Hello from Russia 6-28-09

The picture above is of the staff I went with to the Black Sea for a mini Holiday as they would call it here in Russia. On the left of the picture is a beautiful young Girl Named Onia, that Paula adopted here in Russia she has quite the testimony that I will share with you in a little while. On the right next to Onia is Paula who is the founder of this ministry here in Russia which is called, "Living Waters Russia." to the right of Paula is another precious lady named Onia as well, to the right of Onia is Ira which is Paula's other adopted daughters real Mother, and on the right of Ira is Lera which is the daughter of Ira and is Paula's other adopted daughter.And finally on the right of the photo at the end is Connie who I met in Africa , who now lives in Russia and serves Paula and Living Waters Russia Ministry.

So now you have a little idea of who some of the staff are here. We had a blast just being together and having a little get away, while the students went on a mini missions trip for a couple of days. I am tired and resting before they all get back today. We have one more day off so the students can rest and then on Tuesday school will begin again.

I have not told you much about Russia as I have been taking it all in. I find Russia to be a nation that has gone through so much in wars and in refugee camps that the people here do need major healing and some have gone just into a mental break down state, that either they mentally break down or drink them selves to death or just become so cold and Callused. I can see why the Lord called Paula here to bring Jesus the healer to this Nation. Let me tell you a little story about two of Paula's adopted daughters that you see in the picture above.

Onia, is a beautiful young girl who came through such tremendous odds. Onia's Father at birth did not want her because she was a girl and even tried to get her Mother to abort her. Onia's Mother did not go through with the abortion. Onia's Father wanted nothing to do with Onia and they lived in a place Called, Chechnya. Here is a little History of her country.

The First Chechen War also known as the War in Chechnya was a conflict between Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria fought from December 1994 to August 1996. After the initial campaign of 1994–1995, culminating in the devastating Battle of Grozny, Russian federal forces attempted to seize control the mountainous area of Chechnya but were set back by Chechen guerrilla warfare and raids on the flat lands in spite of Russia's overwhelming manpower, weaponry, and air support. The resulting widespread demoralization of federal forces, and the almost universal opposition of the Russian public to the brutal conflict, led Boris Yeltsin's government to declare a ceasefire in 1996 and sign a peace treaty a year later. The official figure for Russian military death toll is 5,500, while most estimates put the number between 3,500 and 7,500, or even as high as 14,000.^[5] Although there are no accurate figures for the number of Chechen militants killed, various estimates put the number at about 3,000 to over 15,000 deaths. Various figures estimate the number of civilian deaths at between 30,000 and 100,000 killed and possibly over 200,000 injured, while more than 500,000 people were displaced by the conflict and the cities and villages across the republic were ruined.^[6]

There were many wars that would break out in this area. Onia,was a victim to these wars and she got captured in a Baptist church by the terrorists, and her Mother as well got captured and taken to separate place from where they took Onia.. For three months they held little Onia against her will as a hostage she was only 13 years old at the time. By this time her Father had left them. So this little girl had no idea if her sister was alive or dead, and Onia did not know if her mom or Aunt where still alive. While Onia had been captured had an encounter with the Lord, The Lord told her she was going to be released and her that her Mother was still alive. Onia, said, she had such a peace in her heart when the Lord spoke to her. One day Onia was left with a man who had to watch her so she would not escape. The man who was to hold her hostage helped her get away and had her live with his aunt until she could find her family if they were still alive. Then Onia was living in a church office where Paula had met little Onia, and Paula knew this little girl had been through allot as she was so traumatized that little Onia could not even speak, and Paula's heart went out to Onia because she also was not getting much food at all except left overs.Paula wanted to take her in and just love on her and raise her. Finally Onia came to live with Paula, and they found Onia's mom in a basement where all the houses where destroyed and no one house was left standing many people were killed but some how her Mother managed to live, but not with out a mental breakdown from all that took place from that war. Onia's Mother lives here at the center but tends to go off into fits of rages some times and still has mental issues. Onia's sister is still alive and lives in another place. Onia is only 23 years old now and lives with Paula still receiving love that brings forth healing along with her real Mother. This is just a short version of Onia's life.

Many have come to the center here who have been hurt by the wars and have had tremendous losses. The stuff they go through have left them so traumatized that Paula spends her life here raising up other Russians to serve as Jesus's mouth, hands and feet and to release deliverance and healing into the Russian people here who have gone through so much.

Lera is the other daughter here that Paula took in as her own. Lera has a mom who could not handle life and what it had done to her, that she is on medication for mental illness. You can see in Lera's eyes the pain she goes through seeing her mom in such a state. Her mom was on the trip with us to the Black Sea, and her mom had issues with almost passing out, and then she had a fit which is like a Seizure yesterday late afternoon as we were getting ready to come back to the center. Lera, gets scared some times and my heart breaks for her. Paula has been a huge Blessing to these girls as the Lord has caused Paula to love those who are hurting and brokenhearted, she takes them in and just loves them to healing it is amazing.Paula trusts the Lord for all the fiances to be able to do these things she is one precious women who lives by faith in a way I have never seen before. In fact I am praying about how to help her get finances for this center, and the other ones the Lord has placed in her heart to even start up.

As I have come to know these stories it has changed me and has even brought some healing to my own life. The other day we had a massive corporate deliverance take place with students from Communism that is over the Russian people here. As the students began to cry out as they were getting delivered I could instantly feel the horrific gut wrenching pain each one had, I felt like I was going to break under the weight of the pain I felt so strongly from each person in the room. I was not sure what was going on with me until the Lord began to speak to me. He said, now you have tasted what I feel every day when my children have been so wounded and hurt. My heart breaks for them just as yours is breaking now. I had to leave right after the deliverance because the pain I was feeling from each student was so overwhelming. He was letting me feel just a small amount of what He feels for His Children. I was a bit of a mess that day.

The Lord is moving here and changing lives and is really doing amazing things. He is changing my perspective and my heart. I see a people who God so loves and desires relationship with. I experience His heart that beats for the beautiful people of this nation. In my eyes Paula is a women who desires to carry the Fathers heart to dark and hurting nations. These are also my desires as well. I desire to pray and intercede for the Lord to release what is needed to accomplish His desires through Paula and the ministry here.

So here is a little update of this past week.

Much love to you.
Jeanie