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September-December 2007

December 28-30 Yet another trip we took right before the end of 2007 -- to Vologda region. Just a month ago they have started the second center on the opposite side from the first one (350 km away) and there are four men there already. Both centers are located in Church buildings. We were able to participate in Church service and testify about our ministry. ------------------------------------ December 7-9 A sucession of trips in Nort-West region was followed by a expedition to Pskov region. One rehabilitation center is in the process of organization there, and another on the opposite side of region is waiting for a leader to arrive. More >>> ------------------------------------ November 25 Seven men have been baptized in Pavlovsk Baptist Church, six of them being graduates from Rehabilitation Centers. ------------------------------------ November 24 Our team has visited Murmansk - a city with 320,000 population, situated 1500 km away to the North from Saint-Petersburg. With enthusiastic participation of local Churches posters have been placed all over the city - the first step toward starting a local Rehabilitation center. ------------------------------------ November 13 Materials for renovating extra rooms and expanding women rehabilitation have been received from University Presbyterian Church. After completing renovation works we will be able to receive more women and move Adaptation department to these new premises from Rehabilitation rooms, which are already quite overcrowded. ------------------------------------ November 10 A prayer of dedication took place in the building of Vyborg Rehabilitation center "House of Hope" with the participation of about 60 friends from Norway, who have generously sponsored this building and continue to support the ministry. ------------------------------------ September 22 A seminar on HIV/AIDS have been held in Luga Center by Dr Jukka Knuuttila, Lahti, Finland for center leaders and rehabilitants. HIV is quite common among drug addicts in Russia. ------------------------------------ September 13 Candidates for training in Bible School have been approved from among leaders of rehabilitation centers and graduates from rehabilitation program that are actively involved in the ministry. The main purpose of the school is to help them be more effective in their work and to use their potential for Church-planting activities in Leningrad region and North-West of Russia. Please pray for funding of Bible School, which remains one of the difficult questions at the moment. ------------------------------------ September 12-15 An exploratory trip to a missionary family in Petrozavodsk and around Karelia, as well as to Slantsy (Leningrad region) have been made in order to investigate possibilities and needs for starting new Centers. We are waiting an answer from a mayor of Slantsy by the beginning of October concerninng a building. ------------------------------------ September 4 Two brothers have moved from Priozersk and Luga to Rybinsk, Jaroslavl region, to start still another new Rehabilitation Center there. For two years Church in Rybinsk prayed for it. Jaroslavl is the first region not bordering with Saint-Petersburg region, where we are starting a center.

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May-August 2007

August 29 First graduates - Andrej and Marat - are leaving Vyborg center. Andrej is willing to devote his life to God's ministy. They are now living in the building of Svetogorsk Church. Another young man is graduating in one month. Center has received three new young men instead of these leaving ones. ------------------------------------ August 21 Another dimention of social ministry, started this summer, continues on the streets - feeding homeless children near metro stations. A group of volunteers does it every Saturday, so far going around three nearby metro stations, sharing food, God's love and the Gospel with "small ones". ------------------------------------ August 12-19 A group of 7 men from Norway came to Vyborg Center to help renovate the building and prepare it for hosting more people. During a week of extensive labour almost all outer walls have been coldproofed and several rooms have been very nicely renovated, including kitchen. After all an article appeared in a local newspaper, telling about this work of love. ------------------------------------ August 7 Both of Christian Summer Camps for children organized by us in July (in Priozersk - 50 "risk group" kids; and in Luga - 50 kids from neighbouring areas) have been such a blessing that we have decided to work toward 4 shifts with 60 children each in Luga next year and possibly several more camps in other places as well. Senior pastor over North-West suggested we advirtise it all over Saint-Petersburg region through local Churches. Please pray for this opportunity to minister to children. ------------------------------------ August 4 A wonderful present arrives from our brothers in Finland -a new motor for a boat in Priozersk Center. ------------------------------------ July 24-25 About 40 young people from Russia and USA has participated in a anti-drug campaign in Vyborg. They have distributed 10.000 leaflets with invitations to special meetings and contact information for rehabilitation centers. A lecture have been delivered in School #13 for kids from the city camp. ------------------------------------ June 12 A new missionary home meeting have been started in the Southern part of Vyborg with an idea of starting a Second Baptist Church on this side of Vyborg (opposite to the Location of First Baptist -- "Church on the Rock"). At this very same week another Church plant is being started in Mezhozernoje - a neighbourhood near Luga where Rehabilitatin Center is located. Please pray for effectiveness of this work. ------------------------------------ April 30 - May 1 For the first time in the newest history of the Baptist Union an all-over Russia conference have been held in Saint-Petersburg, hosted and organized by Good Samaritan. More than 100 delegates came from different regions, representing social work with drug addicts, alcoholics, street children and AIDS/HIV posotove. This two-day conference proved to be an important milestone in establishing connections for spreading the work in other parts of the country. ------------------------------------ April 21-22 Another busload of help has arrived with our Swedish friends. This time they had an opportunity to visit a local Baptist Church in Luga and participate in the service and fellowhip afterwards. The Church was packed full, with half of the seats occupied by young men and women from Rehab Center. Many of them were participating in the Church Service with singing and testimonies.