Meetings in the Soviet Union (2)

What we heard everywhere in the Soviet Union is the remarkable growth in the congregations, and then mainly from unbelievers who join under the truth of God’s Word. Some congregations have doubled in a short time. Especially in Siberia the growth is extensive, which, however, also produces many problems. In Novosibirsk one hundred forty people from out of the world came to this congregation last year. This leader spoke relatively concerning this, however, by mentioning, too, that not all of them remain steadfast. With many it fades away again eventually, so that, sometimes because of opposition in the family, they fall back into their old lifestyle. Of these 140 people there are fifty who attend the meetings faithfully, and some of whom also have joined themselves to the congregation by baptism.

In Irkaetsk itself there is a small house congregation of about forty people. In Novosibirsk there is a large congregation of 300-400 people. A part of these congregations is very faithful, also in bringing the Word of God to the villages in the area. But, as this leader said, these types of evangelism bring with them many new cares and responsibilities, which call for more laborers in the vineyard. What must we do when people are converted and come to acknowledge the truth in these villages? Leave them behind by themselves? Such people really are in need of guidance and instruction. Still, there is, especially in these areas, great interest, even hunger, for the Word of God as the Bread of Life. We noticed something of the wrestlings which the leaders of the congregations have, to go the right paths with wisdom and insight—on the one hand the desire to proclaim the Word now that the opportunity is there; on the other hand the lack of preachers, Bibles, and good, edifying reading material. There are also contacts with orphanages and children’s homes in the congregation of Novosibirsk, where the door is open to bring 2000 children into contact with the Bible. We discussed the possibility of doing something about this in the future from the Netherlands.

After this brief but really meaningful meeting, we travelled by train for fifteen hours to Oelan-Oede, the capital of Boerjatia, and from there we travelled for three additional hours with an old bus over snow-covered roads through the mountains to Moerchosjibir.

The family Joedintsev hails from the Ukraine where the father was the leader of a large non-registered congregation. After years of imprisonment in a penal colony, he finally was exiled to this faraway place, thousands of miles from his congregation and friends. In the Netherlands also this family became very well-known because also the wife and mother (the family has thirteen children) was sentenced to a prison term of two years. In 1987 the Association of Ladies’ Aides made efforts to nullify this. In many churches and at many societies prayers were offered for this family. And although we must stay away from making direct connections, it still is remarkable that a few days after the prison term was to go into effect, the sentence against Serafima Joedintsev was nullified. After her release, it became possible to join her husband with her children in the place of exile at Moechorsjibir. Voluntarily she exchanged the sunny climate of the Ukraine for the bitter region in Siberia. Here she ended up among the Boerjatians, people who are partly Buddhist and partly heathenish. I have seen the sacred trees there, where they pray and sacrifice offerings to make the spirits favorable towards them.

In 1988, because of changes in practice, the family received amnesty, so that they could return again in freedom to their native city in the Ukraine. The needs of this area, however, where millions of people live on without knowledge of the Lord and His service, moved the family to decide to remain living among the Boerjatians. Brother Joedintsev was released as leader from the large congregation of Chartsyzsk, and received a commission for mission work and evangelism in this area. Even though they lived in a large house in the Ukraine and several of their children were already married there, they now live in a small Siberian loghouse of 23′×20′ with ten family members.

What must we do when people are converted and come to acknowledge the truth in these villages?

Two married sons have joined them, with the purpose of assisting their father as much as possible in this service. Joedintsev has the responsibility as well to provide pastoral care for the few scattered Christian families in this part of Siberia. Through his labors small groups of Christians have surfaced at various places, meeting every Sunday around the open Word of God. There is a group of twenty people at Nerjoengri and at Oelan-Oede there is a group of seven people. In this latter city they also try to bring the people into contact with the Bible by means of street libraries. In Moechorsijbir they have a house-gathering every Sunday, which is visited periodically by interested villagers. In the summer of 1990 a woman of the Boerjatians, who faithfully visited the meetings for a number of months already, has joined the house-congregation. The woman is a medical doctor and therefore quite well-known in the village. Still, here also, the Joedintsevs are guarded in their gladness, because the woman is not yet totally freed from old customs. Nevertheless, she is the first one out of the Boerjatians. And we know also from missionary labors that often this can be of great significance for the future. There also in discussions the need surfaces again and again: There are so many nations and tribes to whom the Word of God is yet unknown, together with the lack of those who preach. From here they visit the Jakoetians (travelling for days), the Jewenkains, and attempt to spread the seed of the gospel. When I commented: “Can’t more preachers come from the Russian Republic or from the Ukraine to help in this work as well?”, Andrej, one of the married sons answered, “Sure, they are willing to come in order to be or to become something, but to lay your life on the altar, bid farewell to all amenities and to walk in the footsteps of the Master in these primitive circumstances—that is not something which we choose of ourselves.”

The largest country of the world is awakened! Millions of people there ask for the Bible and for the meaning of our existence, which is reason to make us ashamed.

What appealed to me especially in this family was the love and unity which was expressed in many small things, especially in their relationship with each other.

It was a time-consuming and difficult journey, but it was also a privilege to be allowed to spend some time in this part of the vineyard of the Lord and to be allowed to see that also in this vast region of Siberia sons of men are used to make known the Word of God unto the farthest corners of this endless country.

After twenty-one hours of travel by bus, train and airplane, we arrived back in Moscow. The last afternoon in Moscow I witnessed an impressive event. I already wrote about the street libraries. In many congregations they collect edifying literature, which is available among the Christians, in order to lend this out by means of the street libraries to unbelievers. Discussions take place with many readers and sometimes intensive contacts as well. If there are possibilities to rent meeting space, they organize meetings for the circle of readers of these libraries. Prayer is offered, a short meditation and singing take place. The people are given ample opportunity to ask questions.

On the last afternoon, I had the opportunity to experience such a meeting. For us in the Netherlands, this cannot be imagined—a few hundred people out of the world, in a packed room, even in the hallway! Over the top of each other’s heads they passed foward notes with questions: “What is sin? Who is God? How do I find forgiveness of sins? Who wrote the Bible? How do you know that the Bible is the truth? How can you learn to know God? What is grace?” This meeting started at two o’clock and I had to leave at 5:15 to catch my plane to the Netherlands, and still all these people stood listening intently and with interest to the answers that were given.

It was the last impression that I took home. The largest country of the world is awakened! Millions of people there ask for the Bible and for the meaning of our existence, which is reason to make us ashamed, in more than one way!

I deemed it right to inform you of these impressions so that it may become clear that the Christians in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union need our prayers and support. We are grateful for the amount of much good work which may be done by the organizations, “Kom Over and Help” and “Friedenstimme,” in these countries. It is good to offer support to these organizations. Partly through these travels we have become convinced that experience and thorough knowledge of local conditions are indispensable. Therefore we would like to channel personal initiatives and local drives by means of committees, under synodical responsibility, which in the future may determine projects which can be supported most efficiently by our congregations.

Rev. L. Blok is pastor of the Gereformeerde Gemeente at Nunspeet, The Netherlands. Translated from “De Saambinder” and extracted from the Lethbridge, Alberta bulletin.

Christian communion, being an appointment of God, is followed by His blessing and gracious acceptance. The members of Christ’s mystical body, “speaking the truth in love, grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” What is lacking in one member is supplied by another, and thus, by mutual giving and receiving, the entire brotherhood is strengthened, consolidated, and advanced in knowledge and holiness. A live coal, laid to a dead one, kindles it; a ripe grape, placed beside a green one, ripens it. Company is of an assimilating nature—and grace, like fire, will beget its like. When believers meet together for spiritual purposes, Christ meets with them; goes from heart to heart; inquires into their wants; and Josephlike, fills their sacks with treasure.

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