One thing leads to another

By Dave & Martina B. in Ulan-Ude, Siberia

Summer is the season for camps. This year, our church in Ulan-Ude put on a day camp. It drew about 100 kids who sang, made crafts and played wild games. They heard the gospel through powerful skits and daily Bible teaching.

Five of these lucky children also won a grand prize: A camping trip. There was one little catch: They would be camping with our entire church.

For some, this may not seem like a highly sought-after prize, but for many locals, the chance to go to Lake Baikal for a free weekend is a pretty welcome opportunity. This is evidenced by the fact that all five families showed up.

At the lake, about 75 of us lived in 20 tents and ate under a covered dining area. We spent time fellowshipping, learning and playing together. Early Sunday morning, we all gathered at the edge of the lake to watch four young people publicly confess their faith and be baptized.

The five visiting families heard the gospel, witnessed the baptism and enjoyed fellowship with other Christians. And two of the ladies from these families even repented! Please join us in praying that their declaration of repentance would be evidenced by sincere and growing faith. Ask God to grant his wisdom to the ladies in our church who now are pursing a deeper relationship with these two women.

About the authors: Dave and Martina B. moved to Ulan-Ude in 2010. They work with Russian partners and SEND teammates to start churches, work with struggling families, and develop local leaders. Their team focuses its work among the Buryat people, who are Tibetan Buddhist and virtually unreached with the gospel. The B's have two sons.

More stories from Ulan-Ude

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