Thanksgiving Surprise
The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Pastor Sokol shared that he would be meeting with city officials the next day to discuss next year’s fees regarding unfinished construction. He shared that changes had been made in the law and the fees would no longer double. He was unsure of all the details but was very optimistic. At the meeting on Wednesday, Pastor Sokol signed a new agreement for the Ministry Center and the new set amount of penalty for unfinished construction. The agreement states that starting next year, the annual penalty due is equivalent to less than $4,000. It was as if a huge weight was lifted and that God was saying “Do not fear, I am with you.” The next day was Thanksgiving. Together with Pastor Sergei and Olga Sokol and Pastor Andrei, we shared our gratefulness to God for His provisions and His faithfulness over a Thanksgiving meal. We do have so much to be thankful for; for this unexpected blessing, for the tremendous work that has been done and the prayers, funds, and people that God has used to make all of this possible.
We are humbled and grateful for all that you do to support and encourage the Russian church and us. As economies fluctuate and financial fears loom, we recognize that it is in times of crisis when God’s children have opportunity to shine the brightest. I witnessed it in Florida through three hurricanes, I saw it again in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, and I see it each time we visit you and share the stories and the work here. I see it each and every day working with the young Russian church as they “Seize the Moment, and Share the Dream.”
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