There were probably 40-50 university students there . . . all from different countries in Africa (there was one Russian student), but they are all studying in Russia. I loved being with them. It was like a balm for my weary heart. Moscow tends to have a culturally unemotional feeling on the streets, but walking into a room filled with young people from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Sudan who were praising God in a way only Africans can . . . it was just so refreshing!! One of the first things I said when I got up to speak was, “I want to be African!” They gave me “honorary African” status. Lol.
The next evening I spoke at a home Bible study for mostly single women. My plan was to speak about Biblical sexuality, but the mood and the focus of the evening kind of shifted at the meeting and so we just went with it. We ended up praying for a woman who had been seriously considering separating from her husband. She was encouraged to stay with him. Another girl shared about her problems with a young man who does not share her faith in God and the tension it is creating in their relationship. She is growing in her walk with God, but he is not a believer and so he is getting angry with her for the inevitable distance it is creating between them. We were able to point her back to the Scriptures and what God Word said about her circumstances. Anyway, it the evening totally didn’t go according to my plan, but it still went *exactly* according to His. My last evening in Russia, I spoke to a group of Christian medical students. All of them were from various countries in Africa and they are studying medicine in Moscow. They have a fabulous group that meets periodically. I was asked to speak to them about medical missions.
What a fun time! We talked about the Biblical basis for compassion/medical ministries, curative vs preventative focuses, and also about types of medical mission opportunities. Since arriving back home, I have been able to keep in touch with one of their leaders and we have been corresponding on ideas for helping them to launch their own ministries.
Of course, I would be amiss if I didn’t mention that my week in Moscow wasn’t all work . . . there was play, too! Red Square, the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s tomb were among the highlights!
I am still in awe of how God outlined and planned this trip. His power was so phenomenal in my weakness so many times. Thanks to each of you for your prayers and emotional support. I knew you were praying . . . and God showed off His power!!
