RON WINKLER…

In 1996, I had the privilege of taking a mission trip to Russia with a pastor friend of mine. We spent ten days assisting another missionary in Moscow with evangelization and enjoyed several opportunities to preach. During that time I saw a people hungry for the Word and even saw many accept Christ during this visit. It was because of this trip that God placed a burden in my heart for the Russian people. My family and I arrived on the field in April, 2003, with the same burden. But we found that the economic growth and prosperity that Russia has experienced had created a new hunger in many Russian people– materialism. Our hearts still have the same burden because the Russian people still have the same need – Jesus Christ.

Often, as we are out on evangelism passing out literature and New Testaments, I find out that many people have never owned a Bible and they are thrilled to receive one free of charge.

A missionary friend and I planned a two-day trip, driving north as far as we could. Along the way, we stopped at the villages and spent some time passing out New Testaments and literature. At night we found a spot by the river and camped out. The next morning we pulled into a small village toward the end of the road. There were many children playing outside at the school. We were the first Americans they had ever seen. They eagerly accepted the New Testaments! What a privilege it was to be able to give them God’s Word. Bible distribution is so important to those who have no Bible.

RACHEL WINKLER…

When I was 12 years old, during our annual mission conference, I told God I would do whatever He wanted me to do with my life – whether it was in missions or some other full-time Christian service. What a privilege it was to be brought up in a pastor’s home. I was saved and baptized at an early age. Serving God was our family’s life. We loved it! Each year I looked forward to our mission conference. Meeting missionaries, seeing slides, looking at the displays, and getting my Bible signed are wonderful memories. Years later when I began dating Ron, I knew that God had burdened his heart for the Russian people. We are thrilled that God would use us to share the gospel in Russia.

Wow, I sure had a lot to learn once I arrived in Russia! Believe it or not, hearing everyone speaking Russian (which I didn’t understand at all) was not necessarily my biggest shock. I certainly didn’t expect Krasnoyarsk, in the middle of Russia (Siberia - no less), to be so big and modern. The weather surprised me, too. Since Siberia is known for its frigid winters, summer came and I had no idea that Siberia could get so hot.

Then I had not thought ahead to the fact that I would have to cook; all the labels on the cans and food would be in Russian. We ate grilled cheese quite a bit those first few months. I do not have any horror stories to tell of disgusting food I have had to eat. Over all, Russian food is quite tasty. As I look back over our time here, I would have to say that the most sobering shock of all was the spiritual darkness the Russian people live in. Satan has them blinded to the consequences of sin and has them living entirely for the pleasure of sin. God called us here to tell them Jesus loves them. Jesus is the answer – He has always been and always will be.

Because God promises in Isaiah 55:11:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.