During my teams first week in Russia we had the oppertunity to visit a Christian rehab center in a village near Rostov, where we live. The rehab cneter is in the middle of no where and the scenery surrounding it was absolutely incredible. Upon arriving, my team spent about an hour visiting with and getting to know the staff at the rehab center. It is a 6 month period of intense Bible study and prayer. They never mentioned dealing with past wounds and hang ups but strictly focused on a disciplined life style. They believe that living a disciplined life of reading their Bible and working so that they don't have time to think about drugs and alchohol.
After visiting some with the staff we had a service for those in rehab. I was both extremely excited and sad. I was excited because the people were obviously hungry for God or a way out of their current life. I was excited because many of them were throwing their all into the process and in that seeking God. This also made me extremely sad because they are so focused on earning God's love that I'm not sure they really realized how much they are already loved. The women were all forced to wear head coverings and dresses.
My team shared testimonies, did skits about God's redemption, and then at the end I got to lead worship with my team member Katrina. We offered to pray over the people as we were singing over them and they all flocked to the front. My team didn't know how to pray specifically for their needs but then God began to give them specific words and pictures for each person they were praying for. God's presence was extremely thick in the room both times we went to this rehab center. The 2d tme we were there we even had multiple people make decisions to accept Christ for the very first time.
Back in the day that I got to lead worship and be apart of the Celebrate REcovery at Cross Timbers I remember thinking, "If I could lead worshi pat a recovery setting for the rest of my life, I would just love it!" Here I am a couple of years later getting to sing over and minister to those in rehabs in Russia. How crazy and awesome is that? I feel so blessed that God has me right where Im at!
After visiting some with the staff we had a service for those in rehab. I was both extremely excited and sad. I was excited because the people were obviously hungry for God or a way out of their current life. I was excited because many of them were throwing their all into the process and in that seeking God. This also made me extremely sad because they are so focused on earning God's love that I'm not sure they really realized how much they are already loved. The women were all forced to wear head coverings and dresses.
My team shared testimonies, did skits about God's redemption, and then at the end I got to lead worship with my team member Katrina. We offered to pray over the people as we were singing over them and they all flocked to the front. My team didn't know how to pray specifically for their needs but then God began to give them specific words and pictures for each person they were praying for. God's presence was extremely thick in the room both times we went to this rehab center. The 2d tme we were there we even had multiple people make decisions to accept Christ for the very first time.
Back in the day that I got to lead worship and be apart of the Celebrate REcovery at Cross Timbers I remember thinking, "If I could lead worshi pat a recovery setting for the rest of my life, I would just love it!" Here I am a couple of years later getting to sing over and minister to those in rehabs in Russia. How crazy and awesome is that? I feel so blessed that God has me right where Im at!
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