation and even apprehension before coming here was certainly much darker and colder than the actual reality of being here.
Yes, clearly it was much darker and colder that the UK, but not as much as we had feared. And once we're wrapped up, the cold was OK. The coldest we think it dropped to in the day so far is about -12, with night times down to -16. And even the dark was kind of nice to be inside, though it does make the mornings harder a little, as it looks like its only 4am and in fact its 10am or something!
But the truth is is that I found this season wonderfully beautiful. When it snows heavy, I praise God. It's so amazing to walk in such snow, each flake a unique example of God's creativity. And for New Year to be down by the river at midnight and to see such an amazing firework display above the frozen river Neva was something I'll always remember.
I've been writing a lot though as well, just not on my blog. With the language lessons stopped for the holiday, I managed to finished the first draft of my novel, detailed on by sister (brother?) blog linked to this one. Why am I writing? Well, its a passion of mine and something that has opened up since being here. Using my free time, of which at the moment I have more of than I ever did when in the UK, I aim to finish the book to get it ready for publishing, testing that whole career route as a means to be financially viable in the years to come when our support ends.
So I am excited and prayerful about what that might lead too?!
Every blessing,
Tim
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Life & Times - Part 6
Sunday's 'The St Petersburg Times' made some interesting reading. In a Reuters article titled "Islamist Militants Say They Killed Mayor" it says;
"Islamist militants claimed responsibility on Thursday for killing a mayor in Russia's North Caucasus, an attack that prompted security services to warn that violence in the region could destabilize the entire country.
A sniper shot the mayor of Vladikavkaz, capital of the mainly Christian region of North Ossetia...
..."The execution of the enemy of Allah was carried out by the amir of Kataib al-Khoul", a statement posted...
...The group said it had killed the mayor because of his policies that insulted Islam and women"
It goes onto talk about how these arms attacks and bombings are threats to Russian national security.
Closer to home the paper also reported in an article by staff writer Galina Stolyarova about an explosion in a car that killed three and left one injured here in St Petersburg. You get a glimpse into the Russian political scene in trying to play down any foul play when they are quoted as saying "The most plausible version is that Simonov (one of the victims) happened to be carrying a grenade on him, which exploded accidentally"
Erm...yes, that would sound the most plausible solution.
In all these things, as a foreigner coming into this different culture, and as a Christian living here, reading things such as these can make you feel worried. And outside of God that would probably be the case. And yet, we know we are in the will of God here - so in reality this is the safest place for us to be on planet earth today!
We have been here just over 4 months now - we're into December, the light of day is not here for long now so its starting to feel constant evening and night time.
We've had some good times, some rough times and some tough times. But we are here. We are glad that God called us. We are glad that we listened and went. Now we want to press on to win the prize...
Blessings everyone.
"Islamist militants claimed responsibility on Thursday for killing a mayor in Russia's North Caucasus, an attack that prompted security services to warn that violence in the region could destabilize the entire country.
A sniper shot the mayor of Vladikavkaz, capital of the mainly Christian region of North Ossetia...
..."The execution of the enemy of Allah was carried out by the amir of Kataib al-Khoul", a statement posted...
...The group said it had killed the mayor because of his policies that insulted Islam and women"
It goes onto talk about how these arms attacks and bombings are threats to Russian national security.
Closer to home the paper also reported in an article by staff writer Galina Stolyarova about an explosion in a car that killed three and left one injured here in St Petersburg. You get a glimpse into the Russian political scene in trying to play down any foul play when they are quoted as saying "The most plausible version is that Simonov (one of the victims) happened to be carrying a grenade on him, which exploded accidentally"
Erm...yes, that would sound the most plausible solution.
In all these things, as a foreigner coming into this different culture, and as a Christian living here, reading things such as these can make you feel worried. And outside of God that would probably be the case. And yet, we know we are in the will of God here - so in reality this is the safest place for us to be on planet earth today!
We have been here just over 4 months now - we're into December, the light of day is not here for long now so its starting to feel constant evening and night time.
We've had some good times, some rough times and some tough times. But we are here. We are glad that God called us. We are glad that we listened and went. Now we want to press on to win the prize...
Blessings everyone.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Life & Times - Part 5
Life continues to get interesting here - partly why I've not been able to update much lately!
We have now been here over three months and there isn't a day that goes by that we haven't been learning something. Life is certainly different, challenging and we need God in every situation. It's not possible to just use the word 'hard' because we used to say that about life in England. So maybe its hard+ here?
Most Russian's know that life is hard and this comes out in their attitudes to smoking, drinking and even HIV. They know the dangers but just don't care because the sort of feeling is "lets have fun, enjoy the moment, we have enough to worry about besides cancer, AIDS ect" It's tough to hear but we've learnt this from the mouths of Russian's themselves! So I guess to some degree we carry on our shoulders that same "thing" that makes it hard+ for them (as yet unidentified but I think it's loads of things rolled into one) plus we have the language issues as well!
But we have God...which is a HUGE bonus!
October had a very wet end to the month, two weeks of constant rain which just don't compare to what had been 'wet' weather for us in Manchester (we're it is rumoured that it rains all the time). Two things help paint the picture. Firstly, even though the roads are resurfaced quite regularly (yearly maybe) there are entrenched tired tracks that all the cars and lorries drive down. When it rains these track fill with water and the cars then spray the pavements - whether you are clear or not! Plus, they don't have drains for the rain water from the roofs, instead it comes down these giant foot wide metal tubes that are spaced every 20 metres and they just spray the water across the pavement and into the road! So just walking alone, rain pouring down, you also have to avoid the spray from the road and the rivers that cover the pavement every 20m....your shoes get covered in dirt with all that run off from the roof. My trainers in just three months have worn down! But that's just a little image of life here.
Last week we changed to a new Russian language teacher last week - basically our old teacher wasn't able to get in on time so she arranged the switch. But it was God's provision really. The new teacher is fantastic and the level has jumped so much. We are getting loads of homework which has to get done that day as the next lesson is usually the following day. So its hard, but good!
The last fortnight though also offered a great opportunity with Russian and with social action, though it also added to what became a crazy week - let me explain. On about the Sunday 26th October, Hannah Henson (wife of Dave who's family we joined here in St Petersburg) noticed a lady begging at the station with her two children, a girl of 4 and a boy who was only 1. She befriended her and Dave & Hannah both agreed to invite them in and help them. To keep them off the street they stayed at their house on the Monday night in order to get their clothes completely cleaned, and on Tuesday we both went round to meet them all (both parents and the 2 children) in order to try and find them somewhere to stay from that night onwards. We'd arranged for a lady from one of the churches here to come round and she made loads of calls.
The family are Moldovan and had come to St Petersburg, like many like them, to look for work in order to make more money. Their story though was that they had lost their home in a flood and they'd been sleeping rough here for one week before Dave & Hannah met them. By about 6pm Dave & I went off with the family and the Russian church worker to take them to an office of a hostel that could take them for a week from the next day onwards (we also had somewhere lined up for that night which we'd go onto after). Having travelled to the hostel they said that they wouldn't take non Russians and so that option was closed. We then went onto the venue for that night, to which, as is common, the owner seemed to change her mind on the doorstep about the price before saying she didn't want children and turned us away! It was now about 7:30pm and after about 7 hours of efforts we were back to square one with a family needing somewhere to stay and now we had no time and few options. We finally got the lady who runs the hostel we all stayed at on first arrival here in Russia to agree to take them in for two nights. The lady occasionally goes to the same church as the Russian church worker with us and she also was quite good friends with Dave Henson. We therefore went there, glad we'd got them somewhere to stay for two nights at least, paid up and got them into their room for the night. You could physically see the relief on their faces. But then.....the lady who ran the hostel spoke to Dave for 10 minutes and said she was very concerned about them....she assumed the worst...and they could only stay one night, of which even that made her very upset and worried about her other guests! It was now 9pm and another slap in the face, a difficult reaction even considering she was only a nominal christian.
Just before Hannah had met them begging outside an Orthodox Church building (as is a very common spot to find people begging) the lady had been beaten up by two men who said she couldn't beg there. Apparently she then prayed to God and Hannah showed up and offered her help.
The family joined us all for dinner at group last Wednesday though didn't make the church we went to on Sunday. Having made contact later through our Russia friend Nadia, from our small group here (and after another incident while begging outside the Orthodox Church) she has said she wants no more help and nothing to do with the Church (unfortunately, as is common, we all get tarnished with the same brush in this one).
Since the above was written now further contacts have been made so we have to leave them in God's hands and pray that they don't completely reject Him because of the criminal actions of the Mafia gangs that ultimately control and charge the people to beg outside the churches.
November has come in with only dry weather (a welcome relief) but the temperature has been constantly dropping and this morning got to zero and will drop minus from tomorrow onwards, I'm guessing not going to get above zero again until well into next year, April maybe? So we are bracing ourselves...
God has given us a break and we go on holiday tomorrow for 10 days - we'll come back refreshed, recharged and geared up for all that is to come.
If life is going to be hard+, it just means God is going to be even closer than ever.
We have now been here over three months and there isn't a day that goes by that we haven't been learning something. Life is certainly different, challenging and we need God in every situation. It's not possible to just use the word 'hard' because we used to say that about life in England. So maybe its hard+ here?
Most Russian's know that life is hard and this comes out in their attitudes to smoking, drinking and even HIV. They know the dangers but just don't care because the sort of feeling is "lets have fun, enjoy the moment, we have enough to worry about besides cancer, AIDS ect" It's tough to hear but we've learnt this from the mouths of Russian's themselves! So I guess to some degree we carry on our shoulders that same "thing" that makes it hard+ for them (as yet unidentified but I think it's loads of things rolled into one) plus we have the language issues as well!
But we have God...which is a HUGE bonus!
October had a very wet end to the month, two weeks of constant rain which just don't compare to what had been 'wet' weather for us in Manchester (we're it is rumoured that it rains all the time). Two things help paint the picture. Firstly, even though the roads are resurfaced quite regularly (yearly maybe) there are entrenched tired tracks that all the cars and lorries drive down. When it rains these track fill with water and the cars then spray the pavements - whether you are clear or not! Plus, they don't have drains for the rain water from the roofs, instead it comes down these giant foot wide metal tubes that are spaced every 20 metres and they just spray the water across the pavement and into the road! So just walking alone, rain pouring down, you also have to avoid the spray from the road and the rivers that cover the pavement every 20m....your shoes get covered in dirt with all that run off from the roof. My trainers in just three months have worn down! But that's just a little image of life here.
Last week we changed to a new Russian language teacher last week - basically our old teacher wasn't able to get in on time so she arranged the switch. But it was God's provision really. The new teacher is fantastic and the level has jumped so much. We are getting loads of homework which has to get done that day as the next lesson is usually the following day. So its hard, but good!
The last fortnight though also offered a great opportunity with Russian and with social action, though it also added to what became a crazy week - let me explain. On about the Sunday 26th October, Hannah Henson (wife of Dave who's family we joined here in St Petersburg) noticed a lady begging at the station with her two children, a girl of 4 and a boy who was only 1. She befriended her and Dave & Hannah both agreed to invite them in and help them. To keep them off the street they stayed at their house on the Monday night in order to get their clothes completely cleaned, and on Tuesday we both went round to meet them all (both parents and the 2 children) in order to try and find them somewhere to stay from that night onwards. We'd arranged for a lady from one of the churches here to come round and she made loads of calls.
The family are Moldovan and had come to St Petersburg, like many like them, to look for work in order to make more money. Their story though was that they had lost their home in a flood and they'd been sleeping rough here for one week before Dave & Hannah met them. By about 6pm Dave & I went off with the family and the Russian church worker to take them to an office of a hostel that could take them for a week from the next day onwards (we also had somewhere lined up for that night which we'd go onto after). Having travelled to the hostel they said that they wouldn't take non Russians and so that option was closed. We then went onto the venue for that night, to which, as is common, the owner seemed to change her mind on the doorstep about the price before saying she didn't want children and turned us away! It was now about 7:30pm and after about 7 hours of efforts we were back to square one with a family needing somewhere to stay and now we had no time and few options. We finally got the lady who runs the hostel we all stayed at on first arrival here in Russia to agree to take them in for two nights. The lady occasionally goes to the same church as the Russian church worker with us and she also was quite good friends with Dave Henson. We therefore went there, glad we'd got them somewhere to stay for two nights at least, paid up and got them into their room for the night. You could physically see the relief on their faces. But then.....the lady who ran the hostel spoke to Dave for 10 minutes and said she was very concerned about them....she assumed the worst...and they could only stay one night, of which even that made her very upset and worried about her other guests! It was now 9pm and another slap in the face, a difficult reaction even considering she was only a nominal christian.
Just before Hannah had met them begging outside an Orthodox Church building (as is a very common spot to find people begging) the lady had been beaten up by two men who said she couldn't beg there. Apparently she then prayed to God and Hannah showed up and offered her help.
The family joined us all for dinner at group last Wednesday though didn't make the church we went to on Sunday. Having made contact later through our Russia friend Nadia, from our small group here (and after another incident while begging outside the Orthodox Church) she has said she wants no more help and nothing to do with the Church (unfortunately, as is common, we all get tarnished with the same brush in this one).
Since the above was written now further contacts have been made so we have to leave them in God's hands and pray that they don't completely reject Him because of the criminal actions of the Mafia gangs that ultimately control and charge the people to beg outside the churches.
November has come in with only dry weather (a welcome relief) but the temperature has been constantly dropping and this morning got to zero and will drop minus from tomorrow onwards, I'm guessing not going to get above zero again until well into next year, April maybe? So we are bracing ourselves...
God has given us a break and we go on holiday tomorrow for 10 days - we'll come back refreshed, recharged and geared up for all that is to come.
If life is going to be hard+, it just means God is going to be even closer than ever.
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