Report from the Ukhta Church of Christ for March - April 2004

Dear brothers and sisters in the University Church of Christ,

I. Evangelical work in Ukhta and Yarega

With great happiness I want to tell you that this was a very successful trip. I think that this was one of the most fruitful times in the life of the Ukhta Church of Christ and my own. During this time I preached and conducted Bible lessons in Ukhta and Yerega.
Before I came, brother Andrei conducted this work. But what was lacking in the church during my absence was a lack of evangelical work in Ukhta. After brother Marlon baptized two people in November 2003, Irina and Maxim, there have been no baptisms since - which has been very sad for all of us. Therefore, the whole congregation was very happy when in March and April six lost souls were baptized:

• Maria Sergeevna Feoktistova, 58 years old
• Her granddaughter, Maria Andreevna Feoktistova, 12 years old
• Tatyana Vladimirovna Zazhigina, 27 years old
• Lubov Ogurtsova, 49 years old
• Galina Ivanovna Matveeva, 60 years old
• Valentina Maxsinovna Rocheva, 58 years old.

II. Realization of the New Project

In March and April we started a large project (to last for two or more years) to distribute free of charge a book entitled "Bible Built Homes - Principles for Constructing Christian Families" by Thomas Dockery. Through the distribution we will also provide an invitation to worship at the Church of Christ. The book, 105 pages, was
translated by my daughters, Inna Swann and Antonina Vakhrusheva, and published by Gospel Tracts International in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Five thousand copies were printed. The Baldwin Church of Christ in Fayetteville, Arkansas, spent their money in printing and mailing 1500 copies to Ukhta. This is an important and needed book, which type of literature we did not previously have in Russian. My daughters were happy to translate knowing that many of their
classmates, friends, and a cousin, lived together outside of marriage. Today in Ukhta living outside of marriage is common for young people as they attempt to "try out" marriage.  Consequently, there are many divorces, children born outside of marriage, and conflicts. Through distribution of Biblical views about the family, we hope to conduct mass evangelical work.

This work was started, 140 books were distributed and 280 people were invited to worship. Copies of this book, in addition to the New Testament, were given out in ZAGS (a state organization for registration of marriage). This was possible only because the director of ZAGS is Tatyana Vasilievna, who was my former patient.
She allowed this to take place at her own risk.

To tell you the truth, she is under a high risk of loosing her job because she gave us permission to distribute this book which was not written by a Russian Orthodox approved author. Everything religious that is not written by a Russian Orthodox is forbidden.

Therefore, we are distributing this book sort of underground in order not to put workers of ZAGS at risk. In the future we hope to distribute this book near the public library and also (very carefully!) through the University and four colleges in Ukhta.

III. Marriages

By the way, the director of ZAGS, Tatyana Vasilievna conducted the official (state) part of the marriage registration of our young Christian couple Alexander and Olga Rochevy here at the Church of Christ building. Two ceremonies - Biblical marriage ceremony and state registration of marriage - took place at the Church of Christ!

IV. Children's Shelter

1. Katya conducts Bible lessons in the Children's shelter on Saturdays.
2. Unfortunately, while I was gone they stopped bringing children to church on Sundays.

V. Medical work in Ukhta and Sosnogorsk

During this trip I stayed in Sosnogorsk and was able to treat patients from the Sosnogorsk Church of Christ and teach them the Bible while I was treating them. I treated these patients during the early morning and late evening hours. All the other time I spent in Ukhta and Yarega.

VI. Purchase of the apartment in Ukhta

There was enough money saved and collected since August 2003 (220,000 rubles = $7,800), in addition to the proceeds of the sale of a one room apartment outside of the city limits, to buy an identical apartment inside the city limits - a five minutes walk from the church building.

VII. Charitable Work

I brought good American multivitamins for every member of the Church and their children enough to last the whole spring season. I also brought medicine for needy people and vitamins for the children of the Shelter. Vitamins and food was given to each child in the Shelter.

VIII. Vacation Bible School

During Spring Break, the Sosnogorsk and Ukhta Churches of Christ conducted a two-day Spring VBS that lasted 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

The Ukhta Church of Christ and I are very thankful to you for your love and support. May God bless you for your efforts to help missionaries.

Your brother in Christ,
Vladimir
Ukhta Church of Christ