Bogdan's Story

Do you remember Tamara?  We first came in contact with her in October 2009.  In January 2010, Eric started visiting her son, Ruselan, in prison and doing Bible lessons with him.  His wife and two sons were living with another man at the time.  This past year while we were in the States, he was let out of prison and reunited with his "wife" (they are technically divorced).  The Whites and Lina visited with them many times and the boys, Bogdan and Nikita, started coming to Sunday School and the Bible clubs they held.  Over the past year or so, he has heard the message clearly presented, but he never seemed to really pay attention.  I know Lina has wept for them and her desire (and ours) was that they would be saved.  As I mentioned, during our recent Bible Club, he raised his hand saying that he wanted to talk to Lina about being saved.  We were all bursting with excitement!  While everyone was busy with free time and pickup, Lina and Eric pulled him aside and talked to him.  They said he was very serious about it and readily admitted that he was a sinner and could not save himself.  About 30 minutes later, Bogdan bowed his head and asked Jesus to clean his heart!  When he came out, he was glowing, but definitely shy about all the attention.  We are praising God for this decision that he has made.

It is not going to be easy for him, though and we greatly covet your prayers for this young man and his family.  What does he have to go home to?  A father and mother who are hardly ever home...unless they are drunk.  It has also been gossiped that his mother sleeps around.  Please, please pray for them.  They have, on occasion, expressed a desire to change and even called this week wanting to meet with Eric and get their lives right...but they did not show up because they were drunk.  Bogdan is often called the "bad boy" in the family and is treated very harshly.  Pray that there will be an evident change in Bogdan that will draw the rest of his family to God.