6/10/07, Sunday: Went to AM fellowship. Visited with Taisya and Zalina. (Taisya was a hostage along with her four young daughters… all lived except the second-oldest daughter.)  Had a nice visit with them, and Taisya gave me a Russian/Ossetian/English mini-dictionary… thank You, Lord, and please bless her! Gave them both of my CDs. Taisya told me of Saudi Arabia ’s invitation for Bsln kids to visit there in September or something… to visit Saudi Arabia when they will be having a big muslim holiday. Taisya and I talked of the absolute stupidity of the muslims’ invitation. Like Taisya mentioned, to have Bsln kids there – in Saudi Arabia of all places – and hearing people saying ‘allahu akbar’ like they heard the terrorists say in the school massacre. What an absolutely insane and absurd invitation… that is about the height of stupidity! Let’s see, muslim terrorists – in the very name of their ‘god’ – attack a school here in 2004 and hold over 1,000 people hostage in appalling condition... kids having to resort to drinking their own urine and so forth. More than 330 people are killed, and then a muslim country – Saudi Arabia of all places – invites kids who survived that nightmare but lost family members and friends in it – to visit their country during a huge muslim holiday? I want to keep on writing about how absolutely and incredibly dumb such a stupid invitation is, but i’m just at a loss for words. The “religion of peace” never ceases to amaze me.     …Later visited Madina; she’s still taking exams - she said how her parents were doing bad (healthwise). I asked her how she was, and she said something like, ‘I have to be okay.’ I know she carries so much on her shoulders, in helping take care of her family. She said how much she just wanted a day to spend by herself. I told her that after her exams were done, I’d give her money for her and a friend to go do something special.      ….Later, The Lord blessed me with a really nice time of visiting Sergei and Byella, two amazing believers who lost two of their daughters in the massacre. (Sergei is a pastor here, and his family remains active in the ministry.) Byella told me of how difficult it was for her when she was studying during the time of Communism, because she refused to sign a government paper which said there was no God. She also shared that their family still gets sympathy letters, and i would encourage you to pray and consider sending a card or note of encouragement as well. Though they lost two of their daughters almost three years ago, they obviously must live in the present reality of not seeing their beloved children by their sides. We talked for quite a while, and when I was leaving, Byella said it was very nice to talk with me – for in Christ, we are one spirit. Amen! Lord Yeshua – thank You for the bond in You and friendship with these saints, and thank You for laying down Your life for us. All the glory and praise be to You!

Prayer Requests

• Wisdom for Madina as she studies for and takes her many exams – pray also for strength and encouragement for her, and for her to find those things in Jesus;
• Madina’s parents, Alan and Zalina, for better health, and for their wounded hearts;
• Yah’s encouragement for one of my Christian sisters here;
• me, to be surrendered to – and led by – His Holy Spirit; and that i might learn the languages here better;
• President Bush and his family, as well as our other leaders;
• God’s blessing on the English, guitar, and Bible-reading times here;
• the peace of Jerusalem .