Ministry on edge following Russian bombings

By December 31, 2013
Russia under attack. Terrorists hit two targets.

Russia under attack. Terrorists hit two targets.

Russia (MNN) — It’s being described as a country on edge. Two bombings in Volgograd, Russia claimed the lives of 31 people and injured dozens more. Sunday, a suicide bomber in the city’s rail station started the chaos. Then yesterday, a second bomber blew himself up on an electric trolley car.

The terrorist attacks come just six weeks ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which is just 400 miles way.

Project Hope in Irkutsk, Russia (Sergey Aleev).

Project Hope in Irkutsk, Russia (Sergey Aleev).

Russian Ministries is in the middle of their Gift of Hope Christmas gift distribution ministry to orphaned and poor children. President of Russian Ministries Sergey Rakhuba says, “We are prepared to reach out to over 70,000 children with Project Hope. [Those are gifts] that national churches are packing with the help of the international Christian family and delivering those gifts into the hands of orphans.”

They’re also gearing up for outreach during the Olympics, says Rakhuba. “We are prepared with over 650,000 copies of Christian literature, and Scripture: New Testaments, Gospels of John, Bibles, and other pieces of Christian literature that will be distributed through organized outreach activities in the major cities of Russia during the Olympics.”

While the terrorism has everyone on edge, Rakhuba says their national workers are brave. “They’re saying it cannot disrupt our work.”

While that’s good news, Rakhuba says it problably will. “Russian Authorities are planning to tighten security regulations. And, definitely some of the events that we’re planning probably will get disrupted because it relates to public gatherings, etc.”

Rakhuba is making this appeal. “I really want to call on the international Christian community to pray that our outreach won’t be disrupted so that our national workers will be safe when they are reaching out to those who need the Gospel.”

The unintended consequence of the bombing? Openness, says Rakhuba. “It unites people and opens their hearts for the Gospel in this time of difficulties and oppression. It’s why we have to bring them the Gospel.”

You can help support the Russian Ministries Bible distribution program. Your $50 gift purchases Scripture for up to 200 people. Click here to support their work.

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