SUMMER 2004
Hello again to our dear friends and family from the
Currans in Tambov, Russia.
One thing we can say about ministering in Russia these days...it's
supernatural!
On one hand, we see clearly the supernatural hand of the devil here. For
perhaps the one thing that still amazes us about Russia, even after
being here 10 years, is the general and pervasive unbelief unique to
this land. It's still is considered strange and rare here for people to
take faith in Christ seriously and live for Him. I'll never forget the
mother of a young man coming to our church complaining that the fact
that her son always reads the Bible now and no longer smokes, drinks,
nor uses bad language is not a good thing for him because, in her words:
"It's not normal." Incredible.
Another challenge is the incredible temptations and worldly influences
of today's Russian society that constantly pressure the mostly
college-age members of our church. We've seen several members, including
some long-time ones, backslide and even completely fall away from
Christ. This has broken our hearts.
There's also the local government here who is constantly trying to close
down our church and force Rebecca and I to leave Tambov.
But on the other hand, we clearly see the mighty supernatural hand of
God here that in amazing ways always protects us, provides for us, and
greatly blesses the work here.
It's such a joy to see many new people come to the church, hear the Word
of God, and come to true faith in Jesus.
It's a joy to see these believers grow strong in their faith and then
begin to lead ministries themselves. It's truly supernatural!
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TESTIMONIES
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Here are the testimonies of three church members that happened to know
each other:
First....from Sergei:
“When I was a young boy, a teacher taught a Bible study after school.
I went and started to believe in God and pray but when the Bible study
ended, I lost all faith. After many years, just last November, a friend
brought me to Calvary Chapel for their Thanksgiving celebration. My
faith returned and now I am growing in the Lord.”
Sergei Baranov
Sergei is a strong believer and is also learning to play the drums for
our developing Christian rock band. Sergei was also recently baptized at
a summer camp that many from our church took part in.
From Maxim:
“I always prayed every night before sleeping because my grandmother
taught me. Then Sergei Baranov invited me to this church. I saw a
Christian film there. At first I thought everything at church was
strange. I didn’t understand spiritual things but I was still
interested. I was sitting at home one day and suddenly I looked at the
time and it was time to go to church. I felt a strong urge to go. I went
and started making friends at church. I began to want to get close to
God. I understand the sermons now and they stay in my mind all week
long.”
Maxim
Maxim is a very good guitar player and singer and plays the bass in our
Christian rock band.
Finally, from a young woman named Jenya:
“I believed in God as a child but I only started to really grow since
I came to this church. I started to read the Bible and talk with other
Christians. I believe now that God really hears my prayers. The sermons
help because the Bible is hard to understand when I read it myself.
Maxim invited me to church. I first came to this church to see the film
they were showing called The Passion of the Christ. It was then that I
understood how much Jesus loves me and suffered for me.”
Jenya
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RECENT EVENTS
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We still have our regular meetings at the church: Bible studies on
Sunday morning and Wednesday evenings, English classes using the Bible
on Mondays, prayer meeting on Thursdays, and "Movie night" on
Fridays where we show Christian videos. We put on evangelistic dramas
and mini-concerts when we can. We're working on putting together a
Christian rock group as such music is a very useful tool here to reach
young people. We've bought a new sound system, drums, and other
instruments. It will take a lot of time, work, and prayer to be
successful with this.
Our young people are always zealous for good works. Several of them
regularly visit an orphanage in a nearby suburb after church on Sunday
just so they can talk to the kids and show them God’s love. Anastasia,
our Sunday School teacher, is teaching a vacation Bible school on her
own street this week. Several people volunteered to help her. Still
other people not long ago helped a woman in desperate straights clean
out a filthy apartment. The woman’s home had burned down and she was
given an old run-down apartment by the government.. For weeks, our
people went to her house and scrubbed, painted, and took care of her 5
kids. To me (Rebecca), the most remarkable thing is that Ray or I did
not initiate or even accompany our people in these activities. They did
it all on their own.
In late June, eighteen members of our church here were able to go to a
10-day camp near Moscow. I (Ray) went along just for 3 days as they
invited me to teach. There was also young people from 2 other Russian
Calvary Chapels there. It was primitive camping....that is, on a
deserted forested island in the middle of a large river accessible only
by boat. No amenities whatsoever. They set up tents of course, and
brought in food and water periodically by boat, but they had to cut down
trees and gather wood for all our cooking, and bathe in the river, etc.
click to enlarge picture
Some members from Tambov Calvary Chapel and other
Calvarys at a Christian camp on the Oka River near Moscow...June 28-July
7, 2004
I must say that the organizers did a very good job and had a great
program. This was no vacation. I would call it "Christian boot
camp", complete with a bugler that roused everyone up at 8:00 AM
each day. They then kept them busy with Bible studies and other
Bible-oriented activities until 11:30 PM each night. Everyone was also a
part of a smaller discipleship-type group too. They also held a baptism
there and two members of our church were baptized. All in all, I think
it was very beneficial time for our young people. They made very good
friends with the Christians from the other two Russian Calvary Chapels
there.
click to enlarge picture
Ray with Sasha and Sergei whom were both just
baptized at the camp
A couple weeks later, when one of these same Calvarys had a big outreach
in their city and hosted a large American group, they also invited us to
participate. Many people from our church went there (to Ramanskaya which
is near Moscow) and witnessed to people on the streets about Christ and
passed out invitations to evangelistic concerts. It was a great
experience for them.
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COMING EVENTS
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Speaking of outreaches with Americans, there's actually going to be an
American team from Calvary Chapel Southeast Portland coming here to
Tambov in October! We are so excited. Besides evangelizing unbelievers,
the American teams that come to Russia always greatly encourage and
strengthen the believers here with their joy and experience in the Lord.
A desire we've had for a long time is to use these experienced Russian
believers here to plant a Bible study or church in another city of this
Tambov region. We also have been trying to register our church here as a
legal entity. Up to now, we've been unable to accomplish these goals,
but we keep praying and looking for the Lord's opening to do so.
In September, we will say good-bye to our dear Veronica, a long-time
leader in our church. She will begin studies at the Calvary Chapel Bible
College in Moscow. Veronica has led worship here for a long time,
organized most of our dramas, taught Bible studies, and has been a
general leader of the women in our church. So she will be greatly missed
and we are sad to see her go. But she wants to get a formal Christian
education and work somewhere in Russia in Christian ministry full-time.
Veronica Kvasnikova
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PERSONAL
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A note from Rebecca:
"Our family is doing well. Ten-year old Elizabeth will start 4th
grade in September at a local Russian elementary school. Seven-year old
Dara will start 1st grade at this same school. Five-year old little Ray
will be in Russian kindergarten. Then there's 16 month old baby Robert.
I teach all the kids homeschool in English also, so we're kept pretty
busy. The Russians all think we have so many kids, but really, the
children are not a burden but rather a blessing. They help a lot with
the housework, shopping, and care of baby Robert. Lizzy has learned to
cook meals this summer and now can help with that. The children
understand that they are in the Lord’s army and must help so their
parents are not too overburdened. They aren’t perfect kids but they
believe in God and are concerned for unbelievers and pray for them..
They have an eternal perspective and see the importance of sharing the
gospel before Jesus returns. May we all be concerned for the lost souls
around us. Only two things last forever; God and people's souls.
Everything else will be burned up when present time ends and eternity
begins. So let us all serve the Lord heartily in the place he has called
us to."
click to enlarge picture
Rebecca with our four children...Robert, Dara,
Ray, and Elizabeth
On that note, we will say goodbye for now and that also say that we love
you all, we thank you for your financial support, and all you do for us
and this ministry. Please continue to regularly pray for us and the
church here. Please write to us also when you can so we can know how to
pray for you.
God bless you,
Ray & Rebecca Curran
08/14/04
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Russian home address:
392000, Russia
Tambov
Proletarskaya St.,189
apt. 29
Raymond Curran
phone/fax: 0117-0752-71-90-83
e-mail: rcurran@mail.ru or rcurran@pub.tmb.ru
