Bike trip – July 4 - Kurgan

Huge gad-flies accompanied us all our way to Kurgan town

We were told that later, when we come closer to Krasnoyarsk, gnat will substitute gad-flies. The maximum speed we had on our way was 30-35 k/h. Amazingly, but gad-flies were even faster than we. They flew 40 k/h or more. It was interesting to see how they reached our Mercedes and got into open windows of the car. Summer in Siberia is very hot. There is no conditioner in our Mercedes and we have to open all, which can be opened. Constant fights with gad-flies continued on all our way – 200 km! Even rain did not stop the flies! Our bikers could also withstand the rain! They continued to wheel despite heavy showers. There were 10-15-minute stops after each hundred km of way. It means short stops each 2-3 hours. But when wheels are punctured we were to stop and exchange wheels. But Vladimir did not give us time to relax. It took about a minute to exchanges a wheel and we continued our way. But all these difficulties are nothing in comparison with sufferings of the Apostle Paul, who tells us about his experiences in the Epistle to Corinthians. «In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches». There are 23 committed to the Lord Evangelical believers in our Expedition, ready to extend a helping hand to any who needs it and use any opportunity to tell them about Christ. So despite constant attacks of gad-flies and the lack of conditioner in Mercedes we are in better conditions than the Apostles of the 1st century. We are warmly welcomed in every church. We feel the unity of spirit and are sure in the strength of our Brotherhood.

After lunch we had a meeting with juvenile offenders. Teenagers of 11 - 14 are detained in a specialized institution according to a court decision. They are sentenced for stealing. But some are imprisoned for more serious crimes. After singing and a short sermon all members of the Expedition talked individually to the teens and prayed for them. Each member of the Expedition gave them children’s Bible story books, magazine «Path» and promised to devote the next day to prayer for them. Some kids wept. I believe kids could understand who we were and felt that we came to them with affection. An interesting fact – the leader of our bike team Vladimir Skovpen prayed for a boy Vladimir, who is punished for 3 years of imprisonment for stealing bikes. Practically all these kids come from troubles families. Their parents are alcoholics and kids follow their steps. It is a pity that at the age of 11-14 boys go straight into the gap of the hell and eternal sufferings. But there is a chance and everyone of them has  the right to change the direction of their lives. Praise God that ECB churches in Kurgan town take care of this institution, regularly visit it, preach the Gospel and give feasible material aid. There is a positive result. Maxim, Vitaly, Alexander and Sergey decided to start a new life. The State TV and radio Company «Kurgan» interviewed us and filmed our meeting with the boys. Then they went to the studio to work on the footage about the visit of the Missionary Expedition to Kurgan town.

In the evening, in the central church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists there was held a general meeting of all Kurgan churches. Several people repented. Sergey and Yuri who were in the church for the first time sincerely repented in their sins. The Word of God is quick and powerful and we saw it

P.S. 05 July 2007. We got up at 5.30 a.m. and started at 7.00 a.m. There are 210 km of way to Tiumen, which means 7 hours of wheeling. People wait for us there. We, despite everything, if God wills, of course, will continue our missionary trip. We would like to cordially thank all those who pray for the Expedition and support it materially. All our team members thank you very much.