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"Hope for those taught God does not exist "
Scottdale, AZ I saw something in the Russia that I have seen in none of my other trips for Work & Witness. I saw something much worse than the deprivation of material comforts and health care. I saw something worse than deprivation of personal freedom.
This was the loss of the right to believe in God. This loss of belief in God created a loss of hope and a loss of reason for being. For years, the communist government told these dear people that there was no God. Churches were destroyed or put to other uses.
The younger generation, without God, became hopeless. They have nowhere to turn for meaning and comfort. Fifty percent of the population is on drugs or alcohol trying to get rid of or become numb to this feeling of hopelessness. This starts at an early age, usually with glue sniffing and then escalates to full blown drug abuse. I saw the results of this abuse on their bodies, but worse on their souls. Their teeth, circulatory systems, limbs showed the terrible effects of the mistreatment of their bodies; but, their souls showed worse effects. They were hopeless, with nowhere to turn, but drugs.
I saw that the worse thing that can happen is to be told and made to believe that there is no God.
Now that the Russia has once more become free and can worship without hindrance, our Church of the Nazarene has created rehabilitation centers. At these homes, young people are once more learning that there is a God and that He cares. They are changing and becoming “clean.” Some are even becoming Pastors. While secular treatments have not lasted, these Christian centers have been the only real change makers in all of the Russia. So much so, that the government has began to want to work with them and learn from them.. They are seeing that Christ is the only One that can make a real, lasting change in a person’s heart. This is a concrete change that can be witnessed and can continue to be watched as it remains.
We gave physical comfort, but the real, lasting comfort is and will have to continue to be a renewed faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Nowhere have I ever seen the results of such deprivation of the belief in God. It was a real awakening for me. And, a call to continue our efforts to bring God to those who have been deprived.
Pam Roberts
September 2004
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