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Food For Siberia Trip |
 Since
I was doctoring full time when God called me for this trip into Siberia, I
was really pushed for time to get ready. I also had four little children
all under the age of seven years. I had told God He picked the wrong
person, but He as always knew what He was doing! I had a lot to learn! I
had no idea how much work was involved in getting ready for a mission
trip. There were so many details when preparing for 1,500-2000 children.
My small group visual aids just would never do. No one could see. Among
the thousands of things I had to do, I had to make slides of all my visual
aids. There were a total of 3,000 slides made on my ironing board with my
camera on a tripod. Then these had to be sent out of Portland for
developing. It took three months of very hard work to prepare. All was
done around my scheduled patients, and emergency calls. God had a dear
retired evangelist buy a slide projector. It was so obvious that the whole
plan was orchestrated by God's MASTER MIND. |
 I
had no time for grocery shopping for three months. I would pray to God to
give me a window of time in Xerox lines and in rush hour traffic lines
after work as I scurried on last minute errands. God made those windows
for me. God even sent friends over with boxes of groceries plus checks of
money to cover expenses. The last week, even hot dishes were provided.
One day while reading the list of things to do, I decided to pray about the food needs. I was troubled over the fact that I also needed to take things ready to eat that did not require cooking. We were instructed not to take a hot plate. We were to fix our food in our rooms. I asked the Lord if I could do as the disciples that He sent out with just shoes on their feet.
Cold air poured into my motel room and night, and I could not stay warm. In spite of all the good food mom sent with me, the forty below zero weather set me up for pneumonia. |
 The
first two weeks Dr. Al and Mary Lou Pery looked after me. They made sure I
had some hot food. When they left, I had use of their hot plate. It blew
up at the socket by my bed. Then it was back to old things for a week till
I got real sick. My Russian friend Tonya began bringing me food. So also
did mother Ann Melashenko. I just slept, too weak to move for two days. I
was so sick I did not care if I lived or died. But God had more work for
me to do. Lonnie and his dad Melashenko came in to my motel room and
prayed for me. I would be awakened by a knock on the door and it was
usually more food. I would struggle to just unlock my door and go back to
bed. After eating, I would go back to sleep. I thank the Lord my friends
helped me. Bev Guildersleeve brought some delicious gluten. Finally the
antibiotics Dr. Perry left seemed to be working. The hot meal nourishment
brought the strength back.
Through it all, I did not miss a meeting. I was too weak to walk or stand up, but God gave me courage and strength for meeting and then I went back to bed. I prayed every breath I took during that whole time in Russia. God poured out His Spirit on me and reached many hearts. Two hundred young people asked for baptism and hundreds more too small for baptism, gave their hearts to Jesus. It was a precious experience. I had never before done anything like it. God knew I would enjoy it when He called on me. The hot plate was repaired by this Russian man who could fix anything. He was such a blessing. |
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was so grateful for the kind flight engineer Alex and his friend Dr. Dudin
who helped me change tickets to leave a couple days earlier than I
planned. Both men had little girls that came to my meetings for children.
These fathers kept expressing their gratitude. They even paid the penalty
fee for changing departure time. Little Tonya said her favorite song she
had learned in the meetings was, "Whisper a Prayer in the Morning,
and her other favorite was "I'm Happy Today". Dr. Dudin was so
concerned that I had developed pneumonia and yet worked another week when
I was too weak to stand up. His kindness will never be forgotten. God
takes note on how people care for HIS MISSIONARIES. He sees all that is
done in secret and rewards openly. I hope to see Dr. Dudin and Alex and
Tonya in heaven some day.
My trunks of slides and children's supplies made these dear friends call them my "refrigerators". I guess they thought the trunks were full of food. God always provides for our needs. Phil. 4:19 I was so grateful for all the food God provided before and during the mission trip. When God asks us to do something for Him, He makes it possible to do.
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| As a worker gives himself unreservedly to the service of the Lord, he gains an experience that enables him to work more and more successfully for the Master. The influence that drew him to Christ helps him to draw others to Christ. The work of a public speaker may never be laid upon him, but he is nonetheless a minister for God, and his work testifies that he is born of God. {9T 128.2} Women as well as men can engage in the work of hiding the truth where it can work out and be made manifest. They can take their place in the work at this crisis, and the Lord will work through them. If they are imbued with a sense of their duty, and labor under the influence of the Spirit of God, they will have just the self-possession required for this time. The Saviour will reflect upon these self-sacrificing women the light of His countenance, and this will give them a power that will exceed that of men. |
| On the flight home, I chilled and felt so weak. I was
sick in bed for two weeks when I returned home to my children and husband.
In spite of the illness challenge, God helped me make all the transfers I
needed. God does not prevent sickness in His servants but He does bring
comfort and healing. Any suffering I go through is
nothing compared to what Jesus suffered on the cross for me.
One of the fellow workers on the team, whom I will not mention his name, was angry at me for not leaving my camera behind for him to use. He called and said some very stern, harsh, and unkind things to me when he returned home. I awoke from sleep to take his call. I was still extremely sick. It was such a shock to hear what he had to say. I was surprised they had planned on using my camera without ever telling or asking me for it. Misunderstandings arise from stressed out busy team members who neglect to pray before they scold. God always helps in these emergencies. He says "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." Is. 30:15 Only God can keep you quiet in the storm. He faithfully answered my prayer. Patiently endure the pressure. Even though a wrong is done you, keep the love of God in the heart. . . . {LHU 299.6} "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4:6 |
At
that very minute the phone rang and it was my mom. She had a catalogue and
wanted o order my survival kit. She asked which kinds of granola and soups
sounded good. She packed a lovely assortment of nuts, dried fruits,
granola and soups. The seasoning she packed was especially good when a
Russian friend brought me fresh potatoes and carrots from her garden. The
soup only required hot water. I really enjoyed he hot split pea soup in
cold Siberia. I ran out before I got tired of it. I discovered when we got
there that the other Americans had hot plates, and kettles. Some bought
items locally. 