RUSSIAN MINISTRY NEWS LETTER: September 1999

Dear Friends,
Christian greetings from Moscow!

In the first two weeks of September 4 apartment houses (2 in Moscow and 2 in other Russian cities) were destroyed by terrorists.

The bombs which have killed more than 250 people and Islamic rebellion in Russia's breakaway region of Chechnya have raised new problems in Russia.
Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister said the only way to combat terrorism was to meet it with force. "These people will certainly be destroyed," he said.
Thousands of extra police have been checking documents in Moscow and other cities, and searching attics and cellars for explosives. The measures have resulted in several arrests of people suspected of involvement in the blasts and hundreds pounds of explosives have been found.

People are shocked and all Christian Churches are so concerned about the acts of vandalism.

Russian churches and ministers are grieving and praying for the comfort of widows and orphans, for God's peace in the hearts of the people, for forgiveness and mercy. We pray for our government to be wise and successful in the fight against terrorists and against the spirit of Islam who is at work in Chechnya which is supported by international Islamic terrorist organizations.

We kindly ask you to join us in prayers.

Now to my personal news. I decided to receive an academic theological education and entered to the second course of Moscow Seminary of Evangelical Christians- the best seminary in Russia in terms of quality of education.

My largest problem now is to combine the responsibility of the pastor of the church, husband, father, translator (I am doing some written translations for a living) and full time seminary student. I hope that God will help me.

I got my American visa and plan to visit the U.S. in the second part of October. I am planning to visit Menasha, WI, Atlanta, GA and Washington DC.

So, hope to see many of my dear American friends soon.

God bless you!

With love in Christ,

Andrew revival@centro.ru
"Fakel Union" http://geocities.datacellar.net/fakel_union/main.html"