Reflections

by Robin Covington

As we reflect back on the year 2007, it is exciting to count all the blessings that God has sent our way. One of the most exciting was seeing our good friend, Svetlana, pray to receive Christ during the Christmas service at Emmanuel Church, the new church start in Petropavlovsk. Many of you have prayed for this dear friend, and she finally has become a true sister in Christ. It was the highlight of our celebration of Christ’s birth!

Many of you will remember several years ago, during the Christmas season, I shared about a Christmas concert that we led in Village E. The local Orthodox priest had torn down all our posters advertising the concert and stood outside the auditorium discouraging people from attending our concert. He has often stood in opposition to various activities we have led in this village. Now, I would like to share the rest of the story!

Last summer, this very same priest, began building a house right across the road from the property where the children’s camp is located. There was no water on his property, and one day the priest came to Zhenya, the camp manager, asking if he could get some water from the camp kitchen. Before taking any water, the priest said that he needed to apologize for his previous antagonism and for disrupting our concerts and camps. The priest said he had not understood who we were and was afraid we were some kind of strange sect. Of course, Zhenya accepted his apology and told the priest he was welcome to get water or ask for help at any time. Soon after that, the first children’s camp of the summer took place. To everyone’s astonishment, the priest allowed his own son to come to the camp! After that camp, Zhenya and some of our ministry partners went to visit the local village administration, just to let them know more about the camp ministry. To everyone’s surprise, the Orthodox priest happened by at that same time, and told the local administration how much his son enjoyed camp and basically endorsed the ministry. The very same man who previously told parents to remove their children from our camp, was now sending his own son. God has touched and changed this priest’s heart in a miraculous way. We can’t wait to see what this next year holds!

We would like to thank each of you for the prayer support you have given to our ministry. Your prayers have been the life-line for the ministry here, and we are so grateful to have each of you as a ministry partner. We’d also like to thank each of you that have financially supported the ministry in Kamchatka. Many of you have sent special gifts for particular projects which have helped move the ministry forward. Thank you also for your support of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which provides support for our family and ministry. Please pray for God’s guidance as you give to this offering during this Christmas season.

We pray that you will take time to count God’s blessings in your life during 2007, and that He will send many more blessings in 2008!

RANDY & ROBIN COVINGTON -- Cluster Strategist for Far East Russia -- Working among Russia’s Small Peoples of the North Petropavlovsk