People with "Issues"

I have noticed one somewhat unexpected thing while working with children from the Russian orphanage system: these kids are really not as "messed up" as we sometimes make them out to be. I in no way want to diminish the severity of being abandoned. I certainly realize and understand the bad effects of having been institutionalized. AND, thatt is exactly my point. These children would have been able to deal with their stress better, would have been able to construct a better work ethic and would have been able to graduate from their schooling fully prepared to live independently HAD they been raised by someone who cared. None of the kids we work with are somehow "too far gone". And we must add that in the economics of the kingdom of God, there is no such thing as "too far gone". I would even venture to say that the kids we work with really aren't "all that bad". TO be honest, I often come home from the Vocational Center thinking, "Gosh, I want to adopt at least 5 or 6 of these kids..." ALL they need is a home! All they really need is some type of constant loving presence in their lives. Of course, The Harbor's programs try to fill the hole left from not having a stable adult in one's life.... And it is worth stating that, even just a little love and care goes a LONG way. Another thing I want to point out is that we are ALL people with issues. I know that I have behavior issues, psychological problems, and most of all there is sin in my life. I am a person who needs help. I depend on others, for advice, encouragement and a helping hand. At the end of the day; WE ALL have issues. This is not unique to orphans. So, I thank God that he gave me parents who cared. I thank God that I was accepted and encouraged in my growing-up years. I thank God that I was helped along in dealing with my issues and I especially thank God that I was pointed toward Christ as the one who is the Great Healer and Helper. It is more than frustrating to see so many children who have been deprived of a home and it is especially frustrating and heartbreaking to imagine "what could have been" the case for these children. However,we at The Harbor know that it can be truly life-altering for these kids to run into people who dare to "imagine what could be" for them and in them. Thank you for daring to imagine with us.

Monday Nights

On Monday nights I have been trying to spend time at The Harbor's Vocational Training Center. At the center we have a total of around 100 orphans visiting weekly to study and gain skills in the areas of cooking, ceramics, woodworking, hairdressing, photography and computers. I usually hang out with the kids in the computer class and help out as needed. The children who come on Mondays are from a type of "transition house". The state has decided that these children are not able to live with their birth families currently, but they may still have a chance to return home at a later point. On the flip side, some of these kids will be shifted to more permanent orphanages where they will be wards of the state until they are 23 years of age. Sometimes I don't know if my presence at the center does much at all to help these kids who have to deal with such serious issues and the inner turmoil that results from abandonment. I listen to their conversations and wish to God that these children did not have to wonder whether they will ever see their home again. One child will say to the other "Look, I think I have found a picture of the street where my house is online!". Another will reply, "Wow, you think you will live with your parents again!? I know I will end up in the orphanage." This is heavy stuff! I assist the kids with learning Microsoft Word or the basics of e-mail. I sit with the kids during dinner time, crack some jokes and make sure the young men aren't hitting each other at the table. But I wonder, "Is this helpful to them? Do they grow from their time at our center?". It is about that time that the kids have to pack up and go home (often an hour long journey on a bus through the snow!). We stand and say our goodbyes in the hallway and that is when I notice that little Igor, the kid who had needed a lot of help during computer class, is giving me a big hug on his way out the door. As they leave I, and my fellow workers at the center, realize that these kids need loving attention and presence first and foremost. I don't know the last time Igor got personalized attention or a hug from a male authority figure, but I know that these kids receive this and more during their time at The Harbor's Vocational Training Center. I am blessed to be able to participate and help.

A Dark Laugh

“Blessed is the one who does not… sit in the company of mockers” Psalm 1:1 All societies are broken and build up walls and divide between the “haves” and the “have-nots”. In Russia, the “have-nots” are very visible. In front of our home is a group of destitute homeless beggars who depend on the large foot-traffic at our intersection. The route I take to language school is the route frequented by disabled veterans of the Chechen wars begging to make ends meet. The most disturbing aspect of this public display of brokenness is found in the public apathy and disdain that is shown towards these realities in Russia. We recently read an article that declared a dead man laid across a busy public bus stop bench for hours before anyone took the time to call the authorities. I have recently seen several situations where drunken men, or homeless hobos, were publicly mocked and scorned. The stigma attached to the poor in Russia is perhaps most apparent in the stamps that are placed in an orphans passport and ID. Employers and all who need access to an orphans ID know up front that these individuals grew up in an orphanage and are therefore most likely “invalids” in society’s eyes. You can imagine then what shame an orphan feels and the tragedy that the poor find themselves in here in Russia. In my opinion our willingness to mock the poor and the downtrodden is a self-defense mechanism we display. All of us know that we are among the “haves” only because of a few small circumstances. Things could have been different, even for us. We want to forget this fact and pretend that we are somehow special and self-sufficient. The fact is we need someone outside of ourselves to support us and see us through. We are dependent on God, he is our only trustworthy source and foundation. In fact, in Christ we are called to be like him and actually identify with and minister among the down and out. So, let us not sit among the scoffers, but instead follow Christ into the trenches where his grace truly shines brightest.

Will they take the risk? We have had several conversations recently with Harbor staff and have heard over and over how difficult it is for a Russian orphan to take the leap of faith required to follow Jesus Christ. These kids truly have the cards stacked against them. For instance, The Harbor's girl apartment recently lost a resident who must have felt like the structure and the rules of The Harbor just aren't what she wants. Anya and I met this girl and saw immediately how cocky and arrogant she could be. Like most 19 year-olds, orphans display this cockiness as a defense mechanism desperately trying to hide insecurity brought on by the fact that they have to become an adult, and quick. Unfortunately, in an orphan's case, rejecting all authority, running away from structure and discipline, and doubting that anyone could love you enough to want to help is a deadly game. Where will our lost resident go? God only knows and we pray that God would go with her and draw her close to himself. Ultimately, the questions that our resident's face are not questions that are foreign to us. There is a real question of risk we are faced with as we grow older. Will we give up on ourselves? Will we submit to the fact that we don't know it all and will never know it all ourselves? The Harbor will fail every time if we think that building up a kid's self-confidence will help them navigate their lives. Our confidence has to be built upon something much more firm and stable than our own ability to make a way for ourselves. Liberation to live life with gusto and abandon...Freedom to take the risks necessary to live in our complex world can only be found in knowing we are loved unreservedly by a Father who knows all our failures, inadequacies and doubts. The question our resident's face is something we must ask ourselves, "Will we take the risk; will we admit we need others and will we admit we need Christ in us and with us?".

How Much we Really Have

Hard times have hit. Maybe we are in another recession. In my home state, Texas, an old school problem, drought, has led to a modern day catastrophe. Many people today are facing very hard times indeed. But, as I prepare to go into ministry and as I learn more about the world and its history, I can't help but question a few of our assumptions. Part of what has started this questioning was my grandfather telling me about the "good old days" (you know the days when we drove with leaded gas, air travel was in its infancy, and people used the post office to communicate with others). Especially after reading this article from USA today, I knew that this installment of "Toward a Theology of Orphan Ministry" would have to be about the true picture of the abundant wealth we all live in today.

We know that Christ has called us to live amongst and minister to the poor. But I think that in hard times we have a mental impediment that keeps us away from true service. Here is the obstacle: We don't realize that we are incredibly wealthy. Perhaps our bank account is small- yet we live with incredible access to credit, loans, and networks of family and friends that few people in history have known. Perhaps we have lost a job recently- yet somehow, many Americans know that they will be able to find work of some kind at some point- low-paying work perhaps, but work nonetheless. Perhaps we are really at rock bottom- yet if we have family (a spouse, a mother or a father) then we have more than the orphans residing at The Harbor have.
The USA Today article has reminded me that I have very little to complain about. I own a car, I have access to running water, I live in a secure location, and from time to time I can go out for ice cream! I have an abundance. Most of us have easy access to cheap goods and a general belief that our future will be at least as good as our today. May God teach us humility, grant us gratefullness and show us how to share our wealth with groups like The Harbor or to relieve those caught up in disaster, such as the one in East Africa.

What is Wrong with Us?

In reading Alex Krutov's story I can't help but think, "What is wrong with us?" A person could argue that the particular history of the Soviet Union led to the abandonment of so many children. Maybe, but Russia is not unique in the abandonment of the young. One only has to read about the abortion crisis in America, the forced abortions of China, the abandonment of female children in India, the child soldiers of Africa, the street children of the Philipines living amongst the graves, etc... etc... to know that humans are not great at taking care of their children. I know enough folks who work in social work homes to know that even in America we abandon our children. The problem is widespread and its effects are obvious. But there is more to the story.
We would be wrongheaded to simply look at this issue and try to alleviate the suffering without asking some deep questions. What is at the root of this plague? Why do we hate our own children? Why do we give birth, only to despise God's gift of life? The issue is deeply rooted in our selfishness, our lack of concern for our neighbor, and oftentimes our lack of concern for ourselves. Our life is a gift from God, how much more the lives of the young and innocent! Only when we look at the root of the problem can we begin to address the issue at all.
Perhaps this is a sidenote, but it is one worth making. I know several people who read the statistics, who visit the orphanages and dismal "baby houses" and give up; on faith, on God, on themselves, on hope... I think we do oursevlves a disservice to see the suffering and to then decide that there must be no meaning or central purpose or call to the universe. I also think it is intellectualy/philosophically indefensible to argue that since there is so much evil in the world (and in our hearts) that therefore the world has no purpose, there is no God, and Christ is a farce. This approach is only looking at one-half of the dataset. There is not merely a "problem of evil", there is in a sense a "problem of good". If there is no meaning or rationale for seeking justice, then why do so many sacrifice for the greater good? Why do so many of parents take care not only of their own children, but take care of the children who have been abandoned by others? How did Alex Krutov find hope? How did the trans-Atlantic slave trade end? How do I get up and face each day with a sense of peace in my heart? I think all of these "problems" demand an answer. My faith journey has led me to believe Christ offers the answer to the question "How can we hope?". May God make it possible for increasing numbers of Russian orphans to hear this hope proclaimed in the future.

Toward a Theology of Orphan Ministry

Who are you? Who am I? These basic questions are ones that dominate our lives, throughout our lives, and it seems the answer changes in ways as time goes by. However, at every point in life our being- our identity, is inexorably rooted in where we came from. Try to imagine then the profundity of this question when you are an orphan.

Few of us can begin to imagine what life is like with no family connections- no one to spend holidays with, no one to call on the weekends, and no network of support when times get hard. Even harder to imagine is having next to nothing to base your very identity on. Anya and I are students of the issues surrounding life as an orphan. We do not know much, but in observing and listening to the lives of orphans we hear one constant refrain- the one thing an orphan knows and remembers about their family, is that the orphan has emerged from the family unwanted.

Because of the depth of these issues, a ministry like The Harbor must be absolutely clear about its objectives.

* The project of The Harbor then is much more than providing housing- The Harbor provides a HOME
* We do not merely teach vocational skills- The Harbor instills VALUE into the orphan by enabling them to work with their hands
* The Harbor does not merely counsel the orphan- The Harbor introduces the orphan to their FATHER

Thank God that our value, our worth, our identity is not found solely, or really, in our earthly lineage.

We are who we are because of whom God has called us to be. He is our Father, our Creator, and our Savior. From him we have come, and he beckons us to return to his nail scarred arms.

Toward a Theology of Cross-Cultural Ministry

Normally I try to write about Orphan Ministry in particular, but I thought that this time around I would write about working cross-culturally in ministry. This will actually be a bit more of a personal note or testimony about how I became interested in cross-cultural ministry. I was involved primarily in youth ministry in college. Working with youth is a lot like working with a foreign culture. Sometimes kids (even if they are only 5-6 years younger than you!) can seem like they are from a different planet. So, I told myself very specifically that I didn't think I would ever get involved with missions. I think that is about the exact same time that God began to peak my interest in missions (you know how it is). I then heard the famous illustration of World A, World B, and World C. Basically it goes as follows: the body of Christ spends most of its time pouring resources into World A: the small sliver of the earth's population that has heard all about Jesus three thousand times already. Some of us spend some time ministering to those people in World B: the 25% or so of humanity who has some sort of faint notion of who Jesus is (wasn't he a rapper in the 90s? they might ask). Then basically no one ministers and works with those in World C who have never heard the name Jesus and know no one who does know the name Jesus. So you have most Hindus, Muslims, or Indigenous peoples around the world who have very little statistical chance of meeting anyone who follows the way of Jesus.
WOW! That is challenging for those of us who have been preparing to go into ministry. If our calling is where the need is then the direction of that calling becomes very clear. Well, the other piece of theological wisdom that pierced my heart and led me toward missions was Paul's bit in 2 Corinthians 8:13-14
"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality",
So, Paul tells churches on one side of the world that there is real physical/material/financial need among some of the churches on the other side of the world. Paul says that shouldn't be and that what should be is: equality. Hmm, I thought. If I have something to give (my time, my willingness, the ability to travel to the other side of the world); then I should give it a shot because God desires equality and calls us to help one another out. Paul's point was that there will come a time when you have need, so give to others if you ever hope for anyone else to give to you.
That is why I do what I do. Let me know if God calls you to go with us to Russia, or if your preference is to go to Namibia or Turkmenistan after reading this. These are the things that spurred me on. It would be interesting to hear if you felt the same about these admonitions.

Opposition

I am not a superstitious guy. I am also not a guy who is paranoid about demonic activity or who feels that followers of Jesus need to recite scripture as if it is a magical mantra that expels evil forces.... But I am a person who has seen opposition. I believe that opposition is from the enemy and I believe we are called to stand strong in the midst of it; not by our own strength and power but exactly by giving up on our own strength and power.
We have come to a place in our trip where we have faced opposition. Our car had some troubles, our car repair shop caused even more troubles, our baby wakes up through the night regular hourly intervals, and I have received a phone call today from a friend who is going through the shockwaves of being diagnosed with a serious cancer. Do these circumstances come directly from the enemy himself? Maybe, or maybe not; that question is above my paygrade-- BUT what does come from the enemy is the psychological baggage that follows these kinds of circumstances. It is human and normal to face questions like: Is this path of life worth it? Does God not understand and see my friend's suffering? BUT the temptation to follow these questions towards despair and mental death/passivity is a pill that is offered from the pits of hell.
My wife and I have stepped out from the ordinary to go... the ordinary is not evil or wrong necessarily, but it is not what we have been called out to do right now. So, one thing is for certain, when anyone steps out from the norm, when anyone sticks their head out from the crowd, that person is in serious danger of getting smacked with some stuff that for lack of a better word I will call "opposition". We are at a half-way point in our trip. We are pushing forward and we are not giving up. We appreciate your prayers and have appreciated hearing stories from many of you already concerning your experience in facing opposition and having pushed through to the other side.

In Texas Again

Texas is its own animal. As soon as you drive in from New Mexico the road becomes pretty and smooth and there is grass in the fields instead of just rocks. Well, one of the big stretches of driving is now finished, Cali to Texas in two days by myself. I found the ride to be exhausting, but not boring. There is so much to see on the freeways! I also learned to do some motivational talking to myself; Don't worry I did not answer my own questions or anything.
I have already seen two sets of Grandparents, my little nephew Tommy, and my parents. Its turning out to be a good trip. We are now in Lubbock, TX until next Friday or so. Look us up and we will come by for a visit.
I am experiencing a little bit of culture shock already as life in Texas is so slow-paced compared to LA. Perhaps this is God's way of prepping us for a big culture change when we finally do get to St. Petersburg. I think it will be hard for me of course, but it will be interesting to see how Anya experiences reverse culture shock in Russia after having lived in the States for 5 years. Changes, changes, changes... Wow! Well, this is one of those moments where I am reminded that our faith is an ancient one, our God an unchanging God, and the only constant we have to hold on to is the love of the Creator as shown through his Son. The same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.

Going to the Harbor

We are on our way! That's right. Chris and Anya Gandy have found a missions organization that we love! It is called "The Harbor" and it falls under a parent ministry called CRM. Check out The Harbor's website at: theharborspb.org. Little Nina can't wait to get to Russia, I can tell. She is already learning Russian since Anya only speaks Russian to the baby.
Well, many have asked us questions about our journey to Russia and I will take a little time here to answer those questions:
Where are we going?
To St. Petersburg, Russia to serve with The Harbor, a ministry that provides transitional housing and life-skills training for older orphans who have nowhere else to turn.
When are we going?
We plan to be fully funded and ready to go to Russia by September 1, 2010.
How long are we going for?
We feel strongly that God has called us to live our lives as career missionaries in Russia who serve cross-culturally long term.
How can someone help us in this journey?
We need teams of people to partner with!
1) A team of prayer warriors covering us with their intercession
2) A team of friends blessing us in practical ways throughout our journey (rides to the airport, places to stay from time to time)
3) A financial support network giving consisten monthly monetary donations to fund this ministry
4) friends and family referring us to groups and individuals that might be interested in giving to this ministry
How much should I give?
How do I give?
The ministry we have joined allows online donations, simply click here and choose your giving preferences.
What else can I do to help?
Pray, pray, pray! We have a long journey ahead of us. We will be traveling around visiting supporters and packing to get ready. Pass the word on to those you think may be interested! Let me know via e-mail if you are interested in an info-packet or if you have more questions; e-mail Chris at: chris.gandy@crmleaders.org
Russia, here we come!

Life Goes on in Southern Cali

Hello all,
This is one of those updates that my wife and I send every once in a while to let you all know that we are alive and kicking, that life is still good and God is still faithful. We have appreciated all of you and your support and friendship that you have shown us at different points in our lives and so we thought we would just let you know where we are at.
Anya and I are still working at the US Center for World Mission. We work in the publishing department of this interesting and famous ministry. We help publish books on a variety of topics (New Testament textual criticism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Theological Education by Extension, The History of Christian Missions, etc...). We also help develop, publish, distribute, and promote curriculum used in a variety of University programs. Anya also helps alot with an academic journal (the IJFM, www.ijfm.org) that comes out quarterly.
This past year has been a doozy. It started out rough as I was pushing through the last few months of Seminary. I finished and graduated with a Masters of Arts in Theology, Praise the Lord! Now, I am just a regular citizen I guess. It has been odd not going to school, seeing as I went to school for about 90% of my life up until now. My parents and grandparents were able to attend my graduation and it was good to see them. Since graduation I have been recuperating from life in the fast lane (school and work proved to be an exhausting combo for me). I think I am just about reintegrated into life and society, thanks to the patient and loving help my wife has shown me. We are enjoying life and love living in our community house.
For those who didn't realize, my wife and I have lived in large intentional community house (a place where 10-11 young adults commit to living together and sharing responsibilities for cooking and cleaning). Our house is focused on Christian missions and has many residents who have grown up all around the world. We have learned quite a lot from our housemates and are grateful to have been given this opportunity to live in what we call the "Haggai House" (after the biblical book of Haggai).
This October my brother had quite a nasty motorcycle accident. Dalton flew off of his bike and banged his head against a wooden post on the side of the road. Thankfully his helmet absorbed some of the shock and my brother is still alive. However, he has numerous broken bones and has to wear a brace while his spine is trying to heal up. Please pray for Dalton and his family in this difficult time. My parents have been gracious and have opened up their home to Dalton, his wife, and his two precious babies.
On top of Dalton's motorcycle accident, he has been diagnosed with a rare heart disorder. My mom also has been having heart troubles and so my family is very much in need of your prayers right now.
So, this has been our life for the past year. Often we are asked "Weren't you going to Russia sometime?"; or as some people like to ask "Why don't you leave already?"... Well, we are certainly praying and waiting on God to see when we might return to the motherland. Currently we are in discussion with 2 or 3 mission groups in Russia which are all doing great things there. We are hoping to go there sooner rather than later, but we are waiting on God and going one step at a time. My focus lately has been trying to pick up some more of the Russian language.
Please let us know how you and yours are doing. We hope you are well and that these holidays have been a time of rest and centering your life on Jesus Christ, who is our hope and Savior. Feel free to ask more questions about what we are up to. We love to chat, so keep in touch!
Chris and Anya Gandy

Что нового? (Июнь 2008 г.)

Здравствуйте, друзья!
Многие из вас давно от нас ничего не слышали. Как, наверное, и у всех, жизнь у нас была в последний год полная дел и событий. Крис учился в семинарии и работал (и по-прежнему работает) в Международном Университете им. Уильяма Кери, вместе с Аней. Все предметы были интересные, и работа тоже. Мы -- отдел публикаций и разработке учебных материалов при нашем университете. Университет выпускает различные публикации и обучающие материалы для подготовке работников в области международного развития (международные благотворительные организации и пр.) Для нас это замечательная возможность многому учиться.
Хотя семинария была во многих отношениях положительным опытом для Криса, под конец последней четверти он должен был признаться себе, что достиг точки полного перегорания. Аня помогла определить диагноз по характерным симптомам -- постоянная усталость, плохое настроение и вообще отсутсвие радости жизни. Так что Крис приложил свои усилия, с помощью понимающих друзей и их молитв, с блеском закончить четверть в середине марта, и теперь является достойным и почти уже официальным выпускником Богословской Фуллеровской семинарии. Официальное вручение диплома Магистра исскуств в области богословия произойдет 14 июня, в присутствии родных, друзей и остальной тысячи-полутора выпускников.
У многих из вас уже возник вопрос, что же дальше. Для начала мы планируем хорошенько отдохнуть и отдышаться год-полтора здесь в Пасадене. Будем работать на полную ставку, наслаждаться чудесным калифорнийским климатом и обществом замечательных людей, с которыми здесь подружились. Кстати, необходимо упомянуть, что где-то год назад мы переселились в христианский дом-"общежитие", в качестве менеджеров-"родителей." (Не волнуйтесь, у нас своя отдельная квартира в этом доме -- нам не приходится ночевать в отдельных комнатах!) В основном все наши соседи (6-8 человек) -- незамужняя-неженатая молодежь, либо дети миссионеров, либо планирующие стать миссионерами или заниматься каким-либо служением или работать в социальной сфере.
У нас все хорошо, мы ждем, куда дальше позовет нас Господь. Года через полтора, мы так думаем, настанет время всерьез заняться международным служением -- скорее всего, в России. Мы будем рады получить от вас весточку. Да благословит вас Господь во всей вашей деятельности, и даст вам радоваться жизни во всей ее полноте сегодня и сейчас. Ведь Господни благословения в настоящем многого стоят -- так стоит ли нам беспокоиться о завтрашнем дне?

Moving on... and taking a break

Hello everyone,
Many of you have not heard from Anya and I in a long time. Like everyone else we have been pretty busy. Life has been quite a ride. I have been attending seminary and working hard at William Carey International University. My classes were good and work has been a great experience. I work with my wife as a manager of University publications and curriculum development. Our University publishes books and curriculum in use for training workers in the field of International Development (think World Vision, or groups like that). So, we have enjoyed this learning experience greatly.
While seminary was great in many ways, I (Chris) have to be honest in that I reached a real point of burn out. Anya was a great help in diagnosing me (I was constantly sulky, tired and an overall pain to live with). So, I pushed through my final quarter, with the help of good listening friends and the prayers of many of you. AND, I am proud to announce that I have finished Fuller Theological Seminary as of Mid-March. I will walk the stage June 14th to receive a Masters of Arts in Theology.
So, what's next many of you are wondering. For Anya and I we are looking forward to a good year and a half of rest. We plan on working full time, enjoying the California sun, and really investing in the relationships we have made here in Pasadena. I need to mention that somewhere along the way Anya and I moved into a leadership role as the managers of a Christian community house. The house is called the "Haggai House" and it is part of a large missionary community here in town.
We are doing good and looking forward to where God will take us. In a year and a half or so we plan on being in a position to go into full time service overseas, most likely in Russia. I hope to hear from many of you and to share with you more. May you all grow in the Lord and enjoy the life you have been given. I have certainly learned that much in the midst of my work and school, that God's blessings of the present are worth a great deal- so why should we worry too much about what is to come?

Back in the States... for now

Hello, one and all.
The pictures are of the great city of Nizhniy Novgorod. Anya's hometown, and our home for the month of January. It was month packed full of fun, friends, family, and our future plans. It was good to be in Russia. We have been back now for almost two months and yes, it has taken that long to get settled in. We have moved to a new apartment. We are finishing up with a major project at work, and I have just finished another quarter of studies in seminary. So, life is full, tiring, and wonderful.
To start where I left off in my last correspondence, we met with a number of different missionaries, russian seminary students, and expatriate student christian leaders. We have learned a lot about ministry and life in Russia, and I don't know that we can ever fully process all that we have heard and seen. A few things that we did hear on a recurring basis: The evangelical church in Russia is in a "survival" mode. Evangelical Protestant Christians in Russia are represented in very small numbers and their churches have largely moved into a guarded position; uncomfortable in ministering to the culture surrounding them and resigned to catering only to the immediate needs of their small congregations. We heard of some exceptions, but very few. We also heard over and over again, that the primary problem facing evangelicals in Russia is the enormous gap between faith in Jesus Christ and the circumstances of every day life. Therefore, while the situation is complex, we have begun to think that an effective missionary in Russia should be involved in assisting the Russian Evangelical Church begin to minister to the "outside" culture and begin to demonstrate that life is in Christ, all of it (not just the Sunday stuff).
So we are very excited to pray about and inquire with a ministry that we have begun to communicate with called City Gate. City Gate is a type of Christian retreat center and Publishing House that is focused on long term solutions to the problems facing Eastern European Churches. Please pray with us and keep in contact as we plan ahead on perhaps entering into an internship with City Gate at some point in the next year or so. Please ask any questions that you may have and we would be glad to tell you more! So, I suppose that is it for now.. I will list just a few other news items below that might be of interest:
> My brothers are both starting out their families (Dalton is having his first baby soon and Davlin is on his second! Neat stuff).
> Anya is learning how to drive and will be taking her Drivers test within a month.
> We are able to walk to work now and everyday there is a really friendly black labrador who greets us on our way to the office; Ahhh, how cute.

What a Trip!

We apologize for not keeping in touch more often these last couple of weeks. Things have been pretty hectic! We knew beforehand that the first couple of weeks in Russia would be full of holiday celebrations and visiting friends and family. I wrote about that experience already. Now the last two weeks have been very different. Two weeks ago we helped Mike and Karen McDonald, Foursquare Missionaries who coordinate new church plants, present a ministry outreach concert in a nearby town. So for five or 6 days we assisted a team from a Los Angeles Foursquare Native American Church as they presented their culture and the Gospel in a variety of different venues. Anya was the real trooper! She translated and M.C.'d for a seminar, concerts, disscussion groups etc..., sometimes for over 4 straight hours! I basically took pictures and watched. Overall, the team was received very well and we hope that the event will have sparked enough interest to keep a small weekly bible study group going in the village where the concerts were held.
The other major event that has occurred was the loss of our apartment in Pasadena. Anya and I received an e-mail a couple of weeks ago that informed us that our apartment building had suffered a fire (7 days back from the e-mail!) and that all of our belongings would need to be cleared out of the building by the next day for the city had condemned the site. Well, needless to say this seemed to be a near impossible task seeing as how Anya and I are currently on the other side of the Atlantic. However, after a day full of frantic phone calls we received an overwhelming response of gracious help from our work and church community. So, we would like to say thanks to Jason Kerner for assisting us by coordinating all of the clean up efforts for our apartment. Thanks to Westside Christian Fellowship for providing a moving company to remove everything from our apartment and safely store it. Thanks to Karen Watney for ensuring that my wife and I have a temporary place to stay when we return to the States. And, thanks to Delisa Harris for making sure that our car was moved to a safe place. Finally, thanks to all of our family and friends who prayed for us in this difficult time. God has provided for us and we are very thankful.
Well, there is much more to write! Anya and I traveled to St. Petersburg to visit with various organizations that we might like to partner in ministry with. However, we are still processing through all of the wonderful visits we have had with various ministries and friends. We will write again, but until then God bless and take care,
Chris and Anya Gandy

Russian New Years!

Hello universe,
Well I am not sure that everyone in the universe reads our blog, but almost I'm sure. By the way, if you are one of the lucky people who has happened upon our blog try posting a comment. Let us know what you think.
Anya and I arrived in Russia Thursday December 28th 2006. We got to Anya's parents home in Nizhny Novgorod on Friday December 29th. Since arriving we have been partying non-stop! New Years in Russia is a big deal. Its kind of like Christmas, New Years Eve, the State of the Union Address and the Fourth of July wrapped up in one. Thats the best that I know how to describe it.
So, we have arrived safely and I think that we are just about recuperated from all of the partying and visiting of friends and family. I am starting up in my courses at Fuller. I am taking a full load of distance courses this quarter. It is a bit of an experiment trying to do school from Russia, but I think I will manage. We appreciate all of your prayers and support. May God bless you and keep you...

almost there...

Hello everyone,
I am starting to like the idea of posting my random thoughts online, so if you happen to run by our blog then welcome to my brain.
I (Chris) have been thinking about quite alot lately. I finished my finals at Fuller Seminary last week and am now enjoying life as a free man (until next quarter anyways). Anya and I are getting more and more excited about going to Russia. However, we certainly need your prayers at this time since neither of us currently have our passports. Mine is in Washington, D.C. receiving a Russian Visa so that I can enter the country. Anya's is in San Francisco getting some sort of special stamp that will alert the authorities that I am Anya's husband and that some of her documents contain this funky name "Gandy".
Well, anyways, we hope that everyone enjoys their Christmas. Party hard on New Years. And while you are at it, post some comments on our blog.

Fall 2006

We have worked hard at filing all the proper documents and arranging everything so that Anya's move to America might go smoothly. The hard work paid off because Anya has just received her Green Card as of last month. This means that Anya is able to work, get a driver's license, travel out of the country (and return to America), and she will be able to apply for US citizenship in 3 years.

God has truly taken care of us. There have been some uncomfortable times, but in the end this has been an exhilarating and wonderful year. Just when we would wonder how to pay for graduate school, the Lord would bring about some kind of financial blessing. When we were lost as to how to stay afloat and pay the rent, God provided both my wife and I with a job at the US Center for World Mission. We are doing well and we want to thank the many of you who were praying for us and supporting us in so many ways.

Working at a missions organization has been like a dream come true for Anya and me! We work in the Curriculum Production department for a distance education university that the US Center for World Mission administers. The experience of working in a missions environment developing resources for missionaries currently on the field has been priceless.
Every day God has opened our eyes to the possibilities and the needs that exist in the missions community. There is no doubt in our minds that God is calling us to serve as missionaries in Russia. We will be in California for the next several years as I finish with seminary, but we are inquiring into different ministries in Russia and doing our part to prepare for life overseas.

Russia Trip 2007
Even now the doors have opened for us to travel to Russia in January! This will be a wonderful time for us, especially since Anya will not have seen her family for over a year by the time we go. We will be traveling to Anya's home city of Nizhny Novgorod and will then make a trip to St. Petersburg and will be developing contacts for future ministry in Russia. Here is a run-down of all that we have planned for our trip:
• Celebrating New Years (Russian style) with Family and Friends!
• Visiting Anya's home church and the InterVarsity group she worked with.

Conversing with ministry leaders in order to explore future ministry opportunities; ministries such as:
- Church Resource Ministries
- Youth With a Mission
- SEN research group
- Foursquare Missions International
Please pray with us, as this will be an intense trip where Anya and I will be exploring how we might be a part of what the Holy Spirit of God is already doing amongst the Russian people. Also, we are dependent on the monetary support of friends and family. Our trip will cost $4,000, so any financial gift is greatly appreciated. We appreciate the prayer and support that we have already received from so many of you.

ВАЖНАЯ ГОДОВЩИНА

ОДНО ИЗ НАШИХ ВИРТУАЛЬНЫХ СВИДАНИЙ В ЯПОНСКОМ РЕСТОРАНЕ
Сегодня, 7 марта, ровно год с того дня, когда в нашем очередном телефонном разговоре Оклахома-Нижний Новгород, посвященном 4 месяцам знакомства, Крис лишил меня дара речи на пару минут вопросом: "А не стоит ли нам пожениться?" Согласитесь, событие незаурядное, тем более накануне Международного (!!) Женского дня.