My first reaction was to remember several visits from my brother, Prof. Kurt Marquart, while I was living in Moscow and he travelled from Ft. Wayne to Novosibirsk to help in the training of their first pastors.
Then I remembered the poverty. We can see it on the videos, but we cannot really understand it. This is abject poverty. In Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, it is these abjectly poor ones who are blessed. Being blessed, they can accomplish what we cannot accomplish with our wealth, which is grotesque compared to their poverty.
But, as a faithful Russian once told me, “God really does not need pieces of paper with green ink on it,” because (Isaiah 55) “11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
He who invites us “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price,” also blesses the labors of the blessed abjectly poor. Thy Kingdom come!
4 comments:
Thanks for sharing this!
http://lambert-blog.com/2009/03/11/celebrating-11-years/
I'm halfway thru the 2nd video, and this former missionary kid is in tears.
The need is so very great, in Siberia, in Latvia, in Madagascar, in so very many places and yet here in the US we have a glut of pastors. Why?
Why are we not sending, sending, sending? Isn't that what Missouri always *used* to do?
It is overwhelming.
My first reaction was to remember several visits from my brother, Prof. Kurt Marquart, while I was living in Moscow and he travelled from Ft. Wayne to Novosibirsk to help in the training of their first pastors.
Then I remembered the poverty. We can see it on the videos, but we cannot really understand it. This is abject poverty. In Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, it is these abjectly poor ones who are blessed. Being blessed, they can accomplish what we cannot accomplish with our wealth, which is grotesque compared to their poverty.
But, as a faithful Russian once told me, “God really does not need pieces of paper with green ink on it,” because (Isaiah 55) “11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
He who invites us “Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price,” also blesses the labors of the blessed abjectly poor. Thy Kingdom come!
Peace and Joy!
George A. Marquart
It is very difficult to send any of our pastors. The language and culture barriers are enormous.
Actually, they have a Bishop, Pastors, and Deacons. They have a seminary. What do they need from us? Prayers and support.
Come over to our website www.siberianlutheranmissions.com and see how you can help! Spread the word . . .
Sorry for the plug, Father Will. ;)
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