I was ushered into a house at one point. My camera fogged up immediately as it was transferred from the cold, dry outside air to the warm, humid air inside this two room house/workshop. I was introduced to a Roma basket-weaver who was in the middle of production, and I couldn’t even take a picture, but had to wait several minutes for the condensation to clear away.

His hands were scarred and calloused from the manual labor, but his face was kind yet focused on his work. His pot of freshly boiled twigs sat beside him as he pulled them out one-by-one to strip the bark by using a larger slotted stick. The bark dropped to the floor and the white, bare twigs emerged as easily as a banana from its peel.

He informed us that he could produce a basket in about one hour. The sturdy examples sat behind him and we were told that the price per basket was 40 Ukrainian Griven (UAH) which is about $5. He and is wife were welcoming in their modest accommodations.

We departed there to attend the church service being held at the house just next door. The cold blast was but a few seconds as we exited one house and entered the other. More than 20 Roma crammed into this small house. Hungarian songs were sung, and a Hungarian Bible lesson was well received.  I understood no words, but felt a spirit of true worship.

Under the instruction of my wife (at home in Kiev, Ukraine), I needed to return to purchase one of these baskets.  I didn’t know how I would get it back in one piece, but arranged a return trip to his house.  Once again, we were welcomed warmly.

The basket-weaver told me to choose one of the baskets. They all looked similar. I asked for his opinion, and he pointed out one he seemed especially proud of. As I took the basket, I started to hand him 50 UAH (instead of the quoted price of 40), but he would not accept it. My host and I were startled as everyone in the room indicated that the basket was “paid for.” By whom? When? Questions swirled in my mind at the thought of a gift from someone who worked so hard to create a $5 basket. Here I was, awed by the generosity of someone who didn’t appear as someone who could afford to be generous. I continued to try to pass the money to no avail. The basket was a “gift.”

I was reminded of so many different stories from the Bible, but mostly was reminded of the best “gift” I had ever been given. One with carpenter’s hands gave it to me. It appeared to cost him everything, even though He did not even have a place He called home (on this earth). My ugly bark of sin had been stripped away to reveal the clean, white righteousness that He gave me. He works on weaving me into a sturdy, useful, ornate, being that he created me to be. And he promises me a home beyond my imagination.

Remember, you don’t pay for a gift, the Giver does.

A Romany youth shares Christ with Roma of Medgidia.

Some worked with children, doing four programs in two locations; others walked the streets witnessing and going into homes to share through singing and testimonies; a few preached; all sang on street corners and at the outdoor evangelistic services. These were not American volunteers on a mission trip, they were Romany youth from different cities in Romania who came together as Roma Ministries to reach their own people. Bob and Gayle Hill, missionaries to the Roma living in Romania who organized the weekend, felt like proud parents as they watched these youth serve as a team and bring glory to God.

“Some stood out as preachers, some as singers, some as children’s workers, and some as faithful witnesses,” Gayle said. “Like proud parents, our buttons popped and our hearts were blessed!”

Bob and Gayle have lived in Romania for 61/2 years, and have known many of these youth as long–bringing some to faith, seeing them baptized and watching them grow in Christ. They have also witnessed American teams come and minister to the Roma and have rejoiced as God blessed these efforts. But they are convinced that the best ones to reach Roma, are Roma.

“They need no translator, they bring no gifts or money, the simply bring their own changed lives and share what God has done for them and can do for others,” Gayle said.

Bob and Gayle believe that giving these young people the training and opportunity to reach their own people blesses their cities and homes and prepares them to become the leaders, pastors and missionaries of tomorrow. Several years ago the Team Romany, led by Boyd Hatchel, started a program called FARM (Far Away Romany Missions), through which Romany believers spend 6 weeks on a mission project in a different city, and often a different country. It has been a wonderful experience as the Romany believers have caught a vision for reaching their own with the Gospel, seeing first-hand how God can use them.

This group went to the city of Medgidia, near the coast. The pastor there wanted a FARM team to come during the summer but there weren’t enough young people to meet the need, so this weekend group came instead. This area of Romania is a mixture of Romanian, Romanian Roma, Turks, and Turkish gypsies.

The young people chose their ministry and were let loose on the town. They made house visits, often stopped on corners to sing or share a testimony, held children’s programs, met with the local church youth group and held an outdoor evangelistic service with music and worship. Local believers were encouraged, many people heard the plan of salvation and 2 adults were saved.

“The youth were amazing,” Gayle said. “The first night, they were already talking about when and where they could go next!”

This project was funded through Team Romany’s partnership with LifeWay and Centrifuge camps. Roma missionaries hope to do at least 4 similar projects a year, depending on future available funds. Please pray for the Roma youth as they take on the mantle of leadership in their communities.

I remember turning to my wife and saying, “They don’t have a clue,” and opening my Bible to read Revelation 3:8: “Behold I have put before you an open door which no one can shut…” (NASB). The Sovereign Lord of the universe determined to open 12 time zones to a residential Christian witness 20 years ago this week. Indeed the world was changed!

Less than a year later, I traveled from a pastorate in northeast Texas to lead a small, evangelistic campaign in northwest Poland in a public building. A Baptist taxi driver drove me to Berlin my second weekend to preach at the International Baptist Church. We drove through Checkpoint Charley the last night that it was manned with heavy security.

The next day I took a borrowed hammer and joined scores of people dismantling the Wall. With every blow, I whispered a prayer that the Lord would likewise tear down the spiritual barriers prevalent in most of the countries located behind the Iron Curtain. Within six months, my wife and I would be the first missionaries appointed to Poland as Polish-language church planters, and we would see first-hand as the Lord began to make cracks in the impenetrable darkness.

Later that year, 1991, the IMB (International Mission Board) set an immediate goal of appointing 130 career missionaries, 340 International Service Corps workers and more than 1,000 volunteers to the former Soviet Union. Led by George and Veda Rae Lozuk in Moscow, dozens were soon appointed and most of the “Iron Curtain countries” had been entered by the mid-1990s.

The early days were filled with optimism and greater openness, which led to substantial strides in starting new churches in many countries. The advance slowed with the awareness that the streets would not turn to gold and that economic and societal hardship would precede substantive steps forward.

Twenty years later, the new has become routine and “the old days” are discussed by the elderly playing chess in the public parks. Some of the former Warsaw-Pact countries are now in the European Union, and many borders once patrolled by thousands are open to all drivers who are welcomed with attractive signs. The Gospel has impacted the 12 time zones yet black clouds are on the horizon. The Russian government is crafting extremely restrictive legislation, influenced by the favored Russian Orthodox Church, which would severely restrict the evangelistic work of evangelicals and virtually outlaw the work of international missionaries.

As we pray for the next 20 years, it is good to remember that He is still the one “who opens and no one can shut.”

Mark Edworthy serves as a global strategist for IMB’s European Peoples affinity group.

Baptist Valodya Kuznezov explains passages from the New Testament during a home meeting near Izhevsk, Russia. Russian Baptist leaders say that wording in proposed Russian legislation to restrict missionary activity makes no distinction between professional missionaries and average believers. "Practically all believers will become susceptible to penal sanction," says Yuri Sipko, president of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians - Baptists.

New legislation being considered by Russian lawmakers could drastically restrict missions activity if made into law. Restrictions could include requiring missionaries and Russian Christians to obtain permission to engage in missionary activity and limiting its locations and participants, such as tourists and minors.

While the proposals are currently in the draft stages, language introduced by the Russian Ministry of Justice Oct. 12 indicates that if these laws are enacted they will greatly restrict religious freedom.

Russian Baptist officials say they believe the new language primarily targets Roman Catholics and Protestants and believe it has already found favor with leaders of Russian Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism — Russia’s four most prominent religions.

“Of course, when measures like this are talked about, we are always concerned and we should look at them with a measure of seriousness,” said Ed Tarleton, a leader of IMB work in Russia. “Evangelicals have enjoyed days of openness and freedom, so when lawmakers start talking about language that is contrary to that, we become concerned.”

The proposed changes include allowing only religious groups who have been registered in Russia for at least 15 years to apply for permission to engage in missionary activity. Foreigners in Russia on a temporary visa, such as a tourist visa, would be excluded from engaging in missionary work.

Russian Baptist leaders add that wording in the proposed legislation makes no distinction between professional missionaries and average believers. “Practically all believers will become susceptible to penal sanction,” says Yuri Sipko, president of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists.

In addition, the new language indicates that missions activity will not be allowed in hospitals, orphanages or homes for invalids and the aging without the approval of government officials. Missionary activity would be prohibited on the grounds of government buildings. The proposed measures also take aim at minors, saying that Russian minors may not be present at religious activities or be given media materials without their parents’ consent.

Over the past decade, Baptists in Russia, as well as other Protestants, have been involved with social work — addressing the issues of drug and alcohol abuse. Sipko recently wrote, “Without missionary activities, drunkenness and the abuse of narcotics will only increase. If the state begins to destroy the social ministry of churches, it will be forced to build more prisons.”

IMB missionary Andy Leiniger has been working with Russian Baptists in Siberia as they develop social ministry programs. “If these laws were to pass and be enforced, they would officially shut them [the ministry centers] down,” Leiniger said. “But I think it would be very hard to unofficially stop the work that is being done when it comes to helping people get away from their addictions.”

Baptist leaders are most concerned about the ambiguity of the language in the proposals. “Right now, it is like we are driving down the road and have speed limit and stop signs to tell us what we can and cannot do and police to enforce those specific rules,” Tarleton said. “If these new proposals remain as ambiguous as they appear to be at this stage, it would be like changing everything to caution signs, and religious groups would constantly be evaluated by officials making judgment calls based on their interpretation of the new laws.”

Tarleton and Russian Baptist leaders have urged the worldwide religious community to join them in prayer as Russian lawmakers consider the proposals, praying that language restricting missionary activity in Russia be excluded from new legislation, for Russian Baptist churches and leaders as they work with government officials, and for IMB missionaries serving in Russia as they continue to minister in these uncertain times.

Addiction affects 75% of Russia's population

Three out of four people in Russia live in the shadow of addiction, either suffering with the condition themselves or loving someone who does. Drugs and alcohol are the main culprits, opening the door to a whole spectrum of issues including sexual abuse, job loss, domestic violence and suicide. One particularly troubling social epidemic is child abandonment. There are more orphans in Russia today than there were after WWII. The majority of these children are social orphans, meaning they have at least one living parent who is unable or unwilling to care for them. Often, the dereliction of parental responsibility is due to addiction.

To read more about this issue, go to these sites:

http://www.iorphan.org/russian_orphans/index.asp,

http://www.rcws.org/aboutus_statistics.htm)

The good news is that Russian Baptists have seen the problem and responded. In the past 10 years, the Russian Baptist Union has opened 80 rehabilitation centers to help those addicted to chemical substances. Missionary Andy Leininger, said this has resulted in many being reached with the Gospel.

“Overall, about half the church growth in the Novosibirsk oblast (county) in the past two years has come from people in recovery or related to recovery,” he said. “We are seeing God at work in some powerful ways and want to reach the millions in Russia that are slaves to addiction.”

Most rehab centers operate from a small house or apartment and provide a home for 8-10 people, including one leader and one assistant. Residents are evaluated after two months to see if their lives show evidence of repentance and seeking God. If so, they move to an adaptation center for up to 6 months before going it alone.

For the past year, Andy has been training the leaders of the 12 centers in Novosibirsk, 18 new believers who are either recovering addicts or have a relative suffering from addiction. He is incorporating Celebrate Recovery by John Baker from Saddleback Community church, a program designed to help those in bondage to a plethora of sinful behaviors by introducing them to freedom through Christ.

“We are now working to incorporate Celebrate Recovery into local churches so we can reach people suffering from dependencies other than just drugs and alcohol,” Andy said.

Getting Involved

Andy is currently working in four local churches in Novosibirsk, but the ministry is in high demand in neighboring churches and there are not enough resources to meet the need. Andy needs volunteers to help him in this work and is asking readers to partner with him in these ways:

*Concerted prayer for Russians trapped in the cycle of addictions and dependencies.

*One and two week volunteer teams with experience in recovery, Celebrate Recovery or burdened by the problem of addiction.

*Longer term, experienced volunteers who can serve for 4-8 weeks to help establish Celebrate Recovery in churches and centers.

*Churches to partner in sending teams each year or every other year to fill the needs in leadership training.

Andy has arranged special meetings in October to meet with interested people. If your church is involved in Celebrate Recovery or is sensing God’s call to engage Russia, Andy would like to meet with you at one of four one-day conferences (each meet from 1-4pm):

*Saturday, October 10 at First Baptist Church, Forney, Texas

*Thursday, Oct 15 at Ridgecrest Baptist Church Springfield, Mo. *Saturday, Oct 24 at Grace Community Church in Nashville, Tenn.

*Monday, Oct 26 at Hebron Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga.

The first conference is a day prior to the Engage Europe Conference, where missionaries from over 15 Eastern European nations will meet with participants to share the vision of spreading the Gospel among the area’s 400+ people groups and offer opportunities for partnership. For more information on that conference, send an email to engageeurope@gmail.com.

If you are interested in helping the recovery ministry in Russia or know someone that might be, please contact either Andy at leinandy@gmail.com or Bob Hartman in Nashville, TN at mail4bhim@aol.com. They will keep you posted about summits, how God is at work and further details as they develop.

“I have been amazed at all that God has done in the past year in recovery work and can’t wait to see what will happen when we partner together,” Andy said.

IMB workers like Milton Magalhaes in Lithuania are transitioning from being a part of Central and Eastern Europe to joining one of eight affinities worldwide. Many in Europe now are operating under the European Affinity label.

International Mission Board (imb) workers across the globe are transitioning from grouping geographically into regions to grouping into affinities, joining coworkers reaching similar people groups. This transition has workers from Central and Eastern Europe, Western Europe and multiple other former regions combining to create the European Affinity. All 12 former imb regions are shifting to eight affinities worldwide.

Mark Edworthy, the European Affinity global strategist, said he sees the change as beneficial for all imb workers.

“We’re seeking to position ourselves as best we can to reach all the nations,” he said. “The new structure should put us in a better position … where borders are no longer going to be walls and people groups are going to be accessible in … every ethnic group.”

The European Affinity includes ministries to Europeans located not only in Europe, but all over the world. This includes Canada, Australia, Brazil and Reunion Island, while workers are continuing to discover where pockets of Europeans live.

“The sun never sets on the European Affinity people group,” Mark said. “Somewhere in the world, every day, a European should be confronted with the truth of the Gospel.”

For some workers the transition has meant a shift in leadership, but the focus of sharing the Gospel with Europeans through church-planting and relationship-building remains the same.

Mark said, “There’s no manmade border or barrier that should deter us.”

Jack Gilliland, a long-term volunteer, meets a few Russian women who attended his spiritual gifts seminar in Izhevsk, Russia. Jack is from Arkansas and serves as a virtual strategy coordinator to the Republic of Udmurtia.

Baptists in Texas are hosting the Engage Europe Summit Oct. 11-13 at First Baptist Church (FBC) of Forney, Texas. The Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention are joining the International Mission Board (IMB) and FBC Forney for the event.

IMB workers from more than 15 Eastern European nations will travel from their ministry locations to interact with conference attendees and share their visions for planting churches among Europeans. They represent missionary work in Albania, Armenia, Bosnia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, southern Europe and Ukraine.

IMB worker Russell Kyzar, who helps lead the efforts of reaching out to Europeans across the globe, said he looks forward to the opportunity to connect with volunteers.

“This summit is like an NFL draft—missionaries come eager to find new team members, and church leaders come ready to sign up,” he said. “The enthusiasm is really contagious. It’s an exciting time for everyone.”

The event will start Sunday night with two missions encounters at FBC Forney and Lakeside Baptist Church in Canton—churches of the Kauf Van Baptist Association of Texas—with testimonies from the field. The following two days will include opportunities to meet one-on-one with IMB workers and discuss partnering with them to reach their respective people groups. Attendees will also hear a challenge from IMB President Dr. Jerry Rankin and “best practice” testimonies from churches aggressively involved in international missions.

Missionaries are looking for volunteers to pray and lead others to pray. They’re also looking for those interested in visiting a ministry location to prayerwalk; help with children’s and youth camps, concerts, student ministry and evangelism projects; conduct English as a Second Language courses; and build relationships with businesspeople, teachers and others for evangelism and discipleship—to name a few opportunities.

“In most places in Eastern Europe a church can’t be started ‘from scratch’ in a week or even in a few months,” Russell said, “but long-term partners can greatly reduce the time that is required and give an encouraging boost to our field personnel.”

Churches looking for long-term partnership opportunities with an unreached city or people group are urged to attend to discover how they can be strategic partners in Eastern Europe.

Register for the summit online at fbcforney.org/EngageEurope.

Children swarm, looking up with adoring eyes, hugging me around the waist and saying, “I love you,” over and over again. They pull me along toward the shack—a partially-built house made of wooden slats and clay—the future site of a place to worship. As Nicoletta tattoos her name on my hand with a gel pen and Adi counts my freckles, they begin to sing songs about Jesus. These kids are from the village of Bertesti, Romania, home of “Pastor John” and his small congregation of faithful Romany believers.

John has been preaching the Gospel for many years, even suffering persecution under the communist regime for evangelizing against the law. The greatest joy in his life has been seeing his whole family begin to follow Christ’s teachings. He leads a congregation in the home of his friend, Marin. On Sunday mornings, 10-15 people meet in the one-room house to worship and learn together, using the bed as a church pew.

“We want more people to come worship with us, but there is no room,” John said. “The desire of my heart is for God’s name to be glorified in this village and for everyone to hear about Jesus.”

When a plot of land with a partially built house became available a few doors down from Marin’s house, it seemed like the perfect solution. Bob and Gayle Hill, workers with the International Mission Board, were able to secure funds from a special project through LifeWay/Centrifuge to purchase the land. Romany believers will do the work to finish the house on their own. They are excited about the possibility of having a place for both Romany and Romanian believers in their village to worship together.

“My heart is bursting with joy, for all that God has done for us,” John said.

LifeWay began a three-year partnership with the Roma two years ago, allowing funds and volunteers ­­to aid in ministering to the people group in Europe.

In Lacul Dulce, a Romany neighborhood in the city of Braila, members of a house church were kicked out of two homes before finally securing a building of their own, with LifeWay’s help. The building is only a one-room concrete block on a sliver of land, but it belongs to the believers—no one can ask them to leave. There they hold church services and missionary Tamara Banks teaches English and holds a weekly Bible study for young people.

The LifeWay partnership also made it possible to hold the first ever Romany Worship Conference May 21-23. Approximately 25 church leaders met to learn about biblical worship through the teaching of Marius Mezin, a Romanian pastor with a heart for the Roma.

“Many times Romany worship songs focus on their problems instead of on God and His glory,” Marius said. “I want to help them understand that worship is vertical, not horizontal.”

With this partnership, LifeWay has blessed the Roma through many projects, including three Romany family summer camps, sending Romany youth as missionaries to their own people through FARM (Far and Away Romany Missions), and bringing International World Changers and Fuge volunteers to help in ministry.

“We praise God for LifeWay,” Bob said. “Their volunteers and generosity have made so much possible.”

To find out more about the partnership, click here.

For more information of how to be a part of all God is doing in Romania among the Roma, visit TeamRomany.com.

Susanna takes control of the tiller and shows her team how it's done

It appeared to be a polite gesture as Susanna Mizell, the only girl on the team of five, was asked to be the first to use the tiller.  She grabbed the handles and went to work. “The guys decided I should give the inaugural push with the tiller, trying to convince me it was because they wanted me to have the experience before they got caught up in being ‘men playing with power tools,’” she said. “Really I think they wanted me to show them how it was done–which I did.” 

Susanna is part of the Life Quest team led by Darrel Hathcock in Kiev, Ukraine, who purchased the tiller for ministry use, at the prodding of the Holy Spirit.  

“This was an act of obedience, and continues to be one of faith,” Darrel said. “I think it is a practical ministry tool that can be used to break down barriers, and show others that believers care.” 

On this day, the team traveled to the small town of Volodarka to assist Ukrainian church-planter Andre Markov who had been given a portion of land by a local church to use for his church’s benefit. The Life Quest team tilled this land in a fraction of the time it would have taken Andre. 

Susanna and another team member, Andy Still, cleared some of the large roots out of the soil and helped get some of the seed potatoes in the ground. It was Andy’s first time to operate a tiller, but he had great perspective. 

“I think that tilling is a great ministry opportunity because it not only allows us to meet a physical need, but the church can use it to open doors in their community,” he said.

Assisting in this way is more than one-dimensional.  It helps supplement the income of a church planter and another church, it frees time for Andre and his friend Sasha to spend more time planting churches in that area and it opens up communication and relationships with neighbors.

Another pastor in Kiev, Ali, just purchased a dacha (farm home) in the small town of Milki.  Darrel took a team of five adults and five children to clear dead bushes, remove weeds, till the soil, chop wood, plant potatoes, and a dozen other odd jobs to get the dacha up and running. 

In this small village of elderly people, community witness is vital. There is no church yet, but Ali and his wife are building relationships. The work of  Darrel and his team has resulted in curious neighbors walking by and looking in, a few stopping to talk for a while. One of these had been praying for someone to move there. Ali shared the Gospel with her and she became a believer that day.

Obedience and an investment of $700 is helping to plant both physical seeds and preparing the hearts of onlookers.  The pastors in Ukraine are praying for an abundant yield on their gardens and in the hearts of those around them. For more information on Darrell’s ministry and ways you can be a part of it, contact him at darrell@pobox.com.

Professor and Hope Communications volunteer Mike Bruce conducts an interview on the streets of Rome, Italy. Mike captured video during a trip as he helped create advocacy materials for evangelism in the country.

Mike Bruce’s day job involves working as an assistant communications professor at Oklahoma Baptist University. Recently, though, he stepped off campus to meet the media needs of International Mission Board (IMB) workers in Italy.

Mike traveled to the country as a Hope Communications volunteer to assist IMB workers Marc Hooks and Paul Vosteen in documenting the spiritual status and culture of the people. Marc and Paul are based out of Russia and Germany, respectively, and both serve on the European Peoples Forward Communications Team.

“This trip was a great opportunity,” Mike said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to partner with IMB personnel through Hope Communications to provide media services to field missionaries in Italy.”

The group traveled through the country with their cameras to capture images for advocacy videos and slide shows that encourage volunteer involvement in Italy’s 20 regions and the Vatican City. In Naples they met with workers who reach out to Neapolitans, and in Rome they observed how missionaries interact with university students.

Together they created the Viva Italia vision trip video, which takes viewers through parts of the country and tells how believers in America can make a difference in Italy through prayer and by going on a Taste of Italy Vision Trip, Sept. 30-Oct. 11.

“When a pastor (or) volunteer … sees this (video) they will immediately see the need and know how they can respond,” Paul said, “so that if/when they do come to Italy, they will know where to start and who to start with.”

In addition to the Viva Italia initiative, Hope Communications provides another route volunteers can take to be involved in missions. The network is a growing body of volunteers who want to use their creative talents to meet the needs and tell the stories of international missionaries.

“Media professionals (and enthusiasts) in America … can play an important and active role in overseas missions,” Marc said. “Every skill and craft can be used for reaching the world for Christ, and Hope Communications allows them to use those skills on a global stage while at the same time continuing their work in the local (American) church.”

Learn how to be a part of this volunteer network at HopeCommunications.org.

Those interested in the Taste of Italy Vision Trip can go to the Viva Italia Prayer Initiative Web site or e-mail viprayer@gmail.com for more information.