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I recently met in Southern Turkey, on the coast of the Mediterranean, with Victor Federoski. Yes, this was a planned meeting in that he was needing financial aid from us for the Learning Centers in central Russia. This is where we have sent teachers in the past and where we hope to continue in the future. I know this sounds strange, but such is the state of current US and Russia relationships. We met in a center where Russians, Turks, and even Americans can visit. Both Victor and his wife were there, and we had an entire afternoon with them, followed by dinner. I had wondered if I would ever get to visit with them again or to be able to discuss the Learning Center where we have invested for so many years. You may reasonably ask if that was the only way to get our much-needed help to them. After exploring various possibilities, this was the only viable means. So, a friend joined me, and we delivered funds to him and got to talk about the current state of the Learning Center.
Here is the good news: the class of twenty-nine seminary students that our teachers have been involved with has graduated. Praise the Lord, those twenty-nine current and future pastors, with our help, have finished their training and are serving in places where we can’t go at the present time. Starting soon, another twenty-six are going to start their training. Victor said, “Soon, we hope you and your other teachers will be able to come and help us again.” They have so appreciated us and the flavor of our approach. My response was, “As soon as the country is safe, I have many who are willing and ready to come.”
Alexey Markevich, one of the professors who has had family in Santa Barbara, met with me recently and shared much of the current situation. Moscow Seminary has a full group of new students. Peter Mitskevich, the president of Moscow Seminary, and I have also spoken recently. He appreciates the work our people have done in teaching and in financially supporting the school. He also conveyed his desire to see us and other teachers in person soon. Personally, I am hoping and praying for relationships between the US and Russia to improve and for this long war to come to an end. Please join me in that prayer.
Ukraine is in a totally different situation today. The president of the seminary reports that the school is meeting and currently has ninety students. Because the men face being drafted if found outside, the attention has shifted to the widows and orphans. They held another camp for widows, with three hundred more attending. The school is training church leaders how to counsel those who have faced trauma and are suffering with continuing PTSD. Ukraine needs an end to this war, and hundreds of pastors are needed to replace those lost during the war. Please pray!