Amid the political news affecting Russians, the March election of Vladimir Putin as the country's new president has not been hailed in the West as the important event that it actually represented to Russians.  Putin ran against many candidates and won overwhelmingly with 52 percent of the vote during the first runoff.  Although initial returns from the Russian Far East suggested a communist candidate might win, Putin appealed to many, many voters in the populous regions of European Russia.

    The new president faces an ongoing crisis in the Chechen War, where daily news reports speak about ambushes and counter-ambushes, with many Russian soldiers still dying in a conflict that began last autumn.  Economic turmoil still makes life difficult in Russia.  Each spring, many city dwellers plant potatoes and other vegetables in their gardens outside the cities, because for many Russians, this is the only way to place sufficient food on the table.  On weekends during the spring planting season and again during the fall harvest, people migrate from the cities to the country to tend their gardens.  They will store potatoes and other vegetables and fruits in their apartments or homes for consumption during the long Russian winter.

    Russians are accustomed to suffering, and the 20th century has brought its share:  many years of communism, two world wars, and now economic difficulties and a second bloody war in Chechnya.  We do not know what the future will bring for Russia.  Some people suggest the best government would be "a strong hand." a dictatorship, but we are not certain what will happen.  Yet, despite the gloomy news, we know for sure that our local missionaries and believers are making a difference.  They will continue to do so for the people who live in nations that once comprised the Soviet Union.   Evgeny Guduhin, a missionary, writes that "in the city of Gelesnorgorsk we held several evangelistic meetings.  The topics for the meetings were 'Christians against drugs,' or 'Christians against abortions' - and just regular evangelistic outreaches.  At each daily evangelistic meeting, about 600 people packed the auditorium.  On average, 100 people accept the Lord every day, mostly young people,"   Evgeny reports, "We are also encouraging small churches in the areas where we do evangelism."  In the Charkov region of Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, "We had a service that 500 people attended.  About 20 came to know Jesus.  All of them were drug addicts or people with a very bad past.  We remember one man who was a lawyer.  He decided to commit suicide.  Somehow, he heard about our concert, and God put into our hearts to tell people that God can take the guilt away." he says.  "This is exactly what this person was in need to hear.  God touched his heart, and he gave his life to the Lord at that meeting and then witnessed about what had happened.  We visited Belarus," Evgeny tell us.   "It is a difficult place where evangelism is difficult to do.  The president is a dictator."  Alexander Lubashenko, the "president" of Belarus, is a former communist who runs his country in the Stalinist style, suppressing dissent and discouraging political or religious freedoms.  "God had opened the door to do evangelism in a city there.  We had over 2000 people present at the services.  Over a hundred people accepted Jesus.  For a country where the people are fearful and a dictator rules, this was a very large attendance.  People were sincerely interested in hearing the gospel and were sincerely giving their lives to the Lord," Evgeny concludes his letter.  His evangelistic efforts are only a sample of what Russian Missions does in the former Soviet Union.  Lives are being touched and changed there.  This is not what we are doing.  This is what God is doing.   He established Russian Missions to help the local residents to reach their homelands.  No matter what happens to Russia, local people will always be there.   Local people will always do evangelism.  That is why we help train and support local people.  We believe this is the best way to evangelize Russia.  Russia is in need of revival.  Please, pray for Russia.

    Pastor Sasha will be participating in crusades in Russia and the Ukraine during June and July and again during September and October.  Please, pray for us and, please, help us financially.   Invest in saving the lives of Russians who have suffered so much.  Help them find the real happiness that is only found in Jesus.  Your financial support will help Russian Missions reach the Russian people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

May God Bless You!