Report from the Ukhta Church of Christ for May 2005

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the University Church of Christ!

I am so thankful to you for your support, love and understanding. A member of the Yarega congregation, Alexander Holstinin, died. He was the husband of Irina, who was baptized by Marlon Rutherford during his last trip there. Alexander was a chronic alcoholic, but was a good person. Even after becoming a Christian he was unable to get rid of his alcohol addiction - nor after multiple repentance. Alexander died from a heart problem as a result of the alcohol problem.

Our congregation helped a Christian family from the Sosnogorsk Church of Christ, Leonid and Hadya Pahomov, by giving them 20,000 rubles (about $700) for heart surgery for their 1-year old daughter. The surgery was successful.

We are putting aside about 30,000 rubles every month to purchase an apartment in Yarega in the future. Right now we are lacking 150,000 rubles. During my next trip, God's will, we will be able to buy an apartment in Yarega for the Christians there to meet and worship. In the far off future it would be nice to buy an apartment for a preacher, who we want to hire for the work there in Yarega, hopefully next year.

A young Christian, Olga Vasenin, a mother of a seven month old boy, is able to come to church only for the Lord's Supper as her husband is against attending. She can only go to the Lord's Supper by telling her husband she is going to change the diaper while the husband waits downstairs. Pray for her!

I thank you from my heart.

Vladimir,
Ukhta Church of Christ