A street in Tyumen, Russia, photo via mnnonline.org

Christian resources met with enthusiastic response

As John Lowrey of Christian Resources International prepared for his trip to Tyumen, Russia, he had several misgivings about how successful the trip would be. Lowrey has now returned and gives reports of God's blessing and favor, reports http://www.mnnonline.org/a.

"One of our big goals was to help establish an English library in the Christian Cultural Center there," Lowrey said. So he brought Christian books and Bibles from the U.S. to establish the library. There are many in the region who would frequent the library because "there is a university nearby that has a fairly significant English studies program. There are also a lot of other people in this town who are seeking to learn English."

Through this library, missionaries at the Cultural Center hope to have many evangelistic opportunities: "The Russian people are coming to them and asking questions about the books they're reading, which is the open door to be able to present Christ without being offensive or without breaking any current Russian laws," Lowrey said.

Getting the resources through customs at the airport was one of Lowrey's major concerns about the trip. He feared that authorities would search their extra bags, see the Christian material, and confiscate it. Instead, Lowrey said, "We not only got all of our extra bags through, but we didn't have to pay a dime for them."

In addition to the resources Lowrey brought, he saw God at work in the hearts of the missionaries as they brought books from their own home libraries to add to the Cultural Center library. In total, almost 300 volumes were added to the library, making it the second-largest collection of English literature in the city.

Lowrey was surprised by the response to the library and how quickly word spread. As the books were being unloaded, people saw them and wanted to borrow them before they were even on the shelves.

Your prayers, Lowrey said, were part of the reason God's hand was so apparent throughout the trip. "We certainly saw the result of it as we worked. So many things went so well, and God was so obviously involved."

Even though the trip is over now, Lowrey asks you to continue praying: "Pray that people would come for a book and through that book, that they might ask some questions. And ultimately, of course, we want to see people come to Christ for salvation."

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TAGS: Russia John Lowrey Christian Resources International Christian material Cultural Center library

[06/11/2010]

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