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The Euro-Asia Division is, geographically, the largest Seventh-day Adventist territory
in the world. It stretches across nearly half the globe, from Eastern Europe to the Pacific
Ocean. And from the polar regions, above the Arctic Circle, to Central Asia. If you were
to travel through this division, you would have to adjust your watch for 11 different
time zones!
Euro-Asia is made up of 12 countries, including the predominantly Christian nations of Russia,
Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia. And the predominantly Muslim nations of Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Each of these countries is highly diverse with its own mix of ethnic groups, religions,
and languages. But they share a common past, for they were all once part of the Soviet
Union.
The rise of Communism in 1917 led to a loss of religious freedom in this region. By 1929
many Seventh-day Adventist churches had been confiscated or closed. Adventist publications
were banned. And religious meetings in private homes were strictly forbidden.
Hundreds of Seventh-day Adventists were arrested, imprisoned, or sent to labor camps for sharing
their faith. Some even paid with their lives. By 1938 there were no congregational worship
services anywhere in Russia. Yet church members remained faithful to God.
When Communism fell in 1991, people experienced many new freedoms. Thousands were hungry for
God, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church grew rapidly. But this surge in religious
interest soon waned as people began to adopt the secular lifestyle of the West.
Today the church continues to grow, but progress is slow. Of the 280 million people in the
Euro-Asia Division, fewer than 140-thousand are Seventh-day Adventists. We have much to
do to share the Adventist message here. And we face many challenges.
Because religion was largely forbidden during Soviet times, many believers are nominal followers
of their faiths. Few read the Bible. Atheism and agnosticism are strong. And subsequent
political chaos, inflation, and unemployment have left millions disillusioned and indifferent
to religion. Yet many are seeking spiritually for something that won’t let them down.
Adventist church members in the Euro-Asia Division are reaching out to those who are
seeking hope. Through evangelism and one-on-one outreach, they are touching hearts for Jesus.
One area where the church is experiencing exciting growth is Siberia.
Covered with *** forests and waving grasslands, Siberia is the vast empty part of Russia to
the west of the Ural Mountains. Life can be harsh here and the winters, bitterly cold.
But Adventist churches are drawing people into the warmth of God’s love.
This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath offerings will help provide church homes for two growing
congregations in Siberia.
Krasnoyarsk is a city of about 1 million people with only five Adventist congregations. One
of these meets in a simple house church. Olesia was looking for a way to share Jesus
with her friends and neighbors and felt impressed to start a small group. She invited Margeurita,
who has been attending now for a year and a half.
This is my family. They are the closest people to me. . . Jesus is the person who loves me
and is always with me, and something that enlightened my life.
Today Margeurita is a Seventh-day Adventist and is sharing her faith with others.
Evangelistic meetings and small groups such as the one Olesia helped start are winning
hearts to Jesus. But as membership grows, there are no permanent church homes for new
members to join.
Guillermo Biaggi, president of the Euro-Asia Division, says the lack of church buildings
is a huge challenge.
“Our greatest challenge is to have more chapels here in this great division territory.
And the Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings will come for different projects of chapels in
different countries so we are so happy and it is so important for us that the family
of our church will be contributing for these wonderful projects. For church members and
new comers to worship the true God and to be prepared for heaven.”
The believers in Krasnoyarsk have purchased land and have laid plans to build a church.
Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings will help provide a church home for two congregations.
Another area in Siberia where small groups and evangelism are helping to grow the church
is Tomsk.
Tomsk is a university city with a population of about a half million. But only one house
church, hidden away on a back street, represents the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Some 180
Adventists live and worship in Tomsk. While the little house church should seat only about
90 people they often squeeze in many more. There simply isn’t any room for new members!
Alexander is an elder at a house church in Tomsk. But a few years ago, he planned to
stir up trouble for the congregation. Convinced it was a sect, he went to the church determined
to “rescue” a relative. He was met with such an outpouring of love, his heart was
touched.
“I came as an enemy to this place and I came to create a war between me and this church.
But I voluntarily decided that I also needed to follow this lifestyle because, as now I
understand, God showed me through those brothers and sisters, His love, His smiles. And I was
just amazed by those relationships that I met first.”
Alexander accepted Jesus as his savior, was baptized, and is now reaching out to others
with God’s love.
The Adventists in Tomsk have purchased land and are working hard to build a new church
large enough to accommodate two congregations. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath
Offerings will help fund this much-needed church.
“So we really need a new, nice building for the worship that will become like a new
witness in this city so others can come and join with us.”
The Republic of Azerbaijan [ah-zehr-bai-JAHN] lies along the Caspian Sea South of Russia.
Some 8 million people live in this country, but fewer than 5 percent are Christians, and
only about 700 are Adventists. They worship in small groups and a few scattered churches
across the country.
Sharing your faith is difficult in Azerbaijan. Religious freedom is restricted and people
who belong to minority religions or who change their faith are often persecuted.
The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia make up one region of the Adventist
Church called the Trans-Caucasus [CAW-cus-us] Union Mission. More than 16 million people
live in these three countries, but only 2,000 of them are Adventists. Entire villages have
no Adventist believers and people there have never heard the Bible truths we love.
The children in these countries don’t have access to Sabbath School lesson materials
in their own language.
It is very important to have materials for children because new generations are forming
right now. What we will have in the future, we are forming them now. Because I belong
to the generation of Soviet time when we had not any chance to read anything about religious.
So in past time, if I had had this chance, maybe I would become converted earlier. This
new generation has to have these materials about Jesus. About the Bible. All the materials
it is possible to have. “
Part of our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help provide the children of Armenia, Azerbaijan,
and Georgia with Sabbath School lessons in their own languages, helping them to grow
into strong Christians and to build a strong Adventist church for the future in these countries.
As you can see, there are many challenges to mission in the Euro-Asia Division. But
one-on-one sharing and evangelism are winning hearts to Jesus. Thousands are coming to Him
and are eager to share their faith with others. But they need church homes in which to worship.
We can help them have those homes so that more and more people can come to know Jesus’
love.
Your prayers and generous support of the Thirteenth Sabbath offering can make an eternal difference
in the Euro-Asia Division. Please give generously.