The Time is Near

Dacula, Georgia (ACN)

With a title like that and if you know me you are thinking "He's talking about the rapture". While it is true the time of the rapture is near, it is not my topic tonight. No, tonight's topic is our next trip to Russia.

We depart Dec. 27th for Moscow and arrive on Dec. 28th. We then fly from Moscow to Kemerovo, Russia. When we arrive we will be 11 time zones from home and nearly half way around the world. We go to teach children and teens about Jesus.

The trip will take 14 days. We will be deep in the heart of Siberia with temperatures around 10 degrees F. for highs. There will be plenty of snow and lots of work to do.

Today I went to apply for our visas. In order to enter Russia you must have permission and that is obtained by asking the Russian government to grant you a visa. We are praying that we will be granted permission and that there will be no problems. The cost for 8 people to apply for the visas? $1500.

I have not been in Russia since March 2007 and I have missed my friends and family there. This time we are going to the town of Kemerovo. The closest I have been to Kemerovo (pop. 200,000) was in the city of Novosibirsk (pop. 1,000,000) in March 2007. Novosibirsk is four hours by van from Kemerovo. This trip will stretch me because we will be traveling for three days. We depart Dec. 27th at 12:00pm and arrive in Kemerovo Dec. 29th at 6:00am.

If you are a prayer warrior would you right down our prayer requests and pray for us from now until we return on January 9th. The team members names are:

Andy Nelms (55 from Dacula, Georgia)
Stephanie Nelms (39 from Dacula Georgia)
Darlene Siewert (69 from Richardton, ND)
Delores Martin (76 from Richardton, ND)
Brandie Reese (31 from Augusta, Georgia)
Gabrielle Norton (59 from Charleston, SC)
Joshua Durland (17 from Oregon)
Kristen Parks (18 from Kansas)

Please pray for our health to be good before and during the trip so that we can be effective.
Pray that our hearts will be servant hearts and that we are ready to serve.
Pray that the hearts of the Russian people with whom we come into contact will be ready to hear the Word.
Pray that as a team we become family and learn to serve each other.
Pray that many people will come to know Jesus Christ on this trip.
Pray for the House of Prayer Baptist Church with whom we will work, that many people will discover the people of the church to be friendly and excited about Jesus.
Pray that God will use each of us to bring glory to himself.
Pray that if something should happen to us while we are there that God will use it to bring glory to himself.

Pray that we will have enough funds to do all the work we have planned.

For all of you who have been with us on our trips before, you know how important it was that we were prayed for so I ask you to please participate in this prayer request. For all of you who know me and know my heart, please pray for us.

When we return we will be glad to share with you what God has done and tell you about the Great Adventure.

Lastly, I ask each person who reads this to make the following commitment:

I will commit to going to Russia on Dec, 27th 2010 if God will provide the funds. Then call or write to us and let us know of your commitment.

Thank you for reading my little blog.

May God bless you, your family and your church abundantly.

Servant of Jesus and your fellow Sojourner,

Andy Nelms