Dear family, church family, and friends,
Winter is fading as the sun is above the horizon 19 hrs a day. By month’s end we’ll begin almost 6 months of 22 hrs of daylight every 24. This coming week, Mike & Alosha will till the soil of our 4000 square-foot backyard garden and greenhouse for our spring planting.
Tuesday I went to our home church house and spent time teaching our indigenous missionaries Pasha and Tonya, songs in the Sakha hymnal and other songs that my friend, Valentina Koulitchkin wrote, and they taught me a new song. I plan to go each Tuesday that we are here and work on songs with them. I’m now transcribing all of the songs and I hope to print a complete Sakha hymnal when we return to the States.
We are speaking at schools, and are honored to share God’s love with hundreds of new students. Wednesday, I taught classes for an English teacher we met on Victory Day, and then spent time with her 11th year class. I spoke on what makes a person “great”, as I told of the life of our 6th US president John Quincy Adams; a devout Christian of uncommon faith who in 1787 at the age of 14 became US ambassador to Russia. I also spoke on the value of “character”. One student who lives 2 houses down from us walked me home. She asked me if I could advise her about life. I told her to look for the truth and light, and that Jesus was the answer. She listened very carefully and is so open. It’s why we’re here!
Luda, Mike and I went to home church today and Mike shared at length inductively from Eph. 2:1-10, how God raises us from death to life. He used the story of Lazarus – as Lazarus was dead with no faith in himself when Jesus raised him, so we have no faith in ourselves when God gives His eternal life to our spirit, which is then able to hear and respond to Him. Mike then fielded practical theology issues from last week and new ones including a baptism question. We went to Romans 6 & 1 Peter 3 to explain the 4 pictures in believer’s baptism: burial, resurrection, washing and Noah’s ark (Christ). It was 3 magnificent hours of leading very hungry Sakha believers in pouring over God’s Word for life-giving truth.
 BAD NEWS & GOOD NEWS: in an earlier update, we told how a local official was giving us a hard time with our registration. We now realize the “hard time” was our Sovereign Lord protecting us. First, the “bad” news: in discussions with federal agencies in Yakutsk, we learned that the Education Ministry secured for us 1-year multiple entry BUSINESS visas, not LABOR visas required for teaching (AARRG!). Also, newly enacted laws require those with business visas to leave Russia within 180 days, then return for a further 180 days. No, we don’t know why either. So to complete all projects we began for the republic and for our King in Ügülatsi, we MUST return to the US and await a work visa. We now plan to return to Evansville, IN about July 10th to gather what we need for a full-year in Ügülatsi. Now, the good news: with a work visa we’ll be able to live and work in Ügülatsi Sept. 2007 to Sept. 2008. Being in the US just 8 weeks: July 10 to Sept. 10, we gain 5 months to Sept. 2008. Having been here now, we have fully assessed what will be needed in Ügülatsi, and can gather those things. God is once again testing our conformability to flexibility!
Meanwhile we’ll giving seminars at the teachers college until we leave for the baptisms in Suuntar in mid-June. We plan to visit a number of our church plants on a 4-day trip to Suuntar. We’re also gathering all legal documents for a year in Ügülatsi; handing them to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Yakutsk on our way back to the US in July.
Mike finished his water only fast and last night we discovered he’s lost 14½ lbs. since our Siberia arrival on April 10th. God did some significant things for us and in us during the fast. Please pray for continued wisdom and now new level of provision as we must purchase tickets for our return to the US in the next 5 weeks. Our sincerest love and appreciation…
All our love in Christ,
Diane & Michael Meagher
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