Visiting Home in the States

It has been about three months since my last post. I have had a hard time keeping up with my posts because I have not been sure what I had worthy of posting. Two weeks after my last post about our first Light of Hope Church Service, I had to leave Russia because of paperwork and visa issues. I had been told that once I filed my permanent residency papers I would be able to simply extend my visa till I got my answer, but it wasn’t till I filed the papers that we found I was misinformed. So I was forced to come to the States for three months. But I immediately viewed it as a blessing from the Lord. I had not seen my friends and family for over a year, and I was a glad to see them again. It was also an opportunity to try to get some support from churches and build ministry relationships. But I was most excited about bringing my girlfriend Sveta home to meet the family. Long story short, we had known each other for over a year, and as we started working and ministering together sparks began to fly. We had not been dating long, but I knew it was the best opportunity to get her to meet my family before I was stuck in Russia for well over another year and a half.

So I came home, wherever that is, at this moment Cortez, Colorado. I no longer really have a place in the US that I call home, but I would say wherever God has me at the moment is where I call home. We had to wait to get Sveta a visa, so I came ahead of her. But I did not come back to be on vacation and was blessed to find work right off the bat helping remodel a barn roof. It was also not long before I was speaking at my family's church and then on the road to visit friends as well as other churches.

On December 27th Sveta was able to come to the States, and I was happy to introduce her to my family. She hit it off with my family right away, as I knew she would. It was not long till we had her on a horse for her first time, riding ATV’s around the ranch and hiking in the canyon behind my Grandparent’s house. After a few weeks we were on the road again. We went to Denver, then Kansas, then back through Colorado, on to Montana and made out last stop in Nevada. Sveta got to meet a lot of my family, many of my closest friends, and I was able to meet some close friends of hers, including whom she calls her American parents. It was a blast. I was also able to pick up a little work, meet with Igor and Olga, and speak at a church in Nevada.

However, I haven’t even gotten to the best part. I have known for a little while now that Sveta is the one God has prepared for me. And on Saturday, January 30th, I asked Sveta to marry me, and to my delight she said she would. We are still trying to figure the when and where, but I know that this is the beginning of a wonderful blessed life together, from the Lord! I know my life is going to be different from now on, a little more complicated, a little more full and busy, but I know it is going to be an amazing adventure as we walk and minister together for Jesus Christ.

Now we are getting ready to go back to Russia. We could use your prayers as we go back! Our prayer needs are for: traveling mercies, wisdom for when we go back to Russia to deal with some tense politics going on there, wisdom about our marriage and for wisdom about our ministry. Thank you for supporting us in prayer and financially, it is through your partnership that we are able to minister to the needy people of Russia and share in the amazing work our Lord. May the Lord’s Grace, Mercy and Peace fill your lives in this interesting time! Amen!