Comforting Those Who Mourn
Update from Russia, 7. June 18, 2007
YHWH Is my Light and my Salvation... whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1)
6/12/07, Tuesday: Went to visit Edik and his family. (Edik is a youth who was a hostage during the terrorist attack along with his twin brother, Erik. Unfortunately, only Edik survived that nightmare.) I played some soccer w/ Edik and one of his older brothers, David, and then Edik and I played a computer hockey game. Zina, their mom, made a tasty dinner, and I gave them both of my CDs; it was a really nice visit. David and Edik drove me home later; Zina had given me some food to take home, as well as a big jar of homemade grape juice. You should taste the homemade jams and juices these people can make! Bless her, O Yah.
6/13/07, Wednesday: At night I went to Fatima’s 20th birthday party. (Fatima is a believer, and she lost two younger sisters in the school massacre. Her dad is a pastor here in Besl-n.) The party was a lot of fun, and it was really refreshing to go to a birthday party/gathering where people aren’t toasting to false gods, idols, the dead, and so forth. That may sound strange to you, but that’s the way so many people here live – in open and admitted paganism. We played an “act it out” game in which we had to act out something from The Bible or from a Christian song. It was funny, especially seeing some of the ladies laughing so hard – like Byella. (Byella is Fatima’s mom, and she has been through so much suffering in her life. During the time of communism, she bravely stood up against the system and refused to sign the communist’s statement that ‘there is no God.’ For this she suffered ridicule, and she greatly risked her educational future and dreams. And then, in September or 2004, she lost two of her daughters in the terrorist attack.) It was nice to see her and others who have been through so much heartache to have such a fun time, and to still be able to laugh.
6/15/07, Friday: Went and taught little George and his cousins. (George, only 4 at the time of the attack, was one of the more than 1,000 hostages along with his only sibling/brother, mom, dad, and grandma. Everybody was killed except little George.) …Later went to visit Mairbek, the 11 year old boy who survived the attack but lost his mom there. They wanted me to translate a card and letter they had received from one of the sharers in this ministry, a dear saint named Peggy (hi Peggy!). You would be amazed at how something so simple as a card or note can make such a deep impression upon families here… yes, I’m giving y’all (Pittsburgians, read ‘yinz’) a hint in case you can’t tell! Sima, Mairbek’s grandma, later told me that I’m like a son to her. I said to Mairbek something about being like his older brother, and he asked his grandma, ‘Can we adopt him?’ !
6/16/07, Saturday: Before heading to the store to pick up something for dinner, i prayed to be able to somehow share Jesus – and He really answered! (Especially since the store is so close and all, from a human perspective it’s not very probable to have a witnessing opportunity on such a short journey… but Yah heard, praise and glory and thanks be to Him!) On the way to the store, I saw Babushka Maria sitting outside her house, and I said hi. Coming back from the store, I went up to her and asked her how her health was. She started to talk quite a bit, so I sat down next to her. Maria really poured out her heart. She’s from the neighboring country of Ge-orgia, and now lives with relatives here in B-slan. Apparently her own family kicked her out or something. She asked, ‘Why am I still living?’ She continued, ‘No one needs me… I don’t want to live anymore,’ and her tears were visible. Apparently her son died; when she was still living in Geor-gia, Georgian-s robbed them and kicked them out of their house. I told her that I’ll pray for her, and that we don’t see justice on this earth, but that there will be justice in the end. I encouraged her to not look at this world, but to look above. God blessed me to share that Jesus loves her, and that there’s a reason why she’s still here. She was very thankful, and said that my just saying ‘hi’ filled her heart. O YHWH, Great and Only God, please comfort this dear woman whom You made and love – give her her heart’s desires, but most of all - that she will know and love You more.
6/17/07, Sunday: Went to AM fellowship. Gyerman preached really well: about how all of us want God to give us more life, but how often do we ask Him to show us how to use the life which He gives us? Had lunch with Nahzee (the grandma I stay with) afterwards, and we talked. She’s still trying to find helpers for the ministry in South Osse-tia (modern-day Georg-ia). …I later saw Amiran at the store; Amiran is about 13, and he was a hostage along with his mom and his younger brother/only sibling. Sadly, his brother didn’t survive. I gave him one of my CDs, and said that I’ll visit. To God’s praise, Amiran seemed interested in talking with me, though we don’t yet know each other very much. I realized later in the evening that the inadequacies I feel are from myself… for YHWH has given me nothing but continual and amazing favor with the people of Besl-n, all glory and thanks be to His Wonderful Name. …Later went and visited Madina’s family. (Madina lost her 10 year old brother, Marat, in the massacre.) In talking with Alan and Zalina (the parents), I found out that the Russian version of the FBI had closed the B-slan bazaar today. They apparently fear an In-gush terrorist attack this week either here, or in three other places not so incredibly far off. Alan said he thinks that there will be a war. (The Ingu-sh are bitter enemies of the O-ssetians, and they were one of the responsible groups for the school terrorist attack here. The ethnic problems here, so far as I have seen, appear to be quite similar to the Jewish-muslim issue in Israel. The Osse-tians are not perfect, but they are a peaceful people who basically just want to live their lives… much like the Jews. On the contrary, many of the Ingus-h passionately hate the Ossetian-s and teach their children to despise and kill them… much like many of the ‘palestinian’ muslims do.)
Please pray for:
*Babushka Maria;
*God’s protection for Bsln, as well as the other places where the terrorists may strike – may The Lord thwart the enemy’s plans and do so unto His glory;
*Lily, a young mother of two who has cancer;
*my cousin Seth, who is serving in Iraq;
*my awesome brothers and sisters in The Lord doing intense outreach to Mormons in UT during this week and weekend;
*God’s blessing on the English, guitar, and Bible-reading times here, as well as on the home visits.
Once again, I write with gratitude for all that The Lord is doing, and for your portion in this ministry. Your prayers and support are touching many lives for His sake, and to our Lord Alone be all the glory!
Our God IS God,
jason, jalazone7@yahoo.com
YHWH Is my Light and my Salvation... whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1)
