Acts 1:8 (NIV)
8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
 
Get Involved
 
Miki and I would like to thank you all so much for giving us the opportunity to talk to you about our ministry in Russia.  As that is the case, we want to put aside our ministry for now and talk to you briefly about your calling.  As we travel from church to church, the most common question we get is, "How did you know your calling?"  The frequency of this occurrence leads us to believe that there are probably many of you who are calling out to the Lord saying, "Father, what would you have me do?"  We pray these words encourage, comfort (and in some cases) convict you.  
 
First of all,  I need to remind you that the Great Commission is comprehensive in its audience.  In Mark 16:15, Jesus commissioned us to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."  Joyce Chellis, a colleague of ours in Kazakhstan, explains it like this:  He never said, "For all of you who find it convenient, or exciting and adventuresome, go into the world and preach the gospel."  He told us ALL to go.  The job for some of us is to stay at home and pray.  The job for others of us is to provide the means for others to go.  And the job for the rest of us is to give it all up and go.  That doesn't mean that all of you need to support this ministry necessarily, but it does mean that the Lord expects your participation.
 
Lets talk about participation-  Your church's involvement in missions doesn't get you off the hook for your individual calling.  Over the years our ideas about the Great Commission has changed.  Many in the Church now see Missions as one piece of the Church, when actually the Church has always been one piece of THE MISSION.  The Church you attend was built on missions.  
 
So you know God's expectations.  You know where he prioritizes missions. But what if you just don't believe you can make a difference, let alone know where to start?   It would take me about 5 minutes to describe some of the atrocities we have witnessed in Russia for all of us to realize that our human efforts are hopeless at best.   But God's grace teaches us that He does not call the qualified, but He qualifies those He calls.   It has taken Miki and I a long time to realize that God called us to Russia (and you to your particular calling) not for the sake of those to whom we minister, but simply for us to work to know Him more.  Searching and then acting upon God's call on your life puts you in the best spot you can possibly be-  In the center of His will.  
 
On the opening night of a large missions conference we attended in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the keynote speaker turned in the pulpit and focused in on the 20 or so missionaries attending and said, "We give you permission to fail."  It's hard to express how much that meant to us to hear that.  Now I say to you the same thing:  We give you permission to fail.  Step out with Jesus, and look for that place where you feel his presence.  For Miki and I, we feel like we are looking into the eyes of our Savior when we look at these orphans.  I encourage you all to search for that place, that ministry, even that person where you see HIM, and when you find it- GO.  
What We Do We work to meet the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the disabled orphans and street children in St. Petersburg. We attempt to educate the Russian public about the worth of these children and how they can help. We also build relationships among those working closely to the children to provide accountability and support for their tasks. We attempt to create opportunities for the children to transition into society. A word from Charlie... Our Vision That the at-risk children of Russia be embraced as precious children of God. That disabilities no longer be considered a life sentence and that parents receive support and empowerment to provide for themselves and their children a life together in Christ Jesus. That the church, the body of Christ, which is alive in Russia, be uplifted in Christ Jesus to the glory of God the Father. We pray that we serve Russia as an example of Christ, staying and standing together in Him in all things. How You Can Help You show us your interests, occupations, skills or hobbies and we’ll show you how you can impact the lives of children in St. Petersburg! We need young people to interact and encourage the street children. We would be glad to host a team of grandmothers to come and hold babies for two weeks. We have people collecting clothes, making clothes, sending supplies- the list goes on! We need your prayers. Russia is a heavy place, and we can really feel your prayers push us along thru difficult times. We need your financial support. Though still a third-world country in many ways, Russia is a very expensive place to serve. We need commitments from churches and individuals to help us reach 100% of our fundraising in order to begin our first term with The Mission Society this fall. We need venues to tell the story of these children who have so touched our lives. Please tell your pastors, Sunday school classes, bible studies about us. We’d be happy to visit with you. That’s the reason we’re called Acts of Advocacy- to tell others about the situation!