One of the participants last night at the Uspenie (Dormition) Orthodox Cathedral in Kharkov, Ukraine, responded to the FaithSearch Discovery event this way: “It was so unusual! Not a lecture or a class. Not even a sermon but like meeting with a good old friend who was sharing from the bottom of his heart! I cannot believe it actually took three full hours without even taking a break! I have attended many presentations and conferences but this one was absolutely different! Each word was supported and enforced by the image on the screen that will now stay in my memory forever. What an excellent addition to the Philosophy course I am taking at the Kharkov State University!
And what an excellent challenge for many of my non-Christian classmates—to test their beliefs and skepticism.”
I hope that my presentation at the History Department of the Kharkov State University two hours from now will call for similar reaction from the student audience.
The last four days of intensive teaching at the Teachers’ Conferences in the Central Russian cities of Voronezh, Kursk, Belgorod and Stariy Oskol made me increasingly confident that the Holy Spirit was actually paving my way by opening and preparing these audiences’ minds and hearts to the presentation of the Gospel with Evidence. I am almost getting used to hearing from somebody after the event: “Thank you for the perfect timing of your visit—we’ve been looking for exactly this kind of material for our classes!”
That same Spirit has also been keeping me safe and strong through certain, let us call them, logistical and transportation challenges on the way. Nothing much but like arriving at around midnight at the hotel without an elevator and having to drag my suitcase (with 400 CDs still in it!) all the way to the fourth floor. Which is great for the cardiovascular system but not as good for actually going to sleep in the next couple of hours… Also, imagine this little bit of adventure: on my way back from Stariy Oskol, the bus tire blew up at full speed with such a force that it tore a piece of the bus side panel away. Praise God nobody was hurt and we were only delayed by an hour.
I am very thankful to all of you for keeping me in your prayers as I continue my journey further South and for praying for the safety of my family back home in Minnesota!
