Greetings in the Name of the Coming King.
Political tension in Russia erupted on November 21st when federal Duma deputy, Galina Starovoitova was shot to death by automatic gunfire outside her apartment building. She was an outspoken defender of religions freedom and the democratic process. It is widely believed to be a political assassination.
The rhetoric by politicians has been what is expected, with democratic reformers pointing the finger at the communists and the communists stating that it would be "very dangerous" to accuse the communist party of this killing. The 20,000 people who filled the streets for the funeral of Starovoitova overwhelmed the local police force. The common folk are not pleased.
Visitors in our home from Kazakstan last week pointed out that the situation in Moscow is not as bad as they expected. The stores in Moscow do have products. People are buying. New stores are even opening. At the same time, Lutheran churches report that hunger is ever more severe in the villages.
Our friends from Kazakstan noted that our apartment is warm and comfortable. At the same time, our LCMS missionary in Novosibirsk reports that the heating plant there is running at about 60% and it is difficult at times to stay warm. (In most of Russia's cities, centralized heating plants supply hot water for heat to all the apartments and buildings.)
During the early '90s, it was believed by many that the fall of communism was just part of a natural evolution of Russian society UPwards. Some Russians, however, never thought things would get better. Tim McDaniel in "The Agony of the Russian Idea" copied down the following from a sign he saw in St. Petersburg in 1991: "You really think that you got rid of the party, which oppressed you for so many years. In fact, the party threw you out when it saw there was nothing more to take from you. It fled, stealing what it could. Poor slaves, you won't be able to find another master. In the twentieth century, slaves are of no use to anyone. . . "
McDaniel also writes that one of his prominent friends noted, "Before . . .we were like animals in the zoo. They fed us, cleaned up our messes, fed us again. Now they've opened the cages and told us that we're free. But we, helpless animals that we are, don't know how to take care of ourselves and only soil ourselves and each other."
The world is beginning to the situation in Russia more clearly, no matter how much food there is on the shelves in Moscow stores. It should not surprise anyone that many Russians want to go back to the way it was. While the Swiss accounts of some Russians bulge, a financial crisis has crippled the nation. Banks fail. The ruble rate today is down to about 20 rubles to the dollar. Towns in the north are being evacuated for lack of food and heat. There is a severe insulin shortage. Politicians are trying to gain control of TV stations and newspapers. Democratic reformers are assassinated.
People in St. Petersburg joke darkly about declaring war on Finland and immediately surrendering.
We are sometimes asked, "Why do you stay in Russia? Why do you want to put up with all that?"
The answer is simple enough. People who feel as though no one needs them or cares about them need to know that they have a loving heavenly Father who loves them with an everlasting love. A people who feel they have no future need to be told that that same loving heavenly Father has provided them with a future, that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to secure for us an eternal and glorious future. There is so much work to do.
Please continue to remember us in your prayers. Please pray that God would humble us to be useful servants in His hands. Pray for the Ingrian Lutheran Church that the Gospel might shine brightly through her. Please pray for all those who are hungry.
May God richly bless you all,
John Mehl