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Portland (OR) Members Assist with Russian Kids Camp
RUSSIA (June 25, 2001) - West Hills Covenant Church has shown the love of Christ through the creation of a children's camp in Asbest as nine parishioners joined with missionary Leonid Regheta to bring the Good News.
West Hills Covenant, located in Portland, Oregon, sent nine people June 13 to help Love of Christ Church organize week-long activities for children in a town located near the world's largest open-pit asbestos mines. Pastor Vasily Botsyan started Love of Christ Church a decade ago. West Hills pastor Kent Egging contacted the church and offered assistance for the second annual camp.
Preparations for the camp included an extended worship time of singing, prayer and preaching. Since beginning the camp, activities such as kickball and crafts have been interspersed with teaching about Jesus. The accompanying photos show some of the children playing kickball and several of the adult volunteers gathered around a new cross at the camp.
Two excerpts from the group's update reports capture the sense of excitement and fulfillment that accompanies such short-term mission projects:
"The weather took a change for the cool and a little rainy, but our activities were not affected at all. Making self-portraits reinforced the idea that we people were created in the image of a loving God. Today we will talk about Jesus giving his life for us. Please pray that hearts will be made open to God's Word. Playing baseball has been the recreation hit of the week. Each time we have a free moment Pastor Kent is surrounded by kids asking when the next baseball game is. On Friday night Pastor Kent will teach at the minister training class at the church in town. Approximately 30 young men and women come twice a week for three hours to learn how to do ministry in the context of their busy lives."
"Day four of camp is now history and it is going great. During the day the campers finished up their self-portraits and played many games, even baseball, which has been a great hit. In the evening meeting, Pastor Kent spoke about Jesus' death on the cross and his great gift of new life. This session was followed by a 10-minute time of silence during which the children were challenged to speak to God. The silent time was supposed to end with a blow from a whistle, but we could not find it. So Dima, the camp director, said 'no problem' and pulled out a pistol and fired it into the air! Problem solved. Pray for our campers as the camp comes to an end. Tonight we will have a great big bonfire and say goodbye to each other."
The team arrived in Moscow June 14 after flying from Seattle, Washington, and eventually visited Moscow's Red Square. The next day they arrived in Asbest and got acquainted with their Russian co-workers for the camp, heading to Ekaterinberg to sightsee and shop.
West Hills mission team members include Regheta, a missionary from Russia; Kent, Rhonda, Chris and Annalea Egging; Leif and Karen Lindseth; Karl Wilson; Jeanne Slater; and Lucy Matthew.
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