It was a busy 10 days as the choir traveled around Belarus, ministering in a number of different churches and observing the condition of Christ’s Church there. I can give you more details now, but still will be cautious since anything on the internet is public.
Report from Belarus
A Beautiful and Spiritually Needy Country
Belarus is a beautiful country with rolling hills, lush farmland, and modern cities. Yet it is also a country desperately in need of the gospel. Situated between Poland and Russia, Belarus experienced a brief flowering of Reformed Protestantism in the 17th century, inaugurating a golden age of prosperity and advancement. But this hopeful development was quickly snuffed out by theological error and the violent opposition of both the Roman Catholics and the Russian Orthodox.
Subsequent history saw this region divided between Poland and Russia with Russia finally taking full control. As a result, Belarusian culture and language were nearly extinguished and replaced by all things Russian. This became even truer after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Belarus gained its independence as a result of the breakup of the USSR in the early 90’s, but the country still retains many characteristics of its communist past. Still, there were evidences of openness and Belarusian culture seems to be reviving. All of this provided an interesting background for the trip.
We arrived in Minsk on 16 June and had a day to adjust to the time difference (7 hours ahead of Eastern Time) and the latitude (almost 54 degrees north – the same as Edmonton, Alberta). The weather was very nice with mostly warm days and cool nights. But the short nights (5 hours of darkness) kept some of us from sleeping well.
Our choir was composed of people from both Covenant Presbyterian and First Presbyterian churches in Chattanooga and totaled just over 30. We were there as tourists to encourage our Belarusian brethren, to meet with a number of the house churches, and to hear reports of how the gospel is going forward in the country. During the trip, Rev. Robert Row and I were privileged to “give greetings” in a number of churches, as well as sharing the devotionals for the choir members.
On the first Sunday, the choir split and went to several house churches. Our section went to a church whose pastor is supported by Covenant Presbyterian. We sang in their small house church and I gave a “greeting” from 2 Tim. 2. (It is illegal in Belarus for a foreigner to preach or teach, unless he is there on a special visa.) It was a special time of prayer and encouragement for this small village church.
On subsequent days, the choir traveled through western Belarus, stopping at churches in Brest and Grodno (Hrodna) and at several house churches to do concerts. One of these churches has a wonderful ministry to special needs children – children who are largely neglected and ignored in Belarus. We sang for these children and their caregivers, many of whom have been drawn to faith in Christ because of the loving care demonstrated by the church. Of course, every church insisted on feeding us even though many of them are very poor. So we had no lack of good food: lots of fresh vegetables, potatoes, cheese, sausage, and the traditional Belarusian drink, cranberry juice.
Our scheduled visit to a children’s camp was nearly cancelled because our group had drawn the attention of the secret police. But after some tense negotiation, we were allowed to visit and our concert was well-received in that “secular” setting.
The final weekend was the climax of the trip. On Saturday, I was privileged to sit in a room with over 20 house pastors as they reported how God is using them to bring the gospel to a needy country. These Baptist pastors all work at least one other job in order to support their families and to avoid being seen as “lazy” by the Belarusians. In a country with Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches everywhere, evangelical Christians are viewed as cultic, so the pastors have to work hard (literally!) to gain a good reputation in their communities. It was such a blessing to hear from these guys who are on the front lines for the gospel and then to greet and encourage them in the name of the Lord.
On Sunday, we gave two final concerts in large (200-300 people) Baptist churches in Minsk. We sang in combination with a Belarusian choir and an orchestra! What an amazing experience! And the sound was unbelievable; it was a true foretaste of heaven as we joined in both English and Russian to praise our Savior. Robert greeted in the morning concert and I was scheduled to greet in the evening, but at the last minute the specter of the secret police arose again. The pastor said they were sure to have an “observer” in the service, so for safety I was limited to a very short greeting. Still, God blessed the whole day, and it is a day I will long remember.
I have only scratched the surface of the many blessings and opportunities that God provided during this trip. I wish I had time and space to tell you of singing “Alleluia” in a Russian Orthodox cathedral, touring a memorial for the over 2 million Belarusians who died in WWII, overnighting in the small apartment of a lovely family who spoke little English, absorbing beautiful vistas of birch forest and wildflowers, and many other experiences. It was a memorable and encouraging time.
I do not know what ELI opportunities will come from this trip. There is an evangelical seminary in Minsk, but an economic downturn has placed the school in a difficult situation. And, as I mentioned, a special visa is required for any Christian preaching or teaching. Still, I have made some contacts and we shall see what God does.
Thank you for your continuing prayers and encouragement. Susan and I continue to be busy with family obligations on both ends of the spectrum: our aging parents and our growing grandchildren. Those obligations kept me away from home after returning from Belarus, which is why I am sending this report out later than I would like.
For Christ’s Kingdom,
Dan