Russia (MNN) — We have reported on Slavic Gospel Association’s new Christ Over COVID program. Today, we want to zoom in and look at a few stories of people this program has been able to help.
Southern Russia
As COVID-19 spreads throughout Russia and the former Soviet Union, many families face severe scarcity.
One such family lives in a region of Southern Russia that is predominantly Muslim. Three young girls were taken in by neighbors after their mother wound up in prison. SGA’s Eric Mock says, “They were already in poverty. If you compound that with the economic issues, this person was really struggling. But by God’s grace, there was a local church and through Christ Over COVID, we provided them the resources to bring food to this family.”
A picture of the three girls with their neighbor. (Photo courtesy of SGA on Facebook)
A family from a local church provided food to the family and shared the Gospel with them as well. Mock says, “How amazing that the neighbor took the kids in and that, in the midst of all this hardship, that was the mechanism that God used to open the door for the Gospel to be presented.”
Belarus and Georgia
Meanwhile, in Belarus, a pastor works with orphaned children. Mock says many orphans are ill-equipped to take care of themselves after leaving the orphanages. “So this missionary pastor had gone over to visit this orphan boy that he knew. The boy was sitting there; he didn’t know how to make his own dinner, any way to really care for himself. [The pastor] came over and bought food, but he [also] sat down and showed him how to make chicken soup.”
Because of this kindness, the pastor built a relationship with the boy and has since been able to continue ministering to him.
In the country of Georgia, a skilled doctor retired and only had $23 to live on each month. But then a local church started providing her with groceries. Mock says, “She was blown away that she was provided those basic needs. Before, she had not really heard anything of the Gospel, but now she has heard the Gospel.”
Sharing food through the Christ Over COVID program has opened many avenues for churches to share the Gospel. (Photo courtesy of SGA on Facebook)
How to support the work
As Christ Over COVID continues to help these people, Mock says, “SGA didn’t create anything new. We’ve been serving the churches from the beginning. And whether it’s training, whether it’s supporting the missionary church planters or supporting their ministries to their communities, we don’t have to come up with a great strategy, other than to get behind the churches and what God has raised them up to do.”
Continue to pray for the churches in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Pray that they would proclaim Christ through loving their neighbors.
All of these stories were emailed to people participating in SGA’s daily prayer guides, which you can sign up for here. You can also participate in getting these families the groceries they need during COVID-19.
Christians ready to distribute food to those who need it in the former Soviet Union. (Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association on Facebook)
