Olga and Alexey (St. Petersburg)

Now that we're home, we can reflect on many parts of our journey to Russia over the next couple of weeks.

Olga and Alexey are a husband and wife team in St. Petersburg. Olga (we call her "St. Petersburg Olga"; there's always a "Moscow Olga" who was so helpful to us, as well!) and Alexey have Master's degrees from University of Manchester. Olga was my translator for the theology course I taught south of Moscow at the dacha from July 13-18. She and her husband Alexey live in St. Petersburg, and she accompanied us on the overnight train to St. Pete on July 18th to her home in St. Petersburg, where she and her husband Alexey were so helpful to us, guiding all over the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. That Sunday, I was privileged to preach at St. Petersburg Nazarene Church, their home church, where Olga also served as translator.

Olga and Alexey, who both assist the CIS region in the translation of Christian books into Russian, helped plant the St. Petersburg church, and their family (two daughters and a son-in-law) assist the church in every way: preaching, teaching, worship leadership, etc. Currently St. Petersburg Church is without a pastor, but Olga and Alexey provide excellent pastoral care, with assistance from Rev. Davide Cantarella the D.S. (Davide lives in Moscow).

On Sunday, July 18, we met Olga and Alexey at the bus stop near our hotel and near their apartment. We watched the rain as we waited for a late bus to take us to another apartment building (one of many such buildings in Russia). There is no sign out front, since the paperwork has been delayed by the local government. However, around 25-30 people gathered in this church, which was basically three apartments with some walls knocked down and beautifully decorated to accomodate a house of prayer and worship. We heard stories of the impact that this relatively new and small church (only about six years old, and the furthest north of any Nazarene church in Russia) is having. We met an 18 year old young man, now living on his own, whose parents and grandparents had died of alcoholism. He has been attending this church since he was 13, and is now living on his own, free from alcohol and drugs, thanks to the love and care of God's people at St. Petersburg Nazarene. Many of the attenders were away for the summer, but the congregation gathered and sang, read God's Word, and prayed. I preached from Romans 8 about the nearness of God, and the service closed with praise reports and prayer requests. A group from Arkansas (U.S.) was also present. They were visiting relatives who are attending St. Petersburg Church and working as Wycliff Bible Translators in Russia!

Throughout our stay in St. Petersburg, we saw beautiful sites, including the third largest Christian Cathedral in the world, St. Isaacs. Many churches in St. Petersburg, unlike those in Moscow, were left relatively in tact under Communism. However, many were converted into places to store ammunition, museums, and even indoor public swimming pools! However, the restoration of cathedrals continues throughout St. Petersburg and all of Russia!

Our hotel accomodations were great, but the last day of our stay we awoke to no water! There had been some sort of damage to the pipes. Again, Olga and Alexey came to the rescue. They had helped us throughout our time to find the right Metro (subway), the right bus, boat, or train or trolley car, and they walked every mile of the many miles we walked throughout that beautiful and bustling city (St. Pete has 4.5 million people). On our last day, before we were to board our overnight train back to Moscow, they allowed us to store our luggage in their apartment (which was already shared with their two daughters and son-in-law, due to housing difficulties in St. Pete). And, they graciously offered us the use of their shower! They said, "We don't have hot water, but you can use what we have." By the way, when we turned on the shower, we DID have hot water! We were all pleasantly surprised....

The verse about offering a "cup of cold water" to those who belong to Christ could have also included those who offered a bit of hot water!

Olga and Alexey continue their ministry, showing the same kind of generosity, love, and help to Russian people who are desparately in need as they offered us. They have been married 25 years (which is a LONG time in Russia, where the divorce rates exceed 85%), and they continue to be part of planting God's Word into the hearts of thousands. St. Petersburg is their third church plant (they even pastored one church for five years!). Their first two plants were in their home village of Volgograd -- formerly Stalingrad! They planted the first two Nazarene churches there. The second one was planted with the help of the Jesus Film, which we at NSCN support each year. In fact, that church did not have a pastor. He was led to Christ after viewing the Jesus film, and about a year later, after being discipled by Olga, Alexey, and others, he was asked to pastor the new church! "We started the second church without a pastor, and God provided one through the Jesus film," Olga said. "He now is a sort of 'circuit rider' pastor, who oversees BOTH Volgograd area churches."

God is good. Thanks, Olga and Alexey for being our "angels" in St. Petersburg, and for blessing so many in your unassuming and consistent ways!

Charles